News

Courtesy Boat Inspection Program: Invasive aquatic plants continue to be one of the biggest threats to the watershed.  As of March 2009, 30 Maine water bodies were known to have one of the four invasive aquatic plant species found in Maine: variable leaf milfoil (the most common), Eurasian water-milfoil, hydrilla, and curly leaf pondweed. Two of these invasives are nearby in the Belgrade Lakes area. One way we work to keep out the invaders is through the courtesy boat inspection program. This year we received a $4200 grant from the Maine DEP to support this program. Paid inspectors and volunteers staff the busiest boat launches on summer weekends, inspecting boats for plant fragments and educating boaters about the threat of invasives.  Paid inspectors include Jenna Dubord, Nate Shehata, Sam Whittemore, and CBI coordinator Becca Bubier. As of July 19th, the 4 paid staff and 25 volunteers had inspected 371 boats during 378 hours of inspections (269 paid, 109 volunteer).  Joining the team of volunteers is easy to do, requiring only one hour of training, after which volunteers can sign up for as many two-hour shifts as they like. Inspectors do not need plant identification skills, as all plants get removed from boats. The most important thing a volunteer needs is a willingness to talk with boaters, helping them to understand the threats and to instill in them a sense of responsibility for protecting the lakes, through inspecting their own boats in the future. To join the volunteers, Becca Bubier at cbi@30mileriver.org or 212-1082.  

Invasive Plant Patrol : The other part of our invasive plant program is to survey the lakes every summer for invasive aquatic plants that might already be growing. If these plants can be found early enough, when populations are small, there is hope for eradication. Volunteers survey by canoe or kayak, (or sometimes with mask and snorkel or SCUBA gear), using a scope to look underwater for invaders. To become trained in plant identification and surveying techniques, volunteers can attend free training conducted by the Maine Center for Invasive Aquatic Plants.  This year, 30MRWA will be hosting a field workshop on Minnehonk Lake, from 8:00 am to noon on August 9th, meeting at the Mt. Vernon Community Center.  Participants will have an opportunity to learn how to identify invasive plants, and have some hands-on practice on the water. For more information, visit www.30mileriver.org and click on “workshops.” or to register visit www.mainevolunteerlakemonitors.org/mciap.   

Lake Steward Program: Adrien Polky of Fayette has continued as the Watershed Association’s Lake Steward. His major role is that of good will emissary of 30 MRWA on each of the 11+ waterbodies as he patrols the watershed in the organization’s distinctive red boat.  Specifically, he educates boaters about safe boating practices, helps in plant surveys, watches for potential zoning violations, and places and maintains speed buoys on Flying Pond.  

Lake Visitors Program: In this new program, representatives from the 30 Mile River Watershed Association will partner with individual lake associations to visit lake residents at their camps and homes, building support for the work of the local lake association and 30MRWA.  They will encourage membership in the lake association and support of both through volunteering and/or making tax deductible contributions. The Lake Visitor program will be piloted this year on Androscoggin Lake and Parker Pond.  

Minnehonk Lake Association : In June we convened a meeting of Minnehonk Lake residents to discuss the possibility of their forming a lake association.   There was a strong show of support for the idea, and a core group took on the planning and organizing to quickly move the idea forward.  They are in the process of becoming incorporated as a Maine non-profit and will hold their first Minnehonk Lake Association meeting August 13th at 7:00 PM in the Mt. Vernon Community Center.  

Monthly Meetings: We continue to meet the 3rd Tuesday of every month, at 6:30 PM in the 2nd floor Bearce Hall conference room of Kents Hill School.  Meetings are open to the public. Over the winter and spring we had a series of  speakers from the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance, Friends of Cobbossee, Megunticook, and the Maine DEP.  We will continue the speaker series in the fall.  

Paddling Trek: Saturday, August 15th will be our first annual paddling trek down the 30 Mile River (rain date of August 16th).  Paddlers can join for all or part of the 10 mile trip from the north end of Echo to to the north end of Adroscoggin.  Volunteers will be available to assist with portages, and a shuttle will get participants back to their vehicles.  For more information or to sign-up, contact Lidie Robbins at lidiew@hotmail.com or 293-2181. 

Camp Road Maintenance Workshops – Free: Road run-off is a major source of lake deterioration as development increases. Proper road construction and maintenance can prevent this. Clyde Walton, 30 Mile River board member and expert on such techniques will be giving a series of free 2-hour walking seminars this summer. Requests for one to happen on your camp road can be made by contacting Lidie Robbins at lidew@hotmail.com, 293-2181).  For more details, visit www.30mileriver.org and click on “worskshops.”  

Maps and t-shirts available: We have 11×16 inch laminated maps of the whole watershed, which have been created for us by the Kennebec Soil and Water District from USGS maps, avaiable for $7 each or $5 for 5 or more. We also have T shirts with the 30 Mile River logo on them for $10 in small, med, large and xlarge. These are available at each member lake association annual meeting and from Dan Onion (flying Pd), 19 Klir Beck Rd., Vienna (293-2076); Dick McKeen (Echo Lake), 398 Point Dr, Mt. Vernon (685-4298); Charlie Clauss (Lovejoy Pd), 211 Lovejoy Pd. Rd., Wayne (685-9022) 

Help, or send tax-deductible contributions, or both.

Gearing up volunteer and staff boat inspectors to inspect boats for invasive milfoil and other invasive plants in its watershed, Lidie Robbins, of Vienna, the new executive director of the 30 Mile River Watershed Association, and its Board of directors laid out plans to expand that program this year as well as do more public education to preserve water quality in the watershed at the organization’s monthly board meeting at Kent’s Hill school Tuesday night. Bob Moore, executive director of the Friend’s of Cobbossee spoke of similar projects that neighboring watershed group had implemented.

Robbins discussed the letter of interest submission to the Environmental Funders Network, proposing $95 000 over 3 years beginning in September of 2009. If chosen as a finalist, the 30 Mile River Watershed would be requested to submit a full proposal during the summer. The group will be submitting a proposal to the Department of Environmental Protection to fund the courtesy boat inspection program. The grants committee, chaired by Readfield director Dan Meyer, will meet over the next month to plan future funding requests from other foundations.

