Hello LSC.

It’s that time of year again when we like to take a moment to present you a recap of the work performed by the LSCA for Lake St. Catherine on behalf of the lake community and our membership. What you’ll read below are short summaries of the projects and activities, but we encourage you to visit our website and click on our Blog to read the detailed accounts of all these initiatives.

It was another busy year from start to finish!

We’ll do our best to recount the year chronologically - so grab a cup of hot chocolate and read on for our 2022 Year In Review.

Membership

First, a sincere THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to the LSCA this year! Our membership continues to grow - which means that there are funds available to help support our lake programs that everyone who enjoys Lake St. Catherine benefits from. Also, it shows that we have a great community of lake stewards who are invested in the preservation, protection, and maintenance of Lake St. Catherine.

At the end of 2021, we set an ambitious goal of reaching 400 members... and we came SO CLOSE.

As of this writing, we have 388 members who contributed a total of $79,581, giving us an average contribution of $208. While we did come up just a bit short of our goal of 400 members, we did surpass our 2021 totals for both total members, and dollars contributed - and we continue to build on these numbers year over year.

Can we crack the 400 member mark next year? This will be our goal as we continue to reach out to LSC property owners, and hope to expand our reach with membership levels for family members of property owners, renters, and those who use the lake for recreation.

We hope to earn your support in 2023 as we launch our Membership Drive in early February of 2023.

Thank you for your support!

Volunteering Around LSC: Green Up Vermont Day, Milfoil Cleanup Community Day

We’d like to thank all of the volunteers that participated in the various lake related activities this season! Here is a quick summary of a few of the volunteer opportunities around Lake St. Catherine this year.

Green Up Vermont Day: Green Up Vermont Day is a state-wide volunteer cleanup day of Vermont's roads and waterways which takes place on the first Saturday in May. As Green Up Vermont's website says: "We know it isn’t your litter but Vermont needs our help to be beautiful!". Building on the success of our 2021 effort, we were able to organize volunteers to cover all the roads around Lake St. Catherine! On the morning of Green Up Day, volunteers met at the Wells Lakeside Park to kickoff the day with coffee and muffins from the Wells Country Store, thanks to the Town of Wells. Volunteers picked up Green Up Day trash bags, fueled up, and headed out to get to work. By the end of the day, the roads around the lake were cleaned up, and lined with filled Green Up Vermont trash bags. Thank you to the town crews from Wells and Poultney for picking up the bags. We’ll do it again in May!

Milfoil Cleanup Community Day: In early June, as part of our milfoil control efforts, the LSCA hosted a meeting at theWells Lakeside Park on Little Lake. We discussed what Eurasian Watermilfoil (milfoil) is, what it does when introduced into a lake, and why we work to control it in Lake St. Catherine. We then outlined the milfoil control plans for the year, and we talked about what you can do to help to Stop The Spread of Milfoil in Lake St. Catherine. Then, volunteers headed out onto the lake in kayaks, boats, canoes, and SUPs to scoop up floating milfoil and other detached plants and place them on the drop off float that was set up in the Channel south of the bridge. Throughout the rest of the season, volunteers placed detached milfoil and other plants on the float, and we made numerous collection runs to remove the plants.Thank you to all the volunteers involved in this project! We’ll do it all again next year.

The Lake Wise Program

It was another great season for Lake Wise on Lake St. Catherine!

Lake Wise is a program developed by Vermont’s Lakes and Ponds Program to recognize outstanding efforts by homeowners who live along a lakeshore to protect the water quality and habitat along the shoreline and within the near-shore area of the lake.

Stormwater has a widespread environmental impact which makes it a growing concern in Vermont. In a statewide effort, towns and local organizations are working to implement large scale projects to help clean stormwater before it enters water bodies. Work is being done from the headwaters all the way down to the stream outlets. Excess nutrients in the water contribute to problems which affect both human and wildlife health including; lower oxygen levels in the water, toxic algae blooms, and excessive plant growth.

This season, the LSCA again earned a grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) to perform Lake Wise assessments, and to help property owners with projects on their land to mitigate stormwater runoff into the lake. The LSCA was happy to again partner with the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District (PMNRCD) on this project, along with new partner Castleton University.

Click here to read all about the Lake Wise Program on LSC: https://lakestcatherine.org/lake-wise-program

The PMNRCD crew completed a tremendous amount of work in support of the Lake Wise Program this season. They were also able to leverage their Lake Education Action Program (LEAP) program, which pairs student and community lake education with the implementation of small planting projects for shoreline owners to increase the amount of projects completed.

Building on the work of previous years, and the efforts of 2022, 10 property owners earned the Lake Wise Award this year! This brings the total number of Lake Wise Award properties on LSC to 26.

Our 2022 Lake Wise Award winners are:

• James Giery, West Lake Road, Wells
• David Mook & Marcia Angermann, Ferncliff Road, Poultney
• Autumn Webb, West Lake Road, Poultney
• Mike & Karla Dendor, Clayton Tract, Wells
• Janet Burchett, Ferncliff Road, Poultney
• James Canders, West Lake Road, Wells
• Bonnie Fielding, Kinni Kinnic Lane, Poultney
• Marcia and Steve Turcina, Cones Point Road, Poultney
• Jane Adams, Cones Point Road, Poultney
• Carol Higgins, Grace Wood Way, Wells

Congratulations to this year’s Lake Wise Award winners!

Thank you to all the winners and Lake Wise participants for the work they have put into their property in an effort to become Lake Wise. This work represents a model of what all LSC lakeshore owners should strive for, as these projects are both beautiful and lake friendly.

All winners will be receiving the Lake Wise Award plaque that they can proudly display on their shoreline. Keep an eye out for them as you cruise around the lake next season.

The LSCA would like to help other Lake St. Catherine property owners implement best practices to mitigate stormwater on their properties, and help them to earn the Lake Wise award. To date, over 80 properties have participated in the Lake Wise Program, and have at least received an initial assessment. If you would like to have your property assessed, please email us at info@lakestcatherine.org.

