Happy New Year to all and looking forward to another great time at the lake.
DUES
Dues for this year, 2020, are again $35. Please make your check payable to FLPOA and mail to our treasurer Dave Lewis, 8 Sherman Avenue, Bronxville NY 10708. You also have the option of using PayPal. Please indicate the lake property address in your correspondence. PayPal:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=DGRYQKXALV5BN
EASEMENT
Unfortunately, there is nothing to report concerning the establishment of the easement which the Town requires prior to the formation of an aquatic plant control district for Friends Lake. As we have made you aware, Bob DeLuke has offered to negotiate the establishment of this easement on his property. He and the Town Supervisor have had recent conversations and anticipate having more formal ones in the coming weeks. The Town’s Attorney has been reluctant to permit certain and, we believe, appropriate safeguards for the DeLuke family, which has been the lynchpin for the delay. We are hopeful that the Town Supervisor will be able to achieve consensus in the coming months.
ALGAE BLOOM
As indicated in the previous newsletter, the Lake experienced a bloom on August 12, last summer. Samples were submitted to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, which concluded that this bloom was not toxic. Subsequently we have had several conversations with DEC and two Marine Biologists with PhD’s that have affiliations with folks on Friends Lake. Their unanimous observations and recommendations follow:
1. Blooms require three things– warm water, still water and food, namely nitrogen and phosphorous, plus they seem to occur during the second week of August when water temps may be highest.
2. The bacteria which causes these blooms is ubiquitous and has been around for over 3 billion years.
3. Since we have had 2 blooms since 2015, we are destined to have more.
4. The more blooms we have the greater the possibility that one of the blooms will be toxic.
5. There are three steps we can take to reduce the number of occurrences, their duration and potential toxicity: improve maintenance of septic systems, eliminate or use greater caution in the application of fertilizers and implement steps to reduce run-off into the Lake.
We have included three hard copy summations of the appropriate actions that can be deployed to reduce the prospect of future blooms (hard copies in snail mailing and docs posted to both our website and Facebook pages). Please review them. When you review the document concerning runoff, we recognize that run off is frequently transported by municipal culverts into the Lake. There are steps that the Town and County can implement to better control it. We have had initial conversation with the Town and intend to have further discussions once we receive additional input from the membership. We ask that if you have concerns regarding certain culverts, please contact us.
One last comment. In conversations with various FLPOA members, they have suggested that the “Horse Farm” may be a cause of concern. This sentiment was discussed with the two Marine Biologists who have provided formidable expertise in educating us on many aspects of this bloom. The suggestion that the horse farm is a culprit was separately dismissed by each of them, since the horse farm manager routinely harvests the “barn wastes” and mulches them on property that is not in the Lake’s watershed.
BUBBLERS
In the most recent Newsletter, we made an offer to procure signs that warn of the presence of bubblers. Six signs were purchased and five have been procured by members and the FLPOA account has been reimbursed. There is one remaining sign seeking a new home, please contact us. If there are requests for more than one we will endeavor to purchase additional ones in a timely manner. The presence of these signs on the Lake was applauded in a recent Facebook posting by one of our members.
SHORT TERM RENTALS
The Town is in the process of drafting a local law dealing with short term rentals which is a response to the issues of noise, limited septic tank capacity and other dilatory aspects that property owners adjoining these rentals have experienced. This local law would apply to all the lakes in the Town as the complaints have not been limited to Friends Lake property owners. We were given a very brief period to review the first rough draft of this proposed local law; other drafts will be forthcoming in the months ahead. Please note that it appears that the Town is months away from providing a final draft which will be subject to a formal Public Hearing. As further details are provided and a public hearing date is announced, the Board will email the membership with more details.
In addition, there is a companion piece to this Town initiative. The County Board of Supervisors is in the process of drafting a much more comprehensive law. Few details have emerged, though we have requested a preliminary draft.
Since short term rentals are in competition with Hotels, Motels, and Inns, all of which pay occupancy taxes, the County is desirous of leveling the playing field and collecting the hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes that are being avoided by these types of rentals. It is our understanding that properties affected by this County Law must be registered and inspected with particular reference to fire and sanitary code compliance. In response to objections raised, these inspections will set limits on the number of short-term renters for each rental property who can be accommodated within the bounds of the sanitary and fire codes.
The County has already contracted a web service provider to identify the properties being rented on the web on a short-term basis. In the Town of Chester, the number approaches 160 properties. Again, once we receive an appropriate draft of this County Law, we will be providing more details, as this law will also be subject to public hearing requirements as provided in State Law.
NEW BOATING LICENSE
On August 6, 2019 New York passed Brianna’s Law. This law requires that all operators of motorized watercraft must complete a state-approved boating safety course. Brianna’s Law is named after Brianna Lieneck, an 11-year-old Long Island girl who was killed in a 2005 boating accident on Lake George. In passing this law Governor Cuomo said. “There should be a basic level of knowledge that you have before you’re given the permission to go out there and operate a boat and making a safety course mandatory is common sense. It protects the operator of the boat and everyone that operator could come into contact with, and it will make our waters safer”.
