SPCMA

Minutes of Annual Meeting

July 29, 2012

Sandy Creek Town Hall

Meeting called to order 10:05 AM

Roll call of Officers: President___X  Cathy Goodnough

            Vice Pres.__X_ Greg Breslin

        Secretary__X__ Bonnie Reid

        Treasurer_____

Board Members   ______Dave Catania

  ___X__Harold Golden

           ___X__Roger Morrison

           ___X__Margaret Kastler

           ______Mike Brennan

  ______John Shook

  _______Pete Backus

Do we have a Quorum?  yes  

Thank you for your interest in the Channel.  We have come a long ways in regards to owning our own equipment and piping.  We are also working on several different ways to improve our dredge operations. Meeting will be open forum before election of officers.

Dredging Status of 2010- The association purchased the dredge and 1,011 feet of discharge piping.  We dredged from July 15th until August 12th.  The cost of hiring the Town of Sandy Creek’s Highway department was 6,352.50. We used 465.9 gallons of diesel fuel.

Dredging Status of 2011 – Due to high water in 2011 the Association didn’t need to dredge and instead used the money set aside in the Budget of The Town of Sandy Creek to purchase the extra piping needed and floaters to hold the pipe up.  Previously we rented the piping from Rolf Wagonner and paid to have it delivered to Sandy Pond.

Dredging Status of 2012:

March 13th was the first day we could get out to access the channel. We found that without ice banks and snow for run off the channel was in dire need of dredging.  With the help of the Town of Sandy Creek’s Supervisor, Nancy Ridgeway and our Oswego County Legislator, Margaret Kastler & Senator Patty Ritchie’s office we were able to apply for a variance to start dredging earlier than the July 15th date of our permit.  The following agencies had to be contacted and send a revised permit before we could start dredging.

DEC

US Fish and Wildlife

DOS

Corp of Engineers

Thank you to all the volunteers that helps lay 1800’ of piping, set the dredge up and watched the discharge hose.  We can’t keep doing this without your help.  THANK YOU!!!!!!

After receiving our variance, the agencies listed above would like to have a meeting with all people involved to try and formulate a plan to modify our permit.  Senator Patty Ritchie’s Assistant Patty Holst was instrumental in pushing this variance through.  She and her husband who is a County Legislator visited our site and walked the beach to see the set up of the dredge and piping.

As per our permits we are required to do GPS readings of the dredge site and put this information into tabular form for their records.  We are also required to place the sand 1000’ feet away from the center of the channel going into Lake Ontario.  This stipulation on our permit limits us to as to which side of the channel is dredged.  The north side this spring had the only deep water where the natural current was trying to keep the channel open.  It is also much shorter than the south side. With these stipulations we max our equipment out.  The total of 1800 feet of discharge hose was set up this spring by volunteers and the dredge towed to site on early June.  We actually started June 18th .  As per our contract with The Town of Sandy Creek’s Highway Department they work Monday through Thursday.  We had several people who were interested in operating the dredge on Fridays or the week ends, but that didn’t work out. Operating the dredge is a very tedious job and with the equipment maxed on the RPM’S very loud. 

In order for the dredge to operate at its highest potential, the volunteers were needed to watch the discharge hose on the Lake side.  The reason for this is to notify the dredge operator when the discharge gets to ¾ or ½ of the piping.  When this happens they stop moving material and pump water to clear the piping. We clogged the piping on 6/26 which caused delays in dredging.

We had to modify a trash pump to unclog the piping. This consisted of 40 sections of PVC piping and special fittings ordered. With the help of one of the Sandy Creek fireman who came out and had to dive to disconnect the piping and put it back together after it was unclogged.  

We had to hire an expert Plover surveyor to survey the barrier beaches, one day before we started to dredge and 1 week after we had started to dredge.  This cost the association 125.00 each time Bill Purcell came out and a volunteer had to take him out to the site.

It was difficult to mark the channel while we dredged as we didn’t want to cut off the only access to the Lake. However, this created a lot of problems, we placed make shift red and green barrel as to where the piping was sunk. But several times we had to fix the piping from boaters running over it and tangling the piping up.  We actually had one boater who put a hole in our piping.  There were several days we had to fix the piping on the inside.  The outside piping went great.  We placed 2 of our new floaters out there and chained the piping to them.  We placed to 6’ earth anchors and 25’ of roping to allow the floaters to move.  This worked well, it would have worked better if the Lake hadn’t been so calm the days we dredged. As per the permit, the placement of sand is in the littoral drift zone.  We are hoping with the help of the agencies to modify where we place the sand and the distance we have to pump. 

The association would like to Thank Rich Hornebeck who owns the property where the piping is placed. He has allowed us to store the piping there, saving us from bringing back in every year.  NYS Parks now owns the north and south side of the channel and a special permit was acquired in case we needed to cross their property.

.Dredging depths:

On 6-10 we placed the white poles and did our GPS readings.  We had 6” on the North west side up to 2’ to the inside turn. The total distance was approximately 240’.  We purchase 4 96” screw in earth anchors to hold the dredge better.

