Newsletter 5

Spring Newsletter and Annual Meeting Announcement 2019

The 2^st Annual General Meeting for all members will be held
July 8, 2019  5-7 p.m.
Comins Hall, 1387 Main Road, Eddington.
Refreshments served.

The CPLA email address is:  chemopondla@gmail.com

Spring is back on Chemo Pond! — sort of.  The ice finally disappeared, the loons are nesting, and plenty of wildlife is roaming around.  There have been sightings of deer, bear, turkeys, eagles, porcupines and many others.

As mentioned in previous newsletters, we are committed to providing periodic updates to the members regarding state of the membership, the dam, environmental opportunities to protect our lake and participate, and other topics that arise.   So here is our spring update:

1. Membership:  we had a tremendous response to our first membership drive December 2017.  Out of 193 possible members, 80 signed up, which was a great first response. The response this year has not been as robust.  First, thank you to those who have joined again this year and to those who provided support last year.  It helps us to focus our message to state agencies and other interested parties and provided initial funding to launch our association.  We know that there was a tremendous sense of urgency in the beginning to establish an organization to create a united voice. Now we need to sustain our efforts going forward.  As you will see in the updates below, we continue negotiating an acceptable resolution to the dam, gain long term commitment to reasonable water levels, and build a community dedicated to protecting Chemo Pond and its environs. So, please remain involved in CPLA.
2. In that spirit, we know that email can be an effective way to share updates and information. We hoped to save the cost of a physical mailing every time we wanted to communicate with our membership.  And It may not be the best or easiest way to help people join our organization or renew their membership. Consequently, we decided to distribute this newsletter via snail mail. Please complete the enclosed membership form and join/rejoin our community.  We not only need your financial support, but also your voice and participation.
3. The dam: To recap our notes in the January newsletter:  in December we submitted a proposal to Leonard Mills to purchase the dam.  LM met with federal and states agencies who are encouraging them to have the roll dam removed in return for improvements to the LM dam the agencies claim they will fund. As we mentioned in January, we took this move seriously, keeping our primary goal in mind:  to ensure a water level that works for all who own property on the pond.
   
   Consequently, we started the process of requesting a water level hearing.  This is a formal process that lake property owners can request for an official lake level to be established that is binding.  It will guarantee an agreed upon level in perpetuity. We have gathered all the required signatures and all three towns have verified them.  We are ready to complete the final application if necessary. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact a CPLA board member before June 1.  Our contact information is listed below.
4. Establishment of the Blackman Stream Advisory Committee (BSAC).  After several discussions with LM and state and federal agencies, it was determined that a committee should be formed to reach a resolution to the roll dam that will meet the needs of all parties.  On April 9, we had our first meeting which included representatives from: US Fish and Wildlife, Maine Dept of Marine Resources, Maine Forest and Logging Museum and CPLA. It was a productive meeting where we agreed that our purpose was to resolve issues driven by lake levels and to maintain water levels that meet the needs of the LM, fish and wildlife, and Chemo Pond residents.  This first meeting allowed participants to air concerns and articulate needs—and agree on how to work together going forward. Consequently, no decisions regarding the roll dam have been made, but most likely it will be removed once safeguards are agreed to. We are comfortable—at this time—with this approach. If we had filed for a water level hearing, we would have been directed by the state to work out an agreement with all parties involved as a first step.  If our interests are not served through this committee, filing for a water level hearing is still an option.
5. Environmental News:  as we mentioned in previous letters, this association has a unique and essential role in ensuring the health and viability of the pond and its environs.  We are very excited to be hosting an Invasive Plants Paddle in conjunction with Lake Stewards of Maine. The paddle is scheduled for August 17—stay tuned for additional details regarding time and place. It will take 3 hours and involves both work on land and in the water.  This is a fun, informal way to learn about Maine’s native aquatic plants as well as the invasive aquatic plants that threaten these beautiful and ecologically important habitats.  Participants will each receive a free “quick key to ruling out Maine’s 11 most unwanted invasive aquatic plant” and will practice skills needed to spot suspicious plants while out recreating on the water.  We need at least 12 volunteers for this course but can take up to 25. This is a fantastic way to protect our lake. The more people we have watching for the potential threats the better off we will be. If we have enough trained individuals, we can monitor the entire lake.  It is a very small donation of time with a very big payoff. Without this vigilance, it is just a matter of time before an invasive species becomes established in our pond.
   
