2019 WLA Annual Meeting
It was a great meeting with over 60 attendees joining us Saturday July 6, 2019 at the Standish Town Hall. Paul McNulty, Cathy Watson, Kim Lajoie, and Steve Lajoie provided a business update, covering topics such as water quality, the loons, finances, membership, and plans for the coming few years. Maggie Burns from FB Environmental gave an overview of our three year advanced water quality monitoring and an update on the 2019 Watchic Lake Watershed Protect Plan. Click here for her 2019 Watershed Protect Presentation.
Three new board members were voted on to the board; Stacey Kane, Terry Fay-Babcock, and Bob Babcock. Officers were approved for new or extended terms; Owen Smith as President, Steve Lajoie as Vice President, Agnes Wiggin as Treasurer, and Martha Drew as Secretary and Historian.
Thank you to David Bradbury, who was recognized as an “unsung hero” for his 18 years of service on the Board. David was instrumental in rebuilding the dam, designing the runoff remediation systems along Rte 113, addressing erosion on Hi-Vu, and much, much more. Thank you David!
As in past years, we noted that quality of Watchic Lake water remains good but is under pressure from polluted runoff from a number of locations We are fortunate to have no invasive plant species in the lake. Paul noted that our upcoming challenges such as addressing a possible invasive species infestation will require more funds than we generate via membership dues and smaller donations. More details will be coming on our 2019 Watchic Lake Stewardship program.
Click here for the 2019 Treasurer’s Report – the Profit and Loss Statement and the Balance Sheet, which was reviewed at the meeting. The 2018 annual meeting minutes were approved by members in attendance.
Click here for Paul McNulty’s Executive Summary of 2018/2019 WLA Activities.
Click or touch here for the Draft 2019 Annual Member Meeting Minutes.
Again, thank you to all contributors, members and sponsors for your support!
“Life on the Lake” raffle! There is still time to enter and win a lovely pair of Adirondack chairs or new two burner Weber grill… purchase tickets at the Standish Summer Spectacular, off the Ice Cream boat, or by contacting Martha Drew.
It was a great meeting with the nearly 50 members who joined us Saturday July 7, 2018 at the Standish Town Hall. The meeting began with a chance to socialize and enjoy a variety of pastries and drinks.
Paul McNulty, Cathy Watson, and Steve Lajoie provided a business update, covering topics such as water quality, the loons, finances, membership, and plans for the coming few years.
Two new board members were voted on to the board; Kim Lajoie and David Maus – all look forward to keeping the lake a pleasant place to be. Thank you to Bob Joslyn, who after 18 years, ended his term on the board.
Three officers were approved for new or extended terms; Agnes Wiggin as Treasurer, Nancy McNulty as Education Committee chair, and Kim Lajoie as Secretary.
As in past years, we noted that quality of Watchic Lake water remains good but is under pressure from polluted runoff from a number of locations We are fortunate to have no invasive plant species in the lake.
Click here for the DRAFT 2018 Annual Member Meeting Minutes. Approval of these will be voted on at the 2019 meeting.
Click here for the 2018 Treasurer’s Report – the Profit and Loss Statement and the Balance Sheet, which was reviewed at the meeting.
Click here for Paul McNulty’s Executive Summary of 2017/2018 WLA Activities.
Again, thank you to all our bakers, contributors, members and sponsors for your support!
2018 Watchic Lake Association Annual Meeting
It was a great meeting with the nearly 50 members who joined us Saturday July 7, 2018 at the Standish Town Hall. The meeting began with a chance to socialize and enjoy a variety of pastries and drinks.
Paul McNulty, Cathy Watson, and Steve Lajoie provided a business update, covering topics such as water quality, the loons, finances, membership, and plans for the coming few years.
Two new board members were voted on to the board; Kim Lajoie and David Maus – all look forward to keeping the lake a pleasant place to be. Thank you to Bob Joslyn, who after 18 years, ended his term on the board.
Three officers were approved for new or extended terms; Agnes Wiggin as Treasurer, Nancy McNulty as Education Committee chair, and Kim Lajoie as Secretary.
As in past years, we noted that quality of Watchic Lake water remains good but is under pressure from polluted runoff from a number of locations We are fortunate to have no invasive plant species in the lake.
Click here for the DRAFT 2018 Annual Member Meeting Minutes. Approval of these will be voted on at the 2019 meeting.
Click here for the 2018 Treasurer’s Report – the Profit and Loss Statement and the Balance Sheet, which was reviewed at the meeting.
Click here for Paul McNulty’s Executive Summary of 2017/2018 WLA Activities.
