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July 5, 2008 Regular Meeting at the Houghton College Star Lake Campus Call to OrderThe meeting was called to order at 9:50 am after some socializing and refreshments. Bagels were once again brought from Rochester by Richard and Karen R. and coffee was provided thanks to the Star Lake Campus. Steve G., president, thanked them on behalf of the SLPA. Steve introduced the officers and attendees introduced themselves and gave their location on the lake. Current officers are: Steve Golden, president; Brenda Cean, vice-president; Tess Golden, treasurer; and Bo Ritchings, secretary. There were 38 in attendance.The meeting agenda and copies of the last meeting’s minutes were passed around.Good/Bad Wildlife Sightings:Feets S. noted the new family of Canadian Geese, the first he had ever seen on the lake. Bo R. pointed out that there was a family last summer as well. Usually, geese are seen in the spring and fall stopping over in flight; but this is two years in a row that they have nested here. Members whose shore they have visited expressed cool enthusiasm at their residency, due to the mess they leave behind. Mike M. said that a neighbor had spotted a wolf on the Lake Road and Feets saw a black bear in the road near Seevy’s corner.Steve asked members to see him if interested in obtaining copies of the current New York Boaters’ Guide and the Federal Requirements & Safety Tips for Recreational Boats, which were provided at the last meeting. He suggested that members (or neighbors) might want to keep up-to-date on current boating regulations. He asked that extra copies be distributed by members to others on the lake who perhaps should read the materials.Feets S. announced that the senior citizens were planning a trip to Alex Bay to include a boat ride to one of the castles. The trip will take place August 5th, cost is $25 for non-members and they will meet in the school parking lot to leave by 8 am.Approval of Minutes: A motion was made by Bo R. and seconded by Pete K. to approve the minutes of the September 1, 2007 meeting. Copies were handed out before the meeting and extras are available.Treasurer’s Report: Tess G. gave the Treasurer’s Report.There was a beginning balance of $4,888.85. The Association received $720 from dues, and $8 from the sale of a Star Lake Handbook. Total receipts were $728. Expenditures included $117.38 in postage/mailing expense, $68.01 in school taxes and $88.86 in Town land taxes (The SLPA owns property at the outlet of the lake--hence the tax bills). The current balance in the treasury is $5,342.60. There were 36 paid members as of the beginning of the meeting and that number does not include those who paid at or after the meeting (note: as of 7/11/08, there were 62 paid members). A motion was made by Scott B. and seconded by John V. to approve the treasurer’s report.Old BusinessSocial Committee Chairperson Needed Steve made a plea for a volunteer(s) to chair the social committee which is responsible for planning various SLPA events during the summer. He pointed out that much assistance is given by officers and the events are pretty easy to plan. Anyone interested in the post should see Steve. No one volunteered at the time.Water Quality--Jim W. Jim was not on campus for the meeting. Terry B. brought to members’ attention a large display that Jim had prepared for a conference he presented at. The display was very comprehensive in describing Star Lake water quality. John B. asked for a layman’s interpretation, as the terms used were difficult to understand. Terry summarized by stating that the lake’s water quality was very good; better than many Adirondack lakes and that Jim would give a far more comprehensive report at the August 30th meeting which he plans to attend.Invasive Plant Species Report--Pete and Margi K. Margi reported that last September’s survey of the water along the lake shoreline by SLPA members and college students indicated no non-native species. No European milfoil was spotted and the samples sent to the State were identified, in case anyone was interested in vegetation in their bay. Bo R. put the survey results and a brief article about the program and survey on the website at http://www.slpa.info/members/members.htm. Purple loosestrife has been spotted along the shoreline in several locations and steps have been taken to eliminate the plant. A shoreline survey will be done this year looking for such wetland threats. Ninety lakes and ponds have been surveyed through this program through the Nature Conservancy with no new problems found. Eleven lakes have been added to the list of participants. Pete and Margi would like someone else to head up the Star Lake program this year. Terry B. volunteered his fall students for the job, as this is a relevant activity given courses students are taking. Their semester begins in August. Once again, Houghton College students prove to be good lake neighbors.Boating Safety Course–Joe R. Joe and Chuck Y. of Cranberry Lake became Coast Guard certified to teach