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Lac Notre-Dame and Usher Lake Association

Annual General Meeting - August 24, 2024, 16:00 at Camp Kalalla

Opened at 4:00 pm

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. 32 people attended the meeting representing 21 household memberships. Quorum requires at least 25% of members to be present to reach quorum. Bylaws state that people who've paid the $10 membership fee are members and can vote.

Approval of 2023 AGM minutes

Approval of the minutes of the 2023 Annual General Meeting

Moved by: Lisa Fast
Seconded by: Graeme Simpson

Approve agenda for 2024 meeting

1.0 Opening of Meeting (count heads to confirm Quorum)
2.0 Approval of 2023 AGM Minutes
3.0 Approval of Agenda
4.0 Financial report
5.0 Water Testing and Blue-Green Algae report
6.0 Weed team report and plans
7.0 Develop and vote on proposed program including milfoil management fund
8.0 Member’s Open Issues and questions
9.0 Current board and election of new board members
10.0 Adjourn Meeting

Moved by: Lisa Fast
Seconded by: William Hebert

Financial Report, presented by Lisa Fast

(Brian Cook, Treasurer was unable to attend)

Summary:

  • The Lake Association has accounts with Desjardins. At June 30, 2024 the chequing account balance was $2,835.43 and the savings account was $1,282.34 ($2,000 was transferred from the savings account to the chequing account on 21-Jun-2024)
  • Membership fees during summer 2023 brought in $510, donations $1440 and bank interest of $82 for a total income of $2,032.05 (in 2024 so far we have $530 in membership fees and $1540 in donations, and we have spent $929.20 on July e-coli tests, cutter repairs, & trucking of weed clippings. Main water testing bill not yet received).
  • Our usual expenses included water testing (invoice for $470 for 2023 wasn’t received but is still outstanding) , purchase of buoys, anchors and ropes to mark heavy milfoil areas, web domain registration for lacnotredame.org and Entreprise Quebec annual registration for total expenses of $1,430.77 not including water testing.

Motion to accept Treasurer’s report

Moved by: Lisa Fast

Seconded by: Dave Hayward

Water quality report presented by Lisa Fast

Water quality report (/water/quality reports/) online

  • 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 were collected August 8 (earlier than usual), before the 45mm rainfall that began that night.
  • Rainfall in June and July was higher than usual totals for those months (for example July 2024 had 150mm vs 2023’s 82mm). The rain washes sediments and nutrients into the lake, reducing clarity and creating conditions for next year’s milfoil growth.
    • Toxic Blue-Green Algae appeared in July for the first time near location 9B. This toxin makes it dangerous to swim, for pets, to use for drinking water even with filters/UV, and even makes boating risky. The nutrients that feed the algae are the same as those that feed the weed. It cannot be removed, only prevented as much as possible. A proposal for an action plan to better communicate prevention and risks is in the works by Jim Thompson.
      • Septic systems can be a source of nutrients - check your septic system -pump it out, have it inspected, repair it.
      • maintain/enhance/restore your shoreline to a natural state to reduce harmful nutrients from being washed into the lake
      slick of blue green algae on July 12,2024

      Extra E-coli testing in July on Generations:
      Last year we voted to do extra tests for e-coli in July at usual high-spots on Generations and Symons. This cost $400 ($50 per test x 8 tests), which is not sustainable.
      * All tests showed levels well below those required for safe swimming (200 CFU). As usual, the highest was 72 CFU at location 6 at the end of Generations.
      * This was a series of 2 tests to assess e-coli levels over July, given previous high levels in that area and 2 in August (the full lake samples in early August and a final test in late August).
      * Given that no unsafe-for-swimming levels were detected in July, despite low water levels and warm water, no extra tests will be performed in 2025.

      Lac Notre Dame August 8, 2024 water testing report summary:       Good news that E-coli at all locations is either below detectable levels or just at the detectable level of 10 CFU (Quebec requires below 200 CFU for swimming). Nitrogen and phosphorus levels surprisingly are at the same levels as previous years.
      * From Paul Hamilton, consulting biologist: “I suspect the increase in milfoil is related to the spring weather conditions (especially light and water temperature) and nutrients in the sediments. The good news is your nutrient levels do not seem to be bad at all (therefore the washed-in sediments are likely mainly inorganic particles). Stressing the plants (harvesting in the late summer, early fall and in the spring) is the best way to control the growth. Also, poor weather conditions can do the same. For example the water clarity problem you report has two sides, 1) a problem with more nutrients in the lake (with possible blue-green algae) and 2) the visibility will stress the milfoil which may help to control the milfoil later this year (and possibly next year ?) .”

      Usher Lake August 15, 2024 summary
      * Usher continues to have high nutrient and bacteria levels, with e-coli at 110 CFU at location 11 (below the 200 CFU limit for swimming but well above drinking water recommendations).

      Phosphorus levels at location 11 have been higher than the target level of 0.01 mg/l of an uncontaminated lake for the last 5 years. The higher nitrogen and phosphorus levels are somewhat expected given the small size of Usher, but do increase the risk of toxic Blue-Green Algae.

      All results posted in spreadsheet of water data to 2004

      Weed team report - presented by Jane Hayward

      Two mornings of work by team volunteers in July yielded a significant collection, now decomposing on Jane’s property. Special thanks to Ken and his tractor for moving them from the boat launch.

