FUNDRAISING:
A concern was raised that a few checks that donors sent have not been received. A Board member noted that there has been some theft out of mailboxes, and that we should use post office boxes, preferably inside. It was also mentioned that a friend outside the watershed had received our fundraising solicitation. This will be looked into.
GRANTS:
CT DEEP – Our grant application was approved from CT DEEP for permanent treatment of Curley Leaf Pondweed in the lake with the hope of eradicating it forever. MLIF contributed 25% of the treatment cost.
Thrift Shop Grant – A grant application was submitted at the end of January to conduct the Hydrologic and Hydraulic Analysis needed to move forward with the dam/spillway project. We received a partial grant in May.
Richardson Grant 2022 – In 2022, MLIF received a grant to remove large items/debris from the lake near the cliffs. Lake Underwater Cleaning and Salvage completed the work and a final report to the Richardson Fund has been sent.
Richardson 2023 Grant – This grant was submitted by the end of February to fund the Alternatives Assessment and the Preliminary Cost Opinion of the Dam project. We did not receive this grant.
LAKE MANAGEMENT:
– The water is clear. We have no algae mats, but lots of the aquatic plant Coontail.
– We will have one last algae treatment for this year.
– Zach Davis of Pond and Lake Connection (PLC) is writing the end report for the DEEP grant.
– Zach will send us the end-of-year report for 2024.
– It was noted that we should give our suggestions for next year’s treatments.
– It was noted that the aquatic plant that we now have growing in the lake looks similar to Milfoil but it is not. It is the non-invasive Coontail.
DAM PROJECT:
The State dam inspection required that the dam be raised by 3 inches of dirt on top to handle the 100-year flood and 4-5 inches more for a 500-year flood in addition to increasing the amount of dirt supporting the back of the dam. The Board previously approved the project and the funds to begin the engineering.
Barb Hartman and Dean Williams spoke at the August Board of Selectman meeting to request $97,000 to finish the engineering and permitting stages of the project and begin construction. The BOS voted to recommend that the Board of Finance approve at least $45,900 to get the project to the “shovel ready” stage.
MLIF will present its case at the September 19 Board of Finance meeting. The meeting will start of 7:00 p.m.
We still have surveying work that needs to be done but the leaves need to be off the trees before that can be done. The surveyors’ work will be split into two phases, and we do not yet have the funding for Phase 2.
Engineers will do borings at the dam on 9/23.
The next BOARD MEETING is Thursday, OCT. 5, 7:30 p.m.at the CVS Community Room.