the Boaters’ Safety Course. Joe reported that this summer the course would be held in Cranberry Lake July 11th (6-10 pm) and 12th (from 8-noon). Joe stated that the law now says that all jet ski (PWC) operators must take this certification course. Currently, children 10-14 can take the course and operate a PWC. As of January, 2009, only age 14 and up will be able to do so. As for boat operation, children age 10-18 can operate a boat if certified; there is no certification required for adults 18+ to drive boats! Joe highly recommends the course for all boaters. A question was asked “how many can legally ride a jet ski?” Joe said that it depends on the jet ski; that some are designed for one, two, even three riders. He said that the same “rules of the lake” and regulations as to right of way, passing, speed laws, etc. apply to both boats and jet skis (all water craft). If interested in this class or future classes, contact Joe at 848-5326 or Chuck at 848-3694.Economic Development–Terry B. Terry deferred to Mark H., Town of Fine Supervisor. Mark noted the recent New York Times article about the success of the Newton Falls Fine Paper Mill (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/nyregion/05mill.html?_r=1&oref=slogin) and the subsequent visit and TV report by NBC News (see video at http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-us&vid=858a40b5-7cb5-439a-a6e1-49e19cdf3018&fg=rss&from=34) that put a positive spin (for a change) on the economic progress at the Mill.Mark said that we received a $98,000 DEC grant to hire a community development professional for three years. That person’s job will be to facilitate the use of the J & L property for further development, to get cell phone coverage and broadband Internet access to the area, and to write grants for further development of the community. Hank M. asked if marketing the area’s assets was part of the grant. The answer was “yes”; Hank said that it appeared like a thriving tourist town when driving through; however, there is a lack of hospitality services with only one motel, a B & B and one restaurant. Mark said Judy Drabicki of the Region 6 DEC seems to want to work with area people to assist in planning.The “Cranberry Lake 50” hiking trail around Cranberry lake is now open and patches are available to those who complete the various segments of the hike. See http://cranberrylake50.org/trail_description.htm for more info.Regarding cell service, Mark said that there would be service; but was not sure when. We received a $100,000 grant to facilitate getting service to our area. Verizon has a lease for a tower in Star Lake and is continuing with the application process to the APA to get final approval. Bo R. said he talked to the land owner and he indicated that all APA requirements have now been met and the APA has indicated that approval might be granted this fall. Mark said that AT&T and others have expressed an interest in providing service. Gail A. asked what APA restrictions were regarding cell service. Mark said that they limited the height of any tower to 40 feet, without a variance. Pat M. made the point that we were lucky to have Mark as a Town supervisor/lake neighbor/SLPA member and thanked him for his reports on various local government activities.A question was asked about wireless high-speed Internet access and AirXess. Bo R., who has been working with the company (but not for them) said that the network was growing, with plans to go to other communities as well. The problem here is that, with all the hills, trees, and bays on the lake, it is very difficult to reach every household. APA tower regulation confounds the problem. New access points are being installed to cover more people. This is work-in-progress and is on-going. He said that the best thing to do, if interested in the service, is to fill out an information request form at http://www.AirXcess.com. This paperwork will trigger a sight survey and an installation, if there is adequate signal strength.Mark spoke of the problems and lost sales that Newton Falls Fine Paper Mill had experienced so far, due to old, unreliable phone lines and service. In light of Verizon’s reluctance to upgrade old T1 lines servicing the mill, the State, County, DANC (Development Authority of the North Country) and the mill have plans to extend fiber cable from Star Lake to Newton Falls. Jack L. pointed out that, in his opinion, Verizon was not at fault for these losses; although, the Watertown Times article stated that Verizon was unwilling to replace the T1 line to the mill at their cost.SLPA Website Update–Bo R. Steve commended Bo on a great job on the SLPA web site at www.slpa.info which has had over 1350 hits since it began in March, 2007. Bo reported that improvements to the site have been made, largely over the winter, when more time is available. Improvements this year were:
