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PARADOX LAKE ASSOCIATION

Annual Business Meeting

October 24, 2024

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WELCOME FROM THE PLA BOARD

President – Bob Hauserman

Vice President – Ryan Ragland

Treasurer – Matt Massiano

Recording Secretary – Sandy Courneen

Upper Lake Directors

Nancy Girling, Dee Greer, Evan Glass

Lower Lake Directors

Scott Randall, Liz Reid, Teanna Fullen

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AGENDA

Welcome

Eurasian Watermilfoil Update

Nominating Committee

Finances

Membership

Fundraising

Grant Opportunities

Volunteer Support

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EURASIAN WATERMILFOIL UPDATE

Nancy Girling

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2022

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2023

Minimal scouting

since no harvesting

planned

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2024

Post-

Treatment

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THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED TO SUPPORT THE EWM WORK AND THE VOLUNTEERS INVOLVED IN THE BATTLE!

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NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Scott Randall

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

              Officers                                           Directors

                 President                                         Upper Lake (3)

                 Vice-President                                  Lower Lake (3)

                 Treasurer

                 Recording Secretary

         

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Officers – (3) Year Term

           

Directors – (3) Year Term

(1) Upper Lake & (1) Lower Lake voted each year

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2024� �CANDIDATES

Upper Lake Director         

Nancy Girling

Lower Lake Director

Scott Randall

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WE NEED TO IDENTIFY CANDIDATES FOR BOARD AND OFFICER POSITIONS

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  • Positions are available for election every year

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  • We need fresh perspectives, new ideas and renewed energy

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  • Please contact us
    • Learn more about the board
    • Make sure we know about you and your interests

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FINANCES

Matt Massiano

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FINANCES – OCT ‘24 UPDATE

2024 to-date: balance well over plan; includes $40,000 bank CD

2024 to-date: fundraising and expenses well under plan

Pending income: �Town reimbursement & Warren County grant

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INCOME BY CATEGORY (K$) – OCT ‘24 UPDATE

2024 to-date versus plan: �-- membership drive met plan�-- fundraising fell short

-- Aqualogic grant prorated to match reduced scope

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EXPENSES BY CATEGORY(K$) – OCT ‘24 UPDATE

2024 to-date versus plan: milfoil harvesting well below plan due to effective herbicide results

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FINANCES – �FOCUS FOR 2025

  • Fund final year of elevated hand harvesting and rebuild reserves
  • Continue increasing the number of members and related donations through new Membership Committee
  • Maintain contribution levels from existing members
  • Explore funding opportunities with the State, County and Town
  • Grants Committee led by Susan Brown to continue searching for new opportunities
  • Continued participation in Town of Schroon Fall Budget Workshop to request increased funding for ‘25
  • Continue traditional fund-raising programs – raffle, Schroon Lake Craft Fair, annual Paradox Brewery social events, bingo nights, and merchandise sales

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MEMBERSHIP

Bob Hauserman

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2024 MEMBERSHIP

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  • 2022 Members - 199
  • 2023 Members - 174
  • 2024 Members – 210 (~65% of owners)

  • Looking for volunteers to join the new Membership Committee to determine how we will get higher % of owners to join

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FUNDRAISING�“ALLSTAR TEAM”

Teanna Fullen

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FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE

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  • Teanna Fullen
  • Sandy Courneen
  • Dee Dee Foran
  • Guy Fullen
  • Dee Greer

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  • Deb Gorke
  • Val Igoe
  • Lindy McClary
  • Ryan Ragland
  • Amanda Ragland
  • Liz Reid

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2024 EVENTS

  • Raffle
  • Merchandise and 50/50
    • Schroon Lake Farmer’s Market
    • Schroon Lake Craft Fair
    • PLA Merchandise tables at Paradox Brewery
    • Social events
    • Online
  • Bingo

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RAISED $8,200

Thank you to all!

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GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

Bob Hauserman

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2024 GRANT ACTIVITIES

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  • Grant opportunities for our work are very limited
  • Cloudsplitter Foundation – $1000 grant received to support our ProcellaCOR work
  • Aqualogic partnership grant - $15,000 received to support our EWM reduction work

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  • Thanks to Susan Brown for all her work

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VOLUNTEER SUPPORT

Bob Hauserman

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TASKS THAT ARE DONE BY VOLUNTEERS

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  • Snorkelers
  • Divers
  • Aqualogic support scouts
  • Aqualogic management 
  • Rakers
  • Marking invasive plants
  • Craft fair booth
  • Organizing the raffle
  • PLA Socials
  • Membership
  • Writing the newsletter
  • Announcements
  • Grant writing
  • Nominating committee
  • Board of Directors

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  • Water testing
  • Making milfoil markers
  • Writing reports
  • Caution Buoy placement & removal
  • Signage at the boat launch
  • Lake survey point data for milfoil monitoring (lake mapping)
  • Conducting training on how to identify and remove invasive plants
  • Coordinating sweeps to remove invasive plants
  • Boat wash & steward tent setup/takedown
  • Merchandise sales
  • Steward recruitment

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WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS FOR 2025

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Two new initiatives needed to improve the PLA

  • Membership committee –
    • Need committee members
    • Need someone to lead the effort
  • Communications activities –
    • Newsletter author
    • Social media improvement
    • Contact info for all our members

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THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS

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2024 WRAP-UP

2025 Look Ahead

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This year was a turning point in the EWM fight!

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  • Finish the job!

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  • Stay informed
  • Stay involved
  • Stay generous

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