Okay, this is the lake management meeting. We're opening it at 7 PM. It's a Zoom hybrid meeting and the meeting is being recorded. Anyone else recording uh needs to notify me so we can get names.
Um first item up for bid is reading the minutes from the uh April 9th meeting. I didn't see anything. So, I'll make a motion to accept. >> I'll second the date. >> Okay. Malcolm
>> Mike D. All in favor? >> Opposed? Abstain. >> Nor will abstain. Nor >> here. >> Abstain. Y here. Unanimous. I just have to pull
everybody. Norm Chver volume. >> Yeah. >> Mike Coons. >> Hi. >> Malcolm Deb. >> Hi. >> Mike Debay. >> Hi. >> Dick Ran. Hi. >> Eric Mueller. >> Hi. >> Paul Yokum. >> You got your sound on Paul.
>> He's off. >> Yeah, he's got his volume off. >> Hello. >> There you go. >> Hello. There we go. >> Okay. All right. And next thing is the concom update. Normal.
>> Yes. I have a few items to report on. Uh we approved an RDA for 10 fury drive for a carport addition to the house. And it's it was an RDA not because of the lake but because across the street
is the wetlands. >> Um >> Oh, I know where that is. Yeah. My neighbor. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> It's like that. >> Yeah. >> We're addressing some uh freight and drive erosion issues that resurfaced.
They actually happened last year. Um and DPW was got an old uh storm drain that really needs to be replaced. >> And what happens is the storm d just fills up and drive is a steep steep
hill. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. Very. And it the strong thing just fills up and then it overflows and it's like crazy. >> Okay. >> Are they analystic cleaning them for the town like with a mud sucker thing? >> Yeah, they have. Yeah, >> they do. >> They do that. >> Yeah, they do that.
>> Yeah. >> Okay. We did talk about uh Crepes Tea House, 157 Fleeting Hill Road, and we sent a notice to Crepes that we wanted to review the
um the ramps, >> handicap ramps, are now going to be installed. >> Yeah. >> So, we'll see what happens with that >> cuz they would be in the, you know, they're not up. They're in the flood
plane. >> They're in the flood plane. >> Yeah, >> that's correct. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And they could be torpedoes. >> Oh god. Yeah. >> Yeah. Don't be downstream. Um, we had to postpone our spring planting
plan for North Pond to the fall because one of the items we wanted to plant was Mountain Laurel and that's not available in the spring. >> Oh. >> So, I didn't know that. >> Oh, >> they didn't either.
>> Yeah. Right. That's interesting. and still uh on conservation. The the retaining wall at 485 Lake View Drive in West Sfield is still no no resolution yet. And it's really too bad because
Tuesday night Southfield has a another retaining wall replacement, the 471 drive. >> Yep. >> So I'm not sure how that one's going to go. They, according to drawings, it appears that
the the wall they're replacing is is actually off the lake by about 10 ft. >> And they're going to replace it and put a cement block one in, but until I I can't I can't get over there because my boat's not in the water. So, I can look at it
>> and I'll see the plants Tuesday night at their meeting to see what happened to that. >> Okay. And then two meetings ago, Mike C asked for an update on uh the LPP account
and we have numbers for that. >> There's a total of this is a this is a few weeks old now, but uh the total balance was 65,858.
We've had one large withdrawal for printing. I assume that was for the stickers for this year. >> Yeah. >> $862. >> That's And >> every year. >> And then there's been another 1,700 out coming out in salaries. >> Mhm.
>> And that's pretty much all. >> So, >> and so probably had a significant amount of income too, you know. >> Well, >> with the permitting >> they had new new revenue was $8,300 at this time.
Again, this is a few weeks old. It's >> probably even busier. >> We haven't Have we gotten the uh the money from Sfield yet? Their part? >> No, that won't come until usually July. Okay. 1 of July. >> So then that'll add to it. >> So Mike, you okay with that?
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. A quick question to you, Norm, though. Is that is that something we can use to buy the boys and all the other stuff if it comes under lake safety? >> No, the the it can be used for lake safety. Um we we'd kill it if we if we
did the buoys, but we have an account for buoys. Um the town pays for the buoys. >> Okay. >> And the and we'll get to it later. the the lights on the buoys are being funded by CRC >> and we'll talk about that when we get to that.
>> So now that money can be used for lake patrol >> lake patrol >> and my understanding from an article I read is that the sheriff uh sheriff is no longer going to be patrolling this year on the lake. >> Correct. >> Which is kind of a shame because we saw
them pretty often quite a bit more than >> Why are they not doing it this year? >> Money budget. budget >> budget. They got they got clobbered. >> 25 million was it? >> Oh, yeah. Something. It was not chump change. >> What was that for all that? >> Well, it was the the whole sheriff's
department across the Commonwealth. >> Yeah. >> Had like an expanding budget. >> Yeah. >> And and uh you know, let's say it's for 100 million and they'd spend 150, >> right? >> Yeah. And then >> regular government stuff.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. and and they want more to be spent on all the other issues the state has, you know. >> Well, they got them up in >> Sanctuaries. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> At least that's the way the news portrayed it. >> Yes. Yeah. >> Thank you, Norman.
