COMMITTEES

There are several standing committees consisting of members of the Association and the Board.  Additional committees can be established as needed to investigate or accomplish certain goals agreed upon by the Executive Board. We are always looking for volunteers so please reach out if any of the standing committees interests you.

Currently there are four Standing Committees.  Each one is described below:

Ecology

Committee Chair, Randy Daigle & Leslie Cunningham

The Ecology Committee is responsible for the overall management of the quality of the lake.  This includes:

(A)    Managing the Maintenance Contract  – to ensure lake treatments are environmentally safe and completed in accordance with the contract.  The contracting company must apply for and receive a permit from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) for any lake treatment it will use in the lake.  Lake treatment information is posted at various areas around the lake describing the treatment and any lake use restrictions associated with that treatment. 

(B)    Coordinating any actions required by the North Central Health Department resulting from the monthly water tests conducted by them.

(C)    The management and maintenance of the Spillway. The Spillway is located at the southeastern corner of the lake and is opened and closed manually to manage water flow during peak rain events.   

 ECOLOGY REPORTS

Property

Committee Chair – Matt Stifel & Dan Smith

The Property Committee is responsible for ensuring all properties owned by the Association are maintained for use by the Association members.   The properties are open for all Association members, their families, and their guests to enjoy.  Please see the Welcome Book  and Lake Rules for guidelines on use of the properties.  

The SPLA Board is working to address the geese population issue.  Over the summer, our lake has many issues and one major cause has been the significant number of geese that have taken up residence.  Below are a list of FAQ’s about the issue and mitigatation plan:

1) Why are we doing this?
A:   Algae and Bacteria are real problems for Shake Pines Lake.  Our Lakes Health is in decline and we need to take action.
2) Who are the Authorities the SPLA BOD  is working with?
A:  North Central District Health dept notifies us when bacteria levels are unsafe for our community.   CT DEEP WildLife division and USDA wildlife services consulted with us on how geese can impact our properties and water quality.
3) Are Geese the only problem leading to poor water quality ?
A:  SPLA BOD realizes that other factors such as street and lawn run-off and a warming climate can also impact water quality. We will work to address these as well.
We have had detailed discussions with Nick McMahon from Pond and Lake Management regarding the contributing factors of the quality of our lake.  He has indicated that while there are a number of factors such as road/lawn runoff, weather, potential septic issues, one of the main factors is the number of geese we currently have living on and around the lake.
Per DEEP standards, a lake our size could accommodate 8-10 geese.  We have had 40-50 geese on the lake for a good majority of the summer.  Their feces contribute to the amount of phosphorus and bacteria in the lake.
4)  Why can’t I feed the geese ?
A:  Feeding the geese is not only a violation of our SPLA By-Laws but is known to Cause problems for both People and Geese! Please read attached “Do Not feed waterfowl” Pamphlet from CT DEEP.  Please note that if you are feeding the Geese you are personally contributing to the problem at SPLA.
5)  Do Geese really impact water quality ?
A: This is a link to a 2002 study that USDA did on bacterial levels in geese feces.

https://nwrc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/NWRCPubs1/id/39329/rec/8

This is a link to National Institute of Health about pathogens in Canada geese feces.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/zph.12227

Please also see attachments “Goose management on water quality” and ” CT Dealing with Geese”

6) So what is the plan to moving forward?

A:  SPLA Board of Directors has already contracted with the USDA APHIS Wildlife services.  We will work with homeowners that are interested in having them enter their property.  WInstanely Enterprises is also interested in a coordinated effort between our properties.

7)  What is the timing of visits by the USDA?

A:  We expect this to be a multi year effort with a few visits this year and next year.  There are many factors which impact the visits such as USDA Resource availability,  Weather,  Geese location.  So please be patient

8)  Will all geese be eliminated ?

A:  Absolutely Not !.    The CT DEEP and USDA would never allow this.   This is a management and control activity.   So don’t worry we will always have geese floating around the lake !

Activity

Committee Chair – Stacy Daigle

The Activity Committee’s goal is to create a fun, inclusive environment for our lake community.  Funding for all activities comes from fundraisers that the Activity Committee sponsors.  Taxes are not used in any lake activity or event.  Activities vary from year to year however, the Block Party is an annual event typically held in September.  For more information on upcoming activities, watch for the newsletter and updates on the website. 

Upcoming Activities

 

Communication

This committee is responsible for ensuring information is shared in a timely manner with all association members.  A quarterly newsletter is sent by U.S. Mail to each association member at their mailing address.  The newsletter provides updates on things like lake treatment, taxes, and other topics related to the lake community in addition to upcoming activities.

The Board also utilizes social media to share both important and fun information.  The Shaker Pines Lake Facebook page is the formal page managed to ensure accurate information is shared without controversy. 

The Shaker Pines Lake website holds key up-to-date information in addition to archived historic information.