BLAISDELL
2006 SUMMER EDITION
Vol. 1-06
June 2006
Published Twice Each Year By Your BLPA Board of
Directors
Find Us On The Internet At “www.blpoa.org”
EFFORTS
UNDERWAY ON WRIGHT’S BEACH SUBDIVISION
There has been a
good deal of activity over the winter to determine the best way to proceed with
a subdivision of our Wright’s Beach property. The subdivision strategy was
proposed by the board in order to protect the association and its members from
liability pertaining to the use of docks on the property and to protect the
usage rights of those dock owners. All
of this was reported in the 2005 Winter Edition of the
More on subdivision efforts
and other association happenings can be found “inside”.
But first, here is the front
page scoop on the BLPA Summer of 2006!
THE BLPA 2006 SUMMER CALENDAR
Ayuhh…There’s a lot goin’ on in July!
July 2 4:00PM BLPA POWER BOAT PARADE
(Proceed at Wake Speed !)
July 2 9:00PM
BLPA FLARE NIGHT
“Happy
Birthday
July 15 BLPA Yard Sale and Raffle
At
Wright’s Beach
July 22 9:00AM Wright’s Beach Dedication
At
Wright’s Beach
July 22 10:30AM BLPA Annual Meeting
At
the Pratt’s;
July 22 11:30AM BLPA Picnic
At
the Pratt’s;
Support the BLPA!
Participate in
these events and then please take the extra step to join in our conservation
efforts by volunteering for a Boat Inspection shift at Wright’s Beach. Details inside.
MORE ON WRIGHT’S
BEACH!
Liability
President Chan
Blodgett reports that the dock owners with docks on our Wright’s Beach property
have received a “Hold Harmless” letter which releases BLPA from any liability
stemming from the use of their docks.
“Separate Entity” Efforts
A group of owners
with dock rights at Wright’s Beach are interested in forming a separate entity
to assume ownership of the property we are planning to subdivide and contains
their docks. That entity is most likely
to be called an “Association”, but nothing definite has been agreed to at this
point. The BLPA board will do all it can
to assist the group in its efforts.
Subdivision Plans
Chan, VP Bruce
Ellsworth and others have met with the Dock Owners, the Sutton Selectman,
Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment regarding the subdivision and its
feasibility. The town boards were
pleased to note there is no contention between the BLPA and the dock owners
regarding the idea and confirmed the property can be sub-divided. Based on these discussions, the preferred
method for all concerned parties is to request a subdivision and the board has authorized
Bruce to coordinate this. He will work with the Dock Owners’ entity, any dock
owners who choose not to be part of that entity, and the board to complete the
process. We cannot predict how much time
that will take.
Wrights’ Beach Operation To Remain “Status Quo”
VP Bruce also serves as chair of the Beach
Management Committee. He reports that they plan to make no changes in the rules
and regulations regarding the operation of Wright’s Beach until such time as
the legal and land matters regarding the subdivision have been resolved. At that point, the committee will develop and
submit appropriate recommendations. Until
then, we will maintain “status quo” operations.
Existing boat launch fees and beach usage policies/agreements will
remain in effect as will the dock rights of the existing dock owners.
Where do YOU come in?
Please remember that neither changes in beach
operations nor the subdivision itself will take place without BLPA membership
approval. That means YOU have a lot to
say about our present and our future … so
be
sure to attend the July 22nd Annual Meeting! That’s most likely going to be your best
opportunity to get more information and to participate in the decisions that
will have to be made for us to move ahead.
Wright’s Beach Sign
If you’ve driven
by Wright’s Beach in recent months, you may have wondered what happened to the
time-honored “Wright’s Beach” sign that has formed the archway to Wright’s
Beach since we were all little kids.
Well, it has been “retired” due to old age … and will soon be replaced
with a brand new look-alike! David
Walker, brother-in-law to our Water Safety Director Don Hall, has crafted a
superb replica that will grace the entrance for years to come. Our thanks go out to David for his
craftsmanship and to Don for his support.
