Lake Management Committee Meeting Minutes

Minutes of meeting held May 25, 2017, 7:00 P.M. at Town Hall College Highway, Southwick, MA, with attendance as follows:

 

        

Guest(s): Many

2. PWC’s on North Pond – LMC members, along with Con Com, and North Pond residents were completely blindsided by the decision to overturn the law that has been strictly enforced for decades by the Environmental Police and Southwick Police.  Now, suddenly this reversal allows Personal Watercraft on the North Pond.   MGL Chapter 9B Section 2A states that "No person shall operate a jet ski on waters of the Commonwealth of less than seventy-five acres."  North Pond is only 46 acres.  Rich Graveline, of Southwick and a resident on North Pond reportedly did some research and spoke to the right people who agreed that the law included the acreage of all three ponds.  The LMC as a committee is still baffled by how far this has gotten so quickly.  LMC members believe the resident who object to this decision have to make their opinions known to our Town and State Officials.  Neilda Henke who was one of the attendees this evening reported that she remembers a Town Warrant back in the early 90’s prohibiting the usage of personal watercraft on North Pond.  She clearly remembers many residents being in attendance and raising their hands for that warrant to be passed.  That needs to be found in the archives.  Mike Ruscio of 139 North Lake, has a bathometry map of the lakes that is very old.  He is going to bring a copy of it to Dick.  This map clearly shows that the lakes have always been three separate bodies of water.  There were many residents here this evening showing their discontent and heartfelt concern about the hazards involved with the lifting of this restriction.  The LMC was asked if it would do any good to get a petition going.  A petition could be helpful in a getting a by-law written and ultimately approved by the Attorney General.  LMC asked all guests to search for examples of other bodies of water similar to Congamond, where there are two or three lakes connected ,one being greater than 75 acres and one less than that.  How has the State handled the use of Person Watercraft on those lakes?  How has the town handled it?   

3. Docks – (1) 129 North Lake Ave:  LPP is not applicable as the three docks total over 600 sq. ft. and are not in front of the property owner's land; Remanded to DEP (2) 86 Pt. Grove Rd.:  Remanded to Con Com, because they did work in the water and have not provided scaled or dimensioned maps as per LPP. (3) 70 Sunset:  Docks are extremely long and appear to be a navigation hazard.  Rick Wylot said he would speak with owners.

4. Water temp and Quality – Eric made a graph that shows the water temp and turbidity over the last three years.  

6. Our next scheduled meeting will be held on June 8, 2017.

Respectfully submitted,

______________________

Susan Hepburn - Secretary