| The thirtieth annual meeting of
Tripp Lake Improvement Association was held on Saturday morning, July 12,
2003 with over 50 in attendance. New co-Presidents Judy King and Linda
Laskey conducted the meeting with lightness and levity, each reporting on
different aspects of their presidencies. Linda also introduced special
guests to the group, State
Senator Neria Douglass and State Representative Lois Snowe-Mello.
Special thanks were given to people who have served the
Association in various ways. The original group of men who organized and
incorporated TLIA in 1973 were honored.
They were: President James Aikman, Vice-President Lewis Murray,
Secretary Charles Rodway, Treasurer Peter Jordan and Board members Ronald
Getchell, Donald Goss and Bert Skehan.
Plaques were awarded to Bud Jordan, retiring head of the
Poland Highway Department and to A. Barry MacMillan, retiring Board
member. Bud was honored as
having been a true friend  of
Tripp Lake, by teaching
people about conservation practices and
by being actively involved in maintaining roads, ditches and the
Public Beach. Barry was
thanked for her tireless work, especially in sales of TLIA merchandise and
for helping on the Long-Range Watershed Management Plan.
Babs Shapiro, former TLIA President, was given the first-ever Lake
Environmentalist award which will hereafter be awarded yearly to a
deserving member. “Think
Green” is our theme.
John
Laskey, Volunteer Lake Monitor, gave
his State-of-the Lake report in which he reported no great changes in the
health of the  lake
We are about average as lakes go.
The biggest problem is when oxygen levels at the bottom of the lake
reach very low levels towards
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the end of the summer.
However, with the advent of cooler weather and wave action, the
level returns to normal. We
must remain cognizant of the dangers to the lake from runoff. Runoff (sand and its attendant phosphorous) can result in
algal blooms. It’s imperative that people buffer their property with
plantings which will absorb runoff before it enters the lake. Advice and planning of buffers can be obtained by calling
Phoebe Hardesty at Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation
District,(207-753-9400) or by calling Dana Littlefield at Shaker Hill
Nursery for information re: appropriate shoreline plants. (Note: a 10%
discount will be given to members with ID cards.
Call Linda for one). It
was also noted that Scott Williams, aquatic biologist, tested the lake
this summer for specifics which John cannot test.
Gerri Tinkham, representing the Subcommittee currently
working on the Long-Range Watershed Management
Plan, asked the members to write short answers to questions re: the Plan.
These answers would be part of the recommendations for protecting
the lake in years to come.
Susan Gallo, the
“Loon Lady,” was the main speaker,
treating the group to a slide show as well as to fascinating
information about the life of loons.
Tripp Lake currently has two or three loon families, and probably
can support no more than that. Introduced by Board member Jacqueline Misenheimer, Ms. Gallo
answered questions following the presentation.
She was speaking as a representative of the Maine Audubon Society
and all thoroughly enjoyed hearing her talk.
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The annual raffle completed the meeting (winners and
prizes listed
elsewhere) and the meeting was adjourned before noon.
Next year’s meeting will be held on Saturday, July 10, 2004.
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