Wright’s Beach Dedication Slated for the
Morning of July 22nd
You are cordially invited to attend a
dedication ceremony at Wright’s Beach on July 22nd at 9:00AM. The ceremony will be a brief one, but will
honor Estelle Wright Rooney, her brother Don Wright, and their father Chet
Wright for all they’ve meant to
SUMMER HAPPENINGS!
Annual Power Boat Parade; July 2nd
Pud
Ellsworth has once again agreed to lead the annual Power Boat Parade in his
wooden Chris Craft, known around the lake as the “Queen Mary” (not bad for a 96
year old!). He’ll lead off at 4PM on
Sunday, July 2nd, so join in as he comes by your dock. If you don’t have
a power boat, please cheer the parade as it passes by and enjoy the spirit of
the day! Sorry, but the wake caused by
so many big boats makes this event a no-no for sail boats and small crafts. For
those who do join in, please maintain
wake speed and refrain from any “cavorting” once the parade is
over. Wait for an hour or so before
resuming skiing, etc.
Flare Night;
July 2nd
Flare Night 2006 is slated for Sunday, July 2nd
at 9:00PM (note bene!). Join with your neighbors at the shoreline and
celebrate
Summer Calendar Note
The Town of
Flares are available from Bill Hallahan (938-2339) and the 2006 price
list has been finalized at 5-8-10 ($5 for one, $8 for two, and $10 for three)
BLPA Yard Sale; A Call to Arms, Legs, and Stuff for
the
Carol Belliveau, the chair of the 2006 Yard
If you would like to help, please call Carole and volunteer … it’s a
great way to see old friends and meet new neighbors!
This is our
major fundraiser for 2006 and we need your participation and support!
BLPA Raffle
Dave Donovan has organized and will chair the 2006 Raffle. 200 tickets will be offered for sale at $10
each, with a grand prize of $500. You
may purchase tickets from any BLPA Director and will also find them on sale at
the Yard Sale, at the Annual Meeting, and other sites or events that Dave and
his committee might line up. There’s a
great payback for a relatively small investment and it benefits the BLPA … so
please pitch in!
BLPA Annual Meeting and Picnic Slated
for July 22nd
The BLPA Annual Meeting will
be held on Saturday, July 22nd at 10:30AM at Jane and Fritz Pratt’s home,
located at
Families
A-L are asked to bring a salad (and dressing if needed)
Families
M-Z are asked to bring a dessert
For planning purposes, your
July 22nd calendar should look like this:
9:00AM Wright’s Beach Dedication (Wright’s
Beach)
10:30AM Annual
Meeting (Pratt’s;
In the Event
of Rain on the 22nd:
The Annual Meeting will be
held at 10:30AM on the 22nd at
BLPA Notables: “Seen or Heard Around
Town”
* Director Bob Wright is the Chair of the Sutton Board of Selectmen
* Director and Associate Professor Leon Malan received Colby Sawyer’s highest
faculty award and delivered the keynote address at the college’s recent
commencement
* A founding member of the BLPA has celebrated her 90th
birthday
* Past President Gail Olson has raised well over $200,000 in the past
two “Relay for Life” events held to support the fight against Cancer
* BLPA First Lady Betty Blodgett won the big cash pool on Ice Out Day
(April 4th!)
THE
FINANCIAL PAGE
Treasurer
Dave Hansen reports an increase of $78,100 in BLPA assets, thanks to the
acquisition of Wright’s Beach. That
figure represents the assessed value of the property. He continues to stress that all of the
expenses related to the acquisition were taken from our capital reserve and
were not considered operating expenses.
The success of fundraising activities over the past 3 years has done
much to improve our financial condition, which right now is very good! He will provide an in-depth report at the
Annual Meeting. On May 27th,
Dave presented the board with a proposed budget for the current fiscal year
(5/1/06-4/30/07) and recommended that the dues for this period be set at
$35. Voting members at the 2005 Annual
Meeting had authorized an increase not to exceed a cap of $50. The recommended
$10 increase is nominal and demonstrates sound fiscal stewardship as well as
responsiveness to membership needs and expectations. The board voted to accept the proposed budget
and to set the “06-’07 dues at $35.