>> You're welcome. That's the Hong Kong update. >> Okay. >> But Norman's up again with master plan. >> Master plan. Empic uh we're still focusing on uh the end of June. I reported last time that we had six organizations
uh that still hadn't given us completion promises. We did have good news from the board of health that not only gave us promises, but they gave us two completions. >> Okay. >> Can you send us um what we have after we
moved everything around and and and dates and everything? what our latest commitment is. >> Yep. >> Okay. You can email it to me. >> Yep. >> So, we're still waiting to hear from the historical commission, the school committee, parks and wreck, cultural
council, and CPC. >> So, now we got 20 completions promised for 6:30. 13 are have been submitted to us. We have approved them and they're on to the planning board and select board for
their approvals. at least seven and of the seven there's three or four that are risky at this point in time >> but other than that it's in good shape >> and that's the impact we understand that
>> do we have an update for for CRC Paul do you have anything to offer >> uh no I don't have anything really new meeting of the season and um it all went pretty 12. >> Okay.
>> Um, I'm going to be giving a presentation on their second meeting on May 12th, >> which I haven't put together yet. >> Yeah. >> All righty. Um, but I I will say that the uh we'll
be covering the the the buoy lights and and whatnot. I also sent Michelle a reminder about the permits for the parade. >> Boat parade. >> I'll touch base with her on that. >> Yeah. >> And it's a much bigger deal this year.
>> 250th. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> What day is that on, do you think? >> I think it's the same thing. Saturday with a with a >> rain day Sunday is what they're doing. Yeah. Um, so the next one is kind of a quick
one, but maybe Norm, you've heard something more. Um, 129 North Lake Abas been on our HIP parade for more than a decade and haven't seen any action on that. Is there anything?
Did they try to do an LPP, which they can't do? They were the last time we talked to her, she was going to apply for chapter 91 >> and I haven't got any update since then.
>> Clark is requesting to record. >> Cliff and Clark is requesting to record. >> Yes, you can. You can record Cliff. Of course, the issue with the chapter 91 dots as they are is they >> are not legal under chapter 91 because
there's more area than is allowed. >> So that would be interesting. >> Yeah. >> And and because it it it doesn't suit doesn't match what you can do on Right. >> So >> I'm not sure how you do that.
>> And that's been on there. We've been dealing with this. >> Right. Yeah. >> I mean >> Yeah. Yeah, I'm with you. >> Okay, 141. >> All right, the next one. I walk for my fingers. Piece of paper
won't separate. >> Okay. 141 Kong Road Docks. Uh, one of the things I did check on u, and Sabrina sent me is the chapter 91 license that they had does not specify
that it's which is transient and which is they they say they're silent on that. They don't care. So, uh because what they want to do is make the whole both docks rentals.
Now that raised a whole issue which planning board is working on now because it then takes parking spaces and commits them to >> so it takes parking spaces away from the restaurant >> from the restaurant and they have not
planning board is working on that that's their that's not in the water >> what I did find out I verified it is uh in 2025 that the tren um >> the northern The northern dock had its
full complement of it was back to 20 spaces. >> Oh, it was >> it was >> Yeah. So, and and there weren't any complaints to to the uh chief, you know, to the harbor master. >> Yep. So, now it's it's the issue that
that if the if this is granted, then it's going to make it more difficult for there to be an operating restaurant because they're going to lose >> Oh, yeah. >> They're they're short on parking now >> to begin with. you know, they they were they were allowed to open it without
by the letter of the law, they didn't have enough parking to start with, >> right? >> Now, they're going to remove even more spaces, which I believe the way the rules were will remove 10 more restaurant spaces from a place that didn't have enough spaces to begin. And
it seems to me that that jeopardizes the restaurant, the possibility of having a functioning operating restaurant there. And the town would like a functioning operating restaurant there. Yeah. So >> they'll pack him in though. They pack him in. >> Yeah. But then Yes. But then the the
issue is part of the agreement was that they would not be allowed to do that and they would get ticketed if they did that. >> Okay. >> So that that was, you know, when you go back to the beginning. >> So So I understand. Yes. that will that will produce income for Gem Marina, but
it then threatens >> restaurant unless the plan is, yeah, we'll just ignore the permit. We'll park as many people as we want, but the town assured us that would not happen. If that happens, people who are parked illegally will be ticketed or towed. So,
it so it'll be interesting to see what the decision is. In fact, obviously, you know, we're not happy about 20 more 20 more boats on the lake, but um but I think, you know, we we've made that pitch before. >> Um >> we didn't win.
>> Yeah. And so now I I think, you know, the issue is it seems to me, like I said, it it threatens >> it threatens the viability of any restaurant. And so far, >> we haven't been able to get a restaurant there to survive. >> Yeah. >> As did they get the liqu license back?
Uh there's I think they're still working on that. Okay. The uh let's see voting season. Yeah, because like like I said, planning board is working that whole issue with the parking and uh you
know that like we said that's problematic. So then uh the next one >> can I can I interrupt Dick? Is anybody from LMC going to go to the to the meeting next Tuesday? >> I don't know that
>> it's a 28th, right? >> Yeah. I mean, >> I've already stretched 18 ways to Sunday. If somebody wants to go, I I will not be able to go on the 28th. >> Yeah.