The Lake St. Catherine Stormwater Master Plan

In 2018 and 2019, extensive field work by the PMNRCD and Fitzgerald Environmental Associates took place in the LSC watershed. The goal was to identify sources of increased stormwater runoff and associated sediments and nutrients flowing into the lake. Phosphorus reducing projects are of particular importance given the water quality concerns within the watershed. The work involved identifying sources of stormwater, prioritizing sources based on various environmental, economic, and social criteria, and designing projects to mitigate those sources. This resulted in the creation of the Lake St. Catherine Stormwater Master Plan (SWMP).

50 potential sites were identified, and as of today, 4 projects have been implemented, and 2 others have been designed and are awaiting installation. Projects have recently been completed on North Street, Ferncliff Road, the boat launch in Wells, and at the Wells Lakeside Park. That leaves 44 others that need to be evaluated, designed, and implemented.

In early January, we were informed that we had earned part of a $100k grant being administered by the PMNRCD from the LCBP. $50,000 of this grant will be used directly for Lake St. Catherine to design Stormwater Master Plan Projects on LSC.

The goal of our approved grant in 2023 is to develop 10-12 projects identified in the Lake St Catherine Stormwater Master Plan to be ready for implementation during the first round of Clean Water Service Provider formula grant funds in 2023 and thereafter. Our Project Team, consisting of the LSCA, PMNRCD, local partners, and the selected consultant, will identify a list of high and medium priority projects and develop 30% conceptual designs for those that rank within the top 10-12. Included with the conceptual designs will be detailed budget estimates, anticipated permitting needs, and preliminary landowner agreements or letters of interest. We hope to have a meeting soon with the lake community to select the top projects to be developed.

You can read more about the SWMP, and view an interactive map with the identified sites by visiting our Stormwater Master Plan page: https://lakestcatherine.org/stormwater-master-plan

The Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan

In May of 2021, the LSCA earned a grant from the LCBP to help fund the creation of a Lake Watershed Action Plan (LWAP) for Lake St. Catherine.

From the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a Lake Watershed Action Plan is described as:

“Watershed planning helps address water quality problems in a holistic manner by fully assessing the potential contributing causes and sources of pollution, then prioritizing restoration and protection strategies to address these problems.”

In partnership with the PMNRCD, the LSCA will use this 3-year grant to create an LWAP for Lake St. Catherine. The $38,224 awarded by the grant will allow the LSCA to hire and partner with lake experts to perform various in-lake and watershed based measurements, testing, and studies to identify current or potential future issues and design a comprehensive, long-term plan to address them. The resulting plan will leverage current LSCA investments in water quality and pollution prevention, be driven by accepted best management practices, elevate under-assessed areas and gaps, and will identify issues, opportunities, and projects to guide locally-led water quality implementation work in the Lake St. Catherine watershed.

After many years of successfully managing individual lake programs which include: in-lake invasive species control, invasive species prevention, and stormwater management, the LSCA is now poised to integrate these programs into a broader watershed plan with a focus on the prevention of pollutant loads (phosphorus, nitrogen, sediments) that enter into the Lake from sources outside the waterbody. The LSCA plans to use the success of these building blocks to expand its work in the watershed and focus on prevention for the future.

A Project Team led by Trustees of the Association will engage the following partners:

• Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District to do field work on the areas adjacent to the Lake to identify sources of pollutants and recommend 20 projects to address them.
• The Natural Sciences Department at Castleton University to use its environmental chemistry lab with access to water sampling supplies and instrumentation; Castleton undergraduate students to conduct broader in-lake and in-flow tributary water sampling and analyze the impact of major storm events. Students will help literature review of best management practices for water quality to sample collection, to water analysis, to data analysis, to GIS modeling.
• A Limnologist consultant and/or chemist will advise on lake nutrient cycling, lake functions, and assist with any in-lake studies, such as water chemistry, sediment testing, and measuring phosphorus concentrations.
• A series of community Stakeholders will be actively engaged to evaluate their part in understanding and mitigating excessive phosphorus and erosion around the Lake. These include: The Lake St. Catherine Conservation Fund; the Towns of Wells and Poultney, especially the road crews as well as zoning provisions; members of the Association and homeowners to enact prevention on their properties; the Vermont DEC who has agreed to co-sponsor an annual symposium on best practices; businesses and the lake community who use the Lake and surrounding area for recreation.

Using the data and information collected about the Lake St. Catherine Watershed, the Project Team will create the Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan by the end of the grant period in 2024. This plan will identify “Opportunities For Action” and the strategies, interventions, and projects to best address them.

Subsequent grants will be requested to implement as many projects as possible and create a culture worthy of emulation that positions Lake St. Catherine for future funding that rewards water quality improvements including phosphorus load reduction. These efforts will continue for the balance of the decade and be the most important contribution all those who love being at Lake St. Catherine can do to distinguish its future beauty and health.

Preliminary work began this year, including our first stakeholder meeting at the Wells Lakeside Park on July 14th. The lake community was invited to join us, and representatives from PMNRCD, Castleton University, and Fitzgerald Environmental Associates for a presentation introducing and outlining our plans for the LWAP. Field work will begin in 2023.

Greeter Program - Boat Launch Monitoring

Our Greeter Program is very important to the health of Lake St. Catherine. Our Greeters have been trained to identify aquatic invasive species (AIS) - like spiny waterflea, asian clams, water chestnut, starry stonewort and zebra mussels - to stop them from entering LSC at the boat launch in Wells and the State Park in Poultney. They also educate boaters about the importance of looking for these invasives on their boat or trailer so they are not spread to LSC or another lake. Each year, they do a fantastic job checking vessels and educating the lake community on the dangers of invasive species for Lake St. Catherine. They are on duty from Memorial Day through Labor Day - working on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They also cover holidays and fishing tournaments.

In total, our Greeters inspected 1960 boats this year at the boat launch in Wells, and at the State Park in Poultney. This is more than double the number of vessels they inspected last year. Boat launches were down in 2021, most likely due to numerous rainy weekends last season.

Milfoil Control Program

Each season, the LSCA implements a Milfoil Control Program to keep milfoil in check in Lake St. Catherine using a combination of spot herbicide treatments and DASH (Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting).