It is important that the membership understand that this law covers all boat operators, regardless of age or experience behind the wheel of a car, truck or boat. We also caution that one should check with their insurance provider to determine whether this license is a prerequisite for coverage in the event of a misfortune. This course can be taken in a classroom environment or on line. Permanent boating safety certificates do not expire. For more information about the boating safety course go to: https://parks.ny.gov/recreation/boating/education.aspx
CITIZENS STATEWIDE LAKE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (CSLAP)
The FLPOA has participated in the DEC’s CSLAP activity, which has provided us long term data concerning the overall condition of our Lake for many years. The reports generated from this program indicate that the condition of our Lake has remained very healthy and has not materially changed over at least three decades. As we approach the spring and summer, Larry Estill who has championed this program over the years, has requested that we help in finding additional hands to assist him.
Some 200 NY State lakes participate in CSLAP and collect data to identify trends in water quality. The program requires that water sampling be done 8 times (every two weeks), once in late May, twice in June, July, and August and once in September. Samples require refrigeration and are shipped in insulated packaging. To conduct this sampling a boat and about a total of two hours of time are required to take samples, record water conditions, prepare for shipping and mailing by UPS. Samples are collected early in the week to ensure the samples reach the testing site before Friday’s closing.
All required items: containers, labeling, shipping and instruments are provided by DEC’s CSLAP folks. The given timeline requires sampling on or about the following dates throughout the summer:
June 8th or 9th and 22nd or 23rd
July 6th or 7th and 20th or 21st
August 3rd or 4th and 17th or 18th
August 31st or September 1st
We are asking for volunteers who can sign up for specific dates. Two volunteers on each date would help in developing a coordinated team approach for our participation in CSLAP. Each volunteer needs to complete a waiver for “release of all claims” and be at least 18 years of age. The waiver can be completed as needed on each sampling date and submitted with that day’s sample shipment.
If you wish to assist us in this very important endeavor, please contact us.
SOCIAL COMMITTEE
The Marmillo’s, Jerry and Mary Ann, have served as our Social Committee for several years and have worked tirelessly to arrange the events that further enrich our summer experiences here on the Lake. They have made our time at the Lake even more enjoyable and it is sad to announce that they will no longer serving in this capacity. Unfortunately, they have other responsibilities which are filling their dance card while in the ADK’s. Jerry and Mary Ann, you are in the Board’s debt for your hard work on behalf of our membership.
Accordingly, we are seeking volunteers to assist the Committee in planning our summer social calendar. If you are interested please contact us.
TECHNOLOGY
As we noted in our previous Newsletter, we launched a Face Book Group for the FLPOA last August and emails announcing this were emailed to approximately 270 addresses that we have in our data base. To date approximately 120 folks have joined and shared their views, pics and experiences. We encourage you to fully participate in our nascent group whose existence is intended to foster a greater sense of community throughout the Lake.
Our traditional web site provides a more formal and secure method to inform our membership of matters that are of interest and to receive responses to our inquires. As you will note, throughout this newsletter, we have encouraged you to respond to us directly through this facility. Last month approximately 160 folks did so. As with the FB page we encourage all members to routinely use these technologies as appropriate to keep abreast of matters on the Lake.
FaceBook: Friends Lake Website: www.Friendslakeny.org
FLPOA MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS: NON-MEMBERS
This newsletter is provided to all 337 addresses of properties that have access to our beautiful Lake and approximately one-third of whom are not members of the Association. Since you may not be familiar with them, the Association’s bylaws provide that the purposes of the Association are, but not limited to, the following:
“To improve, maintain, monitor and protect the ecology and quality of life on and around Friends Lake
1. To support responsible development of land around Friends Lake.
2. To promote the activities of boating, fishing, swimming and other recreational activities.
3. To actively observe the drafting, enforcement and interpretation of laws and regulations regarding the ecology and the quality of life on and around Friends Lake.
4. To maintain the earthen dam to control the lake water.”
The Association through its governing Board has been steadfast in addressing these significant responsibilities. As this newsletter’s topics firmly indicate, we are continually working to preserve and improve, where possible, the Lake experience for all.
Our dues have been used and may be used in the future to hire consultants to monitor the water quality of the Lake; to investigate the waters and determine whether hostile invasive plants and fauna are present; to hire engineering consultants whose reports were used to persuade the State that the $400,000 or more expensive dam improvements that they advocated were not needed (These consultants costs of over $70,000 were borne by our dues-paying membership.); to interact with the Town and its elected leadership on behalf of the Lake property owners; and to provide enjoyable social programs. These and other worthwhile programs and activities are the sin qua non of our organization.
We ask then that the hundred or so non-member recipients of this newsletter weigh the value of these and other benefits enjoyed by all lake users, and join with us in remitting the relatively modest $35 in annual dues.
COMMUNITY
The Friends Lake Inn is seeking to improve their services to our community by conducting a survey of amenities and facilities. If interested contact the following: https://forms.gle/rZHNGyDe5UnU6gy26
50/50 RAFFLE
Each ticket is $10. The payoffs have been in the hundreds of dollars while the funds generated have greatly benefited Friends Lake. You can use PalPal; just tell Dave in your comment. If you mail in your dues, please include the donation stub with you name, phone and address.
KEEP FOR YOUR RECORDS
2020 FLPOA Raffle Ticket
$10 Donation Receipt
Check # __________
Date: ____________
Send to: Dave Lewis, Treas.
SEND TO: Dave Lewis, Treas. FLPOA, 8 Sherman Ave
Bronxville NY 10708
2020 FLPOA Raffle Ticket $10 Donation
Drawing at the August Social
Name: ___________________________________________
Phone: ___________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________
__________________________________________