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Foster Brook Dredging Almost Complete


Click on the image to see it in full scale.

Just wanted to give everyone a further update on the dredging. Right now it’s almost completed. This picture was taken on Monday afternoon as they wrapped things up. They were just about done with the dredging then. Yesterday they were out of the water and are now working on the roads, cleaning up the access site and hauling away the material. Later this week they’ll take out the silt curtains. Pat Gorman says he thinks everyone “will be happy”. I’ll post an update and more pictures later this week.

Thank you, Lake George Association!

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Bits of Everything

Governor to President: Stay Out, I’m In

The NY Daily News reports on the Governor’s response, when asked by the President not to run for re-election.

DEC Changes Some Fishing Rules for Lake George

The DEC has proposed new fishing regulations for 2010-2012. Some of these would apply to Lake George, Warren and Washington counties. These include: allowing the use of alewives and blueback herring as bait and applying the statewide regulations for pickerel which would eliminate the “no size” limit regulation currently in effect when catching pickerel. (In other words, you’d have to throw the small ones back.) Read about them here.

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Bits of Everything

President Asks Governor Not to Run

MSNBC reports that President Obama has asked Governor Paterson not to run for re-election. Quite frankly I am not surprised. We’ve gotten more taxes, more regulations, no school tax relief, and stimulus money used to fill in the state budget deficit.

Post Star reports on Stream Rules Delay

The Post Star reports on the delay in moving ahead on the stream rules. My only problem with this article is that it neglects the fact that Washington County and the towns of Dresden and Putnam have also passed resolutions opposing the stream rules. Memo to the Post Star, Lake George has an east shore.

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Saturday Quote

“I don’t like country music, but I don’t mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means ‘put down’.”

Bob Newhart

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Stream Rules Delayed Again

This was released by the Lake George Park Commission today.

They seem to be finally admitting that these rules will be costly. The documents they are preparing “will assist the Commission and the public in evaluating the potential cost impact of the regulations on the Commission, local government and regulated entities“. In other words, us. The taxpayers!

If they take this amount of property off the tax rolls, taxes will increase.

You may remember my post here about the Center for Watershed Protection. To date, they have never allowed me to interview anyone from the Center for Watershed Protection. I was going to ask, but have never been allowed to inquire, about what happens to property taxes in jurisdictions that have passed these regulations.

Looks like they can’t sneak this one by after all.

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Foster Brook Dredging Update

Just wanted to give everyone an update on the dredging. The dredging is going very well to this point. The contractor is making great progress. The photos shows the road built out to the delta with the excavator creating piles that are then hauled out by a pay loader. A 2nd curtain has been installed to keep any silt from escaping to the lake. It is working very well. Lots of people are watching! (And now so are you!)

Update 9/18/09

I’ve gotten a lot of interest in these pictures so here are the full resolution images for a better view:

Picture 1 – full resolution

Picture 2 – full resolution

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Interview with Town Board Candidate Joanne Farley

Today, I present my questions to town board candidate, Joanne Farley, and her responses. She is running for one of the two seats up for election on the town board this year.

Could you please tell us about yourself and why you are running for the town board?

I have been a Dresden resident all my life. I have been married to my husband Scott for 19 years and have two children, Kelsey 13 and Ethan 5. I am now a stay at home mom but have previously worked for NYS Department of Corrections at Great Meadow Correctional Facility, Washington County Department of Social Services and North Country Community College.

I am running again for town council to continue to serve my community in a positive and fair and impartial manner. There are things I have started to work on and haven’t had the opportunity to finish and I would like to continue to work on those projects.

You have served on the Town Board for 4 years already and have done many positive things including cutting town taxes 2 years in a row. What would you like to accomplish over the next 4 years if re-elected?

To continue to serve in a positive, fair and impartial manner. I would like to continue to work on making our community a place where people want to be and a place where we are safe. I also want to continue to better our community and keep an eye on wasteful spending and direct those funds to where they are needed.

You are spearheading an effort to establish a children’s playground for local residents which is moving ahead. Could you tell us if there are things that people could do to assist you accomplish this goal?

My biggest problem with this project is finding a location that is central to all. This lack of location and parcel is a big problem as I cannot attempt to gain any kind of funding or grants until there is property secured. I am trying my best to tackle this problem. If and when I find a place, much support with funding and volunteer work will be needed and appreciated from all.

I know as a mother, you are deeply concerned about opportunities for youth. You worked very hard to keep the Washington County Beach open this past summer. For this you should be commended. Could you give us your thoughts on how things are going with the Town running the beach and what we should expect in the future? (Administrator’s correction: My question was improperly stated. The Town subsidizes the operation of the beach. The County operates the beach.)

I think the support of the workers who do an excellent job of maintaining the beach and the help of the county’s Alternative Sentencing program really helped us out this year. Also the support of the residents with donations was a big factor. If this problem with funding arises again next Summer, I feel the support of the people will help us avoid any closings. It is an important area that needs to remain available for all residents of the town, for some of us, it is the only access we have to the beautiful lake, if it were taken away I think it would be a shame and create more problems.

I know you have worked hard to bring people throughout the town closer together. This can be difficult at times because the different areas that make up Dresden sometimes see things differently. What is your vision for the entire town moving forward?

I think we are all capable of getting along and supporting each other. I saw proof of this as stated above with the coming together to keep the beach opened. We are capable of this and feel we can come together on other issues as well. No matter where we live we should work together as a community and support one another. It can be done!!

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Bits of Everything

A Bad Harvest?

The Post Star recently had an article about Dresden Town Board member, John Barber, and his apple orchard. It discusses the problems he has had with bad weather this year. (John’s seat on the Town Board is not up for election this year.)

Coast Guard Proposes New Rules for Ballast Water

The Washington Post writes about proposed new Coast Guard standards for ballast water treatment that had been long awaited by people concerned about the impact of invasive aquatic species transported via ballast water in ships. This would apply to ships passing through the canal that runs through Whitehall.

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Rattlesnake with a Red Tail

This was recently forwarded to me. It’s a rattlesnake with its tail tagged and painted red by the DEC.

It was spotted near the dock for sites 3 & 4 on “Floating Battery” island, which is part of the Mother Bunch Group.

The DEC spotted it, and went to warn the campers. Unfortunately, the two campsites had tents, but the campers were not around to let them know the snake was visiting.

The DEC marks rattlesnakes they find for someone who does a study on them. This is a particularly big one. It’s probably at least 5 feet long and wide as a soda can in the middle! Makes you want to rent a house next summer!

If you’ve never heard a rattlesnake, it makes a sound almost exactly like a baby’s rattle. I heard one once but never saw it.

Now we’ve all seen a particularly big one!