>> I've got Sfield Con, so I can't go. >> Right. So, I don't know if anybody wants Mike if you want to attend it via Zoom. >> Yeah, they might not want to hear what I say, but that's okay. >> Well, >> I think it's just a money grab, unfortunately. But what are you going to do?
>> Yeah. >> I mean, now people people on the lake can no longer pull up and go in for a dinner or anything. You have to go home, get a car, but there's no parking for the cars. So,
>> I I feel sorry for anybody that's going to run the restaurant. >> Yeah. >> Well, like I said, I think it jeopardizes it jeopardizes the viability of a restaurant. And it seems to me that the town it's it's much more in the town's interest to have an operating
restaurant than an than a marina with 20 more boats on it, >> which doesn't bring the town, >> you know, which doesn't bring the town much for revenue. It would seem that a operating restaurant is much more valuable to the town. And if this is allowed, then the probability of a restaurant surviving becomes even
smaller. How long are they able to get one to survive? >> Somebody's got to go give tickets cuz they're going to jam them into the back, >> right? >> And they're going to put an those extra 20 cars are going to go in there. >> They're in there. One thing that one thing that uh we could recommend is that
those signs where they have for they mark the spaces for >> parking >> you could say uh other you know towway. >> Yeah. >> And and then the town would have you know and it's on private they could just
say look you know if they're not in the restaurant. Yeah, >> that was that was someone to do something Dick and that doesn't happen. >> Yeah. So, yeah, just let it go. >> All righty. Uh notification of the
sunken boat. They are we want to talk about that. That's >> the boat or the truck? >> Sunken truck. >> Truck truck. Um, but the reason I said we want to include boats, ATVs, anything that's that winds up at the bottom that's got fuel and oil and whatnot in
it. Um, Paul, I don't know if you had a chance to do any more on that. You were trying an email about it. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. Can you hear me? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah, I have been looking into it. The state already has a process and
forms and so forth for sunken vessels. They don't have anything for vehicles. And >> you're not supposed to do that. >> Um, so they don't have anything for vehicles, cars, trucks, that sort of
thing. So I've found the only way I was able to get any info really was by using AI through Google. Um, yeah, >> you can't find it just by going into the rules and regulations and so forth on
massgov. Um, so I sent you and um, Dick, I sent you and Eric just what I have to date, >> sent that out this evening >> if you want to take a look at it. And when I look at what it does show, it
really comes down to police department/fire department, basically our town emergency services and the owner or operator of the vessel to handle everything. Um the one exception to that is that the
regulations that we could find identified that the conservation committee would need to be notified and be involved. >> Is there also a timing on the notification? >> There's a couple different timings actually probably three. There's one for
the initial reort of it is supposed to happen in two hours to um mass d um it's supposed to happen immediately to 911 or the fire department
and then there is supposed to be a notice sent out to um the oh who is it? It's basically the RMV >> um because it's a vehicle that's been in
an accident, you know, whether it hit anything else or not >> and that has to happen within 5 days. >> Okay. Did you summarize that by any chance in that in that email or >> Yes, I did. It's on the chart. I also
>> Yeah, it's in there. It's a first cut. I'd like to have you and Eric take a look at it and >> tell me where I'm lacking. >> Okay. Thanks. Thanks very much. Um I I don't know the Massachusetts law. I know I happen to know in New York state that
if you're involved in an accident where more than a certain amount of damage is done, you're required to file a police report. It's actually it's actually a criminal offense to not file a police report when more than a certain amount of damage is done. I don't know what
that number is now. Actually, that's what the report to the RMV is for. It's for if you have more than $1,000 damage or there's any injuries. >> And there was like a subnote >> under that in the research where it
said, "And any vehicle being sunk in a lake, it's definitely going to have more than $1,000." >> Oh, god. Yeah. >> The truck's gone. >> Right. Right. Unless the vehicle isn't worth $1,000. Yes. >> Well, it's still going to cost to get it out. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You're right. You're right. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. So, the
moment it's in the lake, the moment it's in the lake, you've satisfied a thousand >> and then and then Yeah. And then and then I I believe, like I said, if it's like New York, it's not doing so is actually a criminal offense. >> It's not a civil offense. It's a criminal offense.
>> Yeah. I don't know about that. The other thing I was thinking I would do um if y'all don't have a problem with it was I was just gonna drop by the police department and ask if they have any pro there for a vehicle going in the lake. >> Yeah.
>> Because it it seems like all the notifications that sort of thing go through the fire department police department and >> Yeah. with the exception of uh conservation commission for whether or not they rip up things trying to get the vehicle out.
>> Yeah, >> that's true. And it's going to be a tough one to get out. >> And then the other issue, of course, is the environmental damage of the vehicle in our lake. >> Well, that's the first report to the environmental police. >> Yeah. And and I would think conservation
commission probably wants to know about, you know, >> Yeah. Well, we sources of oil in the lake. Yeah, that's why I wanted to um touch base with the police department because >> the first notification that's required is through 911, fire department, that
sort of thing. And that should be a trigger for whoever decides it's their job to uh notify the other people involved. Yeah, >> you might want to check with Mike Wescott, Sergeant Mike Wescott, because
and I can give you give you his number. Um, he's with unfortunately don't have the dive team anymore, but he was that the head of the dive team and he's been involved in anything going on with recovery
water um and likely to have a lot of knowledge about that. >> Okay. If when you respond to my email I sent you and Eric, just include his contact stuff there and I'll >> try to get a hold of him.
