SPRING, 2010

Look for your Money Calendars in May and help us sell enough Raffle tickets to FIGHT THE WEEDS that endanger our swimmers, wildlife and property value.

The SPA is calling all volunteers for the Spring Clean-Up.

Since the city began removing the nuisance Canadian geese from Flax Pond and Gannon Golf Course, many have settled at Sluice Pond and they have already driven away our native duck and ducklings. We are asking all residents to refrain from feeding the geese. IF YOU SPOT A NEST, EGGS CAN BE ADDLED BY SHAKING THEM OR RUBBING ANY TYPE OF OIL ON THEM. This will discourage the geese that have recently arrived at Sluice Pond to nest elsewhere.

We are still collecting membership dues of $20/household for 2010 so if you haven't paid your $20 membership please sign up online, contact an officer or send a check to Sluice Pond Association to Ruth Sarrette, 39 Bacheller Street, Lynn, 01904. There are 165 homes on Sluice Pond and we hope to increase our membership to improve our chances of getting more support for recreational activities and public property improvements.

Information about the scheduled fishing tournaments for Sluice Pond can be obtained at Ippi's Bait and Tackle. Tournaments are scheduled every two weeks in spring and fall and prizes of up to $300 can be caught for those preregistered. Lynn Fish and Game stocks sluice Pond with bass, trout, salmon and runs tournaments for adults, juniors and children.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

WEED TREATMENT, STORM DRAINS and GEESE RAISED WITH WARD 1 CITY COUNCILOR

Mark Falzone's office has announced that there will be no state support for fighting the weeds to avoid dangers of drowning and death for wildlife in our ponds. The Aquatic Nuisance bill filed last year and the preceding year for $40,000 will not be available for FY 2010. The Board Officers have already raised weed control related issues with the city for Sluice Pond including boat ramp gates (flood control), new buoys for some control over boaters causing damage on the North side of the pond with their wakes.

We sought assistance from Lynn Water and Sewer for design of a boat washing station with faucets and drainage at the Briar Cliff parking lot for an invasive weed prevention program. We want to assist boat owners to remove all nuisance weeds from boats and trailers prior to entering the pond to control invasive weeds. We are also seeking new message buoys for boaters and assistance with shoreline vegetation and related public access issues.

Other items discussed:

-- re-directed storm water and street run off into the sewer system, there would be less water entering Sluice. We are monitoring federal Recovery Act funds for assistance with the storm drainage into the pond.
-the egg addling project led by Wayne was successful on Flax Pond, a couple of geese families were missed on Sluice and we need help by abbutters to addle the eggs.
-the continued Title V septic system vs. city sewage issue with a house on Sutcliffe. A letter was sent to the Department of Public Health for assistance with the continuous problem of discharge into the pond from an unknown source that causes "soap bubbles" in the coves.

Wayne suggested getting a list of items to him from the Sluice Pond Association to get our questions answered.