      While we enjoyed the community effort, it's clear that managing the weeds ourselves will be a massive undertaking. To continue with volunteers and manual cutting, we would need to invest in tools and methods:

      1. Improved booms: $15 noodle-based boom showed promise, but we need a much larger setup.
      2. Two-canoe apparatus: Robert shared ideas from the camp, using a setup between two canoes
      3. Flat-fronted boat (like a Jon boat) with an electric motor for more effective removal.
      4. More equipment: Large rakes and collection mats are essential but costly.
      5. We must shift the lake's culture to prevent milfoil spread through a public awareness campaign.
      6. Explore and pilot-test alternatives, including getting ministry permission for non-manual methods
        • William Hebert will contact Quebec government re permissions.
        • Question on whether or not to pull up weeds. Yes, manually pulling up the weeds by the roots is more effective than cutting for small areas. Easiest in shallow water, equipment available at CanadianPond. Should be done only in early spring or after mid-July after spawning season. Try not to disturb the bottom too much to reduce dispersion of sediment.

      7.0 Proposed Association program for 2024-2025 with motions

      Weed Management

      Motion: Based on the pilot, move to create a separate Management fund of up to $10,000 for managing shared areas/channels after July 15 end of fish spawning season. Any funds tagged for this fund would be pre-approved to spend on managing the shared areas of the lake shown in the image below. Do a Fundraising drive.

      • Moved: Graeme Simpson
      • Seconded: Lauren Osmond
      • Vote: Pass
      weed team at work on the lake

      Update membership fees

      Historically the fee was $20, reduced to $10 during the weed-free years.
      Motion to increase the annual membership fees to $25 per year to reflect the increased costs of the association for basic expenses of buoys, web site, Entreprise Quebec and water testing. Donations to the milfoil management fund may reduce overall donations, which have been covering the gap between fees and expenses.

      • Moved: Lisa Fast
      • Seconded by: Imre Rohonczy
      • Vote: Passed Note: all boaters using the Bishop's Manor Association gate will be required to join the association

      Change the timing of the AGM

      The Board recommends moving the timing of the AGM to avoid peak summer season. The timing of the AGM has been timed to correspond to the water testing results. Given the emergent millfoil issue, the moving of the AGM earlier on would allow the Association to respond quicker and better to this issue. Generally we will aim for the first Saturday after the July long weekend.

      Move to schedule the 2025 AGM on July 5, 2025

      • Moved by: William Hebert
      • Seconded by: Jane Hayward

      Current board and election of new members

      The Board meets 4-5 x times, usually online, per year plus the AGM. Current bylaws require board members to serve for a maximum of 6 years.

      Lisa Fast has served in the President role since 2016. She will be stepping down after the 2025 AGM. Afterward, she will remain on the board in the Past-President role to assist with the transition.

      Current Board Members

      • Jane Hayward - Secretary (elected 2023)
      • Don Herweyer, member (elected 2020)
      • Brian Cook, treasurer (elected 2020)
      • Lisa Fast, President (elected 2016) - term extended one year
      • Marie Maisonneuve, (elected August 2017) - stepping down
      • Graeme Simpson - member (elected 2022)
      • William Hebert - member (elected 2024)
      • Jim Thompson - member (elected 2024)

      Motion to ratify William Hebert as Board Member responsible for liaison of Bishop’s Manor Property Association and Usher Lake, to replace Bryan Watkinson

      - Moved by: Lisa Fast
      - Seconded by: Graeme Simpson
      - Vote: Passed

      Motion to elect Jim Thompson as a Board member to focus on water quality and nutrients. He has begun a communication and action plan.

      - Moved by: Lisa Fast
      - Seconded by: William Hebert
      - Vote: Passed

      Elect new president or move to extend Lisa Fast’s term for one additional year
      - Moved by: Jane
      - Seconded by: Graeme
      - Vote: Passed

      Marie Maisonneuve stepped down. Thank you to Marie for her long service to the Association.

      2025 program includes amending and updating Association bylaws, which have not been updated in the last 10 years.

      9.0 Members open issues

      Awareness campaign: Members need to help the board by contacting their neighbours to join the association and share the learning. We could print up some flyers prior to the July AGM,, and get a list of members/non-members ready so members can consult the list and sign-up for non-member properties that they could approach to join.
      Marcel will assist in handing out flyers.

      Water levels: In response to a question about getting water levels lower since the huge rains this month, Imre shared that he and the dam team have been removing portions of the dam since the beavers returned in early August. His comments:

      • As per Quebec Ministry of Forestry, Wildlife & Park and Local Municipal Regulations, Imre and the team are only permitted to slowly remove portions of the dam to prevent flooding and damage to the ecological sensitive wetlands downstream from the rush of silt. Trespassing to destroy the dam risks flooding, and potential damage to Chemin Kalalla (although the new culvert should reduce this possibility). Trail cameras and no trespassing signs are in place.
      • All of the dam team members have now signed agreements, and have "agent status" on the property, and can act on behalf of the owners with regards to the Trespass Act. A measuring stick in the water near the dam is used by the team to monitor water levels.
      • Beaver families come and go in cycles. The water level can end up very low if the dam is partially opened and the beavers don’t return or are unskilled juveniles, like this year. When the dam is rebuilt and we have a lot of rain, the beavers will keep building as the water rises. Unfortunately once the water is up and very high, it will take a while to go back down.
      • Lisa added that half of the emails she receives are about too-high water levels, and half are about too-low levels - sometimes at the same time! People should be aware it’s a big lake with a single outlet, not a managed waterway. Docks should be designed accordingly.

      10.0 Move to adjourn AGM meeting

      Moved by Lisa Fast

      Seconded by Jim Thompson

      Meeting closed at 5:04 pm