Robbins requested a volunteer coordinator for each water body to be identified by each lake/pond association director. Flying has identified theirs already. She continues to  search for a paid coordinator. Alecia Tenney of Chesterville, who did it last year, will help get started. Robbins will advertise at local stores, in local papers and outreach in the next two weeks to Unity College, UMA, UMF, and the College of the Atlantic.

Dan Onion, president and Parker Pond director, appointed a summer event planning committee to work with Robbins. The board envisions a watershed-long trek/paddle over a summer weekend to celebrate the beauty and value of the resource. Charles Clauss of Lovejoy Pond, Pocassett director David Randall, Tilton/Basis/David Pond director Debbie Cayer, and Chesterville director Bill Dunham were asked to serve.

The fundraising committee, chaired by Dick Mckeen reported on its work. Fayette director Leon Bresloff submitted a proposal for a lake visitor that  would send representatives of both 30 Mile River and the local lake association to each home/camp on all the lakes/ponds in the watershed during the summer to promote membership in the lake association, volunteering for some environmental protection activity and/or financial support for that, encouragement to participate in lake association annual meetings and 30 Mile River summer events and offerings, offer 30 Mile River maps, calendars, and T-shirts for sale. Bresloff will further refine this proposal for next month’s meeting.
Meyer reported that he had successfully petitioned a warrant for $225 on the June Readfield town meeting. He arrived at this figure with town officials by estimating the percentage of Readfield’s territory in the 30 Mile watershed and taking that percentage of their contribution to the Cobbossee watershed district. Mt. Vernon director Mitch Flick is working with his town officials on a warrant for that town meeting in June.

Androscoggin Lake director Debbie Hite requested a delegation to meet with her board in May or June to discuss mutual benefits. Mckeen, Clauss, Robbins, and Bresloff will go.

The group spoke briefly about the need to develop boat inspection and other activities on Minnehonk lake, which has no lake association. Directors will discuss and explore ideas with acquaintances on that water body over the next month and have a discussion of strategies at the group’s May meeting.
The Vienna selectmen named Jim Anderberg to the open Vienna director’s position the day after this meeting. He will join the board at its May meeting.
The next meeting is set for May 19, 2009, Bearce Hall, Kent’s Hill School at 6:30p.m.

Lidie Whittier Robbins of Vienna will become the part-time executive director of the 30 Mile River Watershed Association on March 1^st, after a unanimous vote of the Association’s Board of Directors at last Tuesday night’s board meeting at Kent’s Hill School.

Robbins grew up in the watershed on Parker Pond and returned here three years ago after earning a Bachelors degree in environmental science from Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and a Masters of Education in environmental education from the University of Minnesota in Duluth. She subsequently worked for six years as a park ranger-naturalist and environmental educator for the National Park Service in parks including Yellowstone and Denali, a year as an environmental education specialist at an elementary school in Minnesota, a year as program director for the Montana Outdoor Science School in Bozeman, and five years as education director for the Northern Forest Center in Concord, New Hampshire.

Over the past two years, she has played a central role in the formation of the 30 Mile River Watershed Association planning and founding, and has represented Vienna on the Board of Directors. She chaired the invasive species committee, acquired a DEP milfoil grant and supervised its implementation, and facilitated the Association’s annual retreat last year.  She will now resign her Vienna director’s position as she assumes the executive director role

Dan Onion, Parker Pond representative to the board and president, said the board considered an open search but eventually unanimously decided to offer the position to Robbins because of her qualifications and demonstrated leadership skills, as well as because she was willing to accept the contingent nature of the offer; in other words, that the amount of time she would work this year will depend on how much money the Association raises from sponsoring organizations, grants, and donations.

In other business, the directors also reviewed and directed the executive committee to revise a draft job description for the new executive director. A draft budget, submitted by the executive committee by treasurer Liz Hays, Flying Pond Improvement Association director, was reviewed and accepted as a working budget. It projects town member income similar to last year but with modest new contributions this year from Chesterville and Readfield. It includes the new commitments from the Kennebec Land Trust and similar commitments to last year from the lake associations and the Belgrade Region Conservation Alliance. And finally, it anticipates at least an additional $3000 in grants and donations beyond the $5000 raised last year for a total income of $21 500 and similar expenses. In addition, the Association has $3000 carryover from last year. The budget includes $10,500 for executive director salary from March 1 through the end of the year. A cash flow analysis shows funds to cover expenses month to month as anticipated.

Town directors briefly reviewed town report content writing and warrant writing. Dick McKeen, Echo Lake director, announced a major fund-raising committee push to begin this spring. Website committee (Mitch Flick, Mt. Vernon director; David Randall, Pocassett director; Lidie Robbins) will review the new revised website content and make further changes including new photos of officers and executive director as desired; Debbie Hite, Androscoggin Lake Improvement director took the pictures.

Peter Kallin, PhD, executive director, Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance, spoke to the group about that organization’s current programs and their interdigitation with those of the 30 Mile River Watershed Association.

Next Meeting will be Tuesday, March 17, Bearce Hall, Kent’s Hill School, 6:30 pm, and the 3^rd Tuesday of each month thereafter.

The 30 Mile River Watershed Association’s board of directors completed its first year of operations, designed to protect and preserve the Watershed from its headwaters in Kimball Pond all the way to the entrance of the Androscoggin Deadwater into the river of the same name, at its last meeting of 2008, Tuesday evening at Kent’s Hill School’s Bearce Hall. The board members summarized the fledgling organization’s accomplishments and began making plans for 2009.

