MEMORIAL DAY
Please remember all first responders as well as service members over the holiday. Stay safe.
ANNUAL MEETING
The Governor announced on Wednesday, 5/20, the capital district including Warren County will reopen to phase 1 for construction and manufacturing. Each succeeding phase will be subject to reopening in 2-week intervals. It is our understanding that phase 4 includes public meetings such as the FLPOA Annual Meeting.
If every phase proceeds without a hitch it is conceivable that we might meet on July 11, as provided in our by-laws (Conservation Club, 10 AM as scheduled this winter). However, the Board of Directors believes there will be choppy seas, therefore, it is currently difficult to ascertain for certain when our meeting may be held. Our intent is to hold an outdoor meeting this summer if permitted and we will inform the membership of date, time, and place accordingly.
EASEMENT
A recent purchaser of property on the lake is potentially allowing an easement for the control of aquatic invasive plants. This limited access easement is required by the Town of Chester before establishing a special Friends Lake taxing district. The easement will be restricted to allow access for the identification, control and, potentially, the elimination of any invasive species discovered in our lake. The easement is intended for use by entities licensed and under contract to perform such activities. This offer has been greeted enthusiastically by Supervisor Leggett and we have been informed that the draft document is under review by the respective attorneys. As we know, the devil is in the details.
In addition several “neighborhood” associations and individual property owners have provided written assurances to the Board of their willingness to allow lake access for these efforts if the need arises.
INVASIVE AQUATIC SPECIES
The Town of Chester will be operating the Boat Washing Station at Loon Lake along routes 8&9 (7AM to 6PM). However, the response to COVID Virus has altered this service. Attendants will be maintaining social distance and wearing PPE, including face masks. If you use this service, be patient. The gear will slow the process during the hot summer months.
People spread Eurasian watermilfoil and other aquatic invasive species primarily through the movement of water-related equipment. Plant fragments can get tangled on boats, trailers, motors, anchors and other such equipment. All it takes is a single plant fragment to start a new population.
Please take the following steps to prevent the spread:
• Clean all watercraft, including power boats, canoes, kayaks, float planes pontoons, floats, etc. of all aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.
• Drain all water and bait tanks by removing drain plugs and keeping them out during transport.
• Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash.
• Dry docks, lifts, swim rafts and other equipment should be thoroughly inspected before placing equipment into another water body.
• Carefully examine all life preservers and other such equipment prior to using in the Lake.
In the meantime, Association volunteers will be surveying the lake for invasives as follows:
• One team, that has conducted these surveys for years, will continue the annual survey using past methods.
• A second team will participate with the Adirondack Invasive Plant Program to conduct an annual geo-coordinates specific survey. The results will be uploaded into a broader state data base.
• In addition, every few years the Board contracts with an outside consultant to further survey the Lake. We plan on hiring one this year.
Also, help protect the Hemlock trees on your property. An Invasive insect is making its way into the Adirondacks. To slow the impact and the spread we need your help to take proactive measures. To get additional information visit web site: https://blogs.cornell.edu/nyshemlockinitiative/community-science
NEW BOATING LAW
As of January 1, 2020, New York began a phase-in-by-age law that requires a new age group to become certified each year, requiring all motorized boat and PWC operators to pass a boater safety course and to carry a New York boater card by January 1, 2025. All motorized boat operators born on or after January 1, 1993, will be required to carry the New York boater card by January 1, 2020.
https://parks.ny.gov/recreation/boating/education.aspx
CSLAP
Friends Lake has participated in a citizen’s lake assessment program (CSLAP) since its inception. This monitoring program provides us with relevant data regarding the water-quality of the Lake. The evidence of years of surveys clearly indicates that there has been no overall denigration of the Lake’s water quality.