The LSCA’s Milfoil Control Program consists of four components:

1. ‘Stop The Spread’ education and outreach. Our ‘Stop The Spread’ campaign educates boaters and property owners on best practices to limit the spread of milfoil. Each year, the LSCA holds a lake community meeting to discuss the control plan for the season, answer questions, and hand out a flyer with best practices for lake users to limit the spread of milfoil.

2. Volunteer milfoil cleanup. Throughout the season, we organize volunteers to collect detached floating milfoil from the lake and deposit it on our designated drop off platforms. The milfoil is then picked up from the platforms and disposed of. We also encourage boaters and property owners to remove any milfoil they see in the lake while boating or on their shoreline.

3. DASH - Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting. Our DASH crew suits up in scuba gear and hand-pulls milfoil by the roots from the lakebed. In sections of lower milfoil density, they will swim the area and hand-pull with mesh bags. In higher density areas, they will set up the DASH equipment which allows them to suction the hand-pulled milfoil up through a tube to a catch table on a boat. Milfoil is then placed in 17.5 gallon buckets for transport off the lake.

4. Herbicide spot treatments with ProcellaCOR EC. In order to maximize our DASH crew’s time, effectiveness, and number of acres covered, one of our control methods includes spot treatments with the herbicide ProcellaCOR EC. We’ll further discuss ProcellaCOR later in this article. When the lake is spot treated by herbicide, the State recommends that the lake not be used for any purpose on the day of the treatment. Normal recreational and domestic (household) lake water use may resume the next day after treatment, and use of lake water for irrigation may resume 1 week after the treatment.

These efforts led to another successful year of milfoil control on Lake St. Catherine, and have resulted in the lowest percentage of milfoil cover and frequency of occurrence in the lake since the mid-2000s. Also, and just as importantly, we have seen many species of our native aquatic plants that have been suppressed by milfoil growth like Water stargrass, Tape grass, Thin-leaf pondweed, Illinois pondweed, Common waterweed, and Robbins’ pondweed have all increased in frequency of occurrence. You can view our Aquatic Vegetation Management Reports dating back to 2001 here.

These results are exactly what we want to see!

Lake St. Catherine has over 30 native aquatic plants which are important and necessary to sustain a healthy lake ecology. Our efforts are focused on reducing the amount of milfoil in the lake so that these native aquatic plants can grow as they normally would. Keeping milfoil under control is helping to return the aquatic plant environment to conditions before milfoil was introduced in the 1970s. Because of our milfoil control efforts, we again have a complex and diverse native aquatic plant community.

In late September, our contractor SOLitude Lake Management performed a comprehensive, 2 day lake-wide aquatic vegetation survey to both evaluate the performance of our milfoil control efforts, and to assess the overall state of aquatic plants in Lake St. Catherine.

Back in 2001, 199 GPS points were plotted throughout Lake St. Catherine, and these points are evaluated for aquatic plants during each report. This is the 19th consecutive year a plant survey has been performed on Lake St. Catherine. You can see all the previous reports, dating back to 2004 in our Links & Downloads section.

The full report can be read here: 2022 - Aquatic Vegetation Management Report. We encourage you to take a few moments to read through the whole report.

Based on the data, and the results we've all seen throughout the whole of Lake St. Catherine, our Milfoil Control Program had a very successful year. The ProcellaCOR treatments were highly effective, our DASH team did another great job this year (252 buckets of milfoil removed), and you got involved as well by participating and volunteering to collect floating milfoil from June through October as part of our Milfoil Cleanup Community Day. These collective efforts are making a difference!

In early May, the lake will again be surveyed for milfoil growth. At that point, a final treatment map will be created which will show the areas to be addressed.

Sponsor Spotlight

We’d like to thank the 16 businesses who were LSCA Business Sponsors in 2022!

Our $200 Business Sponsor membership includes a listing on the Sponsors page of our website, a listing in our spring and fall newsletters, and a Sponsor Spotlight in June on our website and Facebook pages.

Thank you: A-1 Sewer & Drain Service, A113 Productions, Aerus Water and Air Purification, Bird Dog Home Inspection, Catherine Capers, Haun Welding Supply, Lake St. Catherine Cottages, Lake St. Catherine Country Club, Lakes & Homes Real Estate, Liebig Berries, Merritt Environmental Consulting, New England Lakeside Realty, Rathbun's Maple Sugar House, VT Lakehouse, Williams Hardware, Woodard Marine.

If you’d like to become a Business Sponsor in 2023, please let us know!

Boating Safety Classes & Lake Safety

The LSCA was happy to be able to again provide free boating safety classes for those in the lake community who wanted to get their boating license. Anyone born after January 1st, 1974 must successfully complete an approved boating safety education course to legally operate any motorized vessel - including personal watercraft.

Frank Callahan, Trustee in charge of Boating Safety, conducted the 2 free courses - in June & July. 19 lake community members earned their license this year.

The LSCA also places and maintains no-wake zone and marker buoys throughout the lake. In 2022, the Lake Safety Committee began building newly designed markers to replace the aging ones, and will complete the upgrade in 2023. Thank you to our ‘Buoy Buddies’ around the lake who assist us each year with the spring installation and fall removal of the markers and buoys.

Libraries Love Lakes

The Wells Village Library, the Lake St. Catherine Association (LSCA) and the Lake St. Catherine Conservation Fund (LSCCF) joined forces to bring the lake community a very exciting event!

On July 3rd at the Wells Lakeside Park, the Libraries Love Lakes event took place, offering family-friendly opportunities for stewardship-based, hands-on, lake-related learning. Ecology-based topics like native flora and fauna, stormwater impacts and natural history were all on the agenda, including real-time water quality assessments in which guests can participate, expert presentations, and pontoon boat tours.

The families received a lake-themed kit replete with on-topic books and activities.

Presenters included:

• Wells Village Library
• Lake St. Catherine Association (LSCA)
• Lake St. Catherine Conservation Fund (LSCCF)
• Castleton University
• Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District (PMNRCD)
• LSCA's Greeter Program
• LSCA's Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) team
• Wells Historical Society
• Loon Biologist Eric Hanson from Vermont Center for Ecostudies

Libraries Love Lakes is a national outreach project which pairs school and public libraries with lake scientists to provide collaborative programming emphasizing the importance of lakes in our everyday lives. You can learn more by visiting www.librarieslovelakes.org.