IT’S
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL TIME AGAIN!
Your
membership dues notice is included in this mailing, so please take the time to
fill it out, update your personal information (like your e-mail address if you
are willing to share it), and get it back to Betty Blodgett right away. Our by-laws require members to have paid
their current dues to be eligible to vote at the Annual Meeting.
WATER
SAFETY REMINDERS
Don Hall, our water safety director, has some important reminders for all of us:
· As of 1/1/06, anyone born after 1/1/63 operating a vessel powered by more than 25 HP must have a valid NH Safe Boater Education Certificate (SBEC).
· A person under 16 years of age may not operate a vessel powered by more than 25 HP unless accompanied by a person 18 years of age or older who has a valid SBEC.
· No one under the age of 16 may legally operate a “ski craft”.
·
Adhere to NH Navigational Rules! Of particular concern on Blaisdell is
“Headway Speed” (no wake, max 6 mph). You
must not exceed headway speed when within 150 feet of shoreline, swimmers in
the water, rafts, floats or docks, etc. It is the operator, not the type
of boat, craft, or water toy, who is responsible for accidents and mishaps. Vigilance and common sense are the keys to enjoyment.
·
No more than 2 persons may be towed from a single
vessel at any one time (including tubers).
A spotter/observer, at least 13 years of age, must be on board for
each person being towed. Dogs or other pets do not qualify as spotters!
Don also reminds everyone to be on the lookout for logs and other large
objects floating in the lake following the recent rains and flooding in the
area. It may take some time to clear the
lake completely and he urges you to be cautious and safe.
THE DAM
Dam Committee Chair Bruce Ellsworth reports that the Dam has held up well
throughout the bad weather these past weeks (months?). Regular inspections have
shown that in spite of high water levels, there is no damage and all is in fine
working order. Great news!
The Wright’s Beach ramp
will again be staffed by a BLPA “Host” on weekends throughout the summer. The Host works a two hour shift and welcomes
the boater, inspects the boat and trailer, and accepts the launch fee. Director
Sharon Kenrick will oversee the 2006 program and is still looking for volunteers
to fill shifts. This program is an
important part of our efforts to prevent the spread of exotic aquatic weeds
(like Milfoil!) to the lake and she will have sign-up sheets at the Annual
Meeting. Please give
CONSERVATION AND WATER QUALITY
The Town of
permit limited modifications to the 75 foot setback when it takes effect. A Watershed Ordinance was not passed but the sponsoring group is strong and will bring it back for future consideration. This ordinance is important for its potential impact on the water quality throughout our own watershed. Director Leon Malan will continue to monitor conservation issues for the board and is also looking into the feasibility of constructing some Loon nesting areas on the lake to increase the number of chicks born each year.
Bill Hallahan will again take water samples at a number of different locations on the lake for analysis by the NH Department of Environmental Services (DES). The 2006 testing calendar includes May 30th, June 27th, August 1st and August 29th.
Thanks to BLPA volunteers like
There you
have it … the latest from
2005-2006 Board of Directors Contact List
President: Chan
Blodgett 938-2965 Cynde Robbins 938-2665
Vice President: Bruce Ellsworth 938-2323 Dick Manuel 938-5460
Treasurer:
938-2717 John Godkin 938-5457
Clerk: Dave Young 938-2066 Leon
Malan 938-2789
Dam:
Membership: Betty Blodgett 938-2965 Dave Donovan 938-5306
Water Quality: Bill Hallahan 938-2339 Bob Wright 938-5504
Water Safety: Don Hall 938-2525 Sharon Kenrick 938-2665
Emeritus: Estelle Rooney 938-5362
You
can write to BLPA at
… HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER!
… ENJOY THE
… PLEASE HELP
OUT AT THE BOAT RAMP!
… SEE YOU AT
THE ANNUAL MEETING AND PICNIC!