Annual General Meeting - August 26, 2023, 16:00 at Camp Kalalla
Mandate of the association: “to promote, protect and preserve the quality of Lac Notre Dame and Usher Lake and the watershed environment of the Lakes to ensure their continued use and enjoyment by all”.
Constitution of the meeting - quorum based on registered members
Lisa Fast, president, opened the meeting.
By the time of the meeting, 48 members had paid their membership fees. 21 members attended the meeting. Quorum requires at least 25% of members be present - so quorum was reached. Bylaws require that only members who’ve paid the $10 fee can vote.
Move to open the meeting by: Lisa Fast
Seconded by: Marie Maisonneuve
Approval of previous year’s minutes
Approval of the minutes of the 2022 Annual General Meeting
Moved by: Don Herweyer
Seconded by: Marie Maisonneuve
Approve agenda for 2023 meeting
- Financial report
- Water Testing and water levels report
- Board report on 2022-23
- Develop and vote on proposed program for 2023 -2024 including boating/weedcutting team
- Members Open Issues and questions
- Current board and election of new board members
Moved by: Lisa Fast
Seconded by: Marie Maisonneuve
Financial Report
Presented by Brian Cook, treasurer for the fiscal year July 2022 through June 2023
Summary:
- The Lake Association has accounts with Desjardins. At June 30, 2023 the chequing account balance was $747 and the savings account was $3,200
- Membership fees during the summer and fall of 2022 brought in $440 of and donations $845 for a total income of $1285
- Our usual expenses included $470 for water testing in Lac Notre Dame and in Usher, $425 for purchase of buoys, anchors and ropes to mark heavy milfoil areas by Brian Cook, and $78 for Entreprise Quebec annual registration.
- A one-time purchase of signs for the milfoil buoys, with the lake association web address, totalled $1,800. We will collect the signs in the fall and put them out again in late spring. There are extras too, so we expect them to last many years.
Move to accept Treasurer’s report: Lisa Fast
Seconded by: Graeme Simpson
Budget plans / Plans budgétaires
Your membership fees support the following budget for the upcoming year:
- Water testing approximately $600 per year
- $400 of Buoys and anchors due to extensive milfoil and replacements of lost/aging buoys
- Reserve funds to prepare for potential invasive species or milfoil surge; consultation with experts like ABV-7,
- Quebec non-profit corporation fees ($35/year)
- Domain name and hosting fees for the web site ($30 every second year)
- Facility rental for annual meeting: $100
- Good news - the Association received over $1,400 in donations this summer (2023) which will go towards this budget.
Water testing report
Water testing report presented by Lisa Fast
- Thank you to Carole Doré, Denis Corbeil and Rejean Vaillant for their continued volunteer work on water testing. Water testing samples on Lac Notre Dame and Usher were collected August 16.
Lac Notre Dame August 16th, 2023 summary:
- E-coli levels are generally low, with 6 of 8 locations almost undetectable.
- Exceptions are Location 4, between Generations and Symons very high at 230 CFU/100ml - swimming is not recommended above 200 CFU, drinking water should have 0. Location 6at Generations was also higher than the rest of the lake at 66.
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E-coli levels in the Water may be impacted by pond water, construction and/or otters (there isevidence of their use of lake where creek comes out).
- Recommendation: Lisa to report the e-coli levels to the municipality given the recurrent e-coli results near locations 4 and 6 over the years.
Question from the floor Do we send out flyer/ advise people? Lisa will email.
Action: plan to test twice in July 2024: e-coli only
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Phosphorus is back down to quite low levels (this is good!), and nitrogen levels are within the usual range. Water clarity amidst the heavy August rains was lower than usual.
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Usher Lake August 16th, 2023 summary: E-coli levels in Usher Lake range from 10 to 26, which is better than many previous years. High levels of phosphates are seen at both inlets, which may increase the risk of blue-green algae.
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Recommendation: Usher lake property owners should watch for and report any possible Blue-Green slicks (floats and looks like paint on the water surface)
Water level report
- Water levels were unusually low May through July because no beavers had yet dammed the outlet. This likely contributed to greater milfoil growth. Beavers then began damming in late July and with constant rain, levels rose to slightly higher than usual August levels. This helps keep the weediest parts of the lake navigable and reduces sunlight to weeds.
- Imre and the dam team volunteers (Marcel, Graeme and Denis) have been removing parts of the dam on an almost weekly basis. They manage removal carefully as there is a wetland and road that must be protected behind the dam, and extensive regulations to follow.
- no cost
- thanks to dam team
Board report on program that had been planned for 2022-2023
- Buoys: We purchased additional anchors, rope and buoys. Buoys were added later at the west Island channel and bay at the Du Domaine causeway. They were moved as the weed mats grew.
- Signs: We purchased signs warning to stay away from the buoys. The design is based on La Peche designs. We placed them on roads, docks, on the island and at the weediest points in the lake. The signs will be removed in the fall and re-used. ** sign font is too small, next time make them larger
- Milfoil: We investigated the status of the cutter purchased back in 2004, and attempted to arrange a cutting morning in mid-August. Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate. A few letters were delivered to property owners asking them to please stop boating at high speed through the weed-choked island channel.
- Water testing: samples were collected and clarity tests conducted on August 16.
- In-person board meeting: Rupert Community Centre wasn’t available this year, so trying here at Camp Kalalla. Cost $100. Let us know your thoughts.
- Missed this: Problem with someone cutting weeds without raking, and so many floated in - we could drop a hand-out next summer - have someone in each area walk them around - Bernard and Susan on Shaw volunteer to do that for their area
Move to accept the board and water testing report: Don Herweyer
Seconded: Dave Hayward
Proposed Association program for 2023-2024
- Develop a weed team and plan for milfoil cutting
- Usual buoys, water testing, dam management etc.
- Member recruitment - use MRC assessment to data to identify missing members, add emails to list
Moved by: Lisa Fast
Seconded by: John Calvert
Members open issues
- Proposed coordinate Weed cutting: Jane,Marie and Gaston, Graeme.
- Merilee: more weeds impacting use and enjoyment.
- Proposed cutting strategy: plan to do a different section each year. What section is the priority?
- Bob Scott provided back ground on how to organize successful weed cutting with cutter and barge. Minimum 10 people. Contact Bob Scott, Rob Gilchrest or Rob Farley for more information. For barge, consider rental.
- Recommend requesting donation for weeds.
Move: Jane Hayward
Seconded: Laureen Osmond
Current board and election of new members
The Board meets 3-4x times per year plus the AGM.
- Jane Hayward - Secretary
- Bryan Watkinson, member (Usher Lake) has resigned - seeking a new Usher Lake rep
- Don Herweyer, member.
- Brian Cook, treasurer.
- Lisa Fast, President (elected July 2018)
- Marie Maisonneuve, member
- Graeme Simpson - member
Move to adjourn
Moved by Lisa Fast
Seconded by Don Herweyer