Milfoil Meeting Minutes

Milfoil Control Committee
January 28, 2019 Meeting Minutes
Planning Office Conference Room
Approved 7/18/2019

Members present: Susan Goodwin (Chair), Kathy Barnard, Marc Martin, Jim McDevitt, Linda Murray, Tom Ouhrabka (on phone), John Russell

Susan Goodwin called the meeting to order at 8:31 AM.

The November 30, 2018 minutes were reviewed.  John made a motion to approve the minutes.  Marc seconded the motion.  All voted in favor of approving the minutes.

Susan reported that NHDES, Exotic Species Program, has awarded a grant to the Town of Wolfeboro for 2019 milfoil control activities.  The NHDES grant is as follows:
    $1,866 – 25% of the cost of the herbicide treatment (total cost - $7,464)
    $4,125 – 25% of the cost of diving activities (total cost – 15 days at $16,500)
    Total grant - $5,991
Solitude will do the chemical treatment if it is necessary this year.
AB Aquatics will do the hand pulling of milfoil and will use their own DASH unit.
Kathy made a motion to accept the grant from NHDES. Marc seconded the motion.  All voted in favor of the motion except Linda, who abstained. Susan will attend the 2/6/19 Board of Selectmen’s meeting to ask the Board to accept the NHDES grant.

Committee members will tour Wolfeboro Bay and Back Bay in late May to determine if there is milfoil re-growth.  Committee members will have use of the Wentworth Watershed Association's Dive Team camera for the tour of Wolfeboro Bay.  Amy Smagula (NH DES) will also do a survey in June.

Linda and Marc reported on a meeting they attended with other communities at Squam Lake about the possible use of AmeriCorps workers for hand pulling of milfoil and a possible use of our DASH unit.

John questioned the wording in the notice from Solitude that was required to be posted around Back Bay.  Should this wording be changed due to the use of a different chemical treatment? Susan will check with Solitude.  Some of the wording may be required due to State requirements.

Marc reminded committee members that AB Aquatics will need to use the Town Docks to store their DASH unit this summer when they are working in Wolfeboro.

Marc questioned if we should consider doing future chemical treatments in the spring (May) as Amy Smagula has suggested.  There was a brief discussion about the pros and cons of a spring treatment.

The next committee meeting will likely be held in June 2019.  It was determined that Mondays, Thursdays or Fridays in the morning (8:00 AM or 8:30 AM) work best for those present.

Linda made a motion to adjourn. Marc seconded the motion. All voted in favor of the motion.
Meeting adjourned at 9:20 AM.

Submitted by Kathy Barnard