Charles Clauss, at-large board member and assistant treasurer announced a $3109 balance for the end of the year, $19,000 of town, lake associations, and individual as well as corporate donations, and $16,000 of expenses, primarily to support invasive plant inspections, surveys, and lake steward patrols across the watershed in 2008. The invasives coordinator, Alecia Tenney of Chesterville worked nearly 450 hours over the summer for the watershed; and Adrien Polky of Fayette, lake steward worked over 100 hours doing boat patrols. In addition, several thousand dollars worth of in-kind contributions from volunteer inspectors as well as corporate goods and services, including much of the organization’s boat’s maintenance by Clarke Marine, further extended the protection/preservation programs.

Lidie Robbins, Vienna director and convener of the November 15 board retreat to brainstorm the organization’s goals and objectives for the next 3-5 years, led a discussion of the retreat summary (appended below). The board, after extensive discussion of how to proceed, formed three committees to take these ideas and suggestions and flesh out priorities and action plans. Dick McKeen, Echo Lake Association director, will chair a committee to create a coherent fund raising strategy; Dan Onion, Parker Pond Association representative, will chair a committee to develop watershed-specific environmental protection education and outreach programs, many in partnership with other local entities; and Debby Cayer, David/Tilton/Basin Pond association representative, will co-chair with Lidie Robbins a network-building committee amongst the lake associations and other groups in the watershed. All will make an initial report back to the group at its annual meeting, Tuesday January 20, 2009.

Lidie Robbins’ Invasives Committee report included that paid staff put in over 575 hours implementing boat inspections and education while watershed volunteers donated a similar number of hours. Other minor expenses resulted in over $8000 plus $6000 of volunteer time going into the project this year.

Dan Onion and Adrien Polky summarized the 2008 lake steward program for the board. He visited each body of water in the watershed except Pocassett Lake by arranging permission to launch the Association’s boat at private launches when public ones were unavailable. Lake steward salary came to $1600, boat maintenance and storage $900 plus over half again that amount in corporate donated services, and $750 in insurance costs. The board had a discussion of upgrading the lake steward to inland harbormaster status on some town waters; Polky will look into the annual harbormaster course given by the state of Maine. He also recommended that next year the lake steward could expand his duties to include plant surveys, boat inspections for invasives, and monitoring for point and non-point pollution sources in the watershed. He plans to take state-offered training in shoreland zoning rules over the winter.

Dan Onion made a president’s report to the board which included a listing of all non-profit filing requirements all of which are up to date, a nominating committee to be chaired by Charles Clauss to report a slate of officers and at large members at the January annual meeting, and a list of donors whose donations will be tax-deductible to the non-profit 501c3 association over the fall.

Diana McLaughlin, Kennebec Land Trust board representative, presented and discussed her revisions to the Association’s brochure. The group reviewed and decided the final format for its logo design which Clauss will adapt to the stationery and brochure. And finally the new website created for the 30 Mile River Watershed Association (http://www.30mileriver.org/) was reviewed. The board then voted to send letters of thanks and appreciation for this and other extensive help in the Associations first year and beyond to Rist Bonnefond, Kent’s Hill School headmaster and the website developer, Chris Gibson of also of the school. Kent’s Hill has provided meeting places all year for the board at the school.

Lastly the directors reviewed the status of each and need for annual reappointment or new appointments by the constituent sponsoring organizations in time for the upcoming annual meeting, Tuesday, January 20, 2009, 630pm, Bearce Hall, Kent’s Hill School.

Board member profiles:

Clyde Walton

Clyde Walton is a former manager of landscape and environmental mitigation 

for the Maine Department of Transportation.  He is a licensed practitioner  in

landscape architecture, site and soil evaluation and land surveying.   His

fifty years of experience includes large-scale landscape design, scenic 

enhancement, landscape forestry, vegetation management, soil erosion and  sediment

control, facility planning, site design, riparian restoration and  littoral

preservation as well as development of recycling and sustainable  technologies for

cost-effective site mitigation systems.  In addition to  receiving two

international awards and a national one, he has been recognized  with ten more for

his statewide involvement in protecting Maine’s natural and  urban environment. 

To most he is well known for his volunteerism.

Norman Stiles

Norman Stiles is a graduate of Purdue University as a doctor of veterinary 

medicine.  He served in the United States Air Force as a base veterinarian  in

Wetherfield, England.  He was assistant professor of radiology at the 

University of Georgia.  He practice veterinary medicine at a small animal  practice

in Falmouth, Maine for thirty-five years.  He is past president of  the Maine

Veterinary Medical Association and a member of the state board of  veterinary

medicine.  He is past president of the Echo Lake  Association.

Thirty Mile River Watershed AssociationBoard RetreatNovember 15, 2008 SESSION SUMMARIES Title                                                                                                            Page 

1. Building Community Engagement                                                                             2
2. Know Your Neighbor, Pool Your Resources                                                             3
3. Safety Education in Conjunction with Protection of Wildlife and Plants                 4
4. Fundraising                                                                                                                 5
5. Alternative Membership Category                                                                              6
6. Educational Services Development                                                                            7
7. Proposal to Encourage/Promote Ordinance Development                                         8
8. Proposal for More Effective Networking with Other Conservation Organizations   9

Building Community EngagementSubmitted by Diana McLaughlin Considerations

1. What activities would add value and not compete with other like minded organizations for time and resources?  (ALIC perceives 30 Mi R efforts as competition for resources – Debbie Hite)
2. Need to get results to show what we can do well, where we can add value, build on successes
3. Keep focus sharp, persistent, keep eye on main goal(s)

Strategies
Ø  Create questionnaire to find out what people’s concerns areSend questionnaire from 30 Mile R or give to local lake associations to send? Ø  Go door to door in pairs Ø  Have a 30 Mi R liaison to each lake association 

Ø  Find “point person” for each lake who can make personal connection with local members Ø  Neighborhood groups can be effective (like Echo Lake) Ø  Hold summit of lake associations to learn from each others’ strategies (concern:  commitment of time and resources to organize this) Ø  Develop visual aideso   presentation like “PowerPoint” (KLT has this)o   Use logo on all our printed material 

Ø  Work with educational outreach staff for schools (connect with Kents Hill School) examples BRCA, Theresa Kerchner, Anne Huntington, Friends of Cobbossee 
Ø  Facilitate network of lake associations, like CoLA, but just our region:  30 Mi R could support network  Ø  Encourage newsletter sharing between lake associationso   Develop inventory of newsletter articles from each lake association so one can borrow good pieces from anothero   Have school children write articleso   30 Mi R could provide ½ to 1 page item to provide to local lake associations to include in their newsletters (Lovejoy Pond does this to reach owners of rental camps)o   Send newsletter to all lake/ pond property owners, not just association members? 

