Minutes of Lake Beseck Ad Hoc Committee March 30, 2015

Lake Beseck Ad Hoc Advisory Committee

Monday March 30, 2015, 7:00 PM

Middlefield Community Center

1.       Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by Amy Poturnicki at 7:11pm.

2.       Members Present

Craig Lundell, James Irish, Randy Bernotas, Robert Poturnicki, Amy Poturnicki, Ed Bailey, Daria Vander Veer

3.       Approval of Agenda

Motion to approve the agenda of 3/30/15 made by Ed Bailey and seconded by James Irish.  Motion approved unanimously.

4.       Approval of February Minutes

Motion to approve the minutes of the 2/24/15 meeting, with one change (change Rebecca’s last name from Wells to Adams), made by Ed Bailey and seconded by James Irish.  Motion approved unanimously.

5.       Public Comment

No members of the public were present.

6.       Chairman’s Report

Water is now going over the lake spillway, but the gauge is about a foot too high.  Amy will speak to the engineers. 

Regarding the south end of the beach, where the erosion is an ongoing problem, Amy spoke to Brian Curtis about ideas he had since there is planned work on the nearby bridge over Lake Shore Drive.  The pipe that is currently there is concentrating the water flow and increasing the erosion. Ed Bailey indicated that we need to get a detailed plan about the work previously discussed.

James Irish indicated that he thought there was work planned to slow down the water flow in the creek, and Ed Bailey explained that Brian Curtis has said we can try doing something between Lake Shore Drive and the lake itself to slow the flow and limit erosion, but that the larger second half of the project would be the creek bed that runs between Mattabeseck Road and Lake Shore Drive.  One thought, for instance, is to divert some of the flow into underground pipes to lower the  volume of water in the creek itself; but any work done on that area of the creek would be complex and expensive (much of the creek runs through private property, which further complicates matters).

James Irish asked about the things the committee can do between Lake Shore Drive and the lake.  Ed Bailey clarified that the outflow at the south end is the greatest problem; Brian Curtis has suggested a series of three basins, lined with riprap, that would slow the water and collect sediment.  The basins could then be cleaned out during drawdowns. That project would also involve removal of some of the existing culvert pipe.  This type of project would require analysis and planning, none of which has yet been undertaken (along with approval from Inland Wetlands).  The committee also discussed other options for the creek bed.  Another option would be installing a vortechnic unit, but that would probably be too large and too expensive.

Ed Bailey recommended the committee consider using its capital funds to pay for the engineering analysis, since the town doesn’t currently have the funding for it.  The culvert replacement hasn’t gone out to bid yet, but Ed believes Jon Brayshaw has the funding to do it this fiscal year.

Amy recommended to ask Brian Curtis for an analysis for just the segment between Lake Shore and the lake, to get a better idea of what the project may involve.

Motion by Amy Poturnicki that the Committee recommend that a remediation study be done of the area between Lake Shore and the lake by Brian Curtis and that the Committee pay for the analysis from its capital fund.  Seconded by James Irish.  Motion passed unanimously.

7.       Selectman’s Report 

Ed Bailey attended a workshop with the Board of Finance; he passed out the spreadsheet he submitted to the Board, and went over the expenditures for last year (Year-end balance for 2014 was $33,554.92).  Ed also went over the list of potential capital projects that Amy created, with the estimated costs.  He stressed that any of these projects will be a major budget hit, so having the carryover in the capital non-recurring account will be important.

8.       Outreach

A few ideas have been discussed, including containers for dog pet waste that owners can maintain in their yards to keep pet waste out of the lake.  Amy Poturnicki indicated a container would have to be ordered online.  Ed Bailey suggested a purchasing program that would make it easy for owners to buy the containers.  Another option would be installing some stations that dispense plastic bags around the neighborhood.  This summer the committee hopes to add the stencils to the storm drain to increase awareness.  Amy will send out an email asking for volunteers. The Agricultural Station also does soil testing; Amy thought some analysis of soil could help raise awareness of the levels of nutrients already in the soil.  Ed Bailey suggested additional education about buffer zones and erosion control measures, particularly along the shoreline.   James Irish suggested a mailing to remind people to cut back on fertilizer use, especially since spring is around the corner, possibly through the Lake Beseck Association. Amy will follow up.  There is an event focused on sustainability on April 26, sponsored by the Coginchaug Area Transition group that could be a good outreach opportunity.  James Irish suggested we look into fish re-stocking options offered by the DEEP.  Amy Poturnicki indicated she has spoken to the DEEP about this; they said they could come do an analysis of the lake’s needs, but they would not make any promises about whether they had resources to restock, if needed.  Ed Bailey said he believes the DEEP is planning to check the lake’s fish levels sometime this spring.

9.       Misc.

No items under this heading.

10. Adjourn

Motion to adjourn made by Robert Poturnicki, seconded by James Irish.  Motion passed unanimously.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Daria Vander Veer and Amy Poturnicki