Moores Pond Beach Committee Minutes for Meeting
Monday, July 3, 2023, 6:00 pm, Town Beach
- Chair Michaels called the meeting to order at 6:04 pm. Present members: J. Barber, P. Bellemare, A. Carman, D. Ellis, J. Haskell, C. Michaels. Absent members: M. Connelly, K. Farley, K. Tuttle-Connelly. Michaels welcomed new committee members Jim Barber (2025) and Kelly Farley (2024), Haskell distributed Conflict of Interest forms and 2023 manual updates.
- The draft minutes of the April 11, 2023 meeting were reviewed and approved.
- Treasurer Tuttle-Connelly reported by email that there were no expenses since April; fund has $1005.71.
- Water Tester Pat Bellemare has completed two water tests and results showed minimal presence of E. coli. There is no change in the EAi Labs fee. Haskell reported that late in May the Town received a letter from the MDPH Environmental Toxicology Program announcing which beaches need to post immediately after an exceedance, and that Moores Pond was not on the list. The 2022 Annual Beach Report was released in June and is available on line. We were one of only four beaches doing monthly testing.
- Old business.
a. Michaels submitted a May Newsletter article announcing the May 20th Spring Cleanup. Bad weather prompted cancellation of the cleanup and Michaels reported this on Facebook. Committee members successfully tidied up the beach and picnic area before Memorial Day weekend and continue grooming as needed.
b. Michaels reported that the Town removed the pitch-dripping branch on the large pine tree, but has yet to schedule the tree removal. Bellemare reported purchasing stain and will coordinate refinishing the picnic tables this month.
c. Haskell reported the new Town Beach Parking sign was installed on the official parking area along Wendell Road and has observed fewer instances of cars parked on Holden Road. However, kayakers often park here and use the beach for launching, instead of using the boat ramp farther north on Wendell Road. Haskell will post on the kiosk information about the location of the Boat Launch and install a Boat Launch
sign at the boat ramp.
d. Michaels reported that there was no progress on projects concerning dam ownership and Town website updating. Haskell reported that Mary Williamson of the Conservation Commission phoned saying there was no news about Lot#28 ownership. Bellemare reported no progress on the Wilson Road property cleanup. - New business.
a. Haskell reported completion of organizing the Committee archives, consisting of thirteen years of paper records filed into three large looseleaf notebooks. A digital file of the last five years will be included later this year.
b. Ellis will submit a Newsletter article for August, due July 20th.
c. The Committee agreed to organize a Corregatta event for Old Home Days, Sunday, August 27, 2:30 pm. It will also include a decorated pedal boat race. Suggestions from last year were reviewed, plans were discussed, and initial assignments made. Michaels reported that the school was contacted about the boatbuilding event/opportunity, likely occurring in the 2023-24 academic year.
d. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 8th, 6 pm and will include Corregatta planning. Our last meeting of the season is scheduled for Tuesday, September 19, 6 pm.
e. Pond news included sightings of eagle, osprey, heron, cormorant, loon, beaver, black bear, turtle mating, and turtle egg-laying. Ellis and Barber successfully rescued a gosling trapped in a boat. - There was no further business; the meeting adjourned at 6:58pm.
Respectfully submitted on July 5, 2023, approved by MPBC August- 8, 2023.
Jean Haskell, MPBC Secretary