   One outcome of the first BSAC meeting is a commitment from US Fish and Wildlife to provide 8 water level monitoring sticks for Chemo Pond.  We will be able to place them around the lake and residents, who are interested, will be asked to record levels weekly. There will be an automatic gauge at the LM dam.  Reading from all gauges will be coordinated so that officials and residents can monitor how water level changes at the dam are reflected in different parts of the lake. Currently we notice when it is low or high, but don’t have accurate data points to compare.
6. Website Development
   We continue to work with the New Media Department at the University of Maine to develop our website.  It is still under construction and we anticipate it will be relatively complete by the end of May. We anticipate using the website to keep members updated on developments, share news from members on activities, and have educational sections that are relevant to our environment.  We will definitely be looking for contributions. The website address is: www.chemopond.org  You are welcome to visit it now and see what we have done so far.  If you have any ideas or suggestions, please email us at: chemopondla@gmail.com   We will check this email periodically.  And if you have information regarding activities or events, we can add them to our calendar and news section.
7. Membership:  New and Renewal
   Any adult owner or resident of property bordering on Chemo Pond is eligible.  There is one membership available per lot and the cost is $25 per year. In addition, there is an option for those who do not own land on the pond to get involved.  We are offering a Supporter Option for $10. Supporters will be included on our newsletter, activities and meetings, though they will not be able to vote on decisions or board members.  This provides the opportunity to participate with an organization dedicated the stewardship of our pond and helps concentrate our impact. Both participatory options are tax deductible.  Please complete the attached form whether you are a new or renewing member and include a check made payable to: Chemo Pond Lake Association. Send to: Chemo Pond Lake Association, 4 Yawaca Road, Box 23, Clifton, Maine, 04428.

As a member you will have the opportunity to:

1. Participate in subcommittees that will form to address specific topic or issues.  Currently we have subcommittees to research invasive and protected species, roll dam, and membership.  New subcommittees will be formed as needed.
2. Contribute to our Board meeting agendas.  We will announce our meetings, via email, at least 7 days in advance.  These meetings are open and are modeled after your typical town hall meetings.  You will be encouraged to participate at meetings by asking questions/making comments after regular business is concluded.  Our next meeting will be: June 17, at 5:30 p.m., Eddington Town Office on Route 9.
3. Participate in special meetings.  We anticipate that when we need to make major decisions that impact the entire community—such as the water level hearing, special meetings will be called, and the entire membership will vote on the issue at hand.
4. Attend the annual meeting.  Our annual meeting will be held each year in July to ensure the greatest participation.  At this meeting, 1/3 of the Board seats will be up for election. In addition, current topics will be discussed, and we hope to have a special speaker like we did last year.
5. Contribute your ideas and knowledge to help guide the Board in making decisions that will be in the best interest of the community and the Pond and the larger eco-system.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding the lake, please address them to one of the board members. We are committed to representing all points of view.  The board members are:

1. Charlie Clemons, Bradley:    chemoponder@gmail.com; 207-299-2964
2. Ron Colley, Bradley: rcolley636@aol.com; 207-478-6242
3. Richard Fessenden, Bradley chemofess@gmail.com; 207-843-0573
4. Carolyn Miller, Clifton carmillr@live.com; 207-944-3655
5. Leo “Butch” Robichaud, Eddington butchrobichaud@gmail.com
6. Rudy Shorette, Bradley exilebear1@gmail.com; 207-843-5575
7. Leslie Spencer, Clifton takecaremassage@aol.com; 207-884-8603
8. Leslie Sturzenberger, Bradley lsalgonquin@earthlink.net; 315-569-7990
9. Deborah True, Clifton debgtrue@gmail.com; 207-843-5930

Again, many thanks for joining the Association last year and renewing this year.  We look forward to welcoming new members to our organization. Enjoy getting out on the lake—fish are jumping and ducks are swimming!