To help fund this event and ongoing collaboration among the library and lake organizations, the LSCA applied for and received an Education & Outreach grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) funded by the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC).

The lake-related learning continued at the Wells Village Library, as a new section of the library called the 'Lake St. Catherine Collection' was unveiled with a reception at the library on September 17th. The collection curated by librarian Gina Ellis includes books, activities, experiments, iPad apps, models, and science tools like dip nets and binoculars that can be borrowed. Materials to learn from are available for all ages. Be sure to stop in to the library to check out all the lake & stewardship themed materials. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed to make this wonderful event on LSC a success!

The LSCA's 10th Annual Boat Parade

We had another great boat parade this year!

18 boats registered, 14 participated, and 22 people voted online for their favorite boats in our 4 categories: most patriotic, funniest, most original, best overall.

Our winners were:

Most Patriotic:

Boat #6 - God Bless America - Adam Wunderlich

Runner up:

Boat #18 - Patriotic - Ryan Bagley

Funniest:

Boat #7 - Monster Mash - The Ramirez Family

Runner up:

Boat #13 - Groovin On The Lake - Mike & Chris Gay

Most Original:

Boat #12 - RMS Titanic - Goldman Family

Runner up:

Boat #10 - Lake Saint Catherine Fire Boat - Wysolmerski Family

Best Overall:

Boat #3 - Moana - Megan Frueh

Runner up:

Boat #4 - Pirates Secret - Mary Papasso

Thank you to all who participated, to those who cheered from their boat and from the shore, and to everyone who voted! We are looking forward to our 11th year in 2023!

Wastewater Workshop

On July 11th, at the LSC Country Club, the LSCA hosted a 'Wastewater Workshop' presentation by Cristin Ashmankas, Environmental Analyst with the State of Vermont’s Department of Environmental Conservation, Drinking Water & Groundwater Protection Division.

Cristin talked about the basics of septic systems: how they work, why they are so important, how they fail, and how to properly maintain them. She also outlined how they are designed, and the many different types of systems that are available - including innovative and alternative systems that can be used in unique situations.

She also discussed the rules, where to get help, and why it is so important that systems be fully working around the lake.

Her presentation, and contact information is available on our website here. If you have any septic system questions, please reach out to Cristin, she would be happy to help!

LSCA's Annual Meeting & Dinner

Thank you to the tremendous group we had at the Lake St. Catherine Country Club on Saturday, July 23rd for the LSCA's 2022 Annual Meeting & Dinner. It was great to see so many of you who care so much about LSC. What a crowd! We hope you enjoyed our presentation, your meal, and your evening with your lake neighbors.

We'd also like to thank the Lake St. Catherine Country Club staff for their excellent service and a wonderful meal, Eric Hanson from Vermont Center for Ecostudies for his fantastic presentation on loons, and to our Trustees for their excellent reports from their committees, and their hard work for Lake St. Catherine.

You can see photos from the evening and view the full presentation on our website Blog.

Dockside Chats With The LSCA

Dockside Chats began in 2020 as a way to have safe, face-to-face interactions with members around LSC to discuss lake related issues. We invited lake residents to schedule a Dockside Chat with a LSCA Trustee who would meet you at your dock to chat about the lake. These were again very popular in 2021, so we continued the program this year. 8 Dockside Chats were scheduled this year. Let us know if you’d like to get a chat scheduled for next season by emailing us at info@lakestcatherine.org.

LSCA Newsletters

Our traditional Spring and Fall newsletters were posted digitally on our website, and printed copies were made available at Wellsmere Farm in Wells. If you missed them when they were released, you can read them here:

Spring Newsletter

Fall Newsletter

Keeping You Up-To-Date

As soon as we have Lake St. Catherine news, we like to inform the lake community as soon as possible by posting it on our website Blog, and on our Facebook page. So, keep an eye on these sites for all the latest information on LSC. We also send out news summaries via email updates to our members who have shared their email with us - so please be sure to provide your email address when you become a member!

Vermont Invasive Patrollers (VIP) Program

On August 9th, LSCA Trustees were trained by the DEC to perform aquatic invasive species (AIS) patrols of the lake as part of their Vermont Invasive Patrollers (VIP) program.

The VIP program was established by the VTDEC in 2007 to focus on early detection of all known and potential AIS. Although VIPs now emphasize aquatic invasive plants more broadly in their surveying efforts, they are trained to identify both aquatic invasive plants and animals that are either established in Vermont or in nearby states and pose the greatest threat to Vermont’s water bodies.

This hands-on workshop trained participants on what aquatic invasive species are, how to prevent the spread of AIS, and how to identify the species that pose the greatest threats to Lake St. Catherine.

The goals of the program are:

• To increase AIS knowledge of lakeshore residents and lake users.
• To create an early detection volunteer network with a primary focus on aquatic invasive species, including plants and animals.
• To increase VTDEC’s knowledge of new infestations and the spread of AIS in lakes.

This is a GREAT addition to our invasive species control and prevention initiatives which includes our Greeter Program.

We hope to work with and train volunteers to help launch this program on LSC in 2023 - please contact us if you are interested. VIPs monitor the lake, especially near boat launches, for new introductions of invasive species and report their findings to the DEC. If a new AIS is detected early, it's possible to eradicate it before it infests the lake.

Loon Observation & Loon Safety Projects

We've been working with Eric Hanson from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies and Scott MacLachlan to come up with a form to log and record data about the loons visiting LSC. We are hoping that their increased visits to LSC will lead to a nesting pair!

The number of loons observed on LSC has been increasing over the past few years, as has the excitement and interest of the lake community. So, we've set up a form for you to be able to record your observations of loons on the lake! We ask that you please DO NOT approach the loons. If you see them, observe them from your location, take a photo if you'd like, and then visit the forms listed below to log your observations and notes.

There are 2 forms. One will allow you to upload photos or a short video of your loon observation, but it does require that you have a Google account. The other form does not require a Google account and will allow you to record your observation, but you will not be able to upload a photo or video.

On the form, you can add your name and email address (optional), the date, location, number of loons, a place to indicate if you see a subadult loon, and a description of their activity that you observe.

