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LAKE GASTON ASSOCIATION

Minutes (approved) Director’s Meeting – November 2009

Lake Gaston Baptist Church Littleton, North Carolina - 9:30AM, First Wednesday

Mission: To identify lake issues affecting our membership and pursue resolution with the responsible organizations.

Location:         Lake Gaston Baptist Church

                        Littleton, North Carolina

Convened BY: President Doug Hughes

Pledge of Allegiance:  Led by President Hughes

Moment of Silence:  Led by President Hughes

Member and Visitor Introductions and Comments:  There were 22 member guests plus one member of the press: Mark Matthews of the Lake Gaston Gazette.

Director/Executive Attendance:  Doug Hughes, Linda Hedgepeth, Jack Saunders, Moira Underwood, John Cataldo, Patrick Dempsey, Vernon Wilson, Ralph Domach, Barbara Burgdoerfer, Ron Skow, Clarence Drumgoole, David Duxbury, Laura Kolb, Bill La Monte

Special Guest: Warren County Commissioner Ulysses Ross

Guest Speaker:  Sgt. Andrew Howald, Virginia Conservation Police & Sgt. Carl Hatcher, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

Sgt. Howald

• Stated most boating deaths on Lake Gaston are due to people not wearing their life jackets.

• Stated that starting in 2011 all personnel operating a vessel with a motor of 10 horse power and above must have taken and passed a boater safety course.

• Stated it is illegal to wake surf (riding the wake of a boat without being attached to the boat by a tow rope) because the wake rider is operating within 50 feet of a motorized craft.

• If you have GPS; when reporting an accident or law violation, give the GPS coordinates to the person receiving your call. This will expedite EMS response (N.C. officers/boats do not/may not have the GPS capability that VA has)

Sgt. Hatcher

• Reported that so far there have been three water related fatalities on Lake Gaston (there was also one on Kerr Lake).

• Stated the driver of a boat or personal water craft is responsible for all passengers, including those being towed on any type device.

• That the new N.C. Boater Safety Law goes into effect on May 1, 2010 and there are many sources for persons wanting/needing to take a boater safety course.

• If you are stopped for a boater safety violation, you are subject to the laws of that state.

• That for NC & VA if a boater/PWC accident occurs it is reportable if the damage value is over $2,000 or there is a personal injury/death.

• In N.C. the Wildlife Officer can declare you impaired even if you have only a .02 blood alcohol level (some medicines can place you in this category).

NOTE: The complete N.C. Boating Safety Law can be found at www.ncwildlife.org or you can call (919) 707-0030.

New Director Oath: Clarence Drumgoole was welcomed as a Director and all Director’s took the Director oath with him.

Secretary’s Report:  Bill La Monte thanked Joyce Lindenmuth for an outstanding job in taking the October Minutes. The Board approved the October minutes.

Treasurer’s Report:  Jack Saunders reported that the LGA continues to under-spend on the 2009 budget. He provided copies of the current budget and the Board approved the Treasurer’s Report.

Committee Reports:

Marketing:  Bill LaMonte

• Thanked everyone for their help at the recently completed Chili Cook-Off in which the LGA competed along with having the LGA information tent manned. One new member signed up and there were promises of two new general memberships and one business membership.

• There are now 54 business members and there are several other businesses that have said they were going to join.

• Thanked the Marketing Committee for their hard work in making the Business Membership program such a success.

• Solicited an annual project that the LGA could start/take on as a means to further LGA recognition around the lake.

• Advised that since there would be no boat parade this year and the boat parade has been a primary means for the John 3-16 Association to acquire toys for the needy at Christmas, that the LGA would hold a toy drive . He requested everyone to bring a toy to the December meeting and for everyone in attendance to contact friends, neighbors, fellow LGA members to bring a toy to the December meeting.

• Stated the LGA name/business ad has been in over 10,000+ various forms of print this year.

Planning & Development:  Jack Saunders

• Briefly addressed the Center for Watershed Protection Meeting he and others attended on October 30th in Charlottesville. One of the main interests was to see what grants were available to the Friends of the Lake Gaston Association organization.

Lake Environment/Aquatic Weed:  Patrick Dempsey & Vernon Wilson

• Stated that all of the area from the Eaton Ferry Bridge East-Bound was surveyed, that there was some extensive coverage from the Bridge West-Bound and there was good coverage of the lake North & West of the bridge by the lake islands.

• Reported that the Grass Carp have appeared to have done a good job of hydrilla control in Pea Hill Creek..

• Researchers harvest 20-40 grass carp a year for research purposes.

• A grant proposal for water testing equipment was denied by D.E.Q., but they said they could loan a test kit that was better than the one that was being considered for purchase with the grant.

Safety:  John Cataldo

• There will be a five county Safety Breakfast in January. The purpose is for emergency responders to meet, share information and discuss problem areas.

• That the LGA is making an effort to provide Neighborhood Watch training materials to all sub-divisions. There will be a Home Owner Association Safety Meeting on February 12th and all HOA Presidents will be invited.

• Urged residents to secure their boats and valuables as two Jet Skis, on a trailer, were recently stolen in Brunswick Co.

 Membership:  David Duxbury

• Thanked all of the members who are renewing for 2010.

• Stated there are now 1,432 members (highest in many years) including 90 Lifetime Members.

• Thanked everyone who has helped in the various projects the LGA has participated in this year.

Government Relations:  Ron Skow

• Reported there would be a Five County Forum in early 2010. Some of the things the forum will cover will be Watershed Protection, Vegetation Control, and Lake Development. So far Warren and Mecklenburg County’s are committed and two others are almost confirmed.

• Stated that Skip Stram, N.C. House Minority Leader has agreed to be our guest speaker at our 2 December meeting.

Executive Director:  Moira Underwood
Her report can be found on the LGA Web Site, but the following are a few hi-lite’s from her report.

• There has been a very good response to our tax letter and member renewal mail-out’s

• There were 372 responses to our survey (100 more than in 2006) and that the survey results will be provided to all members in December.

• The LGA Web Site is being re-designed under a new web site manager.

Old Business:  Doug Hughes

• The winners of our survey response drawings were:

1st Place: George & Susan McCall –VA $50.00
2nd Place: Ashley Biggs -$ 25.00
3rd Place: Steve & Karen Shin - $10.00

• Bill Lindenmuth reported that he attended the 2009 Virginia Water Research Conference and that the conference reported there is an increase in CO-2 which means in some parts of the country there will be hotter weather, in other parts bigger/heavier rains and in other parts long areas of drought.

• There was discussion on ways to protect /control water run-off.

• Stated that in the Mid-Atlantic Area many insurance companies will not provide insurance coverage and that it is expected that Some Hampton Bay land areas will be under water in 20-30 years.

• There was discussion on Global Warming and that most are split on whether it does or does not exist.

New Business:  Doug Hughes

The meeting was properly adjourned at 11:26AM

The next meeting will be Wednesday, December 2nd at 9:30AM

Respectfully Submitted

William La Monte Secretary