>> Gotcha. All righty. Um, anything else on that? >> Uh, no, not right now. >> Thanks, Paul. >> Yep. >> Um, now the mass D. The next thing is
that mass D is seeking Kennedy candidate nutrient impaired lakes water bodies um for instance Kamod which we know it is and for the nine element >> WBS >> right
>> and that's a watershed based plan and that's the route we're taking and there's a a webinar on that on the actually it's a I think it's a it's a teams meeting or or Zoom. I can't remember which one it is. It's one of the two on the 27th.
>> And >> I I cannot attend that. >> Yeah, I'm I'm going to attend it. Uh is there anyone else that's interested in attending because I'll send you the the uh the link. >> I can I might be. >> All right. Send link to Norm.
>> You could send it to me as well, Dick. This is Paul >> to Norm. Paul. Okay. Excellent. >> Excellent. Yeah. So, it's on the 27th at 2 PM. And let me just make a note here because I'm trying to keep track of who's going
to be on. Paul, why? And it'll be Norm, myself, Eric is No. Um, I think Ken was going to join on that. >> I think he Yeah, you could reach out to
him just to make sure. Right. I'll remind >> y that'd be good. Always good to have him in there. >> Okay. And >> yeah, because he's always very helpful with stuff like that. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Next one, if there's nothing else
on that is 159 Bergkshire A. Uh this ongoing issue that we've had now for since 2018. Well, actually before that because that's when it when it started. Um, at any rate, had
many discussions with many different agencies now and um with other other uh wetland scientists. And one of the things I learned was that if you dig up a wetland, it doesn't go
away. Um, it leaves it's like DNA that it leaves behind. And so, uh, a wetland scientist, a wetland scientist will use an augur. They just have to get some sample of the material and then there's identifiers in that that says that was a
wetland even though you destroyed it. Um, and so the other thing that's happening is that there's a I had contacted dam safety, DCR, dam safety. They're going to check it out tomorrow
uh from the street and from the the rail trail and whatnot and because they're not going to go on the property, but uh they have the maps. They've already looked at it. Uh one of the other things that has uh occurred, this one that's
going to run that that webinar on the 27th, he's he's one that told me about that about the the DNA basically is what you're looking for. It leaves stuff behind and it's very easy to identify. I spoke with also one that we have used a
wetland scientist we have used you may be familiar with uh Kate uh Ben Nass and she does that kind of work. So does the Bob Hartzell who's running that that uh meeting
>> meeting. And so they said, you know, it's a pretty simple thing to do. You just need the skills to be able to identify it. But taking the cing is is very simple. Uh and so we've got that. And then one of the things the other
thing I've heard about is that once that's identified that just triggers a whole bunch of uh because the wetland was destroyed that immediately triggers uh oh, you know, >> uh there's federal laws involved.
There's federal laws involved. >> But they taking sand out from that area over there. I see big dump trucks coming out. >> Yes. Yes. >> Big dump trucks. Every time I take my bike up there, >> there was a caravan of them coming out of there for a long time. >> Stump trucks of sand. They're just taking sand out of there >> still. >> Are they selling it?
>> Probably would think so. >> I mean, amazing. >> That's why I heard Yeah, cuz I've heard of machinery going over there. >> Considered mining. >> It is. >> Well, they're taking huge I mean, we're talking dump trucks the side of Yeah. And they're taking huge dump trucks. >> Yeah, that's an unpermanented mining
operation. He's scarfing more land >> a little bit further away. If you walk out in the >> tobacco field, you can you can see that the the hills that he built. >> Yeah. >> They're all fresh sand now. >> Well, they're taking it all out. I'm watching the trucks come in and they're
filling them up and they're just driving away one after. Um >> that's I think that's um that would be two places would be conservation and and uh our code enforcement because once you
get into mining you have to have it has to be permitted. >> So >> it's a lot of sand they're taken away. >> I have not Yeah, you guys >> just go on the trail. You guys will remember a few years ago we had this on
the Sfield side. Yeah. You know with that >> with the sand pit. >> Yeah. Did the same thing in the aquifer. Got all screwed up. >> Right. That that is you know >> that was a while ago. >> Yes. But that's considered a mining operation. >> Mining operation. >> So he's doing it there. >> You got to be selling.
>> But he's doing it. >> Oh, he's selling it. But do you're talking one after the other. You got a whole operation going there. >> When have you seen that? >> I'm on the trail. Every time I ride the bicycle. Oh, no kidding. >> I'm watching them from because now Yeah. Well, I'm out growing in. So, it's like
But I did notice it and I'm like, geez, what the hell are they doing over there? >> So, >> but it's starting to grow in now. The the trees are starting to grow in. So, you're not going to see as much. >> Wow. Okay. So, we've got some some action.