Know Your Neighbor, Pool Your Resources
Submitted by Debbie Hite We represent many ponds and lakes in this watershed and, although we’ve been together for close to a year, we probably know very little about each other’s “neighborhood.”    Each one has its particular features (beaches, launches, other attractions, youth camps, etc.), its areas of concern (public vs private access,  boating issues, threats to wildlife, pollution, development, etc.),  and its demographics (# year-round vs seasonal/occasional visitors, etc).       This information could be obtained through a short oral or written summary, provided by each member, or in a more public forum.    We discussed the idea of a Watershed Summit to be held mid to late summer, whereby lake residents (board members and/or others) could share this information through any variety of creative, visual media. The objective would be for folks to come away with a clearer picture of who and what comprises the 30 Mile River Watershed. The accompanying piece would be to gather information from the various lake and pond associations about their experiential knowledge.  Let’s try to identify the IPP folks, the lake water quality monitors, the CBIs, the photographers, the biologists, the botanists, the Maine guides, the participants in Lake Smart.  What associations have gone after/obtained grants; which ones have used Americorps or the Youth Conservation Corps for their projects.  How can we benefit from each other’s collective knowledge and experience?    There are undoubtedly resources and valuable reference information right here in the 30 Mile River.        Safety Education in Conjunction with Protection of Wildlife and PlantsSubmitted by Anne Schaad Determine interests of target audiences, e.g. each pond or lake, and best or most effective methods to educate them Combine boating regulations regarding personal safety with plant and wildlife protection when possible, e.g. 200 foot no wake area with shore erosion and loon protection  Method of distribution of educational materials:

• One page poster/handout
• CD with wildlife pictures

 Organizations to distribute educational materials to:
·         Lake associations – newsletters, etc.
·         General stores
·         Town offices
·         Libraries
·         Schools
·         Courtesy boat inspectors
·         Similar organizations Signage at both public and private launching sites FundraisingSubmitted by Bill Dunham  Participants: (Dunham, Onion, McKeen) We will focus on three areas:

1. Town support: including educating schools and selectman boards on the benefits of supporting.
2. Grants
3. Donations from individuals and corporations

 TOWNS: The participation of each town is paramount. We will suggest support levels for individual towns, not try to make certain amounts mandatory. Try to align with the Town Conservation Commissions to become part of their yearly budget . GRANTS: This winter Dan, Leon (who has volunteered to help) and Bill will create a proposal to fund a three year educational outreach program ( a part-time staff position). We will seek $25,000 start up $ to be replaced with charitable donations. The Bingham Betterment Fund is a good candidate and the Maine Community Foundation and a foundation Clyde Walton mentioned. CHARITABLE DONATIONS: Should we seek to create some form of membership in addition to Town and Lake Associations?  Would lake associations feel we were competing with them?Each board member should reach out to one individual for money before year’s end.Can we ask lake associations for their mailing lists so 30mile can approach camp owners for support? We need to forma 3 -4 person FR subcommittee(Dan, Dick, Leon and Bill)Come back and report in January.Create presentations (power point, brochure) RESOURCES: Use Bill Swan as a resource- ask him to do FR presentation to our board.Peter Kallin (ex. dir) and Bob Moore of Cobbossee  Alternative Membership CategorySubmitted by Bill Dunham Participants: David, Leon and Bill We agreed it would be a good idea to create, just on paper initially, the category of “Director at Large” as a way to honor and to increase the sense of ownership in the organization and its mission, those individual and corporate donors who have provided steady, major financial support.  Some thought we might also include in this category such nonprofit organizations as Land For Maine Futures, the Maine Community Foundation, National Waterkeepers Association(pres from Augusta, another T. from Maine), The Nature Conservancy, Burt’s Bees. Leon wants to work with Bill on doing grant research and writing.We’d like to get a grant for more CEO hours. Educational Services Development

Submitted by Dan Onion

Participants: Charlie Clauss, Lidie Robbins, Norm Stiles, Dan Onion

Next steps:

1. Inventory educational resources locally, especially Cobbossee Waterhsed district, Friends of Cobbossee, land trusts, and town conservation commissions to find potential programs and staff to share.

2. Seek start-up monies to hire or contract for a part-time educator.

3. Develop 1 or 2 programs for next summer

 Proposal to Encourage/Promote Ordinance Development Re: Watershed Issues in all Towns in our Watershed Including Shoreline Zoning and Other Runoff Issues, Education and Enforcement
Submitted by Deb Cayer  Ø Uniformity of watershed shoreline ordinances throughout 30 mile watershed.
Ø Uniformity of enforcement of the laws through our code enforcement officers
Ø Uniformity between local ordinances and the DEP, towns need to update.
Ø Education of landowners about updated shoreline and resource protection ordinance. IDEAS FOR IMPLEMENTATION
Ø Each town representative would start the process of collection, review, and update of shoreline/resource protection ordinance in concert with town officials.
Ø Have a seminar or a series of seminars for the CEO’s with our agenda to encourage uniform interpretation and enforcement of the laws throughout the watershed with emphasis on preservation and conservation, also offering our help in ways they might need us, such as help with application process or getting more hours.  Inviting conservation trainers and the DEP/VLMP to these seminars with specific presentations and question/answer periods.
Ø Education of road crews with programs already in force such as the NEMO program through the DEP.
Ø Landowner education of ordinance and non-point source pollution. Ø  Schools; Churches; Road associations; Town web sites; Neighbors;  Tax Bill enclosures; Boat Inspectors; Lake associations.
Ø  Use signage “Before you cut call” also idea of “Now entering 30 mile river watershed.”

