2024 MEETING MINUTES
Dudley Pond Association BOD Meeting
December 2, 2024
In person & via Zoom
Board members present: Tim Dreher, Eric Macklin, Margo Melnicove, Ann Drouillhet, Lafe LaClaire, Michelle
Mizner, Naomi Deutscher, Lisa Jacobs. On zoom: Jim Ogletree, Doron Almog, Allison LaClaire, Karen Fahrner,
Guest: Ian Russell.
The meeting was called to order at 7:15pm.
Lakeshore Drive closure
The 3 year closure of a section of Lakeshore Drive is being addressed by the town. The neighboring
homeowner, who has spent these 3 years trying to work with the town, cannot get an engineer to sign off on
the road repair until the drainage flow from Beech Road is fixed with storm drains and other mitigating
solutions. The town has recently installed new storm drains and is working on the way that stormwater flows
down Beech Road. Mike Lowery has agreed to recraft a letter on behalf of the DPA to the town.
Boat Graveyard
Abandoned boats were tagged in the spring, and a group is going around the Mansion Beach and the Priscilla
Path locations to remove them. Anyone whose boat was still being used on the pond was instructed to
remove the abandoned boat notice so they won’t be taken away. Lafe will check the outlet areas where a
few boats have also been tagged. Abandoned boats in good condition will be sold.
Culvert problem
One of our neighbors reported that the extremely low water level on DP has revealed a large alluvial fan of
mucky silt being discharged (for decades) from the culvert at the 80 Maiden Lane town access to the Pond.
There is probably a culvert where silt is filling in at Robin Hood Rd also. The Town needs to stop draining
road salts into the surface water on Lakeshore Drive. This is an issue that will be brought up to the Town
Manager when the DPA is able to schedule a meeting- see below.
Meeting with Town Manager
The DPA is asking for a meeting with the new town Manager, Mike McColl. We don’t believe that Mike is
aware of the role that the DPA has played in maintaining this public resource. The next open meeting is Jan.
13 where a delegation will present a brief summary of our history, needs and requests. Lafe will quantify the
contributions that the DP watershed makes to the town: RE taxes paid, contributions made by the DPA, the
sweat equity, purchasing the conveyor, upgrading Mansion Beach, etc. We agreed to consult with Mike
Lowery, Steve Garone and Carol Martin before we meet with the Town Manager. Tim will contact Mike L.,
Lafe will contact Steve G., and Margo will contact Carol M.
Board positions
Both Tree and Doron want to step down from their positions. Elections are at the Spring meeting. Geoff
Gardner has an interest in being the treasurer. Lafe and Tim may arrange a presidency sharing model
replacing Doron. Someone suggested an overlap year to train the new board members.
Winter projects
Website upgrades
Feb. winter social planning
Review the by-laws, specifically how we define and include those committees in the by-laws.
Identify which committees make sense and whether they need a budget. Get people to volunteer before
the Spring meeting so they can sit together and brainstorm.
Board can set up ad hoc committees in addition to these suggested: communication, fundraising, social,
weed, website. Should these committees be codified in the by-laws?
Mansion Beach Restoration project
Karen has done a lot of research and planning and has engaged the town to do some plant removal in
anticipation of executing this project. Despite having money allocated by membership for this project, the
board has tabled this project as priorities have shifted.
Next BOD meeting
Monday Jan 6, 7pm, location TBD
A motion was made, seconded, and approved unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 8:20 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Lisa Jacobs, Secretary
December 2, 2024
In person & via Zoom
Board members present: Tim Dreher, Eric Macklin, Margo Melnicove, Ann Drouillhet, Lafe LaClaire, Michelle
Mizner, Naomi Deutscher, Lisa Jacobs. On zoom: Jim Ogletree, Doron Almog, Allison LaClaire, Karen Fahrner,
Guest: Ian Russell.
The meeting was called to order at 7:15pm.
Lakeshore Drive closure
The 3 year closure of a section of Lakeshore Drive is being addressed by the town. The neighboring
homeowner, who has spent these 3 years trying to work with the town, cannot get an engineer to sign off on
the road repair until the drainage flow from Beech Road is fixed with storm drains and other mitigating
solutions. The town has recently installed new storm drains and is working on the way that stormwater flows
down Beech Road. Mike Lowery has agreed to recraft a letter on behalf of the DPA to the town.