The stipulations on our permit state the sand must be removed hydraulically, not mechanical. This dredge is set up with 4 large anchors screwed into the sand and cable is run from 2 in the front and 2 in the back.  The dredge cable is then connected in the center of these anchors and pulls the dredge along as it works.  This does leave areas that can not be dredged completely. In the front of the dredge and behind the dredge.   We were able to turn the dredge around and try to remove the sand behind it.  We had a fairly deep channel until the water levels dropped.

Volunteers:  

NYS Parks & Recreation were called and they could only come out on July 19th.  The marked the channel the best they could.

Power boat association raised 700.00 the day of the Sandy Pond Beach Extravaganza.

Diesel usage:  664.7 gallons $2,083.09

It is with great sadness that 2 of our Board Members have passed away.  Ray Pickering 9-22-2011 and Ted Reiter 6-20-2012.  They were valued members of our Association.  In their passing both made contributions to our association.  They are greatly missed.

Membership Status 201020032004      20052006

    159  641407       217   43

    20092007          2008

90171              152

2011        2012

Bronze   48                                  Bronze   48

Silver     35                Silver      44

Gold      25                                  Gold       33

Platinum   6 Total  114                      Platinum   12

Ray’s Memorial    3    Other 1            Ted’s Memorial  7 Other 2     total 146

Membership in Attendance:  Mel Reid, Gary Palmeter, Steve Clemons, Barbara For, Aaron Weed & Nancy Ridgeway.

Dredge Purchase Details:

Total Purchase price was 50,000.00 with the following piping included and an 8 hour training session for actual dredging.

We have 14 sections of 40’ 10” discharge hose =560’

               9 sections of 20’ 10” discharge hose=180’

     10 sections of 25’ 10” discharge hose=250’

               3 sections of 7’ 10” discharge hose=21’

                                                   Total=1,011’

         19 sections 38’discharge hose=722  TOTAL OWNED 1,733

Piping purchased in the fall of 2011:

19 sections of 10X38’ rigid piping 16,986.00 this included clamps

11 saddle floats     3,478.97

Freight                  2,994.00

Total                    $ 23,458.97

Board of Directors approved July 28th letter to membership.  Motion made by Greg Breslin and 2nd by Bonnie Reid, all in favor. Motion passed

Tresurer’s report accepted as read. Motion 1st   Greg Breslin, 2nd  by Harold Golden, all in favor.  Motion passed.

Balance in Account as 7-27-2012  $ 8,669.57

Tax information: SPCMA taxes are done every year by Small Business Tax Service.  Tom Baxter donates his time.  We normally have to file a Char 500 form for NYS and pay a fee of 25.00.  This only happens when we have over 25,000.00 in our account.  Taxes are on file for any one to review.

Estimated Expenses for next year:

1. More saddle floats for the piping

2.New cutter teeth for the dredge

3.Maintenance of dredge, check hoses and repair as needed

Permit Status:

DEC Permits approved through  3/30/14

        Corp of Engineers Status:

DOS- Stipulations

Bills against the Association:

1. Town of Sandy Creek’s labor bill estimated around 200 hours

2.Gas used to move equipment to site, move piping & dredge back $191.00

FUNDRAISER: 

There will be a Chicken BBQ this Saturday August 4th at the end of Greene Point Rd from 11-2.  There will also be a yard sale at the same time.  Anyone can donate items for SPCMA as there will be a table set up.  We have 2 volunteers ( Mel & Bonnie Reid) to help with the BBQ and Barbara Ford volunteered to watch the yard sale table. 

We still take can, bottles at Greene Point for a fundraiser.

Correspondence from Cathleen Goodnough:

I have given quite a bit of thought to stepping down as President of this association.  I believe quite strongly in having an organization to maintain the channel, as we seem to get no help from the State or the Corps of Engineers.  This may change once the State launch ramp goes in at Groman Shores, however, it could take up to 2-5 years.  The association has come a long ways.  We now own all of our equipment, have a contract annually with the Town of Sandy Creek, to operate the dredge.  There are over seven marina’s, many campgrounds on the pond, not to mention restaurants and bars, everyone has a vested interest in this channel remaining passable.  I am hoping that after 10 years of service to SPCMA, that someone else with the desire to see the channel stay open, step up and take over the Presidency.  I would still be willing to be a board member and help as much as I could.

After several Board members spoke, I have agreed to stay on for one more year of President of SPCMA.

Election\ Re-election of Officers:

President: Cathy Goodnough

Vice Pres: Greg Breslin

Secretary: Appointed by President: Bonnie Reid  6-22-2012

Treasurer: Appointed by President: Bonnie Reid  6-22-2012

Board of Directors:Margaret Kastler, Mike Brennan, Pete Backus, John Shook, Bonnie Reid, Harold Golden, Roger Morrison & Dave Catania

Vote: Membership in attendance:  To reinstate officers and Board of Directors as named above. 1st Roger Morrison,2nd Harold Golden,All in Favor.  Motion Passed

Appoint Sergeant of Arms by President: President appointed Harold Golden

Appoint Parliamentarian: President appointed Harold Golden

Thank you all for your interest in our channel.

President will entertain a motion to adjourn.

Meeting adjourned at 11:45