Hello everyone!

As President and on behalf of the Board of Directors, I wish you a happy NEW YEAR! For us, 2020 will be the start for several new projects.

I will present to you today:

• The work your Council has undertaken since this fall;
• News from your area and,
• Some personal thoughts on my part (Pierre)

We are now 104 members… another record!!

Three new committees will begin operations in 2020:

1. The Oversight Committee on Invasive Plants (milfoil);
2. The Committee of the Centennial Forest Walking Trail (if accepted) and finally;
3. The Emergency Measures Committee.

We will have to find members interested in these committees to move from intentions to action.

Thank you for the work done by:

• Jeff (VP Newton Bay) for his leadership with his team (Larry, Margaret and JoAnne) in water level solutions (Poisson Blanc Lake)
• Benoit for his efforts in the success of water management at Lake du Brochet;
• Margaret, Darrell and the other members of the Buoy Committee for their dedication to protecting us on the water;
• David and another member (Darrin) in Newton lake regarding a legal dispute;
• Ray Thibodeau, our new coordinator of the Islands Committee and his volunteers patrolling camping areas.

That is how a lake association works. Our power is the collective action of our members!

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WORK DONE BY OUR COMMITTEES:

** Monitoring Committee on Invasive Plants:

A look back at our last AGM conference on invasive plants and the results of our paid study:

• Neither du Brochet Lake nor Newton Lake are affected by the presence of invasive plants but…
• This is not the case with Poisson Blanc Lake. There is confirmation in some places;
• The organization “Regroupement PPEVG” will provide us withsome free yellow buoys for awareness about those sectors.

Curious in learning more please check out our study (prepared by COBALI) by following one of those links:

ENGLISH SUMMARY OF COBALI’S REPORT (Thank you Carla)

ORIGINAL VERSION IN FRENCH:

COBALI will be present at the next AGM to help us get our SURVEILLANCE COMMITTEE in motion.

If you are interested in this topic and want to get involved we email us to: abv.poissonblanc@gmail.com

** Research on the Water Level on Poisson Blanc Lake Committee:

In response to meetings and other communications with government authorities, the committee will answer all your questions at our AGM.

Those who want to learn more about their observations, please follow this link:

** Centennial Forest Walking Trail Committee:

Some of our members would like to set in motion a committee to evaluate  the feasibility of creating a walking trail with the help of the municipality of LSM and the organization “PERO” … in the area of the century-old forest (Montée Jean-Marc). Louis-Philippe will come to talk at our AGM.

If you are interested in this topic and want to get involved we email us to: abv.poissonblanc@gmail.com

** Corn Roast Management Committee:

Our community activity is getting so big that we have run out of everything in 2019.

• On the photo, the winners of our plane ride. Thank you GILBERT!
• The musical group “Socks Over Pants” will be invited again;
• The site of our activity is moving to a new location;
• The team that prepare this activity will meet beforehand to organize the tasks, the equipment and food to be prepared.

** EMERGENCY Measures Committee (fire, earthquake, flood, tornado…)

• Plan our gathering points;
• Purchase of an emergency bell (Newton Bay);
• List of people to reach our members in real time;
• Prepare a protected document to be delivered to members with telephone and emergency addresses;
• Raising awareness with the municipality of LSM to be in contact with the municipality of NDL (management of the Cedars dam)

If you are interested in this topic and want to get involved we email us to: abv.poissonblanc@gmail.com

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News from your area:

BOWMAN:

1. The general managers of the Outdoor Base and Bowman are no longer in office. Linda (VP Bowman) would like to meet with the new management this spring to propose amendments to the contract to manage the descent of boats by the Base;
2. Despite our request, there have been no changes of circuits for police surveillance, especially on weekends. However, novelty, our members have noticed two visits of the SQ… It’s an encouraging start;
3. Linda met with all the owners in her area to hear their concerns. THANK YOU for the initiative!
4. Pending the creation of our emergency committee, Linda took the initiative to communicate with Denholm to talk to them to add the owners of her area to the emergency call list. Denholm agreed.

DU BROCHET LAKE:

1. There was a meeting of the owners with Benoît and Monique in the fall;
2. Benoit will buy the necessary equipment for the continuation of their project to stabilize the water level in the spring;
3. Good news, no milfoil in your lake however the lake is in the eutrophication stage if the water level is not stabilized;
4. Your Council has agreed to prepare a request to install a 50 km/h sign on du Brochet road.

NEWTON LAKE:

1. The owners had a beautiful fraternal encounter and we know that there are unsuspected musical talents among them;
2. Luc and David discussed a project to stabilize their water level and is awaiting a spring visit from the municipal inspector;
3. I have learned that there will be trout seeding at Lake Garlette and in a small lake just off Newton Lake in 2020.

NOTRE-DAME-DE-LAUS:

1. No Vice-President yet to present your sector’s concerns;
2. I, as an Association, have managed to be placed on the NDL (and Evolugen) emergency list for dam management, but this is a temporary measure pending official protocol.

NEWTON BAY:

1. Jeff, Larry, Margaret and JoAnne completed the committee’s report on water levels at Poisson Blanc Lake. See above, to download it. You will be amazed at the seriousness of this work;
2. I have backtracked on the name change to the bay (near the wood bridge area) because of the legal complications that this requires. More discussion by the directors on this will be necessary before proceeding;
3. Your Council has agreed to prepare a request ton install a caution sign on GPB Road where there is a steep hill with a curve;
4. THANK YOU for the positive comments about our “J’Y PENSE” posters and will be continuing to install more posters in 2020;
5. We are moving our CORN ROAST in 2020. Carla will be able to relax this summer because her property has been used for more than six years.

This winter, I and interested Vice-Presidents will meet with the Mayor and the General Manager of the LSM and the Bowman municipalities to discuss your concerns!

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Don’t forget to book these dates:

1. SUNDAY May 24 between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Our AGM will take place at the LSM Municipal Hall.
   • COBALI will be there to answer your questions about our environmental study and what action to take;
   • Presentation of our observations in relation to water level on Poisson Blanc Lake.
   • Creating our committees: 1) Milfoil monitoring 2) Emergency 3) Walking trail
2. SATURDAY August 1st between 11:30 am and 2 pm. Our Community Corn Roast.
   • We will ask the “SOP” group to come back and entertain us;
   • New location;
   • We will invite the LSM Fire Department to advise us on safety measures.
3. In SEPTEMBER, will resume our excursion to the century-old forest.

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Pierre’s personal thoughts :

For those who read until the end, I am sharing my thoughts on my role as president… I have been the chairman of your Board for more than four years. I am grateful, however, that it is time for me to take a less important role in our Association. I have to discuss this at our next executive meeting. In an association, we must foster diversity of opinions and new approaches in order to properly represent our members and continue our expansion. If you’re interested in taking part in the decision of your Association as an administrator… propose yourself but it is obligatory to be assisted by another member who does not have a family connection with you.

To those who are discouraged by the climate emergency, I would say that the best remedy is action.

One way to do this is your participation in your Poisson Blanc Watershed Association.