Boat Graveyard
Abandoned boats were tagged in the spring, and a group is going around the Mansion Beach and the Priscilla
Path locations to remove them. Anyone whose boat was still being used on the pond was instructed to
remove the abandoned boat notice so they won’t be taken away. Lafe will check the outlet areas where a
few boats have also been tagged. Abandoned boats in good condition will be sold.
Culvert problem
One of our neighbors reported that the extremely low water level on DP has revealed a large alluvial fan of
mucky silt being discharged (for decades) from the culvert at the 80 Maiden Lane town access to the Pond.
There is probably a culvert where silt is filling in at Robin Hood Rd also. The Town needs to stop draining
road salts into the surface water on Lakeshore Drive. This is an issue that will be brought up to the Town
Manager when the DPA is able to schedule a meeting- see below.
Meeting with Town Manager
The DPA is asking for a meeting with the new town Manager, Mike McColl. We don’t believe that Mike is
aware of the role that the DPA has played in maintaining this public resource. The next open meeting is Jan.
13 where a delegation will present a brief summary of our history, needs and requests. Lafe will quantify the
contributions that the DP watershed makes to the town: RE taxes paid, contributions made by the DPA, the
sweat equity, purchasing the conveyor, upgrading Mansion Beach, etc. We agreed to consult with Mike
Lowery, Steve Garone and Carol Martin before we meet with the Town Manager. Tim will contact Mike L.,
Lafe will contact Steve G., and Margo will contact Carol M.
Board positions
Both Tree and Doron want to step down from their positions. Elections are at the Spring meeting. Geoff
Gardner has an interest in being the treasurer. Lafe and Tim may arrange a presidency sharing model
replacing Doron. Someone suggested an overlap year to train the new board members.
Winter projects
Website upgrades
Feb. winter social planning
Review the by-laws, specifically how we define and include those committees in the by-laws.
Identify which committees make sense and whether they need a budget. Get people to volunteer before
the Spring meeting so they can sit together and brainstorm.
Board can set up ad hoc committees in addition to these suggested: communication, fundraising, social,
weed, website. Should these committees be codified in the by-laws?
Mansion Beach Restoration project
Karen has done a lot of research and planning and has engaged the town to do some plant removal in
anticipation of executing this project. Despite having money allocated by membership for this project, the
board has tabled this project as priorities have shifted.
Next BOD meeting
Monday Jan 6, 7pm, location TBD
A motion was made, seconded, and approved unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 8:20 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Lisa Jacobs, Secretary
Dudley Pond Association BOD Meeting
Monday, November 4, 2024
via Zoom
Board members present: Tim Dreher, Lafe LaClaire, Jim ‘Tree’ Ogletree, Naomi Deutscher, Ann
Drouillhet, Margo Melnicove, Michelle Mizner. Guests: Karen Fahrner, Stephanie Lynch, Ariel Roth,
Bob Smith. Tim Dreher called the meeting to order around 7pm.
Takeaways from the Fall Meeting
Mike Lowery suggested we write a letter to the Town Manager to try to get Lakeshore Drive
reopened; we should remind the membership that if residents or their landscapers are doing fall
cleanup, leaves cannot be dumped in the pond; and Tree clarified that so far Aqua Boats has returned
$26,500 of the $27,000 we’re owed as a refund for the skimmer boat trial.
Lakeshore Drive closure
Tim will follow-up with Mike Lowery about drafting a letter to the Town Manager re the years-long
closure of a private stretch of Lakeshore Dr and associated drainage issues from nearby Beech Rd.
Several people raised concerns about the big hole in Lakeshore where the pavement caved in, and
about standoffs between homeowners and the town over who’s responsible for what when private
roads are involved. E.g., the Lakeshore homeowner says no private engineer will repair the hole until
the town fixes the associated drainage problems from the adjacent public road.