Bo said that goals for the 2008-2009 winter could include more content in such areas as rafts on Star Lake, the 1995 microburst, and a history of the Star Lake Regatta. Volunteers are needed to assemble content. Also, some members have expressed an interest in installing a video camera overlooking the lake to provide a four-season view of the lake for the web site. Bo would like to duplicate the original secretary’s books that date back to the beginning of the SLPA, for the archives. Bo said that the site is “work in progress” at a pace that time permits. Hopefully, continued progress can be made each year.New BusinessSummer Events Brenda C., vice president, referred members to the event calendar that was included the agenda (included below) and spoke briefly about each of the various events. Brenda reported on the various activities planned, including dates, times, locations, etc. Special notes:
Motion by Roy D. Roy, in absentia, with specific reference to the non-renewal of membership in the Residents Committee to Protect the Adirondacks (RCPA), made a written motion as follows: “Before voting to allocate SLPA funds to any interest group, an officer of that group should appear at an SLPA meeting to discuss the mission statements, the agenda and the vision of that group and how they would affect the Adirondacks in general and Star Lake in particular.” Bo R. seconded the motion.Discussion followed. Terry B. said that the RCPA is very restrictive regarding use of land, water, and the economic development of communities. The current controversy over flying seaplanes into Lowes lake is a good example. Mark H. said that a letter of support for landing on Lowes Lake might be in order. Gail A. asked what the RCPA is. Steve said that the motion asks for any organization to appear to the SLPA for funding requests. John B. asked if this would restrict funding. Steve said that only a few organizations have been funded. One such organization is the NYS Federation of Lake Associations (FOLA) which we used to belong to; but, after lack of support for a problem we presented to them that we were having over raft registration, it was decided last meeting not to fund membership. Hank M. wondered if not joining would take away our right to input? Bo felt that our local organization might best be served by funding local requests that directly benefit the lake community. Gail A. asked if we need to join and how much are the dues? She felt that we should have some input. Steve said that we have asked for volunteers; but no one has ever been interested in attending their meetings to represent our views.Scott B. felt that annual membership dues in organizations should not be included in this funding motion and amended the motion so that membership dues could be approved and paid without restriction of appearance before the SLPA. The amendment was seconded by Karen R. Further discussion followed. Gail A. said there is an advantage to membership—if needed, can help us. Joan L. pointed out that they probably wouldn’t miss our dues as they have a great deal of money.Terry B. noted that the amendment tends to nullify the intent of the original motion yet to be voted on. After discussion of the wording of the amendment, Chris C. stated that defeating the original motion would have the same effect. The amendment passed with a 13 to 12 vote. The amended motion was brought to vote and was defeated.F.U.N.D Funding Feets S. made a motion, and was properly seconded to give $300 to F.U.N.D to help contribute to the cost of placing flowers around the community as well as other group projects to beautify Star Lake. Joan L. described the group’s activities and thanked the SLPA for past support. The motion was carried.Free-style Canoe Symposium Terry B. reminded the group that July 20-24, on campus, there will be a free-style canoe symposium. Canoe lessons from beginning to expert are available. A recital will be held on July 23rd at the Campus beach at about 7:00 pm. More information about the event can be found at http://www.freestylecanoeing.com/. Bo R. pointed out that sign-up information, the group’s web site and an article about the symposium can be found on our web site at http://www.slpa.info/.Nominating Committee Steve appointed himself as a nominating committee for the election of officers at the next meeting. He said he would like to step down as president and asked the group for volunteers. Other officers agreed to serve next year, if elected. Mike M., former president, said he would consider serving one more year if no one indicated interest in the position.Other Business There was no other businessAdjournmentMotion was made and seconded to adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 11:35 am.Respectfully submitted by Bo R., Secretary, Star Lake Protective Association
The Annual Meeting of the Association will be a dinner meeting to be held Saturday, August 30th. Dinner will be at 5:30 pm; meeting will start after dinner, at approximately 7:00 pm at the Star Lake Campus. Bring a dish to pass. It would be helpful if you tell Brenda Cean. what you are bringing, to help coordinate for a better variety of dishes. If you are going to attend the dinner, please call Brenda at 848-2215.
