November 15, 2008 Select Board and Lake Wyola Advisory Committee (LWAC) Meeting
At the Shutesbury Town Hall

Select Board members present:  Chairman Rebecca “Becky” Torres, member Ralph Armstrong and Selectman Al Springer. Town Administrator David Dann, and Administrative Secretary Leslie Bracebridge, recording for the Select Board.
Lake Wyola Advisory Committee (LWAC) members present: Chairman Robert “Bob” Thompson, and members John Gory, Leo Riendeau, William “Bill” Elliott (and Select Board representative Ralph Armstrong.)  
Guest:  Local Clerk of the Works for the dam repair project Phil Kinder.

The meeting opened at 9:01 AM. 
Minutes of 10/18/08 meeting were unanimously accepted as written.

Dam Repair/Construction Progress Report by Local Clerk of the Works Phil Kinder:
* Completed work on spillway included filling cracks and water-proofing the whole thing.
* In gatehouse they are filling all the joints in “the hole;” very time-consuming one-man job.
* They have the roadway in.
* They have delivered the two pieces of the slip-liner; to be installed on Monday
* They will pump in an adhesive that will hold it in place and which sets up in ten minutes.
* There will have to be some pumping of water during installation of the sleeve screened for the bridled shiner.  (Town Administrator David Dann noted that Environmental Monitor Ward Smith is carefully monitoring the flow of water.
* There are a few things behind schedule but overall Phil feels they are doing fine.
* Photos of the spillway and dam were circulated.
* Phil is in contact with Engineer Morris Root almost daily and he feels Tro-Con is doing a good job.

Member Bill Elliott:
* Looking for an update on the large sink-hole on the lake side of the dam that developed after the plan was made.  Will it be evaluated as to why it occurred, and correction incorporated into dam repairs.  Bill is concerned there could be an alternate path that water may have taken and he wants to be sure that the sleeving blocks any possible alternate path.
* Leo suggests that the fill currently being applied inside “the hole” would address any such problem.
* Bob requests that the issue should at least be raised with Tro-Con to make sure they are aware of .the sink hole.  Phil will report the sink hole to Tro-Con and report to back to Town Administrator David Dann.

Chairman Bob Thompson:
* What is normal maintenance in the first 5 years?
* Bill:  There is a requirement that the dam be inspected every 2 years.
* Al: feels workmanship will be guaranteed for one year.  He gives an example of a situation that would not be covered: If a tree falls on the dam and cracks it, that would be the town’s responsibility.
* Bob: Suggests that it should be checked for cracks or problems and address repairs sooner than later.
* There is reassurance that Dam-Keeper Howard Kinder is down there checking the dam regularly.

Town Administrator David Dann:
* We almost have the funding in our hands.
* A final request letter was sent the week before; and the check was “processed” yesterday.
Becky:
* It was a grant.
Bill:  
* Senator Rosenberg got the grant into the environmental bond bill and got Ian Bowles to sign off on it.
Becky:
* Feels the Governor may have added pressure to the Secretary of Finance.
* Feels a letter sent with photos of the mud where the state park beach should be was also convincing.
Chairman Bob Thompson:
Thanks all parties for their efforts for putting pressure on the state.
  
New Business
1.  Bob Thompson recommends a visit to North Cove:  To observe the gravel that has filled it in.
* Bob asked Ward Smith to look at the site and give some ideas on how it could be “sculpted” out.
* Bob was with a group that visited MESA’s Misty-Ann.Merald (Who coincidentally once lived in the proximity of the cove when she was studying at UMass.)  So, Misty understands the cove situation and is sensitive to its correction.
* Misty Ann’s response to Bob’s concern was that MESA would work with him to clean it out.
* Ward Smith said this is road salt and gravel and things not wanted in the Lake.   Bob suggested building a “fish friendly environment” into the correction plan.
* Feels the Highway Superintendent should go back to the Conservation Commission for additional corrections to limit storm-water run-off and gravel entering the North Cove.
* Bob may get initial funds from future beer-tasting, and work with someone who can develop a plan.  Bob hopes some funding might be found within the next five years. 
* As long as it is dealt with so it doesn’t occur again MESA is willing to work with LWAC on this.
* Bill has a copy of the NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Services) evaluation of the sources of sediment being carried into the Lake.  The project would also require Army Corps of Engineers involvement.
* Bill has been taking chronological photos over a period of years.  He recommends aerial photographs be taken while the lake is down for use in calibrating and demonstrating growth of the sedimentation.  Becky questions what new photos would offer over photos already taken offer and wonders also if land photos could work. Bill feels differences in spread of sedimentation over a period of years could be calibrated by comparing aerial photos. Al wonders if a land benchmark could be identified and then levels taken against the land benchmark.  Bill pictures taken close up do not show the extent that aerial photos can show. Multiple individuals stated that 25 years ago motorboats could go up through the cove and under the old wood Lakeview Road bridge; that would be an impossibility now.  Becky wonders if we could get a plane and proper GPS equipment at a reduced rate, would that be as useful?  The high resolution photography equipment would still be needed.  Bill will follow up on the current prices.  Bob:  If we get a package that can prove to be influential would we do it?  Where will the funds come from?  Bill and Town Administrator David Dann: Funds are available in the water quality testing budget line.
LWAC members unanimously voted to support the aerial photography proposal to be paid out of the water quality account. 
* Bob is hoping to call Misty Ann to tell her the lake is down and the LWAC has discussed the north cove. And ask Misty Ann, if we took core samples, would they be appropriate for use in 5 years.  With the permission of the LWAC, Bob would ask the Association for funds under their control that were put aside for the cove.   Bill suggests asking the Army Corp of Engineers if they would also be good for 5 years.  

2. As the Board of Health representative to the Emergency Management Team, Bill summarized:
MEMA placed a table-top exercise, repeat of the hurricane of 1938 on every Emergency Management Director in New England last week.  Water was going over the dam – the spillway was blocked with fallen trees. The EOC got blown out.  75% of electrical power was lost in New England. The Emergency Action Plan for the dam was implemented. With special radio equipment in Bill’s personal vehicle, Bill was able to communicate from the dam with Emergency Management Director Tibbets who was operating from the fire station.  Bill was pleased with the success of this communication exercise. 

3.  Becky summarized part of the Tuesday, Nov. 11 Select Board “meet and greet” with Lake Wyola Association (LWA): President Pease reported that the three priorities of the LWAC:  Cell phone service, the community septic system and the North Cove were never priorities voted by the LWA.  Discussion included:
* LWAC members Mark Rivers, Walter “Skip” Trybulski (previous LWAC member) and John have been long term members on both the LWA and the LWAC. 
* Minutes of both bodies should be shared in the future.
* The priorities of LWAC need not be those of the LWA.  
Becky stated:  The roads are a problem within the LWA.  There is not enough money raised by the LWA to repair the roads. The town cannot take on maintenance of the Lake roads.
Bob summarized:  An inclusive approach has to be developed amongst Lake area residents. Bob offered to call Charlie Lehane to discuss repairing the road to the extent needed for plowing before the snow comes.

The next LWAC meeting will be January 17, 2009 at the Shutesbury Town Hall.
The LWAC portion of the meeting adjourned at 10:57 AM.

Selectmen stayed until 11:15 AM:
* Becky expressed her pleasure with Select Board members that the aerial photos question was resolved..
* Al summarized the visit to the Lake and Great Pines Roads area with the Town Administrator and area residents.

Respectfully submitted,


Leslie Bracebridge
Administrative Secretary
081115 Select Board & LWAC 1