Septic reinspection program: progress

Here is the text of a letter sent to Ralph Robertson regarding septic reinspection:

August 30, 2006
Ralph Robertson, President
Sand Lake Property Owners Association
PO Box 483 Elgin, ON
KOG 1EO

Re: Township of Rideau Lakes Septic Reinspection Program

Mr. Robertson:

The Township of Rideau Lakes Planning Advisory Committee and Council has directed staff to seek out quotes and proposals from outside agencies (eg. RVCA) to partner with the Township to have a pilot septic reinspection program in place for 2007. Council has indicated its support of such a program in principal and will be reviewing information from these groups as well as evaluating the ability of Township staff to absorb any increased workload.

Since you have written to Council and Township staff in the past about the need for a reinspection program I wanted to ensure that you were kept aware of the progress that Council is making on this issue. Once more firm information about the details of the program are available I will be informing your Association as well as other interested persons and groups.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like more information about this proposed program.

Sincerely,
Sheldon Laidman, MCIP RPP
Manager of Development Services

Minutes of the 2006 AGM

Here are draft minutes of the 2006 AGM. Please send corrections and comments to birchisland@gmail.com. Thanks.

Results of 2006 survey

As of August 6, we had 26 survey responses, 21 on paper, 5 from the web-form. Here is the "areas of interest" response, showing high interest in everything but social activities. Items are ranked roughly by interest. See also respondants' comments following the table.

	high interest	medium interest	low interest	weighted index
Water Quality. conservation activities	20	4	2	70
List of property owners, newsletters, website	15	11	0	67
Safe boating and canal traffic	16	8	2	66
Representation to the municipality, waterway authorities, etc.	14	10	2	64
Maintenance and improvements of trails and roads	11	14	1	62
Social Activities: barbeque, pot luck, other	1	14	11	42
Other (specify)	water levels, septic tank inspections, Sand Lake Association, beaver problems, zebra mussels

 

Your comments

Thanks for the helpful comments and suggestions, which we list below. MPAC and taxes are recurring issues.

Major issue: speeding; also privacy & respect for property
Re MPAC: It would be helpful if someone assembled a list of cottage property sales so that people could assess the reasonableness of MPAC assessment against sales values
Keep an eye out for fires without permits, of for burning improper materials other than wood and paper (people should not burn leaves or building materials)
Maintenance of South Shore Trail !!
Do we have control re safe boating?
I can't usually make the meetings . . .I like the idea of dock carts for groceries and supplies (one for each dock?). We have a rickety old dolly we could contribute. I also appreciate the maps of the paths and lots and especially who owns the lots. And the signs for people with a poor sense of direction! Excellent work!
Great newsletter, list of names. Social activities need to be for the younger crowd: the kids of the kids who grew up on the island.
Cottage Life Newsletters: dockside@cottagelife.com; Gypsy Moth control/inspection/spraying: guidelines, procedures, monitoring?; Association insurance liability
Voting privileges for municipal elections; elimination of education tax; lowering of real-estate taxes; lower taxes for fixed-income retired; monetary grants from government to assist with updating septic systems; municipal supported public marina or tax rebates for marina fees.
I'd love to see information regarding MPAC increases. Ours went up 100%, later reduced to 50% and it would be interesting to know if other cottages faced the same.
I am concerned about 4-wheel and 2-wheel all terrain vehicles being used on the island. We have young children who walk and play on those trails and I'm concerned for their safety. They should not have to fear getting hit by a vehicle on the island.
"Water quality" including algae blooms and zebra mussels
Maybe you could give a list of doctors/hospitals/walk-in clinics/pharmacies. We paid a big ER bill when we just did not know how to find a doctor for a minor problem. Also maybe a veterinarian - we were lucky the marina was open to give us a recommendation when we needed one.
Property tax increases by MPAC
Our number one priority is the maintenance and further development of trails within the island - we would like to see development of more loop-trails using the hydro right of ways in the centre of the island, even if there is some climbing involved as in the section behind lot 33. It would be good to have the main island trail mowed once a year rather than rely on cottage owners who may or may not be interested/able/willing to keep these areas cleared. We need to have something concrete to show for our dues! Obviously, we are also interested in the areas addressed; however, our number one priority is the ability to navigate smoothly around the interior of the island through well-maintained trails. Several years ago the association did pay to have the main trails cleared, but this has not happened in a number of years - perhaps it should become an annual program. Clear pathways are far more important to us than signage. At one time as well the association owned a bush hog that members could borrow and use to clear trails, and, I suppose, around their properties. Could you please update us as well on the status of the firepump that used to be at Glovers - is it still there?
Garbage disposal.  Would like to see a garbage containers accessible at all times for cottages.  We all pay taxes and do not use any of the township services except for roads.
Beer Tasting Identification Workshop

