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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
SEPTEMBER 5, 2008
Hello, I’m Buddy Potts. I am the recently elected president of the Tacoma Lakes Improvement Society. I plan to periodically write a letter to our members and friends, and include it in our newsletter and web site.
Our society would not exist without volunteers, who conduct almost all of our activities. In particular, there are 4 people who deserve special recognition as they have gone far beyond the call of duty. Charlie Manchester has been our president and has guided us through many challenges and successes. Judy Bourget has put in countless hours as secretary – treasurer, maintaining all of our records, paying our bills, filing for grants, organizing milfoil inspectors and organizing meetings. Terry Averill is our dam keeper. Last year he visited the dam over 350 times in order to maintain the dam and control the water level. Nelly Gamage has assisted Terry when Terry is not available, ensuring our dam is always covered. We all owe a debt of appreciation to these extraordinary people. Thank you! I will be depending upon these great people during my term.
So how did I end up in this position? Last year Judy called me and asked me if I wanted to be vice president of the association. I asked “why me?” She answered “the first guy we asked said no.” I love an honest answer! Like many non profit associations, it is a constant struggle to find people willing to help. We all lead very busy lives. Given the sacrifices others have made, I guess it is only fair that someone else steps up to the plate. I hope I can earn your trust in the months ahead.
My wife and I have owned a camp on Woodbury Pond for 10 years. My wife’s family is many generations old in Maine, living in the Twin City area. I am “from away”, born in Massachusetts and now living in northern Connecticut. I have been coming to Maine for over 30 years, and have come to love the area and the people. We know how fortunate we are to have found a place on Tacoma Lakes. It is not something we ever take for granted. We hope to pass on our love for these lakes to our children and future grandchildren.
Loving something also means responsibility. The Tacoma Lakes are threatened by many factors, most of which people can directly impact by the choices we make. The threats include runoff, exotic plants, exotic fish and over development. The very things we enjoy most about the Tacoma Lakes – great fishing, clean water, abundant wildlife and successful loon breeding – can be lost if are not responsible stewards of this great gift we have been given. Ask someone who has endured algae blooms in Sabattus Pond and Cobbossee Lake what it is like to swim in that green water. Ask someone on Congamond Lakes in Massachusetts what it is like to boat and swim in lakes 65% infested with Eurasian Milfoil. Speak to the people on Salmon Lake in nearby Belgrade where Eurasian Milfoil was discovered on August 1st. These same issues could affect Tacoma Lakes if we are not responsible stewards.
How many times have you awakened to the sounds of our loons? Are you in awe when the occasional bald eagle majestically soars over the lake? Have you watched a pileated woodpecker fly from tree to tree? Is there anything more beautiful than a great blue heron rising from the shallows in the morning as fog drifts over the water? These are the things that touch our hearts.
People too have a place on our lakes. Many of us love to boat, fish, water ski, etc. People and wildlife can coexist.
We should not be pessimistic about our beautiful lakes. The news is generally good. Thus far we have not been invaded by exotic weeds or exotic fish. Our water quality remains better than most lakes in our region. The bass fishery is very health, as anyone who fishes our lakes can attest.
How can we maintain, and improve Tacoma Lakes? It really only requires two things, people and money. We cannot expect government to provide these two things to us. State and local budgets are under great pressure these days. There is no extra money to help lake associations. We must find the human and financial resources within our community.
We have approximately 525 land owners bordering the Tacoma Lakes. Last year only 112 of those land owners joined the association and paid dues. Last summer volunteers went door to door on most of our camp roads trying to encourage people to join, with little success. It is very frustrating to see the lack of membership. The board has struggled mightily to find a solution.
There is a widely held misconception, which may discourage membership. Some landowners feel that if the join the association they will assume some kind of liability related to the dam. That is simply not the case. Before 2003 the association owned the dam. After the terrible events of 9/11, the association could no longer purchase insurance. After negotiations, the Town of Litchfield agreed to assume ownership of the dam. Since 2003 the Town has assumed all responsibility for the dam, except the cost of the dam keeper. You will not assume any liability for the dam if you join the association.
Why did the association agree to fund the dam keeper? The reason is straight forward. The association can be sure a qualified person takes this critical responsibility. The town was extremely helpful in taking the ownership of the dam. It is only fair that the association provide the dam keeper salary in return.
While we struggle with low membership, our expenses continue to increase. Those who attended our most recent annual meeting received a projected budget for the next 12 months. This budget is also posted on our web site. We are projecting a deficit of $3405.00. Our resources are very limited, and we cannot long survive spending more than we receive.
What does each of us get for the money spent by the association? Fair question! Here is a partial list:
Dam Keeper – 350+ visits a year.
Milfoil boat inspections – Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Newsletters – 2 per year.
Web site.
Annual Meeting.
Relationships with other lake associations.
Countless hours of volunteer work.
That’s awful lot for a total cost of less than $7500.00 a year, don’t you agree?
We do receive $2000.00 in government grants each year. The rest is up to us. 525 land owners are only responsible for $5500.00 per year. By any standard this is a remarkable bargain.
Our challenge over the next 12 months is to develop programs that help us to increase our membership, increase support from local businesses, and create programs that will bring enthusiasm and excitement to the Tacoma Lakes Improvement Society. We need everyone’s help! Please contact us and let us know how you can help. I would love to hear from you! My e-mail address is:
buddy@tacomalakes.org
You can help us today by leaving your returnable cans and bottles at the designated location at the Litchfield Transfer Station. The funds we raise from the returnables will go directly to our programs.
This fund raiser would not be possible without help. We would like to thank the Town of Litchfield and in particular Elaine Carpenter for allowing us to use the Transfer Station for this fund raiser. Thank you Bruce Doyle for assembling the collection site and collecting the items every week. Last, but not least, we thank the Litchfield Country Store for taking the items and processing them for us.
We have a few surprises planned for next year to help us raise funds. Would front row Red Sox tickets at Fenway Park be of any interest to you? How about Patriots' tickets? Stay tuned!
Thank you for your support. Please check our website frequently. We will do all we can to keep everyone up to date. This is your association. Please help us by volunteering or donating today!
Sincerely,
Buddy Potts
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