Lake Garfield Working Group Meeting Minutes 4/21/20
DRAFT LGWG MEETING MINUTES FOR TELECONFERENCE MEETING APRIL 21, 2020
- GRANTS:
Plan is to apply for 604B grant no later than 6/26/20 in follow up to previous grant that addressed phosphorus levels and best management practices (philosophy) related to Lake Garfield.
The new grant application will focus on further exploration of proceeding with two primary projects which are the subject of the grant application. First, education and potential implementation of rain gardens on shore front/ lake district properties. Second, is to continue to address potential installation of a particle separator on property previously identified on Hupi road.
The Select Board has approved the submittal of the grant application and to have engineering review/analysis of the rain gardens and/or separator. Engineer will have to be selected.
The Friends of Lake Garfield are expected to agree to assist in advancing the projects. First, by committing to contribute some funds in the amount of $500 for a grant match to help fund the projects. Second, to approach and ask for shoreline/lake district homeowners who may be interested in education and/or potential installation of rain gardens on their property.
- BUDGET/WARRANT FUNDS REQUESTED AT TOWN MEETING FOR MAINTENANCE OFLAKE GARFIELD HEALTH:
There are two items on the warrant for the annual Town Meeting which has been pushed off to a later date, perhaps 5/30/20, but may not be until June.
The first is a request for the 604B matching funding in the amount of $500 for the grant mentioned in item 1 above.
The second is budget item request for the sum of $30,000 for fiscal year 2020/2021 for continued DASH (Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting) and continued work of a Lake Scientist to monitor results and lake health. The group discussed the evidence from the past several years that the DASH has proved successful in mitigating the milfoil issue in the lake. This has been verified by the results documented by reports received from the lake scientist and the efforts and reports of the contractor hired by the town the past several years.
The group feels strongly that doing nothing is not an option and that the DASH work or other and monitoring by a lake scientist are the best options and remain necessary to continue to combat the milfoil issue and maintain lake health.
There is approximately $13,217 (to be verified) remaining in the 2019/2020 funds allocated for DASH from last year which are expected to be used this Spring.
NOTE – Query whether there are any “use it or lose the funds concerns” if not spent by the end of this fiscal year, June 30th? Thoughts or Comments? Just curious and asking. We need input and comments from Mike Germain regarding the use of this funding and when we can get divers in the water under the existing contract from last fiscal year.
Steps will have to be taken by the Town ASAP to go to bid for a new contract for 2020/2021 fiscal year and the LGWG should present a one page summary with data from lake scientist for Select Board and Public to help educate before Town Meeting and vote on the Warrant. We want everyone to know the DASH is necessary and working.
- CONTINUED NEED FOR FUTURE FUNDING TO SUSTAIN LAKE HEALTH
The group noted that the LGWG is tasked with discussing and exploring various options and methods to continue to monitor and maintain the ongoing issues related to the health of Lake Garfield. This will necessarily include discussions related to exploring various sources of funding to do so. The Town is expected to hire a full time Town Administrator in the next year or so. That person should be able to assist the group with a forward looking, holistic approach for the Town’s needs and will likely be included in such discussions with the group. Further discussions were tabled to future meetings.
Respectfully submitted,
Greg Carnese