Again, thank you to all our bakers, contributors, members and sponsors for your support!
2017 Watchic Lake Association Annual Meeting
THANK YOU to the nearly 40 members that joined us Saturday July 15, 2017 at the Standish Town Hall. The meeting began with a chance to socialize and enjoy all sorts of homemade desserts provided by members of the WLA board and other supporters.
Sarah Haggerty of the Maine Audubon Society gave a great presentation on wildlife in and around Watchic Lake, with a focus on loons, eagles, and turtles.
Three new board members were voted on to the board; Catherine Watson,
Stephen Lajoie, and Joanne Majka – all live on the lake and look forward to keeping it a pleasant place to be. Thank you to Steve Center, Donal Drew, and Eileen Burnell who all ended their terms on the board. Each in their own way made significant contributions to the association and the lake.
Four officers were approved for new or extended terms; President – Paul McNulty, Vice-President/President Elect – Owen Smith, Treasurer – Agnes Wiggin, and Historian – Martha Drew.
As in past years, we noted that quality of Watchic Lake water remains good, but is under pressure from polluted runoff from a number of locations We are fortunate to have no invasive plant species in the lake.
Click here for the DRAFT 2017 Annual Member Meeting Minutes. Approval of these will be voted on at the 2018 meeting.
Click here for the 2017 Treasurer’s Report, which was approved at the meeting.
Click here for Sarah Haggerty’s Maine Audubon Society Presentation and her Thank You Letter and Note of Appreciation.
Click here for Paul McNulty’s Executive Summary of 2016/2017 WLA Activities.
Again, thank you to all our bakers, contributors, members and sponsors for your support!
2016 Watchic Lake Association Annual Meeting
THANK YOU to the nearly 40 members and 20 freinds that joined us Saturday July 9, 2016 at the Standish Congregational Church. The meeting began with a silent auction and raffle, followed by a lasagna dinner prepared by the Congregational Church. We reviewed our recent “Risk Assessment Report”, heard from Forrest Bell of FB Environmental on Watchic Lake, congratulated eight new LakeSmart award recipients, and provided a status report on all WLA activities. Three new board members were voted on to the board, and three officers were voted into new positions.
Overall the quality of Watchic Lake remains good. We are fortunate to have no invasive plant species in the lake. Water quality remains good (secchi disk at ~4.5 meetings similar to past years), but is under pressure from polluted runoff from a number of locations.
They key message to our members is to protect the lake we need to reduce runoff! Whether it be by participating in LakeSmart or doing some research, we ask that you do your part to keep nutrient rich runoff water out the lake.
- Click here for the DRAFT 2016 Annual Member Meeting Minutes. Approval of these will be voted on at the 2017 meeting.
- Click here for the 2016 Treasurer’s Report, which was approved at the meeting.
- Click here for Forrest Bell’s presentation on challenges to lakes, including Watchic Lake
- Click here for Paul McNulty’s Executive Summary of 2015/2016 activities.
- Click here for the 2016 Risk Assessment Report commissioned by the WLA and completed by FB Environmental.
Again, thank you to all our silent auction contributors, members and sponsors for your support!
2015 Watchic Lake Association Annual Meeting Summary
Saturday July 11, 2015, Standish Town Hall community Room. THANK YOU to all attendees!
Full DRAFT minutes of the meeting can be found here: 2015 DRAFT WLA Annual Meeting Minutes. A presentation was provided and can be found here.
President Patty Guenthner thanked association members and the board of directors for their support of the association and the work that it does to preserve the quality of Watchic Lake.
A special note of good news was the report of the sale of a large parcel of woodland betweent. 113 and Oak Hill Road to the Small Woodlot Owners Association of Maine (SWOAM). With this area being in the direct watershed for Watchic Lake, having it remain as woodland will have a major beneficial impact on the lake. Dale Rines was instrumental in the work that culminated in this acquisition.
Paul McNulty discussed the results of a survey sent to Watchic Lake property owners in the spring. The top concerns from the 81 respondents were 1) continue to avoid infestation by invasive species, 2) water clarity/quality, 3) protecting the loons, 4) managing runoff, and 5) maintaining septic systems.
Dave Bradbury reported on the dam. Minor repairs were made to the dam this spring and everything seems to be working well, requiring fewer adjustments to maintain the water level. Safety bouys are in place for the season.
Treasurer Bob Joslyn spoke briefly about the solid state of the association finances. Click here for the 2015 Treasurers Report. Steve Center reviewed the Capital Fund. While the fund drive is complete, collecting pledges will continue for several more years, and donations are still being accepted. Members were encouraged to include the association in their estate planning, as well. Steve emphasized the need for a healthy reserve (given the lack of readily available local, state or federal funding), to be able to make an immediate response to threats to the lake.
