December 15th 2020
INDEX: 1) This Season Greeting 2) Summary of our General Assembly 3) Interesting Links
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Our Best Wishes for a Safe and Healthy Holiday Season!
We take a few moments to thank you again for your trust during this year.
It was a memorable one in every way and we sincerely hope you and your family have stayed safe.
In this time of change and adaptation, we want to offer you our best wishes for the holidays.
May the next year be filled with health and comfort.
We wish you good times with those you love.
Take care of yourself, stay safe and our best wishes for the season!
Your Poisson-Blanc Association
PS: A gift from the municipality of Lac-Ste-Marie towards our members on Montée Jean-Marc. Snow removal so you can enjoy your property this winter!
Your Association in Action!
Summary of our 2020 General Assembly of our Members :
The 2020 AGM was held … virtually
The Poisson Blanc Watershed Association held its annual general meeting on Thursday, December 3. The pandemic forced the Association to conduct the AGM virtually, via Zoom.
Our Assembly was also limited to the 102 members who had paid their dues in 2020, as it was not possible with Zoom to register people for the meeting. Despite the occasional technical glitch, the meeting went well. Our thanks to our 15 members who were present for their participation and their indulgence.
Gilbert presented us with the financial statements for 2019 and a interim report for this year. The Association is not in deficit despite the health crisis.
The activities of the Association were reviewed during the meeting. Despite the restrictions, 2020 has been a busy year:
- Continuation of our regular water quality monitoring program (THANKS Joanne).
- Deployment of red safety buoys (THANKS to Margaret and her team of volunteers: Darrell, Jean, Fraser, Denise, Jeff, Mark, Claudio and Gilles).
- Other advocacy and education activities.
- The Association was able to start with the help of volunteers (THANKS to Jeff, Sue, Andrée-Lise, Claudio, Larry, Nancy and to the Cadieux family) and local support, the installation of our first yellow buoys against water milfoil. We raised more than $ 600 thanks to the generous contribution of some members, MP William Amos and our two municipalities (Bowman and Lac-Ste-Marie), to cover the initial costs for this new sub-committee.
- In addition, thanks to the help of Jeff and his team (THANKS to JoAnne, Larry and Margaret) a virtual meeting was held with government officials about the water level at Poisson Blanc which was beneficial for our association. Jeff is still waiting for some late information then this subject will be considered as completed.
- The completion of the water level project at Lac du Brochet (Éco-Odyssée Project) with the financial contribution of its members and the perseverance of Benoît and Monique.
- Assurance by LSM and Denholm on the maintenance of the TransOutaouais this winter.
- Installation this spring of speed limit signs in the Lac du Brochet area.
- Thanks to Linda’s help and her petition, the upcoming installation of a speed bumps on Poisson-Blanc Road in the Bowman area and a better relationship with the Base de plein-air that help in the cleanliness around the municipal boat launch.
- The forthcoming establishment by Bowman of a management committee for the southern islands south of the Poisson-Blanc.
- An update in our member membership page and the installation of an online store. Thanks to Matthew our webmaster and member. If you are knowledgeable about website matters and would like to help us with our website and online communications, including social media, please contact us.
- THANKS to Carla who will continue to coordinate our FACEBOOK page. We have reached the 400 members mark for our Association page.
Initiatives in 2021:
- The Assembly was briefed by Jeff on the results of the water level consultations and the release to our members of a weekly forecast for September and October.
- Installation, in 2021, of one or two white buoys to reduce speeding by boats using the two «chenails» on Newton Bay.
- The Assembly was also informed of an initiative by The Heads of Lake Association (Heney, 31 miles, Poisson Blanc and BlueSea) to consolidate navigation laws, regulations and best practices into a comprehensive and usable set of navigation guidelines to ensure watershed users respect these rules. Jeff is our representative.
- Continued deployment of yellow buoys in Newton Bay under the new leadership of Jeff (THANKS JEFF… again).
- Completion of the Montée Jean-Marc with also with the distribution of municipal bins.
- Consolidation of buoy committees into a single entity with sub-committees under the responsibility of Margaret and Jeff. A budget of $ 1,500 will be allocated for their operations.
Unfortunately…
we were not fortunate enough to find members who would like to take the leadership, even tho we have the volunteers, in order to coordinate:
- The surveillance of the southern islands on Poisson Blanc with the help of our guardian angels member-volunteers of the islands.
- Our community events including our annual Corn Roast.
- No one proposed a Fishing Tournament for 2021.
- The Assembly could not find a member who would like to take the leadership of the Association which means that we no longer have a President.
We hope to continue these activities in 2021 if someone shows up otherwise we will have to put these three committees on stand by for 2021. Since we no longer have a President, our sector representatives (Vice-Presidents) will decide on the orientations of our Association for the next year.
The Assembly would like to thank:
Our outgoing administrators for their services. Marcel Prévost for his invaluable advice during the update of our administrative regulations, Diane Faucher for her help as secretary, Benoît Sirois as Representative (VP) for Lac du Brochet and the setting up of the dam repair project and finally Pierre Charlebois as President of our Association for the past five years. They will be sorely missed on the board but have pledged to remain active in the Association.
Finally we want to salute our Star for 2020, Linda Cornell for her dedication towards her members in the Bowman area.
Words from the Audience:
As always, members had the opportunity to share their concerns during the public speaking portion of the meeting. Questions were raised as to whether more should be done to prevent the spread of water milfoil in Newton Bay. Sadly, presently, it is improbable that will go further since we would need a special committee to reach out for money subsidies and contacts for permits etc. The importance of the yellow buoy program was reaffirmed, as was the need for continued outreach efforts with new cottage owners and residents, as well as those who rent homes on the watershed lakes.
The Association chooses its Board of Directors for 2020-21:
The Board of Directors for 2020-21 is therefore composed as follows:
TO BE OFFICIAL ON THE 7TH OF JANUARY SO SUBJECT TO MODIFICATIONS
PRESIDENCY: this post is vacant
SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES (VICE-PRESIDENCIES):
Bowman: Linda Cornell
du Brochet: Monique Lesage
Newton Bay: Jeff Parkes (head of the Yellow Buoys Sub-Committee and Representative to the Heads of Associations)
Lake Newton: David Orfald
ADMINISTRATION:
Finances: Gilbert Lafontaine
Secretariat and Memberships: Monique Lesage
Facebook page: Carla Monette
ADVISOR:
Interim Coordinator: Pierre Charlebois
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Discovering the flora and fauna of our watershed:
Thanks to Carla’s work take advantage of our information page on our site: click here
The importance of preparing well for winter:
Winter is just around the corner, as you prepare for the winter season, we encourage you to click on section 3 of our website for fall and winter environmental tips. Follow this link: click here