Here are the forms:

• Loon observation form (With Photo): https://bit.ly/lsc-log-loon-photo (Google Account required)

• Loon observation form (No Photo): https://bit.ly/lsc-log-loon-no-photo

We also hope to launch a new loon program in the spring with the Vermont Center for Ecostudies by participating in their lead & monofilament fishing line collection initiative. You can read more about this project in our Fall newsletter.

Grants

The LSCA has been working hard over the fall to bring grant funds to Lake St. Catherine for 2023. We have applied for a grant from the State of Vermont and from the LCBP for AIS control and prevention, and two other grants from the LCBP to help fund our Lake Wise Program, and an expanded Libraries Love Lakes program for 2023. Keep your fingers crossed.

Just before we were about to send out our Year In Review, we learned that we have received a grant from the LCBP to help fund our 2023 Lake Wise On LSC Program! Please contact us to get on the list for 2023!

Thank You For Your Support!

Finally, thank you to everyone who supported us this year. We hope you found our efforts in 2022 for Lake St. Catherine to be worthy.

2023 is going to be another busy year, and we hope to earn your support again in 2023. Be on the lookout for our Membership Drive which will begin in early February.

Happy Holidays, and we’ll see you at the lake soon,

- The Trustees of The Lake St. Catherine Association

Good afternoon LSC.

Hot off the press, we have some great news about Lake Wise on Lake St. Catherine for 2023!

We've just learned that we've earned a grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) for a Clean Water Small Implementation Grant for $19,775 for the 2023 Lake Wise Program!

Thank you to LCBP and NEIWPCC for helping to fund our 5th year of Lake Wise on LSC!

If you would like to participate in this fantastic program in 2023, please email us at info@lakestcatherine.org to reserve your spot - spots will fill up quickly.

You can read all about the Lake Wise Program on LSC on our website here: https://lakestcatherine.org/lake-wise-program, including an interactive map showing the Lake Wise properties around LSC.

If you missed the Lake Wise news from yesterday, 10 LSC properties earned the Lake Wise Award in 2022 due to the hard work of the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resource Conservation District, and the property owners. You can read all about that here: https://lakestcatherine.org/blog/13031593.

This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) under assistance agreement (LC 00A00981-0) to NEIWPCC in partnership with the Lake Champlain Basin Program.

It was another great season for Lake Wise on Lake St. Catherine!

Lake Wise is a program developed by Vermont’s Lakes and Ponds Program to recognize outstanding efforts by homeowners who live along a lakeshore to protect the water quality and habitat along the shoreline and within the near-shore area of the lake.

Stormwater has a widespread environmental impact which makes it a growing concern in Vermont. In a statewide effort, towns and local organizations are working to implement large scale projects to help clean stormwater before it enters water bodies. Work is being done from the headwaters all the way down to the stream outlets. Excess nutrients in the water contribute to problems which affect both human and wildlife health including; lower oxygen levels in the water, toxic algae blooms, and excessive plant growth.

As a shoreline property owner, you have the access and the ability to control what is happening directly at the water's edge.

While small-scale improvements on individual properties may not seem like they have much impact, collectively the implementation of many small projects will have a positive benefit on the water quality in the lake and the surrounding watershed.

Actions now will promote a healthy lake environment that will continue to support swimming, fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing in the future.

This is such an important program for long term health of Lake St. Catherine, and we can all pitch in to make a difference.

This season, the LSCA again earned a grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) to perform Lake Wise assessments, and to help property owners with projects on their land to mitigate stormwater runoff into the lake. The LSCA was happy to again partner with the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District (PMNRCD) on this project, along with new partner Castleton University.

Building on the work of previous years, and the efforts of 2022, 10 property owners earned the Lake Wise Award this year! This brings the total number of Lake Wise Award properties on LSC to 26.

Our 2022 Lake Wise Award winners are:

• James Giery, West Lake Road, Wells
• David Mook & Marcia Angermann, Ferncliff Road, Poultney
• Autumn Webb, West Lake Road, Poultney
• Mike & Karla Dendor, Clayton Tract, Wells
• Janet Burchett, Ferncliff Road, Poultney
• James Canders, West Lake Road, Wells
• Bonnie Fielding, Kinni Kinnic Lane, Poultney
• Marcia and Steve Turcina, Cones Point Road, Poultney
• Jane Adams, Cones Point Road, Poultney
• Carol Higgins, Grace Wood Way, Wells

Congratulations to this year’s Lake Wise Award winners!

You can see where all 26 Lake Wise properties are on the lake by viewing the interactive map on our Lake Wise page here: https://lakestcatherine.org/lake-wise-program.

Thank you to all the winners and Lake Wise participants for the work they have put into their property in an effort to become Lake Wise. This work represents a model of what all LSC lakeshore owners should strive for, as these projects are both beautiful and lake friendly.

All winners will be receiving the Lake Wise Award plaque that they can proudly display on their shoreline. We’ll reach out to winners in the spring to schedule the presentation of their award and to take a photo! Keep an eye out for them as you cruise around the lake next season.

The PMNRCD crew completed a tremendous amount of work in support of the Lake Wise Program this season. They were also able to leverage their Lake Education Action Program (LEAP) program, which pairs student and community lake education with the implementation of small planting projects for shoreline owners to increase the amount of projects completed.

This year, the PMNRCD performed 22 property assessments, revisited 6 properties to do a reassessment, and completed 15 projects.

Check out some of their work from this season:

Photo: PMNRCD

Photo: PMNRCD

Photo: PMNRCD

Photo: PMNRCD

The LSCA would like to help other Lake St. Catherine property owners implement best practices to mitigate stormwater on their properties, and help them to earn the Lake Wise award. To date, over 80 properties have participated in the Lake Wise Program, and have at least received an initial assessment. If you would like to have your property assessed, please email us at info@lakestcatherine.org.

Hello LSC.

We'd like to let you know about an upcoming seminar from the Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds (Vermont Lakes), entitled: "Emerging Aquatic Invasive Species in Vermont Inland Lakes".

This seminar will take place via Zoom on Thursday, January 19th from 10 AM - 12 PM. You can RSVP to attend here: https://vermontlakes.org/event/emerging-aquatic-invasive-species/.

Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) are non-native plants and animals that are introduced and can cause harm to the local environment. You can read more about the issues and problems caused by AIS on Vermont's AIS webpage.

The seminar will discuss existing infestations in Vermont lakes and ponds, and will then focus on 3 emerging threats: spiny and fishhook waterflea, the round goby, and hydrilla.

The LSCA funds programs and works to both prevent new infestations of AIS with our Greeter Program which checks boats and trailers for AIS before and after they enter LSC, and to control the existing infestation of Eurasian watermilfoil in LSC with our Milfoil Control Program.

Many AIS are just a lake or two away from LSC, and include spiny waterflea, zebra mussels, asian clams, and water chestnut - and we do not want these to become established in the lake. Our Greeters are on the lookout for them - and we hope that you are too. Prevention is our best line of defense against invasives.

In August of 2022, LSCA Trustees were trained by the DEC to perform AIS patrols of the lake as part of their Vermont Invasive Patrollers (VIP) program. We hope to work with and train volunteers to help launch this program on LSC in 2023 - please contact us if you are interested. VIPs monitor the lake, especially near boat launches, for new introductions of invasive species and report their findings to the DEC. If a new AIS is detected early, it's possible to eradicate it before it infests the lake.

We have also recently highlighted some articles and commentaries noting that Vermont's lakes and ponds are under increasing pressure from the spread of new and existing AIS, but funding from the State for AIS prevention and control is decreasing in 2023. The LSCA will continue to work to increase our membership and apply for grants to help fund our AIS prevention and control programs.

If you'd like to learn more about AIS, and these three new emerging threats, you can RSVP to this seminar here: https://vermontlakes.org/event/emerging-aquatic-invasive-species/. We hope to see you there.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Lake St. Catherine Association is thankful for the support of the lake community as we work to fulfill our mission of the preservation, protection and maintenance of Lake St. Catherine.

We are currently hard-at-work making plans for next year, including applying for numerous grants to bring funds to LSC in 2023.

The Trustees of the LSCA wish you and your family a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

Thank you for your support!

Hello to all in the LSC community. 

The following is a letter from Pat Suozzi, the President of the Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds (FOVLAP) requesting that you take a moment to submit a comment on the reduction of funding for aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention and control as the Governor prepares his budget.

About The Letter:

The budget cut discussed in this letter will have a significant impact on the amount of funds the LSCA will receive from the DEC for Aquatic Species Control (AIS) which helps to fund our Boat Launch Greeter Program (keeping new invasive species out of LSC), and our Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting Program (DASH) as part of our Milfoil Control Program going forward. 

The LSCA continually searches and applies for grants to help fund our lake programs and initiatives. As you will read in this letter, these funds continue to dwindle, and more lakes are applying for them. We are also working with other groups to sound the alarm with the State to let them know that more funding is needed to help support volunteer lake associations that are putting in the good work to preserve, protect, and maintain our lakes and ponds. 

You have an opportunity to comment on this reduction as the Governor prepares his budget. We hope you will consider taking a moment to do so here: https://finance.vermont.gov/about-department/contact-us/public-comments-budget-process

About the Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds:

FOVLAP is a volunteer coalition of lake associations and individuals. From its inception in 1972 as an organization of lake associations in northern Vermont to its evolution into a statewide organization in 2001, the Federation remains dedicated to fostering water quality standards and preserving Vermont lakes, ponds, watersheds, and aquatic ecosystems for this and future generations.

The LSCA is a member of FOVLAP, and two LSCA Trustees are part of the board, one as a Director, and one as an auxiliary member.

The Letter:

Dear Friends of Vermont Lakes,

This is the time of year when the Governor prepares his budget to submit to the state legislature in January. The public is invited to submit comments on funding needs and priorities. I am writing to you today to ask you to consider submitting a comment regarding the reduction in funding for Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) prevention and control. You can submit your comment here.

Many lake associations that manage greeter programs have received some funds from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Aquatic Nuisance Control (ANC) Grant-in-Aid program. For the last 10 years that program has been level-funded at $450,000. However, for 2023 that fund will be reduced to between $305,000 and $310,000. This was announced at the same time we learned of three new AIS infestations in formerly pristine lakes in the state.

We need funds not only for educational outreach and greeter programs to prevent infestations, but also to manage and control existing infestations so AIS is not carried from those lakes to non-infested lakes. Now more than ever we need funding for AIS prevention and control to increase – not decrease!

Here are some further details that may help you in submitting your comments:

1. Vermont law requires AIS prevention: In 1978, Vermont lawmakers recognized the critical threat posed by aquatic invasive species and passed Vermont’s Aquatic Nuisance Control law (10 V.S.A. Chapter 50). This law states: “It is the policy of the state of Vermont to prevent the infestation and proliferation of invasive species in the state that result in negative environmental impacts, including habitat loss and a reduction in native biodiversity along with adverse social and economic impacts and impacts to the public health and safety.” (10 V.S.A, Chapter 50. §1451)
2. The state’s General Fund provides only $25,000 for AIS prevention and control.
3. Source of ANC Funds: DEC is allocated a portion of the Motorboat Registration fees (MBR). A percentage of this is used for staff salaries for AIS prevention and permitting (due to lack of general fund support as noted in #2 above) with the remainder funding the Aquatic Nuisance Control (ANC) grant-in-aid program. For at least a decade, this program has been level funded and has consisted of $250,000 from the MBR fees, $100,000 from an Army Corps of Engineers grant, and $100,000/year from a one-time surplus.
4. 2023 Reduction: The one-time surplus is now depleted reducing the funds to $350,000. This will be further reduced because the administration of the Grant-in-Aid program is being outsourced to a provider who will charge a fee (probably 15%), leaving approximately $305,000 for AIS prevention programs.
5. ANC Staffing: Staffing in the program was reduced to one person several years ago. Due to this reduction the Grant-in-Aid program is being outsourced
6. The new grant program: The grant program will, for the first time, be competitive which means it is possible that not all current greeter programs will necessarily receive funding. Priority for funds that are available will be for AIS prevention with little to no funding for AIS management and control.
7. The need: In 2022 the ANC program received nearly $2 million in requests for AIS prevention and control. Of the 800+ lakes and ponds in the state, only 34 have greeter programs, not all of which operate 7 days/week, and only 4 have boat washers.
8. What about the $50 million in the Clean Water Budget? AIS prevention and control is NOT eligible for any of these funds.

