Yankee Lake Community Yard Sale
11 July from 8 am to 3 pm
Are you interested in cleaning up your home and making some extra cash this summer? Well, join our Yankee Lake Community Yard Sale! For just a small fee of $5 (for advertising), YLPA members can either bring their for-sale items to the Club House, or they can sell their items at their own home.
The Yard Sale will be held on Saturday, 11 July, from 8 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon.
If you choose to sell from your own home, we will list your address on a map that will be given out at the Club House. If you choose to sell at the Club House, the spot must be left as you found it when you arrived in the morning. This means that you can’t leave any of your stuff at the Club House, and there will be no garbage removal or trash receptacles provided at the Club House. We will be selling refreshments at the Club House.
If you are interested in participating, please contact Julie Stainton or call her at (845) 656-1574.
114 Attend Annual Meeting
Click Here to Download the 2009 Activities Schedule
The Annual Meeting of the Yankee Lake Preservation Association, Inc. was held at the Club House on Sunday 24 May at 10 AM. One hundred fourteen attendees enjoyed coffee, bagels, crumb cake and other assorted goodies before settling in for a formal presentation by the Board of Directors. Out-going President Kevin Armistead presided over the meeting.
Congratulations are in order for Fred Fusco as the recipient of the Don Patterson Award. As Chair of the Legal Committee, Fred later presented details of the on-going litigation, and answered numerous questions regarding this matter. Fred was the President Elect, and became President of the Association when the meeting adjourned.
Mike Smithem showed photos of the interior of the dam, spillway, and area beneath the valve house. A schematic of the dam in cross-section supported Mike's discussion of dam maintenance issues, and regulation of the Lake's water level.
Membership Chair and out-going Vice President Terry Loboda discussed some of the findings from the 2009 Survey of Members. We had a remarkable 30% response rate to this year's survey. A detailed two-page summary of the results of the Survey were provided as a handout. Terry discussed those areas which surfaced as the top ten topics identified in the Survey.
Georgia Rampe, Vice President-elect and Chair of the Conservation and Preservation Committee, reported on results of bi-weekly summer water monitoring over 2006, 2007, 2008. (See article below to access the complete report.) Although the Lake is in very good condition, we do have an issue with elevated phosphorus in the Lake. If not brought under control, this will eventually drive an overgrowth of algae and weeds. To reduce phosphate loading, residents around the Lake should have their septic tanks maintained every three-to-five years, use phosphate-free plant fertilizers, reduce run-off into the Lake, and reforest the shoreline.
Georgia also discussed the importance of taking steps to prevent invasive species from entering the Lake, and how to recognize eurasian water milfoil if it does invade.
Kevin Armistead discussed each of the three fishing contests that are planned for the Summer (27 June, 18 July and 5 September). Julie Stainton, Chair of the Activities Committee, reviewed a host of events that are new for this season: A Magic Show, Learn to Paint, Astronomy Night, Learn to Cane Chairs, Community Yard Sale, Owl Night, Sailboat Race, Parade of Boats, and a Halloween Costume Party (adults only). All this in addition to the two picnics, the regatta, two concerts on the dam, game nights (every Wednesday), and three fishing contests!
Diane McDermott announced that certified teacher Nicole Beam will be returning as Youth Director for this season. In addition to two Tween Nights, Nicole is also planning Children's Programs on Sunday and Wednesday mornings from 10 – 12, running from 5 July through 26 August.
Finally, Jay Drezner discussed the YLPA budgets, showing expenses from 2007, budget vs actual from 2008, and the projected budget for 2009. Of note, the budgets for social activities and the Lake Patrol were drastically reduced for budget year 2009, while the budget for professional services greatly increased due to the on-going litigation. After all budget-related questions were answered, the Membership voted to accept the proposed budget for 2009.
The formal Board of Directors presentation and budget question/answer period lasted one hour and seven minutes (our goal had been one hour). The subsequent general question and answer session lasted an additional fifty-five minutes more.
Department of Environmental Conservation Yankee Lake Report
Click Here to Access the Report
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has just released their 102-page report on Yankee Lake, based on data collected in 2006, 2007 and 2008. The Board of Directors will be studying this document, to help guide efforts to maintain and enhance the quality of the Yankee Lake environment. However, the individual homeowner also has the important responsibility of learning about the local ecosystem, and trying to minimize his or her impact. Here are a few excerpts from the report:
"... Aquatic plants grew closer to the lake surface in 2008, but 'excessive weeds' have never been cited as creating recreational problems. This recreational assessment is much more favorable than in other lakes with similar water quality characteristics. The water quality and recreational assessments were consistent with each other, and these assessments are typical of other lakes with no invasive weed problems. Water quality and recreational assessments are stable during the summer, consistent with mostly stable water clarity and plant coverage during the summer...."
"... The nitrogen to phosphorus ratios indicate that algae levels in Yankee Lake are controlled by phosphorus, and it is likely that phosphorus inputs need to be addressed to maintain or improve water clarity and prevent algal blooms. Lake productivity decreases slightly over the course of the summer, as manifested by increasing water clarity and decreasing phosphorus and algae levels. Phosphorus levels in the lake occasionally exceed the state phosphorus guidance value, although water transparency readings at all times exceed the minimum recommended water clarity for swimming beaches...."
"... The lake has moderately soft water, circumneutral (near neutral) pH readings, and low nitrate, ammonia and total nitrogen readings. Neither nitrate nor ammonia levels appear to warrant a threat to the lake. pH readings consistently fall within the NYS water quality standards (= 6.5 to 8.5), and should be adequate to support most aquatic organisms. Calcium levels are probably not high enough to support zebra mussel growth...."
Click here to download your own copy of the DEC's report.
Do You Have an E-mail Address?
Your Association is trying to increase its efficiency in informing members of upcoming events, action alerts, volunteer opportunities and more! E-mail is a timely method of doing so. About half of our members have provided us with their email address. If you have not done so, please join the YLPA list! Click here to contact Brad Dawkins, to be added to the YLPA e-mail list.