Huntsville - Lake of Bays Lakes Council

Published on Huntsville Lakes Council (http://www.huntsvillelakescouncil.org)

HLC Minutes

Date: May 3, 2008

Location: Robinson Independent Grocer Community Room, Huntsville, ON

Present:

Bill Somers - Chair - Lake Waseosa Ratepayers Association

Bruce Howlett - Treasurer - Lake Waseosa Ratepayers Association

Burr Atkinson - Secretary - Walker and Pells Lakes Area Association

Mary McCulley - Director - Chub Lake Property Owners Association

John Kenny - Director- Lake of Bays Association

Jeanne O'Neill - Director - Harp Lake Association

Tonia Di Sabatino - Director - Oxbow Lake Cottager's Association

Elaine Jackson - Director - Fox Lake Association

Bill Jolley - Director - Buck Lake Ilfracombe Association

Morris Eccles - Director- Lake of Bays Association

Shane Baker - Director - Tasso, Toad, Camp and Blue Lakes Association

Claude Doughty- Mayor of Huntsville- Guest

Don Baker - Guest (LEAF)

John Boyser -Guest (LEAF)

Trisha Healey -Guest (LEAF)

Wanda Roberts -Guest (LEAF)

Regrets:

Mike Greenfield - Director - Mary Lake Association

Ian Hastie - Director - Lake Vernon Association

Wendy Olan-Director - Bittern Lake Association

Ted Mercer - Director - Otter Lake Association

Dan McKeon - Director - Peninsula Lake Association

Kim Small - Director - Hidden Valley Property Owners Association

Michael Young - Director - Lake Waseosa Ratepayers Association

Rob Zingel - Director - Fairy Lake Association

Dan Kerr - Director - Mary Lake Association

Dwayne Verhey - Webmaster - Lake Waseosa Ratepayers Association

 1.      Call to Order: Chair, Bill Somers, opened the meeting at 10:00 AM welcoming all members and guests.

 2. Approval of the Agenda:. Motion by Mary M. and seconded by Burr A. that the amended agenda be approved. Carried.

3. Approval of the Minutes: Motion by Burr A. and seconded by Morris E. that the Minutes be approved as amended. Carried.

4.      Treasurer's Report: Bruce H. - The Treasurer's Report was provided to the Directors. Bruce H. pointed out that the HLC March balance is $1589.33. Bruce H. reported that the Dickie Lake and Lake Vernon Associations will be sending checks for their membership dues. On the other hand, although LEAF has paid for their Website, four Lake Associations have not paid; namely, Mary Lake ($70.00), Otter Lake ($70.00), Lake Waseosa ($50.00) and Fairy Lake ($35.00). Bruce H. mentioned that the anniversary date for everyone was March 1^st and that he will be sending bills out to the Lake Associations that owe money to us for their Website. Bruce H. requested that the Directors submit bills that occur on behalf of HLC work to him as soon as possible. Motion by Bruce H. and seconded by Tonia D. that the Treasurer's report be approved. Carried.

5.      Comments from the Chair: The Chair and Directors wish Dan McKeon a speedy recovery from his operation. This past winter, the Executive of the BRLA submitted Barb Paterson's (a member of the Bella-Rebecca Lakes Association) name and a description of her activities to the Government of Ontario for nomination for an Ontario Volunteer Service Award. Our congratulations go to Barb who, on May 3^rd, was honoured to receive the 2007 Ontario Volunteer Award. Congratulations are also extended to the Bella-Rebecca Community Association for receiving runner-up in this years Cottage Life Stewardship Contest.

            Thanks go to John Kenny for hosting meetings of a committee, composed of Burr A., Dan M., John K., and Bill S., on April 10^th and April 15 to discuss the future of HLC.

            A committee of Bruce H., Burr A., Dan M., Bill S. and a guest (Wim Magee) met on April 23^rd to discuss the future of HLC and fundraising.

            A committee regarding the navigational buoys will meet with Town staff on May 7^th to iron out the financial and operational concerns of the buoys.

            Version 24 of our Contact List is posted on our Website. Mary M. and Elaine J. attended The Community-based Social Marketing Workshop on April 23^rd & 24^th at Bracebridge.

            Mary M., Bill S. and Dianne Somers attended the lecture by Dr. Pearson of Laurention University in Sudbury on Climate Change and our Lakes.

