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BELLEAU LAKE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. PO BOX 188 EAST WAKEFIELD NH 03830 www.blpoa.com
Spring 2008
PRESIDENT’S NOTES:
Spring is finally here and the
Lake is filled for the summer. It got off to a late
start due to persistent ice. Snowfall this winter was
extremely heavy. The National Weather Service in Concord
NH maintains the official records. According to this
source, 115.2 inches of snow was received during winter.
This is the second greatest amount on record. Only the
winter of 1873-1874 saw a larger amount, totaling 122.0
inches. A National Weather Service unofficial
co-operative observer in Wolfeboro, reported 149.1
inches. Fortunately, the spring melt was gradual and we
avoided the destructive combination of heavy rains,
melting snow pack and frozen ground that resulted in so
much damage in 2007.
Enclosed with this Newsletter
you will find a “Call to Meeting” for the “Spring
Association Membership Meeting”. These membership
meetings are the forums in which the members make the
major policy decisions for the Association. Under our
by-laws any issue may be considered at this meeting,
except the budget and the election of officers and
directors. These are specifically reserved for the Labor
Day weekend meeting. I expect that, among other things,
we will be discussing our road contract, which will
expire in October 2008.
Finally, it is not too soon to
start thinking about the election of new Association
officers and directors. Several important positions are
up for election this year. Your Association depends
entirely on volunteers to staff the Board of Directors.
It is only through their efforts that our programs are
carried out.
Bruce B. Rich
President
Belleau Lake Property Owners
Association, Inc.
MILFOIL TREATMENT IS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 17, 2007
Lycott Environmental, a
licensed contractor, will treat Belleau Lake again this
year. We will continue to use the orange markers to
facilitate the treatment. If you observe milfoil growing
in an area that is not already marked, please contact
Joe Arnone, 522-6501. He can provide you the materials
to mark it. Under the terms of the permit, only areas
where milfoil is actively growing can be treated,
therefore it is important they be identified.
This year the treatment will
be with a chemical know as 2,4-D. The same one we used
last year. It is dispersed in pellet form. Please do not
use your motor boat on the day of the treatment. Maximum
effectiveness is achieved when the pellets are allowed
to sink undisturbed in the area of the growing milfoil.
Signs will be posted adjacent
to the treatment areas. Swimming is not permitted in
these areas for a period of one week. Vachon Beach is
not in a treatment area and can be used.
SUMMER REMINDERS
Each year I hear of people at
the Lake that have been
“bagged” by a law enforcement official for a
violation of one kind or another. The following is
certainly not an exhaustive list, but it represents some
of the more common problems.
Safe Boating certificates
are required to operate a boat with a motor in excessive
of 25HP.
Children under 16 may not operate a boat with at motor
in excess of 25HP unless they are under the direct
supervision of an adult with a safe boating certificate.
Life jackets are required
for all people on board. Children under the age of 12
must wear a lifejacket at all times unless the boat is
completely enclosed by railings at least three feet high
and constructed such that a small child cannot fall
through them.
Observers are required
when towing people on water skis or tubes.
An observer is required for each person towed.
The boat driver is not an observer.
Headway speed is required within 150 ft of shore.
This is true whether, or not, signs and buoys are
posted.
Fishing licenses are required
at Belleau Lake. Children under 16 do not need a
license. Residents of New Hampshire over 68 do not need
a license.
Bass fishing
is “catch and release” from May 15 to June 15. Only
artificial lures and flies may be used during this time.
Children under 14 operating an ATV
must have a licensed adult present. Please avoid
damage to our gravel roads from careless use. This is
particularly a problem in the spring, when the roads are
soft.
Children under 18
must wear a helmet and goggles while riding an ATV .
Campfire permits are required.
If you need one, stop at State Line Garage in East
Wakefield.
Additional information on many
of these requirements and related topics can be found at
the ”LINKS” area of
www.blpoa.com.
DO YOU HAVE ANY INPUT FOR THE BLPOA BUDGET?
Each year the Board of
Directors submits a budget to the membership at the
Labor Day weekend meeting. The budget forms the basis of
the assessments that are then established for each
property owner.
If you have any input you would like the Board to
consider, please submit it by August 1, 2008. A proposed
budget is distributed with the “Call to Meeting” for the
fall membership meeting. This may be amended by the
membership at the meeting.
The Association’s Officers and
Directors are volunteers elected by the membership. The
continued success of your Association depends on the
willingness of the members to serve in positions of
responsibility. Elections are held at the Labor Day
weekend meeting. This year there are five positions that
will stand for election: President, Treasurer and three
Directors. Any fully paid member may run for any of
these positions.
If you would like to have your
name on the ballot, send a note to BLPOA , PO Box 188,
East Wakefield, NH 03830 not later than August 1, 2008.
This date is necessary to have your name on the absentee
ballot. If you would like to discuss this, call Bruce
Rich at 522-6795.