May 25, 2008 Letter to Lake Owners Follow the link to a copy of the 2008 Spring Mailing to all Star Lake property owners.September 1, 2007 Annual Meeting at the Houghton College Star Lake Campus Call to OrderThe meeting was called to order at 6:15 pm by Steve G., president of the Association.Steve welcomed members, and students and staff from Houghton College who joined us for a great pot-luck supper before the meeting. Steve noted that he was not late for dinner this time! Officers were introduced to the group and members introduced themselves and indicated where they lived around the lake. Twenty-nine were in attendance.A special “thank you” was given to Houghton College and Terry B., director of the Star Lake Campus for helping with dinner arrangements, hosting our meetings and for participating in SLPA lake activities. Also thanked were Jim W., resident biologist at the campus, and his students visiting Star Lake for their water testing, road cleanups and for being good lake neighbors.Steve handed out the agenda, copies of the June 30th meeting minutes and copies of the proposed SLPA position statement regarding public access on Star Lake. Also noted were two pamphlets available for members to take home and perhaps give to neighbors and friends who might need the information contained therein. Federal Requirements and Safety Tips for Recreational Boats and the latest New York State Boaters’ Guide spell out safety rules and operator requirements for those who have boats or jet skis on the lake. Members were encouraged to take copies for people on the lake who should read them.Good/Bad Wildlife Sightings: Janet S. showed concern that snapping turtles might pose a threat to swimmers. Snapping turtles have been observed attacking black ducks, both adults and their young. Discussion about sightings and several relocations of large turtles followed. Gail A. said she saw a black duck with a fishing hook and line in its beak and was unable to remove it. Janet said that she has observed fewer loons on the lake; others thought that there were just as many as in recent years. Rey G. told of the black bear that has been destroying bird feeders and getting into garbage on Swiss Point. Others noted bear activity all around the back side of the lake, probably due to the lack of berries this season, a main staple of the bears. Terry B. said that he had a camera set up that captured a picture of some kind of wolf/coy dog and made the picture available for the group to see. John B. said he has seen small furry animals swimming around his camp that looked like minks. Others said they also have seen them around South Bay and Scott’s Point. Janet S. spoke of the problems she has had with feral cats that have been fed by her neighbor.Approval of Minutes: Bo R. made a motion; seconded by Gail A. to approve the minutes of the June 30, 2007 meeting. Copies were available for member inspection. There was no discussion; the motion was carried.Treasurer’s Report: Tess G. gave the Treasurer’s Report. Beginning balance was $4,354.49. Revenues came from $680 from dues; $32 from the sale of four SL Handbooks; $90 from the Poker Run and $100 from a donation made by Kyle and Vanessa L. Payments included $28.05 for meeting refreshments; $164.60 for mailing and copying; $52 for ads in the Bargain Hunter, $2.99 for garbage bags for the lake clean-ups and $120 for poker run refreshments (32 participated). The balance to date is $4,888.85. There were 64 members to date. Motion was made by Janet S.; seconded by Judy L. to approve the treasurer’s report. The motion was carried.Old BusinessSLPA and Lake Events--Brenda C.