Proposal for More Effective Networking with Other Conservation Organizations
Submitted by Deb Cayer 
Ø List other area organizations including their missions, objectives, and goals and develop a database with website contacts.
Ø Inform these organizations of our purpose, mission and goals and willingness to partnership on projects of similar interest. Include e-mails to each current director.
o   Belgrade region conservation association
o   Congress of lake associations
o   Volunteer lake monitoring program
o   Department of environmental protection
o   Lakes environmental association
o   Soil and water conservation districts
o   Kennebec land trust
o   Androscoggin land trust
o   University of Maine cooperative extension
o   Town conservation commissions
o    Warden service
o    Friends of cobbosseecontee
o    Maine Audubon
o    Trout unlimited
o    Sportsman’s alliance of Maine
o    Inland Fish and Wildlife
o    Department of conservation
o    Department of Transportation
o    Maine emergency management agency
o    Maine principles association

Over 70 trained volunteers and 3 paid staff inspected more than 350 motorized boats on the 30 Mile River Watershed this summer, looking for invasive plants, during a total of 300 volunteer and 260 paid staff hours devoted to the organization’s milfoil interdiction program, according to Alecia Tenney, invasive plant inspections coordinator for the 30 Mile River Watershed Association (30 MRWA), and Lidie Robbins, chair of the invasives committee and Vienna representative, at the group’s monthly meeting Tuesday, September 16 at Kent’s Hill School.

They reported inspection activity winding down as summer ends and vacationers go home, but are planning to jump-start inspections next spring with current volunteer lists and an earlier start then the new organization was able to implement this year. They also reported the completion of level II plant surveys, conducted by volunteers on Echo, Parker, David and part of Androscoggin as well as around the boat ramps on Kimball, Taylor, Flying and Tilton.

Adrien Polky, the organization’s Lake Steward, reported a presence on all waterbodies except Pocassett,  in the chain this summer, including multiple visits on several. The Association’s bright red boat ran well this summer and will be put in storage shortly after the speed buoys on Flying Pond are retrieved next week. Clark Marine in Manchester, has been providing free boat maintenance, materials at cost, and free winter storage for the fledgling non-profit watershed protection association. The board voted a motion of appreciation to them for this help.

Dan Onion, president and Parker Pond representative, reviewed with the board the legal filings enumberated by Rob Levin, the organization’s lawyer who helped the association meet legal requirements, needed for various state and federal agencies. Josh Robbins, the association’s registered agent, submitted its annual report to the state of Maine last month. The group expressed appreciation for his pro bono help and voted to reimburse Robbin’s firm, David Sanders, the $65 in fees they paid on the organization’s behalf. Onion also announced the purchase with funds from a donor, of a business flip chart for the group to use in planning sessions and at formal presentation as he did recently to the Pocassett Lake Association.

The first annual “RUN THE RIVER” will take place on Saturday, September 20 (rain date Sunday) during which board members and friends of the river will launch non-motorized craft from the far reaches of the watershed and converge on a small island in Echo Lake at noon to celebrate the first successful year of formal actions to protect the whole watershed. All interested in the watershed are invited to join the “run” to Dick McKeen’s (Echo Lake representative) cottage and island at the top of the crotch on Crotched (Echo) Pond.

David Randall, Pocassett Lake Association representative, displayed a revision of the group’s logo which he as been perfecting and the board of directors adopted the one with wrap-around writing. Diana McLaughlin, Kennebec Land Trust representative, solicited suggestions for brochure revisions and will incorporate several of them in a final version.

Bill Dunham reported further work on a final website, but our current one (http://user.aol.com/t30mrwa/htm/development.html) is up and running smoothly per Charles Clauss of Wayne, director at large.

The board discussed solicitation of charitable contributions. Several board members have already made some and a guest at the meeting offered a substantial donation as well. The board asked the president to encourage tax-deductible donations between now and the end of the year. The directors approved a standard thank-you letter on organization stationery to be sent to all such donors in order to both express appreciation for support of watershed protection and document their tax-deductible contribution. Donations may be given to any board member or mailed to: 30 MRWA, 19 Klir Beck Rd., Vienna, ME 04360.

The board discussed several other broad topics, besides charitable contributions, in which it would like to define projects, including: community involvement, grant funding especially for non-point pollution prevention, community education about invasive plants and animals as well as non-point pollution from roads and septic systems. It decided to substitute a day-long retreat in early November for the board, to address these issues. Lidie Robbins and Dan Onion will organize this. Dates of November 1, 8, or 15^th were discussed and one chosen based on which can allow greatest board participation.  Next regular meeting of the board will be held the third Tuesday in January, January 20.

Board profiles:

Mark Robinson is the Town Manager of Fayette, Maine.  He represents Fayette on the Thirty Mile River Watershed Association board.

Ann P. Schaad retired as a lieutenant and legal counsel for the Maine State Police in 2005.  After making her home on and appreciating Lovejoy Pond for the past twenty-five years, Ms. Schaad is interested in preserving its natural beauty for future generations.

William Swan has served as director on the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance for many years.  He is currently serving as the Chairman of the Land Trust Committee for the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance.  He is also on the Land Trust Committee.  He is a Maine Guide and an avid outdoorsman.

