2025 Annual General Meeting minutes

Annual General Meeting - July 5, 2025, 16:00 at Camp Kalalla

Open 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.
In summer 2024, 54 members paid their membership fees for 2024-2025. 29 people attended the meeting. Quorum requires at least 25% of members to be present to reach quorum. Bylaws state that people who’ve paid the membership fee are members and can vote.

Reminder that membership fees were raised at last year’s AGM to $25 from $10.

Approval of 2024 AGM minutes

Approval of the minutes of the 2024 Annual General Meeting

Moved by: Lisa Fast
Seconded by: Don Herweyer

Approve agenda for 2025 meeting

1. Opening of Meeting (count heads to confirm Quorum)
2. Approval of 2024 AGM Minutes
3. Approval of Agenda
4. Financial report
5. Current board and election of new president and treasurer
6. Milfoil action committee planning
7. Develop and vote on proposed program
8. Member’s Open Issues and questions
9. 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, 2025 the balance was **$6,402.31
• Membership during summer 2024 brought in $540 in fees at $10 per household, donations $1560, and the municipal Green Fund grant first payment was $1707, for income of $3,807.
• Our usual expenses included water testing ($883.55), membership in Quebec Coop de solidarité en protection de ‘eau Rappel ($200), buoys and milfoil work ($359), and Entreprise Quebec annual registration ($39) for total expenses of $1,626.75

Motion to accept Treasurer’s report

Moved by: Lisa Fast

Seconded by: Lauren Osmond

Water quality and water levels report - Lisa Fast

• No 2025 report is available yet. Water testing will take place at the usual time of first week of August (consistent timing is important to understanding trends). Report will be sent via email and posted on this site.

  • 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 and to prevent geese from nesting

• Summaries of the previous year’s reports and a link to a spreadsheet of all data are posted on the Water testing results page

Water levels: * Everyone needs to be aware that Lac Notre Dame is a big lake with a single outlet, not a managed waterway. It rains - that makes levels higher, it’s dry, they go down. Beavers make dams. Docks should be designed accordingly. The Dam team of volunteers monitor and remove portions of the dam at the outlet according to ministry rules:

• 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 *.
• Trail cameras and no trespassing signs are in place. Do not trespass - the team is managing the dam.
• 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 and try as much as possible to keep a consistent level with the level higher in spring to block some light from reaching the milfoil.

Current board and election of new members

The Board meets 4-5 times, usually online, per year plus the AGM. Board committees meet separately. Current bylaws require board members to serve for a maximum of 6 years but extensions can be voted on and approved at the AGM.

Lisa Fast has served in the President role since 2016. She is stepping down after this 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) - resigned - need new treasurer
• Lisa Fast, President (elected 2016) - term ends July 2025
• Graeme Simpson - member (elected 2022)
• William Hebert - member (elected 2024)
• Jim Thompson - member (elected 2024)

**Motion to elect Don Herweyer the new President ** Don has been a board member for 5 years.

• Moved by: Lisa Fast

• Seconded by: Jim Thompson ELECTED by a show of hands

• Motion to elect Martin Croteau as a member at large ELECTED by a show of hands

2026 program includes amending and updating Association bylaws, which have not been updated in the last 10 years.

Milfoil Action Committee

INSERT REPORT HERE

MOTION: Accept the watercraft guidelines and canvassing them to all of the lake to STOP THE SPREAD Moved by Lauren Osmond Seconded by Lisa Fast

• APPROVED by show of hands Canvassers will have a copy of the Guidelines map to handout and summary of the regulatory process and help out with work towards the plan, boat cleaning

MOTION: Develop a realistic framework for milfoil eradication for next AGM with steps Moved by: Lauren Osmond Seconded by: Anita Herweyer APPROVED by show of hands

10.0 Move to adjourn AGM meeting

Moved by Lisa Fast Seconded by Lynn Elliot Meeting closed at 5:21 pm