Water Quality of the Lake Jim W., resident biologist and instructor at the Star Lake Campus of Houghton College reported findings of his water sampling and testing program. According to Jim, the lake was slightly cooler this year compared to last year. He has not tested for coliforms (bacteria), but might do so this fall. The Adirondack Explorer and the Residents’ Committee to Protect the Adirondacks are currently testing for phosphates and nitrites. Jim said that he is working toward obtaining and implementing an automatic water sampling system. The equipment will reside on a buoy anchored out in the lake. A DEC permit needs to be obtained. Once deployed, the unit will sample lake water at regular intervals and store the data for future retrieval and analysis. Jim said the equipment is very expensive and asked members of the lake community to help keep an eye on the buoy to protect it from mischief or vandalism.Economic Development Committee Report Loraine L. reported that the new paper mill will begin to produce paper September 4th.SLPA Website Steve asked how many had been to the new SLPA website. Some had, many had not. He thanked Bo R. for the time and effort he had put into the content on the site. Bo said that he would continue to maintain the site but would not be responsible for developing new content on the site. Members need to get involved with this and also other activities of the SLPA. Volunteers are needed to research and create content. Suggested topics include the microburst of ‘95, memories of youth on Star Lake, and a history of the Star Lake Regatta. Bo is working on a webcam that would provide a real-time picture of Star Lake weather, much like the one at the Wanakena Ranger School. Members should look to the web site (www.slpa.info) for updated information and meeting minutes.Invasive Plant Species Pete and Margie K. reported on the progress of sampling the lake for invasive vegetation. Volunteers will meet at the Campus beach Tuesday, September 4th, 1:30 pm to comb the shorelines of Star Lake, looking for suspicious plants in the water. Focus will be on looking for Eurasian Milfoil, which has invaded neighboring lakes. Samples will be bagged and sent to the State for identification. A map of the lake will be updated to include locations of undesirable vegetation so they can be watched in the future. Later in the fall, Pete and Margie will attend a workshop on invasive shoreline vegetation. Purple loosestrife, a threat to wetlands, has been found in several locations on Star Lake shores. Steve thanked Pete & Margie for their time and efforts devoted to the lake.HIN’s for Rafts Steve wrote a letter to the Federation of Lake Associations (FOLA), of which we are a member, asking them for some assistance with the problem of obtaining a hull identification number for rafts. A hull identification number (HIN) is required on the application for registration of the raft with the DMV. Members have reported that they were told by someone in NYS Parks & Recreation that they would no longer recognize rafts as homemade boats and would no longer issue HIN’s for raft owners. Therefore, they would not be able to be registered. Attorneys for FOLA were no help. They suggested we wait until a ticket for failure to register a raft is issued; then contact them. Steve said that he was disappointed in their lack of interest in our lake issue and suggested we not join FOLA next year because they “dropped the ball” with the SLPA. Steve said we would continue to gather information about the matter and report progress at the next meeting.Public Access Position Statement At the June 30th meeting, a motion was carried that the SLPA take an official stand against the establishment of public access to Star Lake. During discussion, it was suggested that a committee of volunteers convene to further articulate the reasons why this position was taken. The committee (Gail A., Joe R., Bill H., Terry B., Denis F., Bo R., and Steve G.) met at the Campus lodge. They discussed, articulated, classified, clarified and compiled ideas to be included in the position statement. A copy of the resulting draft was handed out before the meeting. Bo R. made a motion to accept the position statement, seconded by Janet S. It was carried unanimously. The SLPA now has taken an official position regarding public access on the lake and we can use this position to respond to situations as or if they occur. Chris C. wondered if we should send a copy of the position in a letter to the Waterfront Revitalization Committee, a group that was at one time interested in public access to Star Lake. Most felt that since Star Lake is on the bottom of the list of priorities of the committee, it’s not necessary to send it at this time. It is available if needed.New BusinessBy-Laws Update Steve reminded members that the By-laws were mentioned at the last meeting and were last updated in 1999. The By-laws indicate that amendments must be proposed at the July regular meeting and cannot