LAKE ANNA CIVIC ASSOCIATION
Board of Directors Meeting
April 3, 2008
Call to Order
President Bill Hayden called the meeting to order at 6:00pm.
Officers Present
Bill Hayden, President, Doug Smith, Vice President, Patty Shapiro, Secretary
Regional Directors Present
Don Jernigan, Jackson, Mike Sowers, Cuckoo, Bill Murphey, Mineral/Louisa, John Skelly, Brokenburg, Bernie White, Belmont.
Committee Chairs Present
Combined License, Bill Murphey, Water Level, Doug Smith, LEEP, John Skelly, Safety, Dave Fosdick, Water Quality, Ken Remmers.
Board and Committee Chair Absentees
Ray Venator, Treasurer, Sharon LaTour, Berkeley, Steve Falkenthal, Navigation, Tom Nyman, Land Use, Rebecca Vignon, Social, Mike May, Fireworks, Christine Cole, Newsletter.
Guests: Irene Luck, The Central Virginian, Ed Kube, The Lake Anna Observer, Trisha Beasley, DEQ, Bryant Thomas, DEQ, Matt Benes, Cutalong Project, numerous guests from Contrary Creek.
Guest Presentation:
Trisha Beasley of VDEQ who is responsible for coordinating the review and consideration of the Virginia Water Protection Permit requested by Cutalong gave a question and answer period. She explained what has been requested and what the review process is. The permit requests approval for water withdrawal from Contrary Creek and dredging of Contrary Creek for improved boating access. The golf course would initially use the treated effluent to water the course until build-out is sufficient for the treatment plant to provide the necessary effluent to irrigate the golf course. Doug asked how the water would be treated and what was expected to be removed. The answer was that water would be withdrawn from the creek to one or two impoundments on the property. Lime would be added to the water to lower the Ph level in order to reduce the acidity. The heavy metals would sink to the bottom of the impoundment pond and be separated. Another question asked was why wells weren’t used to irrigate the golf course. Matt Benes responded that groundwater takes decades to get into fractures under the surface and they consider groundwater to be a precious resource while Contrary Creek does not sustain life. The board asked VDEQ to send a representative to speak at the annual meeting in July. (Entire transcript recorded on tape.)
Approval of Agenda
Approved as presented.
Approval of Minutes
Approved as presented.
Treasurer’s Financial Report – Ray Venator
Ray was absent. Emailed his report. Income for the month was $4,318.73 with expenses of $246.75 for a month end of $95,413.00. Membership is at 858.
President’s Report
Quiet month. No report.
Vice President’s Report
No report.
Secretary’s Report
No report.
Jackson Director’s Report – Don Jernigan
No report.
Cuckoo Director’s Report – Mike Sowers
No report.
Mineral/Louisa Director’s Report – Bill Murphey
Received a phone call from a representative of Shorewood. Called back and left a message.
Berkeley – Sharon LaTour
Absent. No report
Brokenburg – John Skelly
Reported that the individuals that had the problems with the buoy markers that were put in the channel have been corrected and placed in other places, where they were supposed to be the first time.
Belmont – Bernie White
The Jack Bertron Committee Award Nomination Committee was formed and they are accepting nominations in written form no later than May 30th, 2008. Bernie and Don Jernigan will serve on the committee.
Bernie has been contacted by several POA’s that feel their by-laws are out of date and want to realign the by-laws to make theirs current. They would like to know if LACA has anything to support a by-law update.
Combined License – Bill Murphey
First hearing for combined license coming up on April 16, 2008 and will be held at Louisa High School. Doug would like Bill to speak for LACA at the meeting.
Navigation – Steve Falkenthal
Absent. No report.
Water Level – Doug Smith
The committee has been working on the report and has made a lot of progress. One item they got in there this month is a history of the lake level contingency plan. They are also researching the comprehensive plans, and the long range plans for the surrounding counties. The Water Level Committee has been meeting with the Lake Level Task Force (LABARA, Friends of Lake Anna) to try and work together on this issue. The group wanted to send out a petition and get as many signatures as possible to state the growing concern over the lake level issue. Doug sent out an email with the petition to the board members so they could review prior to the meeting. Doug asked the board’s approval to have Ray send the petition by email to the membership and request their response. John Skelly commented that he has a concern with it. John felt that since the board has not yet seen a report from our committee of what the impact or non impacts will be of the addition of the third reactor on the cooling discharge. He feels that some of the wording is offensive to the agencies involved. He recommended that we delay sending out or endorsing any type of petition at this point until we have more facts and figures to make any kind of sound judgment. Doug responded that the committee does have the facts and figures from the last year and the lake was and is still down below its normal level. Bernie also expressed concern that the purpose of the petition is not clear. He thought that the purpose of the petition was to get “them” to study the changing rate of flow over the dam. Doug said that the committee is mostly looking at the effect of water flow downstream and how that effects recreation downstream. He feels that more attention needs to be provided to the low lake level and its effect. Bill Murphey pointed out a few discrepancies. Bill Hayden asked for a motion on the petition. Doug made the motion to authorize the distribution of the petition as modified to the membership by email. Mike Sowers seconded the motion. Bill Murphey then requested to amend the motion so that the modified petition be prepared and approved by the LACA board before its distributed to the membership. He would like the purpose of the petition to be better explained in the email to the membership. This motion was agreed upon and the amendment to the original motion was passed. Ken commented that the low lake level is something that we have tried to get everyone together one. John made a second amendment to the motion. He motioned that the modified petition and the purpose statement that was agreed to be added to the email that is to be sent out be prepared and presented at the next LACA meeting for the board’s approval before the petition is sent out by email. Bernie seconded the amendment. Bill Hayden asked for a vote on the amendment and it was passed after which the original motion by Doug to prepare and send out a petition as amended to include the purpose along with the other changes proposed was voted on and approved. (Entire transcript is recorded on tape.)
Land Use – Tom Nyman
Absent. Sent email and no report.
LEEP – John Skelly
Based on the comments from the last meeting the committee went back to Rainbow Printing and developed another series of potential signs. Signs were presented to the board to look at. The committee will have the signs set up at the festival in Louisa for residents to take a look at and vote for which sign they feel is the most effective. Costs are approximately $400.00 for a double-sided sign and around $230.00 for a single-sided sign. Getting close to picking locations for the signs now. They have selected 7 or 8 sites that they will be submitting to the county for approval. If a resident gives permission to place a sign on their property it still must be submitted to the county for approval. They have selected 5 sites in Louisa, 3 sites in Spotsylvania and 1 in Orange.
Safety – Dave Fosdick
Absent. President Hayden gave his report. Dave indicated that he is moving ahead with the signs to be posted at the marinas and having a little difficulty with Boats US logo and being able to read it on the computer.
Water Quality – Ken Remmers
Water samples will be taken on Monday the 21st and training will be on the Saturday before at the State Park.
Social – Rebecca Vignon
Absent. President Hayden reported that everything is on schedule for the VIP reception.
Fireworks – Mike Mays
Absent. Fireworks are scheduled for Saturday, July 5th.
Newsletter – Christine Cole
Absent. Newsletter is in and ready to go to publishers.
New Business
Irene Luck raised the question of where to hold the annual meeting. Do we want to use the firehouse in Mineral again? A motion was made by John Skelly and seconded by Doug Smith and passed to hold the meeting at the Mineral Firehouse.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 7:32pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Patty Shapiro
Secretary