BLAISDELL LAKE NEWS
2001 SUMMER EDITION
Published by your BLPOA Board of Directors
BLPOA ANNUAL MEETING NOTICE
Saturday, July 28, 2001
10:00 AM
Camp Wabasso Dining Hall
Please plan to attend this important meeting!
The agenda will include:
2001-02 Budget
Water Quality Update
NH Boating Safety Law
BLPOA By Law Revision Proposal
Election of Officers and Directors
Please
bring it with you to the annual meeting.
The information is provided to you before the meeting so that you are
properly notified of proposed actions and have time to study them before they
come to a vote.
Dues
must be paid-up for you to vote at the meeting.
Mail your dues payment in time for it to be recorded by July 28th
or bring it to the annual meeting.
Please don’t feed geese (or any waterfowl)
that venture on to your property!
In
case you haven’t noticed, at least one family of geese is wreaking havoc on
beaches, docks and lawns around the lake.
They are cute, but are more a nuisance and potential health hazard. Pass the word to your tenants and neighbors. It’s OK to scare them away; you don’t want
them using you property for food and leisure!
Not-For-Profit
Status
We
have been notified that BLPOA is now classified as a 501C3 not-for-profit
corporation, and as such, exempt from federal income tax. This has tax benefit for the association, but
it also means that your BLPOA dues qualify as a personal deduction (i.e., a
charitable contribution), should you itemize on your federal return. Thanks and appreciation is due to Dave
Donovan and his committee for months of hard work and dogged follow-through to
resolve matters in our favor!
Dave
Hansen and his committee worked throughout the fall, winter and spring to
complete a comprehensive review and revision of our by-laws (last done in
1982). The refinements and revisions are
minor, but respond to 501C3 requirements and update the association’s purpose
and key operating parameters. In
essence, they protect the reasons we were formed 51 years ago and remain true
to the intentions of the founders.
The proposed
changes are summarized on the by law cover page in your BLPOA packet. Please review them. The revised by laws will be presented for
discussion, amendment and adoption at the annual meeting. The board recommends adoption.
2001-02
BLPOA Budget
The
board will present a $1,875 budget for adoption at the annual meeting.
2001-02 2000-01
Water
Quality: Testing & Education $1,000 $ 750
Administration 300 100
Achievement
Award 50
50
Dam
Registration 100 100
NH
Lakes Association 100
100
Sutton
Rescue Squad 100
100
Bradford
Rescue Squad 100 100
Contingency 125 250
Total $1,875 $1,550
The
budget request increase is due solely to higher administrative costs and the
need for continuing strong emphasis on water quality testing and
education. The board recommends
adoption.
Water Quality
Bill
Hallahan reports the lake water quality continues to be good, with all test
results falling within normal limits.
His practice is to test 4 times each summer, with readings from several
different areas in the lake. The first
“01 test was conducted on June 6, with Mike Gudefin and Dan Morrissey
assisting. The second test is scheduled
for July 10, and a staff person from the NH Department of Environmental
Services (NHDES) will accompany our
Water Quality (cont.)
team. NHDES has told Bill our testing program is
well executed, and that more extensive testing is neither practical nor
economical. Bill will continue to
investigate testing options, however.
For
those of you with MBTE concerns (MBTE is an additive found in gasoline purchased in NH), NHDES indicates the problem
is far more likely to impact water supplies than lake water. All in all, they do not feel it is a serious
problem at this time. Bill Hallahan
points out that the most likely way for MBTE to end up in our lake is from gas
spillage caused by the careless refueling of boats. So, boaters be careful when refilling those
tanks at the dock!
Our
biggest concern, by far, is the milfoil weed.
Our information and education efforts will focus on learning more and
doing more to prevent the spread of milfoil to our lake. Signage will soon be more visible at Wright’s
Beach and all boaters are given information.
Bill will address the association at the annual meeting and have
educational materials for your use. He
is also in the process of enlisting weed-watchers from each area of the lake to
conduct weekly sight inspections. Give
him a call if you are interested in this critical water quality control
activity. We urge you all to report any strange water growth to Bill or his
weed watcher team.
Boating Safety
BLPOA
Director Don Hall has been appointed to the NH Marine Patrol Auxiliary. His role is to help promote and enforce
boating safety and you will see him out and about all summer. Don will be happy to give your craft a
courtesy inspection to ensure it meets requirements.
The
Marine Patrol has increased staffing in the area and has notified Don that the
likelihood of boats being stopped for inspection will increase.
The
NH Boating Education Law takes effect this year and will require that all boat
operators obtain a Safe Boating Education Certificate. Operators under 18 must be certified by
1/1/2002, and by age groups, all operators will have to be certified by
2008. Certification requires completion
of an 8 hour safe boating course.
Don
also reminds Blaisdell boaters not to pull more than 2 water skiers at the same
time and to have one spotter for each person being towed (this applies to rafts
and tubes as well).
Don
will speak at the annual meeting on the NHBE Law, Marine Patrol activities, and
safe boating habits. There are new
requirements and expectations to know and follow. You won’t want to miss him!
Tag Sale
There
will be no BLPOA-sponsored Tag Sale this year.
An event like this take a lot of time and effort and might benefit the
association more if it were held every other year. At least, that’s our current thinking … so if
you have anything set aside, keep it for next year!
BLPOA Office Address
Along
with our official 501C3 status, we now have an official address! All association correspondence should be sent
to: BLPOA, PO Box 453, Sutton, NH
03273
911 Address / Visibility
Should
an emergency arise, it is critical that response teams can find you or your
property!
Be
sure that your Sutton 911 address is clearly visible from the nearest
road. The number should be visible at
the end of your driveway (or whatever), not just the side of your house.
In Memoriam
A
number of long time, valued BLPOA members have passed away since last season:
Hazel Hosmer Eileen Metcalf
Eleanor Ellsworth Shirley
Cave
Emma Winslow
Our
deepest sympathies go to their families and friends.
Board of Directors Contact
List (Lake Numbers)
Feel free to contact us with questions,
concerns, or maybe even a pat on the back!
President: Gail
Olson 938-2446 Chan Blodgett 938-2965
Vice President: Dave Donovan 938-5306 Dave Hansen 938-2717
Treasurer: Estelle Rooney 938-5362 Vicki
Mandell 938-2782
Clerk: Dave Young 938-2066 Dan
Morrissey 938-5537
Dam: Bruce Ellsworth 938-2323 Moe Geoffrion 938-5922
Water Quality: Bill Hallahan 938-2339 Al Byam 938-2358
Water Safety: Don Hall 938-2525 Jane Pratt 938-5448
Membership: Betty Blodgett 938-2965 Mike Gudefin 938-2997
…. and see you at the Annual Meeting on
July 28th!