            Kim S. is attending (at this moment), on behalf of the HLC, the Muskoka Watershed's Workshop in Bracebridge on Lake Systems Health Monitoring Prog. Stewardship and will report the information gained from it back to us. Kim S. has the completed article by a grade 5 student regarding Hydro's herbicide proposal, and would like to learn more from the Watershed's lectures and incorporate "stewardship" into the article.

            Bill S. has called and written Lord & Partners to advise them that the HLC will not be selling their products. 

1. Committee Reports:

    a)      Stewardship Committee Report: -Bruce H. reported that he was contacting the Presidents of the HLC Member Associations to find out who their current Lake Stewards are.

    b)      Communications:

            i)Forester Articles - Rob Z. was unable to attend today, but Kim S. should have a news article shortly and we look forward to it..                           

            ii) Newsletter - Jeanne O. said that she would appreciate any articles the Directors could send to her for the Newsletter. The deadline for sending the articles to her is May 15^th and a copy should be sent concurrently to Bill S.  

    c.) Special Projects:

            (i) Navigational Buoys -Mary M. -Mary M. reported that the Town Council approved $8000.00 for the cost and set-up of the buoys. Mary reported that after Council approved the budget she ordered the buoys. However, there seemed to be a problem with the committee (Community Services) allocating the money from their budget. A meeting has been scheduled for next Wednesday to discuss the problem and Brian Crozier (Director of Community Services) wanted Mary to cancel the order until that meeting. Mary M. felt that in cancelling the order there would be a problem with the ability to get the buoys in time for the boating season (June 1^st) and, therefore, only ordered them for the main lakes (they were not ordered for Lake Waseosa).In general, Mary M. felt that there is absolutely no problem and the money should be available.     

            (ii) Strategic Planning; -Bill S. reported that he has talked to Lynn Sharer (a Human Resources Consultant) and she is prepared to meet with a few of us before having a meeting with all the HLC Directors. A time for the earlier meeting (i.e. a pre-meeting) has not been scheduled, however a meeting with all the Directors is scheduled for June 13^th at 7:00 PM. It was decided that Bill S. would attempt to schedule the pre-meeting on Friday May 30^that 10:00AM and, if scheduled for that time, would consist of the following Directors: Bill S., Elaine J., Mary M., Tonia D., Burr A. and Morris E. Bill S. said that he would confirm the date for the pre-meeting and notify everyone involved with it.                            

            (iii) Website:  Dwayne V. (our Website Administrator) could not attend, but Bill S. read a letter from Dwayne V. to the HLC Directors in which Dwayne V. summarized the status of introducing high speed wireless towers and service into the Huntsville area. .

            (iv) Water/Sewer Comments: Mary M. tried to find out how much the rural community is currently subsidizing town services and exactly where rural tax money is currently being used in the sewer/water services. Mary M. said that she obtained a ‘Tax Supported Budget' from District but there was nothing in it regarding sewer/water expenditures and, subsequently, downloaded a ‘Rate Supported Budget' with a different focus. However, the ‘Rate Supported Budget' is difficult to interpret and Mary M. has decided to get information from Steven Cairns, the District Budget Chief, regarding our input into sewer & water portion of the District and Town Budgets (i.e. how much does the rural community subsidize sewer/water infrastructure and operating, and how much does the urban community subsidize lagoon infrastructure and operating). She said that she will have that information before the next meeting and felt that we had time to get all the information we need to write a position paper for distribution before the June 30^th meeting.

    d.) Policy:

            (i) Zoning By-law Review Cttee; Mary M. told us that she attended the Zoning By-law open-house and public meetings on April 17^th and on April 29^th. She reported that she had presented the comments that all our Lake Associations had agreed too. Although, she was keen on getting the wetlands recognized in the Zoning By-laws, she was told that it was not necessary to recognize the wetlands in the Zoning By-laws since the wetlands were flagged within each property. Other concerns of the Lake Associations that were presented by Mary M. included Heritage areas being stated, identified and recognized in the By-laws, a reduction in the maximum width of boathouses from 10 meters to 8 meters and a reduction in the maximum length of boat docks in shallow waters from 30 meters to 15 meters. Finally, she suggested, that if swimming pools were to go into a new site, Planning might consider making an informational package for draining swimming pools properly within the site plan guidelines.