Boat ramp by The Chat
Bob Smith suggested sending a DPA rep to the Town Manager’s monthly office hours to draw his
attention to the Lakeshore Dr closure and to the yet-to-be-constructed boat ramp by The Chat. The
boat ramp has been approved by the Conservation Commission but only for emergency use, which
would preclude use by DPW’s weed removal equipment and private trailered boats. Bob also
suggested that someone from DPA go to the next Board of Public Works meeting to bring up the
Beech Rd drainage and boat ramp issues. Tim will follow-up to get on the BoPW agenda.
Fall Cleanup
Tim will tweak the email to the membership so that it spells out the law against dumping leaves into
the pond and explains why dumping is harmful.
Mansion Beach restoration
A proposal to begin removing invasives from part of the wooded Lakeshore Dr shoreline between
Mansion Beach and Simpson Rd intersection was tabled. A detailed plan is required for Conservation
Commission approval. Karen Fahrner will continue to look into this. Given the need for increased DPA
spending on weed management, several Board members said they need to know the full cost of the
entire project (including annual maintenance) before they can decide whether to proceed with any
aspect of Mansion Beach restoration. This prompted a lengthy discussion on how to get the town to
devote greater resources and leadership to issues involving public lands around the pond, and to
overall water quality and environmental protection. Lafe LaClaire will take the lead on pursuing this.
The meeting adjourned around 8pm.
Next BOD meeting: Monday, December 2, 7pm
Respectfully submitted, Lisa Jacobs DPA Secretary and Margo Melnicove
Dudley Pond Association BOD Meeting
Monday, November 4, 2024
via Zoom
Board members present: Tim Dreher, Lafe LaClaire, Jim ‘Tree’ Ogletree, Naomi Deutscher, Ann
Drouillhet, Margo Melnicove, Michelle Mizner. Guests: Karen Fahrner, Stephanie Lynch, Ariel Roth,
Bob Smith. Tim Dreher called the meeting to order around 7pm.
Takeaways from the Fall Meeting
Mike Lowery suggested we write a letter to the Town Manager to try to get Lakeshore Drive
reopened; we should remind the membership that if residents or their landscapers are doing fall
cleanup, leaves cannot be dumped in the pond; and Tree clarified that so far Aqua Boats has returned
$26,500 of the $27,000 we’re owed as a refund for the skimmer boat trial.
Lakeshore Drive closure
Tim will follow-up with Mike Lowery about drafting a letter to the Town Manager re the years-long
closure of a private stretch of Lakeshore Dr and associated drainage issues from nearby Beech Rd.
Several people raised concerns about the big hole in Lakeshore where the pavement caved in, and
about standoffs between homeowners and the town over who’s responsible for what when private
roads are involved. E.g., the Lakeshore homeowner says no private engineer will repair the hole until
the town fixes the associated drainage problems from the adjacent public road.
Boat ramp by The Chat
Bob Smith suggested sending a DPA rep to the Town Manager’s monthly office hours to draw his
attention to the Lakeshore Dr closure and to the yet-to-be-constructed boat ramp by The Chat. The
boat ramp has been approved by the Conservation Commission but only for emergency use, which
would preclude use by DPW’s weed removal equipment and private trailered boats. Bob also
suggested that someone from DPA go to the next Board of Public Works meeting to bring up the
Beech Rd drainage and boat ramp issues. Tim will follow-up to get on the BoPW agenda.
Fall Cleanup
Tim will tweak the email to the membership so that it spells out the law against dumping leaves into
the pond and explains why dumping is harmful.
Mansion Beach restoration
A proposal to begin removing invasives from part of the wooded Lakeshore Dr shoreline between
Mansion Beach and Simpson Rd intersection was tabled. A detailed plan is required for Conservation
Commission approval. Karen Fahrner will continue to look into this. Given the need for increased DPA
spending on weed management, several Board members said they need to know the full cost of the
entire project (including annual maintenance) before they can decide whether to proceed with any
aspect of Mansion Beach restoration. This prompted a lengthy discussion on how to get the town to
devote greater resources and leadership to issues involving public lands around the pond, and to
overall water quality and environmental protection. Lafe LaClaire will take the lead on pursuing this.
The meeting adjourned around 8pm.
Next BOD meeting: Monday, December 2, 7pm
Respectfully submitted, Lisa Jacobs DPA Secretary and Margo Melnicove