And then I also got the name of um Dave Cameron who used to be um what do you call it? Mass E western region wetlands guy
>> and he retired and he's a consultant now. He's got his own consulting business and he's he knows the wetland laws. I mean, so, uh, Kate's sending me the contact for him so I can get in
touch with him. Okay. Um, the next thing was the algae bloom. >> Yeah. So, I'll talk about >> and here, if you want to pass this around, you can see. >> Yeah. Look like >> it actually isn't a bloom. So, we'll we'll talk about we'll talk about that in a moment. First, this thing is titled
The title here is the policy, the notification policy. So, we've zeroed in on what it is. It's going to be an SOP for the town. Tomorrow, we have a a meeting um with um myself, our board of
health agent, and the the um the harbormaster uh slashchief police um and we're just going to make sure we're all aligned on on the policy and the and how it'll operate. Um,
now one of the things that transpired is um a uh a homeowner contacted the conservation commission because that was that was the number he went to. That's fine. Uh to report uh what he believed was an algae bloom in North Pond. Um
when I went there to look, there was nothing there. It had it had dissipated and the pictures are kind of diffuse. But he said, "No, no, no. There's a bunch of stuff out here." And so he went out later in his kayak and what he took
pictures of is is a type of matte algae, which is not a bloom. It's not a cyanobacteria. It's not a thing that can spread across the lake. Um it's a naturally occurring thing that you don't like, but they happen. They do exist. I,
you know, reached out to Ken. Ken identified, you know, it's one of these two. Uh, and he said, you know, there's no health hazard from it. No, you know, you probably don't want to eat it. Um, but there's no health hazard from it. And really, you don't there's nothing to do. If you want to rake it out, you can
rake it out, but there isn't um, you know, there isn't a thing to do. And there's no concern. Our big concern with the with the algae policy has to do with cyanobacteria and making sure that if a bloom starts, we get on top of it before
it could potentially close the lake. Matt algae doesn't propagate like that. So we it's it's not so it's not what he saw is definitely real. It is definitely algae, but it is not an algae bloom. It
is not a cyanobacteria bloom. In the in the emails, the guy seemed to be very concerned about his dog. >> Dogs. Yeah, I saw that. >> So, is that going to be an issue? Will dogs get rashes from it or something? Is that what they >> It depends on what it is, >> you know. So, he also mentioned that
Heath plans on actually having some of the water tested by a local lab. And I said, "That's great. You know, if you get any tests done, we'd love to have the results. You know, I keep a database of all the test results from the lake." So, um, you know, so this is pretty
early in the year to see Matt algae. We have we have it. We've had it pop up in places before. >> Um, this is a little early. We, you know, normally when we've seen it, it's been a bit later. >> It's cold, too. >> Um, but Well, no, no, it turned warm. It
It during it happened during those 86 days. I got you. Okay. >> Is that shallow over there? So, it might have warmed up fast. >> Well, I I I don't I don't know. I don't know the depth profile and I don't know where he saw that sample. >> Okay. >> Where his dock is isn't very deep.
>> Okay. >> And he saw stuff there, but it wasn't there when I got there. The wind was blowing. Yeah. >> It moved it. >> He he found it again with his kayak, but I don't know where he was in North Pond when he found it. Anyway, I thanked him. I mean, I I you know, appreciate this is
exactly what we need. We need citizens when they see stuff to say something, right? and it and then we'll go get a look at it and see if it's something we need to to be on top of. So, I appreciated that he had done that. Um, and uh what hopefully as of tomorrow,
we'll have this SOP in process in place and then when stuff happens, you'll be a little bit less chasing around. Um, and this one, you know, did not turn into a, you know, it did not sort of take off on its own. We, you might
recall we had a meeting with someone um you know this organization from Woods Hole and the reason why they identified us was they said, "Oh, you know, we understand that last year you guys had a a major algae bloom." And I explained to them, "No, what we had was a major
social media bloom." Yeah. >> If I kind of explained sort of what happened. So that's >> social media explosion. >> Yeah. part of the so so I'm not sure your I'm not sure your algae control policy will work for that. So we uh but
hopefully with this policy in place we can we can you know minimize the the non-informational social media blooms that take place. So any other questions on that? >> No. >> All right. Uh, next thing is
uh buoys and lights and we're progressing very nicely on that. Uh, I've went down and went through all the buoys that are at North Pond at North Ramp and called out five that are dead. You know,
they're they're broken beyond use. And so they're spray painted and will be removed once we get all the buoys out of the way because otherwise you got to >> and I think Rick's installing buoys tomorrow, right? >> Yeah. And the lights are being installed tonight by by Mark. >> Oh, okay.
>> And so that was the whole thing. Uh they they were coordinating >> because he didn't want to leave him down there for somebody to play with him on the shore. >> So he's installing them tonight. Rick is going to install all set all the buoys.