A contemporary description of  an 18^th century up our 30 mile river watershed:

Thomas Fish’s Second Trip to Port Royal (Livermore), 1773Source: Israel Washburn, Notes, historical, descriptive, and personal, of Livermore, in Androscoggin (formerly in Oxford) county, Maine [Ancestry.com] (Portland, Bailey & Noyes, 1874).[p. 139]    Journal of a second visit to Port Royal in 1773.    August 23 Day* To winthoop [Winthrop] to attend Town meeting to Se if thay would Lay out road to meat ours 29 Sunday 30th at Town meting 31 monday hom againe.Sept. 3 Day 1773 To vew the Road Mr How markd to Se if I cold not Sheer the Swamppy land But found Noe way Nor found Noe way to crose fishes Brook with a bridge.4 Day to the Southard of the marks but found Noe way for the Road to goe Near the marks.6 Day up fishes Brook and found it could Be pased by a Bridge about 1 mile 1⁄2 from the River Struck of for Bever Brook and found whare it could be forded about 2 miles from the River.7 Day marked from fishes Brooks to Bever Dito and vewd to Se if the Road could come from fishes Brook to the River and found vary good Land for a Road.8 Day went to Beaver Brook and markd E S E and Struck our Town Line about 3 miles from grate Andarsscoggen Pond and went to 30 miles River to Se if the Road could Not goe further to the E and North to Bring it Strait with my marks but found a vary Swamp.9 Day Tuck a beach hill Near the Town Line and found it went up with a modret assent and Doun with a modret Desent and markd North about 2 miles to Beaver Brook and Struck my marks about half a mile to the west of our Town Line.Octobr 5, 1773 to wintrup to Let out and See a Bout a Bridge. 6 Up to Mr Craigg Let out the Bridge to Mr Craigg Struck of west and By Southard and Struck Brags Lot.7 Day home and vewed the Road with Mr How.      *Major Fish seems to have returned to Maine in August.    [p. 140]    Recd of Capt Brown Mr whitemore Mr googe peirse commite to Phips Cannayday [now Jay and Canton]    4 axes    Markd S. W.    Recd at Poart Royal    to take care of    but not to    hazard     Octobr ye 12d    1773                2 Md Huds W    1 Meat Tub    1 Butter Dito    2 Keggs Mkd A. B.

    1 Box of Mr Ivory

Volunteers provided over 150 hours of courtesy boat inspections on the 30 mile watershed so far this year according to Alecia Tenney of Chesterville, coordinator/educator of invasive plant inspections in her report to the Watershed Association’s board of directors at its monthly meeting at Kents Hill School Tuesday night. With Tenney’s own inspections and those of part-time paid inspectors hired by the Association, over 200 hours of inspections have occurred through the first week in August at the public boat launches on this chain of lakes in central Maine which empties into the Androscoggin River above Lewiston.

Lloyd Irland, Association Treasurer reported a several dollar surplus in the organization’s bank account thanks to full support from organizational members and several contributions from individual contributors. Tubby’s Ice Cream stand in Wayne has donated gift certificates to go to volunteer boat inspectors. Clark Marine has contributed discounted services and storage for the organization’s bright red lake steward patrol boat, run by lake steward, Adrien Polky of Fayette.

The Board also accepted a revised allocation proposal of lake steward and invasive plant coordinator times among the various water bodies in the watershed. The lake steward will devote over 100 hours and the Tenney over 500 hours to the watershed this summer.

David Randall, Pocassett Lake Association representative, presented his revised logo for the Association to be used on our brochure, website, and stationery.

Dick McKeen, Echo Lake Association representative and treasurer, presented the Dam Committee’s summary report which included photographs, permitting applications, and contact names for each of the 10 dams on the watershed.

Dan Onion, Parker Pond Association representative reported on that annual meeting and its support of 30 MRWA, as did Dick McKeen for Echo LA. Chris Merchant and Wayne Davis who live on Minnehonk, the only large water body on the chain without an organized lake association, attended the meeting to explore the possibility of forming one and were encouraged to do so or to consider joining with an extant adjacent one.

The board discussed a first annual “Run the River” event, to be held Saturday, September 20 when board members and friends of the river would boat from the far reaches of the watershed and converge on Dick McKeen’s island on Echo Lake in the early afternoon.

President Dan Onion reported that Bob Marvinney of the Kennebec Land Trust, had tentatively invited him and Dick McKeen to attend a KLT board meeting in November to present the 30 Mile River purpose, plans and year one accomplishments.

The Board postponed the “community involvement/engagement” discussion until the September meeting when Lidie Robbins, Vienna representative will be able to attend. And the group also requested an extensive discussion of fund raising next month, including a charitable contributions campaign this fall, and grants including DEP milfoil funds like this year, 319 pollution grants, New England Grassroots Environment Fund monies, and possibly others.

Three board member biographies for this month:

Daniel K. Onion, a Vienna, Maine resident for twenty-five years has been working with the Town of Vienna for the past eight years developing its lake warden program to protect Vienna waters against non-point pollution, invasive plants and boating law infractions.  He is a practicing teaching physician and director emeritus at the Maine-Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency, a Professor of Community and Family Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School, author and editor of a current medical handbook series, and a member of the Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine.

David Randall is a sculptor and represents the Pocassett Lake Association on the Thirty Mile River Watershed Association.

Lidie Robbins is a seventh generation resident on Parker Pond and on the board of the Parker Pond Association, chairing the invasive plant committee.  Her training includes undergraduate and graduate degrees in environmental science and environmental education.  She has worked in the environmental education field since 1993.  She

represents the Town of Vienna.

The next board meeting will be held at 6:30 pm, Bearce Hall, Kent’s Hill School, Tuesday, September 16, and the third Tuesday of each month at the same time and place. The public is welcome to attend.

The 30 Mile River Watershed Association, a Maine and IRS 501c3 non-profit organization formed in January 2008 to protect the watershed, takes its name for that area in central Maine used by the 18^th century European explorers of the region who measured the navigable waterway northeast from the Androscoggin River in Leeds and Monmouth, through the Androscoggin Deadwater, Androscoggin Lake, Pocassett Lake, Lovejoy Pond, to the head of Echo Lake where an old tannery chimney still stands by the inlet dam from Taylor Pond. Parker Pond, Minnehonk Lake, Flying Pond and several smaller ponds lie in the headwaters in the towns of Mt. Vernon and Vienna. Tax-deductible donations may be mailed to 30 Mile Watershed Assoc, 19 Klir Beck Rd., Vienna, Maine 04360

60 volunteer boat inspectors have been trained or retrained and have already invested over 150 hours of time to help prevent invasive plant instrusions in the 30 mile watershed this summer by the fledgling 30 Mile River Watershed Association according to the organization’s coordinator of volunteers, Alecia Tenney’s report at its board of directors meeting Tuesday night at Kent’s Hill School.