 

May 2006 Newsletter

"Yellow dandelions are studded across the green grass in Howard’s meadow and the loons are calling from the deep blue waters of Sand Lake. Pink, red and white trilliums are blossoming under the green spring woolliness of the trees above. I’ve made my first visit to the cottage this spring and I’m in a euphoric mood. So what’s on the presidential menu this spring?

First of all, don’t be in such a hurry for the cottage that you go speeding along Glover Boulevard. Over the winter much work was done to improve and widen the road into Sand Lake Marine, but that’s no excuse to step on the gas. Lisa Glover has asked us all to keep our speeds down. The Glovers are also laying down new gravel on the parking lot to improve the parking area.

When you get to the cottage, contemplate the serenity and consider that things work rather well, in part because of the quiet activities of the Birch Island Residential Property Owners Association (BIRPOA).

Some of us have been BIRPOA members since the day the Earth cooled and surveyors carved up the island into cottage lots. Others have joined over the years. Our membership drives have lacked their drive in the past while, so there may be some cottagers who are not even aware that there is a cottagers’ association.
This is your opportunity to find out more about BIRPOA – and to join up, if you are not already a member. Renew if you are.

Accompanying this letter is a brochure explaining the goals and objectives of the BIRPOA. It also lays out the benefits of belonging to the organization. One of our goals is to have as many Birch Island cottagers as possible belong to BIRPOA. All of us on the island, whether members or not, benefit from the programs enacted by this volunteer organization of cottagers.

This summer we will be erecting signs on the interior right-of-way, indicating directions to various cottage lot numbers. This is director John Feltmate’s initiative. We have a website packed with pictures and information, courtesy of vice-president John Curley. Go to www.birchisland.info. You are receiving this brochure and letter thanks to the efforts of Secretary Sharron Curley. Treasurer and membership chair Alice Howarth will accept your cheques. Alice is also our Dock Cart Lady, charged with the responsibility of acquiring a dock cart to ease the task of hauling your groceries to the boat. Think of it as meals on wheels. Past-president Ralph Robertson keeps an eye on out-of-season bass fishermen and is our liaison with township council and other Rideau Lakes organizations. Director Chuck Laudermilch from the U.S. is our foreign relations specialist and recreational dockside planning co-ordinator.

Struggling to keep up with these super-charged individuals is the president, me, Orland French, who believes in delegating as much work as possible to minimize intrusions on his hammock time.

The price of belonging to this incredible organization is inconsequential. Only $25 a year. Less than the price of a case of beer. Much, much less than the price of filling the gas tank of your boat. We’ll give you a discount of $45 if you sign up for two years.

The survey form gives you a chance to express your priorities for your areas of interest on the island. Please fill it out and return it to Alice Howarth at the address on the form. Ignoring it won’t do you any good, because sometime this summer a BIRPOA rep in canoe, kayak or cruiser will come knocking at your dock to bring personal greetings from BIRPOA.

Enjoy your summer. Weather forecasters are predicting a hot one but not for Birch Island. The weather here is always perfect.

Orland French
President
Birch Island Residential Property Owners Association

May, 2006