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Lac Notre-Dame and Usher Lake Association

2023 Annual General Meeting of the Lac Notre Dame and Usher Lake Association

Agenda

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, XX members had paid their membership fees. YY members joined the online 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: Don Herweyer

Approval of previous year’s minutes

Approval of the minutes of the 2022 Annual General Meeting

Moved by: XXXX

Seconded by: XXX

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: XXXX

Financial Report

Presented by Brian Cook, treasurer for the fiscal year 2022 - 2023

Summary:

  • The Lake Association has accounts with Desjardins and at June 30, 2023 the chequing account balance was $747 and the savings account was $3,200
  • Membership fees 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: XXXX

Budget plans / Plans budgétaires

With support and donations from our members, and financial suppport from the La Pêche Green Fund, we plan to spend:

  • Water testing approximately $600 per year
  • Buoys and anchors $500 in July due to extensive milfoil and replacements of lost/aging buoys, expect $400 more in spring
  • 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.

Avec le soutien financier de nos membres et du Fonds vert de La Pêche, nous envisageons de:

  • Analyse de l'eau : environ 600 $ par an
  • Bouées et ancres 500 $ en juillet en raison de l'étendue du myriophylle et du remplacement des bouées perdues/vieillissantes, prévoir 400 $ de plus au printemps.
  • Fonds de réserve pour se préparer à une éventuelle invasion d'espèces ou de myriophylle ; consultation d'experts comme ABV-7,
  • Frais de constitution d'une société à but non lucratif au Québec (35 $/an)
  • Nom de domaine et frais d'hébergement pour le site Web (30 $ tous les deux ans)
  • Location des locaux pour la réunion annuelle : 100
  • Bonne nouvelle - l'Association a reçu plus de 1 400 $ en dons cet été (2023) qui seront affectés à ce budget.

Water testing report

Water testing report presented by Lisa Fast

  • Thank you to Carole Doré 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. 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.
    • Recommendation: report the e-coli levels to the municipality given the recurrent e-coli results near locations 4 and 6 over the years.
    • 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.
    • 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 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 volunteers have been carefully 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.

    Board report on program that had been planned for 2022-2023

    • Buoys: We purchased additional anchors, rope and buoys, and placed them with Jason Gunville. 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.
    • 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 boating 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:

    Proposed Association program for 2023-2024

    • Develop a boating team/committee for boater education and milfoil cutting
    • Usual buoys, water testing, dam management etc.
    • Member recruitment - use spreadsheet data to identify missing members, add emails to list
    • apply for municipal grant for buoys

    Moved by: Lisa Fast

    Seconded by:

    Members open issues

    *

    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