Please submit a comment as soon as possible on the Governor’s Budget here: https://finance.vermont.gov/about-department/contact-us/public-comments-budget-process

Thank-you,

Pat Suozzi
President
Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds

The Wells Village Library is holding a Holiday Raffle to support purchasing additional materials for the new section of the library called the Lake St. Catherine Collection.

The collection has been curated by librarian Gina Ellis, and is devoted to lake conservation, protection, and stewardship. It includes: books, activities, experiments, iPad apps, models, and science tools like dip nets and binoculars that can be borrowed. Materials to learn from are available for all ages.

The raffle includes a custom-made walnut and epoxy charcuterie / cutting board engraved with Lake Saint Catherine from Swimming Dog Studios, a $50 gift certificate to the Wells Country Store (Juli will create a lovely charcuterie for your new board), and a bottle of Pinot Noir from Ken Wright Cellars.

Individual tickets are $30, or 4 Tickets for $100.

Specifically, your purchase of raffle tickets will help the library acquire new books, new water-related learning implements, fun and educational programming, and special events (like a Vermont Institute of Natural Science [VINS] program).

Be sure to stop in to the library to check out all the lake & stewardship themed materials in the new "Lake St. Catherine Collection", and pick up your raffle tickets!

You can also purchase tickets at the Wells Country Store. Or, if you are not currently at the lake, you can email us at info@lakestcatherine.org and we can arrange to get you a ticket.

The drawing will be Thursday, December 15th.

The Lake St. Catherine Collection at the Wells Village Library:

This initial collection of materials was funded via an Education and Outreach grant as part of the Libraries Love Lakes initiative, earned by the LSCA from the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) and New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC).

Hello LSC.

The following commentary was written by the Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds (FOVLAP) President, Pat Suozzi, and it was published in VTDigger on Monday, October 24th, 2022.

About the commentary

The budget cut discussed in this commentary will have a significant impact on the amount of funds the LSCA will receive from the DEC for Aquatic Species Control (AIS) which helps to fund our Boat Launch Greeter Program (keeping new invasive species out of LSC), and our Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting Program (DASH) as part of our Milfoil Control Program going forward. 

The LSCA continually searches and applies for grants to help fund our lake programs and initiatives. As you will read in this commentary, these funds continue to dwindle, and more lakes are applying for them. We are also working with other groups to sound the alarm with the State to let them know that more funding is needed to help support volunteer lake associations that are putting in the good work to preserve, protect, and maintain our lakes and ponds. 

Your membership support is crucial to support our lake programs and initiatives.

We hope that you can see the value in our efforts, and we can earn your support. You can learn more about becoming a member here: Become A Member.

About the Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds

FOVLAP is a volunteer coalition of lake associations and individuals. From its inception in 1972 as an organization of lake associations in northern Vermont to its evolution into a statewide organization in 2001, the Federation remains dedicated to fostering water quality standards and preserving Vermont lakes, ponds, watersheds, and aquatic ecosystems for this and future generations.

The LSCA is a member of FOVLAP, and two LSCA Trustees are part of the board, one as a Director, and one as an auxiliary member.

Funding Cuts Jeopardize Vermont’s Lakes and Ponds - by Pat Suozzi

Vermont’s lakes and ponds are facing a serious and growing threat from the spread of aquatic invasive species. While Vermont can still boast some of the cleanest and most pristine surface waters in the country, our public waters are under increasing pressure from the spread of aquatic invasive species. In the summer of 2022, three lakes that formerly had no invasives, reported new infestations of Eurasian watermilfoil.

This is unfortunate news because these kinds of infestations are preventable. With a small amount of funding from the state’s Aquatic Nuisance Control Grant-in-Aid program and a great deal of fundraising, volunteer lake associations around the state run greeter programs to inspect and clean boats entering and leaving lakes and to educate boaters and all lake users about the problem of invasive species. These funds are also used to control and reduce already existing infestations, helping to prevent transport to other lakes. Yet for 2023, the state is cutting these funds by over 30%.

Greeter and control programs are vital to invasive species spread prevention. As the damage invasives can cause to an ecosystem has become more evident, more lake associations have developed greeter programs, looking to the state Aquatic Nuisance Control Grant-in- Aid program for basic funding. Although the number of programs has grown, the Aquatic Nuisance Control funds have been level funded for nearly 20 years at $450,000. Now, when there is even greater pressure on our lakes from increased usage, when we should be creating more greeter programs, and when those already operating should increase their hours, the state is cutting the funds that support these programs to a mere $305,000.

The amount of this cut may seem small in a multi-billion-dollar budget but $145,000 can be the difference between clean water or an invasive infestation. While these funds were never truly adequate and volunteer lake associations have always been in the position of having to raise more funds, they still helped. They were often the seed that got a program off the ground. Nevertheless, of the 196 Vermont lakes with public boat or fishing accesses, only approximately 32 have active greeter programs and of these only 4 have hot water boat wash stations to clean boats (the best way to ensure no invasives are transported). The reason for these low numbers is simple – inadequate funding.

The spread of aquatic Invasive species is a human caused problem, spread by moving boats and other gear from infested water bodies to non-infested water bodies. The best and most cost-effective defense against spread is prevention. Once a waterbody is infested, reducing and controlling the infestation to maintain the health of the lake and to avoid degraded water quality is extremely expensive, far more expensive than prevention. For example, Diver-Assisted Suction Harvesting to clear 1 acre of Eurasian watermilfoil can cost as much as $10,000 while running a greeter program for an entire summer season might cost $20,000 to $30,000.

Control and reduction of aquatic invasives is also part of prevention. The more that an infestation can be reduced, the less likely boats leaving that waterbody will carry the invasive to other waterbodies. Yet the indications are that this funding cut will all but eliminate funds for control programs.

This is not a trivial matter, aquatic invasive species, such as Eurasian watermilfoil, if left unchecked, can spread to form monocultures that will squeeze out the native plant species that are necessary to support native fish and other wildlife that depend on a healthy lake ecosystem. Other types of invasives, such as zebra mussels can clog water intakes, make beaches unusable, and damage boat engines. Invasive species can cause poor water quality and can adversely affect human health.