            (ii) Environment Cttee; Mary M. reported that the Environment Committee received last summers MOE's assessment of the bore-hole drilled at Sound-Sorb. The results look good except for an increase in chloride; whether the amount of chloride is above or below the acceptable base-line reading has not been determine. If the chloride content is above the base-line reading, MOE requires further testing and, if not, no further testing is required. Furthermore, MOE required testing for 2 years and whether last summers testing was considered the first year or the second year of testing is to be determined. The Environment Committee also received bore-hole results on ground water testing and soil testing from the Fire Hall property and an assessment of these results is being done (Mary M. gave her copy of these results to Michael Y. for his assessment). Don Baker, a guest from LEAF, mentioned that he has given Burr A. a copy of these results for his assessment.  The Environment Committee was also given an opportunity to receive 15% of the advertising on an Environmental Supplement to the Forester which will come out on May 28^th. To receive this money, Mary M. must obtain 16 articles for this issue of the Forester. In addition, the Environment Committee will look into the Green Plan Sub-committee activity being proposed.

            (iii) Climate Action Muskoka (CAM); Mary M. reported that she had attended a meeting of this organization and they reported on the ‘Bike/ Train Initiative' in Quebec (a program that encourages people to take their bikes with them on a train, rather then using their cars for excursions) with an eye to setting up a similar plan with Ontario Northland in Ontario. Mary M. mentioned that CAM is looking for individual endorsements, as well as group endorsements, of their document, ‘Towards a Sustainable Muskoka: Sharing the Vision', so that it might be incorporated into the Official Plan and encourages members of our Lake Associations to endorse, as soon as possible, the document by contacting www.climateactionmuskoka.com. Since HLC approved endorsing the CAM document at the last HLC meeting, Bill S. agreed to send the HLC endorsement to them and check to see if information about CAM is on our Website.

            (iv) Muskoka Watershed Council; Mary M. reported that they recommended to the District that Hydro 1 not be allowed to use the herbicide ‘Roundup', that the Well Aware Program was funded - a program for people that have wells and have problems/questions that can be answered by experts who are part of the ‘WELL's' program. They also sent a letter to the Township of the Lake of Bays requesting that the Township prevent fragmentation of large natural areas in Muskoka when considering a recent development proposal for a large area of land located in the northwest corner of their Township. Mary M. reported that she sent her comments on the ‘Storm Water Strategy Draft' to Judi Brouse.

            (v) Community-Based Social Marketing Workshop; Elaine J. reported that both she and Mary M. attended the Workshop entitled ‘Fostering Sustainable Behaviour'. The Workshop leader, Dr. Moore, provided them with a copy of his book and information on making changes easy and comfortable for people. Elaine J. pointed out how this information might benefit many of the things/interactions that the HLC might encounter when trying to protect our lakes and the lakes' environment (see attached document and information on the internet site www.cbsm.com ).    

            (vi) Climate Change and Our Lakes; Mary M. reported that she, Bill S. and Dianne Somers went to the lecture on ‘Climate Change for our Area' given by Dr. Pearson in Sudbury. She mentioned that Dr. Pearson said that since Muskoka is downwind from the great lakes, we are in a good position for experiencing climate change and that micro-areas, such as ours, are important in climate change projection. He commented a good deal on pollution and how climate change might affect it.

 8.) New Business 

    a) Name Change - Notice of Motion; Burr A. introduced a motion that had been put forward by Dan M. and seconded by Burr A. that "the Huntsville Lakes Council be renamed to include the Township of the Lake of Bays (i.e. Huntsville and Lake of Bays Township Lakes Council)". Elaine J. felt that this motion was premature and that we (the HLC Directors) need to go through the strategic planning exercise before we consider changing the name of the HLC. In general, she felt that this motion should be delayed. After some discussion, Elaine J. motioned "that this motion be tabled until the July HLC board meeting" and it was seconded by Mary M. Elaine's motion to table the name change did not pass. The motion to change the HLC name was then put forward and did pass on a vote of 5 for, 2 against with 3 abstaining. Subsequently, Bill S. said that when the name change becomes effective is another matter, but, when it is to be changed, a lawyer has agreed to make the legal change(s) free of charge.

 9) Motion to Adjourn; Motion to adjourn by Bill S. and seconded by Burr A. Carried and adjourned at 12:05 PM.

Next meeting - Saturday June 7, 2008

Prepared by; Burr G. Atkinson - (Secretary) May 9, 2008