The board also had an extensive discussion of how to thank these volunteer boat inspectors. As a start, the board decided that published lists of  contributors of time and/or money would be first and Lloyd Irland agreed to pursue ice cream gift certificates. In future years, an appreciation meal would be planned.

Tenney and the board invasives committee chair, Lidie Robbins reported that they also are actively interviewing and recruiting an additional number of part-time, paid boat inspectors from ecologically minded applicants and encouraged board members and the public to encourage students with those interests to apply (mtenney@fairpoint.net).

Irland’s treasurer’s report was that the Association was running within its $16000 budget for its first year. Four towns (Mt. Vernon, Vienna, Wayne, and Fayette), 7 lake associations (Parker, Flying, Lovejoy, Echo, Kimball, Pocassett, and Androcoggin), the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance, and a grant from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection have all made significant contributions.

Diana McGlaughlin, who represents the Kennebec Land Trust on the board, reported discussions there about their membership. She will seek an invitation for president, Dan Onion, to make a presentation to their board.

Adrien Polky, the new 30 Mile River Lake Steward, reported his having registered, and launched the 15 ft Glastron tri-hull boat with 50 hp 4 cycle engine transferred to 30 Mile River from the town of Vienna. He applied new lettering identifying it as the 30 Mile River Lake Steward boat. It retains its fire engine red color. He has patrolled 4 of the member lakes so far, including placing speed buoys on Flying Pond. He and Tenney have attended several lake association annual meetings this past month to “show the association flag”.

Lidie Robbins and Dan Onion presented the board with a proposed allocation of employee time across the various water bodies of the watershed based on the cost structure for member organizations created by the board last March. The board reviewed this and made one substantial revision of it, to include some patrols by the lake steward and some boat inspections by the invasives coordinator on each of the participating water bodies. Lovejoy pond representatives were especially generous in pointing out that although their contributions were substantial, they felt they benefited from similar work on adjoining lakes as much as on their own and would support some of the time allocated to them going especially to Androcoggin and Pocassett Lakes.

Dick McKeen passed out several of the recent press publications about the new organization from the Kennebec Journal and the Lake Region Reader. Dan Onion has added the email addresses of all town news webmasters, lake association members, town officers, as well as any other interested public, submitted to him by board members.

The 30 Mile River Watershed Association, a Maine and IRS 501c3 non-profit organization formed in January 2008 to protect the watershed, takes its name for that area in central Maine used by the 18^th century European explorers of the region who measured the navigable waterway northeast from the Androscoggin River in Leeds and Monmouth, through the Androscoggin Deadwater, Androscoggin Lake, Pocassett Lake, Lovejoy Pond, to the head of Echo Lake where an old tannery chimney still stands by the inlet dam from Taylor Pond. Parker Pond, Minnehonk Lake, Flying Pond and several smaller ponds lie in the headwaters in the towns of Mt. Vernon and Vienna.

Three board member biographies for this month:

Lloyd C. Irland, treasurer, represents the town of Wayne on the board. He is co-chair of the Wayne Conservation Commission. He served in the Maine Department of Conservation as Director of the Bureau of Public Lands.  He is a corporator of the Kennebec Land Trust and a member of its advisory board.  He is a consultant and lecturer on forestry industry, markets and forest resources.  He is a Fellow of the Society of American Foresters.

Richard B. McKeen, Sr., secretary, represents Echo Lake Association, of which he is a former president. He is also a former officer and director of the Maine Congress of Lake Associations.  He has knowledge and experience in building and maintaining a small, non-generating dam.

Diana McLaughlin is an Environmental Specialist at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and represents the Kennebec Land Trust on the board.

The next board meeting will be held at 6:30 pm, Bearce Hall, Kent’s Hill School, Tuesday, August 19, and the third Tuesday of each month at the same time and place. The public is welcome to attend.

Alecia Tenney, coordinator of invasive plant control, reported to the 30 Mile River Watershed Association board that volunteers and staff have put in over 120 hours on the watershed in May and June of this year, at the Association’s monthly meeting Tuesday July 1 at Kent’s Hill School’s Bearce Hall.

The 30 Mile Watershed is an 18^th century name for the region of connecting lakes and rivers from Kimball Pond, high in the Kennebeck Highlands in New Sharon and Vienna, down through Parker, Flying, Minnehonk, and Taylor ponds, then through Echo Lake, Lovejoy Pond, Pocasset Lake, and finally Androscoggin Lake and Deadwater to the Androscoggin River. The Association was formed in January 2008 to focus attention and resources on protecting the watershed from various sources of potential injury

Tenney solicited board suggestions to recruit more volunteers to do courtesy boat inspections at local boat launches during the peak summer season over the next 6 weeks and passed out a announcement for local posting. She asked that potential volunteers contact her at aleciat@fairpoint.net or 512-2309. Recruits need to attend a 1 ½ hour training session to learn how to inspect boats and fill out reports, and then volunteer to do at least a 2 hour inspection tour at a boat launch of their choice.

Adrien Polky, newly appointed lake steward for the organization, announced that the boat transferred to the Association from the town of Vienna, was now being fitted with lettering. The board voted to have “30 Mile River Lake Steward” on the side. Flying Pond speed buoys will be placed next week. Patrols on the other lakes and ponds of the watershed to remind boaters about boating laws, look for possible pollution sources, and assist in invasive plant interdiction.

Charles Clauss, at-large board member and  member of the planning group which formed the new watershed association last winter, presented a draft flier for comment. The board made several revisions and asked that he move to produce the flier quickly so it could be handed out at constituent lake association meetings this summer. It will include a map of the watershed.