There is an economic cost, too. A dense infestation can lead to falling waterfront property values, meaning lower tax revenues for towns, as well as decreases in tourism, an important contributor to Vermont’s economy.

We are fortunate that many of our most beautiful and pristine lakes, such as Willioughby, Caspian, Maidstone, Seymour, Raponda still have no known invasives. However, without adequate funding, these and the other lakes and ponds still not infested are in real danger of infestation.

Our volunteer lake associations bear the burden of the work of prevention and control of aquatic invasive species in the state’s public waters. Each year our volunteers raise hundreds of thousands of dollars and contribute thousands of hours of unpaid labor to implement a variety of programs to monitor, collect data, prevent the spread of invasives, protect our lakes and ponds from pollutants, and educate the public about best practices to protect our public waters. We do this willingly, but we cannot do it without a reasonable amount of funding and support from the state. This funding cut suggests that the state is abdicating its responsibility to protect our public waters from aquatic invasive species.

Pat Suozzi, who lives in Hinesburg, is the President of the Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds and also a member and past president of the board of directors of the Lake Iroquois Association.

Photo: VT Lake House

Hello LSC.

Back in May, as part of our Spring 2022 Newsletter, we noted that misinformation was being posted online and in newspaper commentaries related to the Lake Bomoseen Association applying for a permit to use the herbicide ProcellaCOR EC to control Eurasian Watermilfoil. This is the product that we have used for our milfoil spot treatments over the last 4 years as part of our Milfoil Control Program. As we mentioned then, and has continued to occur, some are even making things up and disparaging Lake St. Catherine, then using these false stories to voice their opposition.

We'd like to thank the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Watershed Management Division, Lakes and Ponds Management and Protection Program for publishing a new document entitled “Permitting Aquatic Herbicide Projects in Vermont”.

The Vermont DEC describes that the purpose of the document is to:

1. Provide background information about DEC’s Aquatic Nuisance Control (ANC) permitting program, with a specific focus on aquatic herbicide projects;

2. Identify some of the recent findings related to ProcellaCOR; and

3. Provide a Q&A section on this topic reflecting common questions that DEC receives about our ANC permitting program

The document details Vermont statutes, the permitting application and technical review process, and the departments and agencies involved in the permitting process.

It also discusses key findings on ProcellaCOR EC, including: a pre- and post-treatment statistical analysis of the aquatic plant survey data from Vermont waterbodies treated with ProcellaCOR, an Aquatic Toxicity Review memorandum performed by a DEC Environmental Scientist, a Macroinvertebrate Survey conducted by the New York DEC, a review memorandum performed by a Vermont State Toxicologist from the Vermont Department of Health detailing a review of ProcellaCOR’s confidential statement of formulation, an acknowledgement from the DEC’s Drinking Water & Groundwater Protection Division, and much more.

Finally, the document contains 16 frequently asked questions posed to the DEC about these topics with their answers.

This new document can be viewed here: Permitting Aquatic Herbicide Projects in Vermont

The LSCA has always employed evidenced-based decision making when evaluating lake related issues, and we continue to do so with our Milfoil Control Program. Working with the State and lake scientists & experts, following the science and the data, and evaluating the results of our efforts show that we are doing the right things for the long-term health of Lake St. Catherine. These efforts include numerous effective water quality programs for the Lake St. Catherine watershed including: outreach and education on lake issues, water testing, Lake Wise, the LSC Stormwater Master Plan, Milfoil Control, Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Prevention, and the upcoming Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan.

To our members, and all who love Lake St. Catherine, if you ever have any questions or concerns, reach out to us. We would be happy to discuss this or any other lake related topic with you so we can address your questions or concerns, and provide you with factual information. We can always be reached at info@lakestcatherine.org.

Thank you.

Over the next few weeks, scientists from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation and local nonprofit organizations will be hosting two meetings for the public to learn about the Basin 2 & 4 tactical plan and provide comments and suggestions.

October 27 – In-person meeting
- Wells Town Office, 1064 Vermont Route 30, Wells, VT 05774
- 5:30 - 7:00 pm.

November 3 – Virtual meeting
- Microsoft Teams Link, or call in: +1 802-828-7667, 234016973#
- 5:30 - 6:30 pm

Angie Allen, a watershed planner with the state of Vermont’s DEC, will be presenting information about the draft, and soliciting feedback from attendees. Angie works in several watersheds in southern Vermont, but these meetings will focus on the draft plan for Basin 2 (Poultney Mettowee) and Basin 4 (tributaries that drain directly to South Lake Champlain). Basin 2 also contains Lake St. Catherine, Lake Bomoseen, Lake Hortonia, Lake Beebe, Echo Lake, Sunrise and Sunset Lakes, Glenn Lake, and Burr Pond.

From the DEC's Tactical Basin Planning StoryMap website, a tactical basin plan is:

"Tactical Basin Plans (TBP) are strategic guidebooks for achieving watershed health. They identify surface waters that are in need of restoration and protection and outline a list of actions to achieve water quality goals. The plans also identify the partners and funding critical to implementing the actions."

The plan contains three key elements:

1. A health assessment of the rivers, lakes, and wetlands within the South Lake Champlain and Poultney-Mettowee River watersheds.
2. 62 strategies to improve water quality, including methods to decrease runoff from farms and roads, protect and restore water bodies, and limit overflows from wastewater treatment facilities.
3. Tips for landowners, watershed organizations, and towns interested in receiving funding and technical assistance to help protect and restore water resources.

You can read the draft plan here: 2022 South Lake Champlain Basin 2 & 4 Tactical Basin Plan Draft 

The Lake St. Catherine Association administers and partners on many effective water quality programs for the Lake St. Catherine watershed including: outreach and education on lake issues, water testing, Lake Wise, the LSC Stormwater Master Plan, Milfoil Control, Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Prevention, and the upcoming Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan.

As a shoreline homeowner, or someone who cares about Lake St. Catherine, your participation in these meetings is very much appreciated!

We hope to see you at the in-person meeting at the Wells Town Hall on October 27th, or online on November 3rd.