I sent an email out to Rick and Mark since I've been copying them on on everything to do with the buoys and there's one buoy that's at the peninsula, the Connecticut peninsula that sticks out from the eastern shoreline, you know, where opposite like
Kurts >> and that buoy is way out. I think the ice moved the >> I think the ice moved the uh moing. >> Yeah. And at any rate, it's probably 100 feet offshore right now. So he it's going to get moved back in where it was,
which is about 30 to 40 feetish, something like that. Um, and so we'll get that fixed. There's a I put about eight eight maybe 10 new ice bars,
the new ones that we've gone to. They're taller. They're much more rugged and and easier to see. And if you if they get hit or something like that, they don't snap off and sink, which is nice cuz they're not they don't have
like concrete in the bottom of them like the other ones did. >> Yeah, they do. >> You know, so it it'll they should survive. And they're also roto molded like our buoys are. But you know if you and they're they're closed cell foam which is even better because they don't
get soggy if they do get a hole in. So anyway, uh I equipped all the new five new buoys down there with new lanyards and they will go out in place of the uh the dogs
>> and the dogs will be removed. Um, now the next thing is that lake bylaw that we said we wanted to just talk a little more about. This is the one for the sunken vehicles. So, page 45
is 45 6 and 45 through 49. U, and I think I'm hoping that tomorrow maybe we can segue into that since we have a rate. Let's Yeah, let's see how everything goes. Yeah, sure. if you know
if he's immuneable, we'll do that >> because what we need to do is tighten up the verbiage in it where everybody's happy and then make a presentation we get so that the harbor master, lake management, anybody else that's going to
be involved and then we get it uh where we want it >> and then >> and then present it to select board and then eventually get a a warrant article. won't go on this this one. It'll be like a maybe a fall or you know early spring.
>> Right. Right. There's a public comment period. It's a whole thing. >> Yeah. But we get it in the queue then. >> Yep. >> So I I think unless somebody has anything that you're looking at there, you say, "Oh my god, no." Uh if we're if we're on the right track, we can polish
it at this with the uh harbor master with the chief. I think we've gotten the from our last meeting, we've gotten it down to we know what we want in it >> and we just have to word smith it. >> Yep. >> With legal ease. >> Yep.
>> Um and then so Solitude got the contract, the three-year contract. It was signed by all parties and it's in effect and that so it's what it is is they get the first
year and then option to renew for two more years at >> guaranteed prices. They're already signed up for the prices. >> So they're >> Yeah. Somebody had a question. >> He said good. >> No, that's that's great. >> Yeah. >> So it's done.
>> So that's done. >> Lot lot of hours in that. Um, and then the the next thing is we just talked briefly about the we've talked about the last time the OSP submitt which is on
pages 59 and 60 and you know everybody had a chance to just make sure that you're still >> that's what we sent as our draft. >> Yep. So, if anybody sees anything uh that you that you want to change, you
know, get back to me. But they have that draft and we did talk about it at the last meeting and I think we're on the I think we're on the same page collectively. And again, if you want to word smith anything in it, that's fine. But I think
the idea, you know, what we're signing up for and we explained the timing, you know, what we're working with, uh, you know, who we're working with, NRCS, and they really have the ball, uh, NRCS and our engineering for a
lot of a lot of what's could happen there. >> Okay. >> Um, >> now the excavation going on >> and 405, I think it's 4054. Um, Norm, you may know. Is that the
right number? Mountain Road. >> I I'm not sure because two numbers were was floating around. >> Yeah. Right. >> So, I'm not sure which one is >> Well, it's it's Mountain Road and it's >> Yeah. >> excavation and big boulders move down to the waterfront.
>> Yeah. He's been asked to come to our meeting on May 4th. >> Okay. >> Not sure if he's agreed, but he did put up a silk fence since we contacted him. >> Excellent. So, it's been some progress. >> That's good.
Um, have you heard anything back? Has anybody heard anything back from Sfield Concom on it? >> Only that uh they got involved. >> Okay, good. >> That's good. >> Yeah. >> Um Dick and I talked about this um for
people who you just the three of us were in that meeting with um with NRCS. Um some reasonably significant stuff came out of there and some some more work is going on. Um but um
it they presented a very nice set of data. Um you know let me figure out I'll I'm trying to figure out the right order to summarize this in. All right. So first thing is they did a very thorough historical evaluation and analysis of all that's transpired over many many
many years. And the first thing that was a surprise to us is Canal Brook has never been a decent functioning outlet of the lake. Even when there was a canal because it was not an outlet of the lake when the
canal was there. >> The locks were such that there's lock motion up and down >> along there. And so that was not an outlet of the lake. And Canal Brook became an outlet of the lake sometime after 1992.