Eben Joslyn reported on his monitoring of the lake, which measures many factors that affect water quality. Overall the monitoring results are positive and the lake continues to maintain favorable levels for a lake of our size and depth. The full report can be found here WLA Water Quality Report 2015.
Two pairs of loons were reported to be nesting on the lake. One pair has successfully hatched a chick. The nesting loons are being monitored by Biodiversity Research Institute.
Paul reported that membership is up this year by about 30% to 154, not including business sponsors. Membership represents approximately 119 of the 256 properties around the lake.
Three LakeSmart awards were presented by Patty Taylor. Linda and Paul Martenson, Kim and Steve Lajoie, and Victoria Chesley-Brega had all met the criteria. Click here for more LakeSmart info.
The following nominations for board members for re-election to the board of directors were presented by Owen Smith: Patty Guenthner (1 year – filling the vacancy created by Eben Joslyn’s resignation), Patty Taylor (3 years), and Robert Joslyn (3 years). The nominees were elected unanimously.
The following nomination for new member to the board of directors was presented by Owen Smith: Nancy McNulty (3 years). The nominee was elected unanimously.
The following officer nominations for the board of directors were presented by Owen Smith: President – Paul McNulty, Historian – Donal Drew. Both positions were for two year terms.
The nominees were elected unanimously. Martha Drew continues as Secretary and Bob Joslyn continues as Treasurer.
The financial report for the current year and the minutes from the July 12, 2014, annual meeting were presented for acceptance and unanimously approved.
2014 Watchic Lake Association Annual Meeting Summary
Annual Members Meeting Summary
July 12, 2014, Standish Town Hall community Room.
Full meeting minutes can be found here: WLA 2014 Annual Meeting Minutes. The presentation covered during the meeting can be found here WLA 2014 Annual Meeting Presentation.
WLA Board Members Present: Steve Center, Brenda Geraldo, Patty Guenthner, Patty Taylor, Bob Joslyn, John Blake, Dave Bradbury, Steve Rines, Elaine Bradbury, Paul McNulty, Don Drew, Eben Joslyn
Membership in Attendance: 31 voting members in attendance. List available upon request.
President’s Remarks:
Patty Guenthner thanked all who have contributed to the association including members, the Board, the sponsors, the Town of Standish, and all other supporters. Special thanks to John Blake and Regina Rutter for their years of service on the WLA Board. The focus of the Association going forward is to be “proactive”, concentrating on “Prevention and Improvement”, rather than being “reactive” as we have in the past. To achieve this goal we will need:
- Increase the number and activity of the road associations around the lake
- Increased property owner participation
- Additional LakeSmart properties
WLA Yard Sale:
The annual WLA yard sale is being held at Kiwanis on August 9, 8:00 am. Patty reiterated the need for donations.
Portland Water District on Lakescaping:
Laurel Jackson from the Portland Water District, using the term “Lakescaping” explained different types of erosion and its effects on the quality of our Lakes. She stressed the need to control erosion from sources typically found around our homes, with solutions such as, crowning our roads, installing rain gardens, rain barrels, mulch, gravel, etc. and invited us all to visit the Portland Water District office to check out the many demonstrations and materials they have on the subject. Her full presentation can be found here Portland Water District on Lakescaping.
Treasurers Report:
Bob Joslyn reviewed Treasurers Report. For the full report see WLA 2014 Treasurer’s Report. Bob also asked for continued support for new Business Sponsors from the existing association members.
Capital Fund:
Steve Center reviewed the Capital Fund situation. Although the Fund Drive is over, we still need to increase contributions from new owners and new participants in order to ensure enough funds to handle any future emergencies. More details can be found in the WLA 2014 Annual Meeting Presentation.
Water Quality:
Eben Joslyn reviewed his Current Lake Water Quality Status Report (Spring-Summer 2014). The quality of our lake is very good, but we must remain vigilant in avoiding invasives and eliminating run-off. The full report can be found here WLA 2014 Watchic Lake Water Quality Report.
Dam Status:
David Bradbury reported all is well with the Dam. There have been extensive safety improvements made to the dam recently. Including the addition of fencing, signage, marker buoys and gating.
New Watchic Lake Website:
Paul McNulty reviewed the improvements he has made to our website to improve the quality and value of the information for Watchic Lake users and property owners.
Membership:
Paul McNulty reviewed the status of our Membership. Members so far 2014 is 96 which is about 40% of properties. We encourage everyone to join to help us maintain our water quality, encourage flourishing wildlife, avoid invasive plants, and to maintain property values.