Lloyd Irland, treasurer and Wayne representative presented a treasurers report showing a positive balance and on budget. The organization’s first year budget if for $15,000. The money comes from member towns, lake associations, and land trusts in the region. The board reviewed it’s projected budget and found expenses running at budget. Income was also on target with Fayette committing to $3000, $1000 over projections comparable to the other largest town contributor, Vienna. Likewise Lovejoy Pond Association’s commitment is now $1500 this year, $250 over projected and thereby becoming the largest lake association contributor. The association also obtained a $3000 Department of Environmental Protection grant to support its invasives plant program.

The board had a discussion of recruiting Minnehonk Lake residents to participate either as a separate lake association or possibly through the Flying Pond Improvement Association. Likewise, the board sought to regain Readfield town participation, lost after it’s representative, Matt Moore, resigned in May.

The board assigned speakers for several lake association meetings over the next 6 weeks. Tenney and Polky will also attend.

Dan Onion, association president and Parker Pond Association representative to the board, announced receipt of the Internal Revenue Service 501c3 designation. This ruling allows the association to solicit tax deductible donations from individuals and supplements the Maine non-profit status of the organization. Rob Levin, the association’s legal advisor, sent a letter confirming that member lake associations who do not, themselves have IRS non-profit status, may raise funds for designated projects like dam repair, using a dedicated fund with the 30 Mile River Watershed Association. Currently many have to raise funds without the benefit of tax deductibility, as Flying Pond did this past year.

Onion, who writes the news releases of the association meetings, asked board members to get the email addresses of town and lake association newsletter editors in order to expand the dissemination of the group’s activities. Anybody wishing to be on that list to receive the newsletter may email him at dko@dartmouth.edu.

Three board member biographies for this month:

Deborah Cayer is the President of the Basin, David and  Tilton Pond Association.  She is a water quality officer for the Parker Pond Association.  She has devoted many hours to plant surveying, boat inspections, and water quality testing.  Ms. Cayer is married to Board member William Dunham.

William Eiseman is an outside consultant to large corporations assisting them in arranging financing for their pollution control programs.  He also operates an architectural design and drafting company serving residential clients throughout New England.

Deborah Hite lives in Leeds and serves on the Board of the Androscoggin Lake Improvement Corporation (ALIC).  She participated as a volunteer surveyor in the 2000 survey of the lake’s watershed and helped compile the subsequent proposal for 319 NPS grant money. She is an invasive plant patroller, certified.

The next board meeting will be held at 6:30 pm, Bearce Hall, Kent’s Hill School, Tuesday July 22 and then the third Tuesday of each month at the same time and place. The public is welcome to attend.

Adrien Polky of Fayette was named the first Lake Steward for the 30 Mile River Watershed by the Association’s board of directors at its monthly meeting June 3 at Bearce Hall, Kent’s Hill School. Bill Dunham, vice president of the Association and chair of the lake steward committee, presented a final job description for the position and moderated a dialogue between the board and Polky, the committee’s recommended choice. The board subsequently offered the job to Polky who accepted. 

Polky is a former fire chief in Fayette and educator for a state agency. Dunham explained that the job will begin as just a one hundred hour lake steward public education job this summer but will “morph” into a position with town appointed inland harbormaster responsibilities perhaps as early as next year. This year Polky will place and monitor the speed buoys on Flying Pond for the town of Vienna as well as principle duties on much of the 30 mile watershed of reminding boaters of boating safety laws and invasive plant precautions and residents of how to protect the area from point and non-point pollution. Those three areas are the Association’s main objectives to protect the watershed. Matt Moore, an environmental educator at Kent’s Hill School, held a similar, lake warden position in past years for the town of Vienna. Moore will help orient Polky to those waters.  

The 30 Mile Watershed is an 18^th century name for the region of connecting lakes and rivers from Kimball Pond, high in the Kennebeck Highlands in New Sharon and Vienna, down through Parker, Flying, Minnehonk, and Taylor ponds, then through Echo Lake, Lovejoy Pond, Pocasset Lake, and finally Androscoggin Lake and Deadwater to the Androscoggin River. The Association was formed in January 2008 to focus attention and resources on protecting the watershed from various sources of potential injury.  

Lidie Robbins, chair of the Association’s invasives committee, and Alecia Tenney, the organizaton’s newly hired invasives coordinator, reported to the board that volunteer boat inspections for invasive plants had begun at several boat launches in the watershed. But more volunteers are needed for the anticipated busy boating summer months and may contact Tenney at mtenney@fairpoint.net.  

Treasurer Lloyd Irland of Wayne reported that the new organization’s $15,000 budget was on target with the receipt of the $3000 Department of Protection grant to support milfoil boat inspections as well as contributions from all 8 member lake associations, both land trusts, and most of the 8 member towns. Charles Claus, at large member from Lovejoy Pond Improvement Association and Wayne reported that Clark Marine of Manchester has offered to provide annual maintenance and storage for the non-profit organization’s boat. 

David Randall of Wayne and the Pocassett Lake Association volunteered to begin creating a logo design for the Association. And Diana McGlaughlin of the Kennebec Land Trust will create text for a simple brochure before the next scheduled meeting the first Tuesday in July at Kent’s Hill’s Bearce Hall. 

Dan Onion of Vienna and the Parker Pond Association, and Lidie Robbins will begin planning a day-long event for board members this summer to explore the length of the watershed. The board directed president Onion to include biographies of at least two board members in the Association’s newsletter each month. Board member biographies: -William H. Dunham, Vice President, is a former president of the Parker Pond Association and a past trustee of the David Pond Association.  He is on the Board of Directors of the Kennebec Land Trust.  He is also a former director of the Montana Land Reliance and Trout Unlimited Council. -Mitchell Flick is an attorney in Winthrop and represents the Town of Mount Vernon on the Thirty Mile River Watershed Association Board. He lives on Parker Pond.-Elizabeth C. Hayes is a homeowner on Flying Pond and a business owner on Minnehonk Pond.  She has served on the Board of Trustees for the Flying Pond Improvement Association for five years where she has coordinated the Invasive Plant Inspection Program; she also has served on the Vienna Ponds Preservation Committee and Steering Committee for this organization.