We are seeking volunteers to participate in this worthwhile effort. In accordance with its requirements, water sampling is done 8 times over the summer. Each sampling requires a boat and about two hours taking samples, recording water conditions, preparing for shipping and dropping off at UPS. This takes place on Mondays or Tuesdays to make sure the samples reach the testing site before Friday closing. Samples require refrigeration and are shipped in insulated packaging. All required items (containers, labeling, shipping and instruments) are provided by CSLAP. The timeline requires sampling on 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
If you are interested in participating in this important program, please contact us. For those of you who have been struggling at home schooling, participating in this program with your child or children would be a meaningful way to introduce them to the import of science in our lives.
ALGAE BLOOM
Last year the Lake experienced a bloom on August 12. As was indicated in the previous newsletter, samples were submitted to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, which concluded that this bloom was not toxic. A summary of the findings and observations of qualified expert follow:
• 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.
• The bacteria which causes these blooms is ubiquitous and has been around for over 3 billion years.
• Since we have had 2 blooms since 2015, we are destined to have more.
• The more blooms we have the greater the possibility that one of the blooms will be toxic.
• 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. (General information on controlling these sources can be found on the FLPOA web site under About Us>The Lake’s Health http://friendslakeny.org/about/friends-lakes-health, at the bottom).
There is a consensus that septic tank systems failures are the principal cause of these blooms on our Lake. The maintenance of a septic system is the unquestioned responsibility of the property owner. Generally, every septic tank should be cleaned out every 3-5 years. The clean-out of a tank should be performed by a commercial cleaning tank service which operates in accord with a license provided by NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Before we have additional blooms of longer duration and potentially toxic ones, we suggest that each property owner act in accord with the septic test regimen identified above.
SHORT TERM RENTALS
Members have expressed various concerns regarding short term rentals on Friends Lake particularly concerning the introduction of invasive species and general concerns regarding the spread of COVID 19. While it is difficult to predict the ramifications on the short-term rentals of this virus, the Center for Disease Control recommends that people wait 24 hours before entering a space occupied by a person who may have been exposed to the coronavirus. Hosts participating with Airbnb are required to wait between 24 to 72 hours between reservations depending on the cleaning protocols employed. There are also complex issues concerning the assumption of risks that occur when owners rent their properties generally and particularly during these times.
TECHNOLOGY
Do not forget your association has two other ways besides the newsletters to share information with our membership. The Website (www.FriendsLakeNY.Org) contains interesting information about the lake and association. Included are classified pages for sales, lost and found, etc. Most of the data is public, however, to protect some private information one tab is password protected for current members only. If your dues are current fill out the request form for access.
Likewise, we have a Facebook presence under the private group “Friends Lake”. We have restricted the site to all Friends Lake property owners and their family. People have been posting pictures as well as current community information on Corvid-19.
BOARD MEMBERSHIP
In 2020 we have a single open position on the Board, however, in 2021 there will be several. If you are interested, please contact us.
FRIENDS LAKE DAM
The friends Lake Dam controls water levels on the lake by the insertion of a plate (inserted 15 May) and removed in the Autumn. Board member Al Muench volunteered to perform this operation and has done so for many years. This year, the dam was potentially threatened by a heavy, 25-foot waterlogged tree trunk. A week ago, a small group of volunteers including Vice President Bob Perry, Susan Halliday and Ben Randall quickly responded and, along with Bob’s chain saw, relieved this threat to our spillway.
FLPOA MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
The Association’s bylaws provide the Association purpose is, but not limited to, the following:
“To improve, maintain, monitor and protect the ecology and quality of life on and around Friends Lake
• To support responsible development of land around Friends Lake.
• To promote the activities of boating, fishing, swimming and other recreational activities.
• 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.
• To maintain the earthen dam to control the lake water.”
The Association through its governing Board has been steadfast in addressing these significant responsibilities. We are continually working to preserve and improve 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.
Even though we may not have a traditional Annual Meeting this year, please make your $35 check payable to FLPOA and mail it 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
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 PayPal; 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: __________________________________________
__________________________________________