Minutes Lake Beseck Ad Hoc Advisory Committee May 20 2013
May 20, 2013
FIRST REGULAR MEETING OF THE LAKE BESECK AD HOC COMMITTEE
May 20, 2013:
6:30 PM at the Middlefield Community Center
Present: Daria Vander Veer, Craig Lundell, Amy Poturnicki, Rebecca Adams, Edward Bailey, Jim Irish, Jon Brayshaw (Ex Officio), Robert Poturnicki, Lucy Petrella
Amy Poturnicki called the meeting to order at 6:55 PM.
Motion to accept the agenda without changes made by Rebecca Adams; seconded by Ed Bailey. All voted in favor. Motion carried.
The charge of the Ad Hoc Committee is broad and includes as the central tenant, to improve the lake water quality and to leave the lake in better condition that when the group convened, and to recommend action and expenditures to the Board of Selectmen for the purposes specified.
Ed pointed out that after the committee work is done, the town will need to make arrangements for ongoing maintenance. Members of the group agreed. The sewers improved the water quality but did not solve the weed or algae problem.
Amy stated that the immediate priorities are to complete the storm water study and hire a limnologist as the professional who will oversee work, including soil sampling, interact with the DEP, and recommend types of action that would best address improving water quality after the results of the storm water study are known. Discussion focused on the need to select a firm to conduct the storm water study because the Chuck Lee at DEEP has been very clear that no grants will be available and other permits held in abeyance until the results are final. Craig noted that once the sampling is complete a determination can be made regarding sale of the “muck” after the lake is drained. This determination can be made before the material is ready to be removed.
Jim asked if the Town had a sampling plan that was approved by DEEP. Craig discussed the basics of a plan and stated that it has been discussed with DEEP. The most significant inflow locations are the most logical and at the beach, north end, and west side. Daria commended that after those results are in, if more testing looks like a good idea to the limnologist then more can be taken. Preliminary estimates for delivery and testing of 6 to 8 sample sites with 5-6 samples at each site come in at approximately $6,500. Jon reminded the group that this does not include the collection of the samples.
Amy went through the extensive efforts that she and members of the original committee have undergone regarding self-help, i.e. working on options that do not involve town expenditures. These efforts have been detailed in presentation before the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance on several occasions. She distributed photos of the overwhelming weed growth of Curly Pond Weed. The current conditions may result in beach closure and are a significant impediment to boating. An explanation of the growth system of the weed and the difficult in removal, including the presence of hundred of turions per weed, the great depth into the soil that the weeds root, and the netlike structure that has formed at the beach making removal by rake ineffective. Rob discussed an option he has developed for raking by attaching a large rake to a truck and pulling the rake along the bottom.
Daria asked about the progress of the DEEP permits for application of the quickly dissipating herbicide being utilized at Crystal Lake. Amy said that it may be too late for application because the seeds, the turions, have already emerged.
Lucy asked why the lake was not drawn down more on a more regular basis. Daria answered that any drawdown is a shock to the ecosystem and DEEP looks to avoid that. Rebecca discussed the DEEP regulations regarding permitting which outlines minor, moderate, and major impact to systems and allows changes only into the low moderate level. This is why this drawdown for repair is an incredibly rare opportunity.
Election of officers
a. Daria Vander Veer made a motion to elect Amy Poturnicki President. The motion was seconded by Craig Lundell. All voted in favor. Motion carried.
b. Amy Poturnicki made a motion to elect Craig as Vice-Chair. The motion was seconded by Becca Adams. All voted in favor. The motion carried.
c. Ed Bailey made a motion to elect Becca Adams Secretary. The motion was seconded by Lucy Petrella. All voted in favor. The motion carried.
Motion to adopt
regular meeting dates
a. Amy Poturnick made a motion to adopt the following regular meeting dates or the committee for the duration of its one year commission:
June 24, 2013
July 22, 2013
August 26, 2013
September 23, 2013
October 28, 2013
November 25, 2013
December 23, 2013
January 27, 2014
February 24, 2014
March 24, 2014
April 28, 2014
The motion was seconded by Jim Irish. All voted in favor. The motion carried.
The discussion then moved to request for proposals for the storm water study and the limnologist. Even though no expenditures can be made until July 1, 2013, interviews and recommendations regarding firms should begin ASAP in order to be ready to go on that date. The committee agreed to do the legwork in June. Jim and Amy, as a subcommittee, will prepare the interview questions and scope of services for proposals for the limnologist candidates. The current invitees have been interviewed by Craig and Ed but will now be interviewed by the committee. Amy will contact Mark June-Wells and George Knoecklein and look to set interviews for June 10the with the 17th as a back-up date.
Daria and Ed, as a subcommittee, will finalize the scope of the services for the storm water study as suggested and required by DEEP. A request for proposals will be sent out Milone and MacBroom, LLC; AEI, LLC; and Nathan Jacobsen, LLC. The group will first recommend the hiring of a limnologist who will work with the storm water study firm and review the proposal of the firm that performs that work.
Motion by Ed Bailey to adjourn at 8:42, seconded by Amy Poturnicki. All voted in the affirmative. Motion carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Rebecca Adams
Secretary