June 1, 2010

Dear West Ponders,

We have lots to talk about at the Annual Business Meeting this year. The meeting will be held Saturday July 3rd at 10:00A.M. This year we meet again at the West End House Boys Camp. A Selectman from Parsonsfield will discuss the town and answer any questions you have.

Again, the most pressing matter facing us this year is the current infestation of our pond with “Curley Leaf Pond Weed”; see our website for details and pictures of the plant. We are the only pond in Maine identified with this infestation. We need to be diligent about not spreading this to other ponds. All boats coming into and out of our water need to be inspected for weeds. We also need people to be aware of floating fragments of the weed and collect them if possible. We have been using nets similar to swimming pool cleaning nets, but fishing nets work as well for long strands. Take the fragments onshore and throw them into the woods. Please try to keep track of your time. Every bit counts toward our Cost Grant Share Application. We applied for and were awarded a $4,750.00 grant meant to be spent on harvesting the Curley Leaf Pondweed. This is about the extent of the help we can expect from the State going forward. Call Dennis Spinney at (207) 625-4743 if you can help with this. We will harvest on good weather days until the water gets too cold in October.

We will have some fund-raising products at this meeting again, see order form. We had aerial shots of West Pond taken. We turned them into Note Cards, Refrigerator Magnets, Balsam stuffed pillows, Tile Trivets and Matted Photos. These will be on display at our meeting. The Annual Boat Parade will be on Sunday July 4th at 11:00 A.M., as usual we meet in Lily Bay.

Sue Futterer has been collecting recipes for our cookbook. Send them to her at her e-mail address, sfutterer@roadrunner.com

We are also finalizing our West Pond Association By-Laws. Please read these through and we will be voting on them at the annual meeting.

We will be looking for people interested in the Education Committee, Membership Committee and Fund Raising Committee and Nominating Committee. Please consider helping.

Please plan on attending the Annual Meeting, bring your ideas and opinions. We need every camp owner to help keep West Pond beautiful for years to come.

Sincerely,

Joe Howes

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