The following is included at the request of the
Belleau Lake Dam Association, Inc:
GOLF TOURNAMENT
TO BENEFIT
THE BELLEAU LAKE DAM ASSOCIATION, INC
Saturday June 21, 2008 9:30AM
Province Lake Golf Course
Barbecue to follow at
Association Park
$100 per golfer includes 18 holes, cart and barbeque
$10 non-golfers for BBQ
Prizes
Sign up by June 7, 2008
Call John Shaffer 522-5175 or email
Frank Rago: FR1604@verizon.net
THE ROAD AGENT SPEAKS:
Jim Powierza is the
Association road agent. In this position he coordinates
our work with the road contractor. He has provided the
following information in response to the questions he
typically gets from area residents.
Spring road work is done when
the frost is out of the ground, usually in May. The
contractor will grade the roads and rake out the
potholes to make them smooth.
Summer raking is done as
needed to remove potholes. Other summer projects, such
as culvert replacement and the addition of “road pack”
are done as funding permits.
Fall brush cutting is done in
September and October. Most of the roads were originally
planned with a 40 foot wide travel surface and five feet
on each shoulder. The growth of brush on the shoulders
makes it impossible to clear snow from the full width of
the road. This can make the road dangerously narrow.
Fall grading and raking is
done until the end of October or until the frost goes
into the ground,
Mud season is when the ground
starts to give up the frost. It melts during the day and
freezes at night. Melting of near-by snow banks worsens
the situation.
During this time of year the roads cannot be
graded because of the mud.
Each year notices are put in
the Fall Newsletter advising people not to park on the
roads during the winter months. Cars left on the road
make it impossible for the contractor to properly plow
the roads during and after the storm. Vehicles left on
the road may be damaged by snow plows and sanding
equipment.
Sanding is done sparingly on
hills and other areas as needed. Thawing and freezing
will often cover the sand making it look like the road
was never sanded. The use of sand is limited to reduce
the amount that remains when the snow is gone. In the
spring, it is easily washed into lake creating an ideal
medium for milfoil and other weeds to grow in. When it
remains on the road it quickly degenerates into potholes
or a “wash board” surface.
REMEMBER AT ALL TIMES THE
SPEED LIMIT ON OUR ROADS IS 15 MPH!
BOAT LAUNCH DAY IS SUNDAY MAY
25, 2008
The boat launch, located at Association Park on
Belleau Blvd, will be open from 9-2 on Sunday May 25th
to allow members to launch their boats without the
need of locating a key. Please do not plan on
launching your boat on the morning of May 24th;
the ramp will be blocked by cars.
HOW DO I GET A KEY TO THE BOAT LAUNCH?
The Association owns a boat
launch next to Association Park on Belleau Blvd. By the
terms of its deed, this area is for the recreational use
of the members of the BLPOA.
The gate is kept locked in an attempt to limit
the further importation of milfoil, or other exotic
weeds, into the Lake. If you are a member, you may
borrow a key from any of the Directors. These keys are
to be promptly returned and are intended for occasional
use, such as putting your boat in at the beginning of
the season. A list of Directors was included in the fall
Newsletter and is posted on
www.blpoa.com
If you plan to be taking your
boat in and out on a regular basis, you may find it more
convenient to obtain a key for the season by paying a
$10 deposit. These seasonal keys are available from
Gordon Rhyner. Gordon winters in Florida but is expected
back before mid May. He may be reached locally at
522-3411. If you just can’t wait to get started, give
Bruce Rich a call at 522-6795.
SHORELAND PROTECTION ACT
The State of New Hampshire’s
Shoreland Protection Act has recently undergone major
changes. This statute applies to numerous activities
within 250 feet of the waterfront. This area is known as
the “protected shore land”. A training session on this
matter was held at the Wakefield Town Hall on April 23,
2008. Another session is expected to be held this summer
for the benefit of seasonal residents, who were unable
to attend the first meeting. BLPOA will distribute the
specifics by email when they are available, or you can
contact the Wakefield Planning Office at 522-6205 ext
314 for this information.
The Act is intended to
maintain or improve water quality by limiting storm
water run-off with its attendant pollutants.
The Act regulates many
activities by requiring a State permit before they can
be undertaken. Perhaps the most noteworthy is the need
for a permit for construction within
50 feet of the Lake. In the past, Wakefield
required only a 30 foot setback. If you are considering
work near the waterfront, it is best to speak to the
Town Code Enforcement Officer before your plans become
final. It is my understanding, that an upward expansion,
such as a dormer or second story, does not need the
State permit, because it doesn’t expand the “foot print”
of the building and consequently doesn’t add any
additional impervious surface. A Town building permit is
still required for this type of work. Impervious
surfaces are a major area of concern. They allow water
to build speed and volume, thus sweeping polluting
material into the Lake, rather than soaking in to the
soil near where the water originally fell.
Other important parts of the
Act restrict the amount of vegetation that may be
removed within 150 feet of the water. This is too
complicated to explain here, but be aware of the need to
investigate before you cut.
Existing, legally built,
houses and landscaping may be retained. However, the use
of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides to maintain
lawns and gardens is restricted.
ASSOCIATION PARK CAMPFIRES
Campfires are prohibited at
Association Park. BLPOA does not have a campfire permit.
If you see a fire, or other suspicious behavior, call
522-3232 or 1 800 832-2100. Each year the Association
spends your money repairing vandalism at the park!
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Website last updated: May 14, 2007
Comments and suggestions, email: blpoa@blpoa.com