>> Yeah. When the guy busted through the area. >> Yeah. Right. Right. I mean, I remember >> I was under the impression that Canal Brook has been an outlet in the past and it's clogged up, which is why it's not an outlet. It has never been an outlet. Great. >> It is. It is our only outlet at the
moment and it functions as well as it functions. Great Brook of course was the significant outlet but that through utification and through through other natural and not so natural processes is no longer an outlet as we all know. So
find our initial activity with NRCS was around the idea of let's look at what it would take to restore canal brook we thought we were restoring it and to restore potentially great brook and they've gone through very good analysis
to basically not only show that it's very expensive and they explained why but it won't produce the result we need >> the desired result >> because and it was it's something I did not understand But and even Ken was like, "Oh, really?" Okay. If you look,
the watershed of the lake is about three and a half to four square miles, depending on how you define it. The watershed of Canal Brook is almost seven square miles. And the watershed of Great Brook is over seven square miles and they're both very level. It doesn't
matter whether you take the goo out, they're very level. So the issue is that if you get the water out of the lake into say Canal Brook and you've dug Canal Brook out, so much water comes
into Canal Brook that in a heavy rain event, Canal Brook will still become a source of water into the lake. It won't matter that they've cleared it out. The water is still going to come in because the watershed that is contributing to that is bigger than the waterershed
contributing to the lake. huge goes the goosebound way. >> So their their advice their uh they do have a path for us is two steps. The first step is one we can absolutely do for very reasonable money which is
automate the weirgates at Canal Brook >> because what happens now is when we get a heavy rain quite a bit of water comes in through Canal Brook until we can get down there and crank those things up. If we automate that then those could be shut sort of you know we could make a
rule once there's an inch of rain two inch whatever the rule is going to be and then it could shut them which will and they showed through calculation that will substantially reduce the amount the lake goes up when we get heavy rain. The big thing is to reestablish an outlet
out of North Pond. Um and they actually have a nice calculation for what that will cost and how it would be done. It's uh the land um is that they would use is all undeveloped and the area where the
area where you need to go under is apparently not a problem for directional drilling >> and directional drilling. >> Where is the land there? Do you know >> you know where the culde-sac is on? >> I do. I know exactly where. >> Okay, there North Pine Road or whatever. Well, they um so what they showed which
is quite interesting is with the outlet that they would recommend which is not cheap but orders of magnitude cheaper than than restoring Canal Brook or Greatbrook. Yeah. >> Um although still not cheap. Uh they said with that outlet you you could drop
the lake 6 in in 24 hours if you wanted to. So it would give us the ability at that point to manage the lake level. So the idea is the idea would be you don't use that. We still continue to use Canal Brook as our regular outlet. That would
be there for times of flooding to prevent flooding. Or it could be used for a seasonal draw down if at some point we wanted to go to a seasonal draw down which there are some advantages to doing that. So that's kind of where we are at the moment. So that was a, you know, very big surprise to me.
>> Yeah, sure. >> Um, you know, it's not at all, you know, what we thought was going to be, but they've done a very nice, thorough job. And >> interesting. >> They surprised the hell out of us. They did a They did a great job. >> There was a road across down there.
>> Oh, yeah. >> You know where the end of the canal is, where the weargate is? Well, that was actually about a 40 foot high with a road going up to the tobacco fields. >> Yep. And that when we were kids that stopped dead there and it was a wall
that hut and it was like that for 30 years when I was a kid. >> Yeah. >> And it's only when he went in with his and decided one day that he wanted to let the water out. >> Yep. Yep. >> And he busted through that and it took him a long time to do that. Yeah. >> And and because of that we have a
functioning outlet. >> Had that not been done we would not have be screwed. So no wor our outlet is not that great >> but as we all know it works >> but it works to a degree >> but how many reverse flows have we had? Maybe three or four in the last 10
years. >> No >> no more than that. >> I don't know much more than that. >> More than that cuz I I don't know. >> But if we could if we could raise if we could raise the the gates before um >> a reverse flow. >> Yeah. before we get reverse flow and and
they may have to modify the gates adding something on the top which they can do. They were looking at that is can they scab on additional material on the tops so that you in effect can add maybe another six inches or something like that when the gates all the way up.
>> Well, that was what I was going to try to do. But when Scotty gets back up here, I'm going to have him go down there with me. We'll lift them all the way up the upper gate. >> Yeah, >> cuz the bottom gate's underwater anyways. >> Yeah. Right. >> But uh we haven't been I haven't been able to do that because I tried to when the day I was down there I had a 4 inch
20 foot long log stick that through the gates but I couldn't boost it up anymore. >> Well, what do you do with an automatic gate when there's sticks and everything in there? >> Well, this is >> we could break it. So that's really >> So that that's going to be part of the you know the design is you're going to
have to put some sort of trap ahead of that. >> You're going to have to because there's stuff in there right now. Right. Yeah. >> I was down there today looking >> may have to be fingers or something, >> you know. So, so that's something you know that's something that's quite tractable. The um you know exit out of
North Pond um is not cheap but also tractable. The other thing that was pointed out is that solution does not run a foul of any wetlands laws. >> Yeah. Which is good. >> Any any any restoration. One of the other things that was brought up is it's
not clear that you would be allowed to do any restoration of Great Brook because and and we it it was very helpful to have the discussion because we asked well okay but what happens if we just restore this area here back to
its original state and the issue is yes if you do that what will happen is this neighboring area of wetland will go down in that area >> and so you will damage the neighboring wetland by restoring >> just the short even though the wetland