be voted on until the August annual meeting. After discussion as to whether or not the position statement against public access should be amended to the By-laws of the SLPA, most felt that it was not necessary. The By-laws provide a basic structure of the organization and how it is to operate. There is no current interest in a committee to revise the By-laws.Possible Letter to Dr. Baltazar The DEC carry-on boat launch and the agreement between Dr. B. (property owner) and the DEC were discussed at the last meeting regarding public access. In a conversation with Dr. B., Bo R. reported that Dr. B. indicated no intention to sell the property, particularly to the State. At this time, according to Dr. B., her agreement with the DEC will continue, thus providing limited public access to the lake and satisfying the DEC fish stocking program requirements.2008 Dues A motion by Pete K., seconded by Mike M. was made to leave the dues for 2008 at the present rate which is $20 per year.Election of Officers for 2008 Mike M. made a motion, seconded by Gail A., to cast one ballot to accept the current slate of officers: Steve G., president; Brenda C., vice-president; Tess G., treasurer; and Bo R., secretary. Motion was carried.Other BusinessBoaters Safety Course Joe R. reported that 23 people took the recent course. He and Chuck Y., from Cranberry Lake, will become instructors and courses will be offered earlier next summer. Joe thanked member Leon Z., US Coast Guard, for his help and contributions.S. O. S. Committee Joe also reminded members that the Save Our Schoolhouse committee had several fund-raisers planned including the upcoming 5K walk.Well Water Testing Mark H., supervisor of the town of Fine, said that residents of St. Lawrence County can get their well water tested by the County.Group Picture Leon Z. complimented the group for their interest in and dedication to meetings of the SLPA. He asked if everyone would pose for a group picture before they left. After adjournment, the picture was taken.AdjournmentMotion was made by Tess G., seconded by Terry B. to adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 7:20 pm.Respectfully submitted by Bo R., Secretary, Star Lake Protective Association |
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Rafts Across the Water Steve reported that we would try to see how many rafts we could rope together to see how far we could stretch across the water. It didn’t happen last year due to bad timing, since it was the same day as the poker run. Some discussion occurred as to whether we should publicize the event, since rafting seems to be distinctive to Star Lake. It was decided that we should do a “dry run” first to see how it goes. If successful, perhaps it could become a media event next year with a new record to break.
Free-Style Canoeing Of particular note is the return of Free-Style Canoeing to the Houghton College Star Lake Campus on July 15th to the 18th. The group travels across the country on tour performing, competing and giving canoeing lessons to those interested. Canoeists perform solo and duet routines set to music involving strict discipline and timing. Canoe lessons are offered to those interested during the 3-day stay, which culminates in a “recital” where professionals demonstrate their skill. This will be held at 7:00 pm on July 18th at the Star Lake Campus beach. Some of the best things in life are free—don’t miss this interesting and entertaining demonstration.
Poker Run Steve reported that the poker run last year was successful and we are going to have one again this year. The Poker Run is a self-funding fun day on the lake. Participants will register on the sand bar at noon; then travel to various places on the lake to pick up their poker hand cards. Hands are compared back at the sandbar and winners split half the revenue collected. The other half goes toward supplying refreshments for participants and their boat crews at a gathering on the sandbar after the poker run.
Lake Clean-up Day The SLPA has organized two road cleanup sessions for each of the past two years and will do so again this year on July 9th and August 23rd. Members were asked to volunteer on the sign-up sheet to help keep the roads around the lake free of litter and attractive to walkers.
Tour of Benson Mines Tours conducted by George P. have been interesting and informative to those who attended the tour. George agreed to do it again this year, if there is enough interest. A tentative date was set for August 11th, 10:00 a.m. People should meet at the Star Lake Campus.
The Annual Meeting of the Association will be a dinner meeting to be held Saturday, September 1st. Dinner will be at 5:30 pm; meeting will start at 7:00 pm at the Star Lake Campus. Bring a dish to pass. It would be helpful if you tell Brenda C. what you are bringing, to help coordinate for a better variety of dishes. If you are going to attend the dinner, please call Brenda at 848-2215.
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