LakeSmart:
Patty Taylor explained the LakeSmart program. Its an easy to use program, that benefits you and the lake. More information can be found here Watchic Lake LakeSmart. Watchic Lake currently has over 20 recipients of the Lake Smart award. We are aiming for 10 more awards in order to be recognized as a Gold Level Lake.
LakeSmart awards were presented to Sharie and Clarke Smith, and John and Brenda Gerardo. Not present but also receiving awards are Regina and David Rutter, and Wendi Rodrigueza & Catherine Watson.
New Board members nominated and approved.
- Martha Drew
- Owen Smith
- Dave Ross
Board members nominated and approved to serve another term
- Don Drew
- Brenda Gerardo
- Steve Rines
- Steve Center
Officers nominated and approved
- Patty Guenthner – President
- Martha Drew-Secretary
- Bob Joslyn- Treasurer
- Paul McNulty-President Elect
2013 Watchic Lake Association Annual Members Meeting Summary
July 13, 2013, Standish Town Hall community Room.
Full meeting minutes can be found here: 2013 Annual Meeting Minutes
Turnout for this meeting was good with approximately 50% of WLA membership in attendance.
Board Members
The WLA officers and board members were voted upon and are now:Patty Guenthner – President, Patty Taylor-Secretary, Bob Joslyn- Treasurer, John Blake, David Bradbury, Elaine Bradbury, Steve Center, Don Drew, Eben Joslyn, Tom Juliano, Paul McNulty, and Steve Rines. Don Drew has finished his term as President – thank you Don for your service.
Water Quality
Eben Joslyn reviewed the current water quality status for Spring-Summer 2013. In short, the quality of our lake water is very good. Eben compared the measurement of our lake water coliform/bacteria level, to state water testing limits used to determine if the quality of a body of water is acceptable for public swimming. The limit to shut down a beach is 235 cfu/100mL. The highest Watchic Lake coliform/bacteria level has been this year measures 6.3 cfu/100mL, which is well below the maximum allowable limit. Let’s all keep focused on reducing runoff and ensuring a positive report in 2014.
Lakefront Property Trends:
Patty Guenthner introduced an educational speaker, Tom Ferent “Mr. Lakefront”. He is a realtor by trade, with extensive experience selling lakefront property and covered key issues affecting water quality and lakefront property values.
- Values are increasing: current market conditions are improving for lakefront property sales.
- Water quality matters: values of homes on lakes with poor water quality are reduced by at least 20%. For example, a home on a lake with above average water quality worth $750,000 would only be worth $500,000 on a lake with low water quality.
- Runoff is the enemy: water runoff is the number one contributor to bad lake water quality. Poorly maintained roads are often big contributors to water runoff.
- Roads associations matter: Tom encourages road associations for a number of reasons. For example, Fannie Mae (manages most mortgages from banks) will not accept loans for lakefront property if there is no road association set up to plow and maintain the properties private road. In addition, properties with private, non-association managed roads are considered “seasonal” and generally pay mortgage interest rates.
Membership
As of June 2013 there are 108 members versus 125 last year. This represents only 1/3 of the people on the lake. A focus for 2014 will be increasing membership and participation in the WLA.
Dam
David Brabury reported all is well with the Dam. The gate will have to be replaced sometime and work is planned for the fall. Don Drew reviewed the need to set up an Limited Liability Company (LLC) for the Watchic Lake Association Dam. An LLC is recommended to help reduce liability risks associated with the dam.
Paine Neighborhood Runoff Remediation
This major project to improve water runoff appears to be functioning well.
LakeSmart
The Maine LakeSmart Program offers free opportunities for homeowners to learn how to manage their home and yard to protect the water quality of their lake. The primary focus of LakeSmart is to keep our lake water clean by stabilizing eroding areas, reducing the use of chemicals, diverting rainwater into vegetated areas, and maintaining or planting trees, shrubs, and ground cover along the shoreline.
Patty Taylor is the LakeSmart coordinator for Watchic Lake. She will arrange for a trained volunteer come to your home to assess its lake-friendliness and give you a written report on its ‘lake IQ.’ If appropriate, you will also get some suggestions for making improvements. Once you feel your property is ready, Patty will request a representative from Maine Lakes Association come out to review and recommend for a LakeSmart award. The more LakeSmart recipient we have on the lake, the cleaner our water will be.
LakeSmart awards were presented to Eileen and Dave Burnell, and Nancy and Paul McNulty.
Loon Report
A couple of Loons have been seen with two babies, recently hatched, on the island end of the lake.