was created by >> right even though the wetland was created by that flooding when you make that not flood anymore you'll then damage the neighboring wetland and is very likely I can't guarantee very likely that you will not be permitted to do that
>> so it was very interesting discussion with >> so you probably wouldn't be permitted to do it costs a huge amount of money and it won't fix the problem >> yeah Sounds like North Pond's the way to go. >> And there is an alternative through North Pond. Yeah. So, so it's, you know,
the Dick asked a couple of other good questions, you know, hey, you know, but what if we cleared out this little area that we can see how to do that? What would that buy us? Because they now have a very thorough model. >> And so they can run scenarios where we can ask questions like, what if we did
this? But >> couple things we asked him about was the if if Canal Brook for instance, we know there's some really really shallow areas that have just silted over >> could you could one go in there and hydro dredge
>> uh back down just take the take enough out of there so that it it's not you know only that that deep. uh and you know >> and so and so that's a you know that's a scenario they can run in their model and tell us what would happen. You know they
did say it's not clear you would be able to get a permit to do that but they can run the scenario. >> Yeah. >> Um so it's it's uh you know it's very helpful that that they can just do this and it you know it it changes uh it changes our thinking and our direction
pretty substantially. The other the other thing they can we kind of asked them to look at was if they do some selective work on greatbrook for instance uh we know that the two pl two two culverts that go under sheep
pasture road the southern end y >> uh that those are absolutely useless. And so if that if those got replaced and we and we were able to clear out from there to the gates which is a very
short distance and just restore that so that it can we don't have a mosquito bog which is what we have right now on the on that on that uh western side of the gate. >> That's nasty over there. >> That's nasty. again they can run in a scenario and it's not clear we would be
we would be able to get a permit to do that and just to give you some rough numbers um we were quite surprised you know they did rough estimates of the cost of say doing the canal brook work and the greatbrook work and um just roughly canal brook was about $50
million >> and greatbrook was about $150 million and >> 150 >> and when I asked why they were able to explain to get the result to to get it clear the way that we're talking about
which still wouldn't give us the outlet we want. There are a bunch of bridges that have to be replaced. >> Yeah. >> Because the openings for the bridges aren't large enough. >> Y >> and so that's where all the money flows from >> because all of a sudden like the the Canal Brook one I'm doing at Acappella
but there were seven bridges. >> Well, Phelps Road, you'd have to redo that whole area down. >> Yeah. And you know, so there were seven bridges that would have to be torn out and redone and and that adds up to some real >> doing that other one now. They've been working on that one for a year down a
little further from >> so so the you know so so the costs were far in excess of what we thought they would be and then the results won't get us what we need anyway. >> Okay. >> Right. >> So So anyway, wonderful piece of work by
those guys. Yeah, really >> they're super to work with, >> you know, it's and and and you know, for me and I think for for a number of us, it was we just didn't understand that Canal Brook, you know, when we were thinking of restoring Canal Brook, we
didn't understand Canal Brook has never, you can go back to the 1800s, Canal Brook was never an outlet of the lake. It was never a decent functioning outlet of the lake. Even when the canal functioned, the canal was not an outlet of the lake. >> Yeah.
>> We thought it was an outlet of the lake and it wasn't. >> It wasn't. >> So that's cuz they built it where it was flat on purpose. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> We had that one that comes in from the west here. >> Palmer Brook there that was put in there
for more water to keep the thing. It was running out. >> Yeah. And that's in that uh all that information from uh Carl are talking about the water coming from Goose Pond. Yeah. >> That goes all the way out and catches to the west. >> There's a ton out to this the Salmon
Brooker stuff. >> Yeah. >> All right. >> Okay. So anyway, that the and we have another meeting coming up with them um this coming months >> couple weeks from now and so they'll
have a lot more but I'll tell you they are really really phenomenal uh what with all the work they did the boots on the ground is what made the difference. Yeah, because they, you know, because they went in, you know, they went in
kayaks and boots, >> you know, they they went down, you know, they went down and they measured the water depths, >> you know, they went in kayaks, they got out of the kayaks into the muck, they measured them up to the muck, you know, they really, >> you know, they went in there and then they put all that into the modeling
software that they have. Um and then they the other thing that was good uh is they brought us some example runs that they did of hey our model says this will happen when you get five inches of rain and we looked you know they talked about different inches of rain and we went
yeah that's about what happens this >> so so that was the one there was a surprise that they need to go look at because their model indicated for one particular storm that the that the rail trail would go underwater and we were
like, "No, we've seen storms that high and the rail trail does not go underwater." >> Rail trail has not been underwater. >> Close. >> So anyway, so that that's a thing they have to evaluate. >> Their whole system though is based on the you know they call it the 100 year storm or 10ear storm. That's all based on amount of rain over a window,
>> right? And it's got to be a short window, a really quick window because if you get it over multiple days, >> you don't have that kind of issue because it's still draining out all the time. The other the other thing that Ken pointed out is the when you have a very
old um wetlands area, the the sponge capability of that wetlands may be larger than what some of the modeling software models it as. >> That's interesting. >> And and we've got, you know, we have some very old wetlands there. So he said
it's possible that they that may make >> work flooding that work in our favor. He said that may make the flooding in the model higher than the flooding we actually see because you've got a big sponge available in in these old wetlands that we have. Yeah.
>> Okay. Anybody have anything else? Well, >> nope. >> Okay. I'll entertain a motion to >> I'll make a motion. >> All right. Malcolm second. Somebody >> Norm >> Norm. All in favor? >> I
>> abstain. Unanimous. >> Everybody wants to go home. >> And so was there a bad accident north? What up? Is there a