Lake Talon Conservation Association (LTCA) 2017 Annual General Meeting (AGM) Sunday, August 6, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. Talon Lake Campground and Marina Hosted by Nancy and Dave Humphries MINUTES 1. Welcome from President John Kelsall Sr. John Kelsall Sr., President of LTCA, welcomed the group and thanked Nancy and Dave Humphries for their hospitality. Approximately 40 people were in attendance at the meeting. An Attendance List was circulated. John thanked all of the volunteers for the work they do during the year on behalf of the Association. He gave a special thank you to Brian Baker. John recognized for their vision, the Pond, Laframboise and Wallace families, who started the LTCA in 1991. 2. Introduction of Special Guests John Kelsall Sr. Don Paquette, Elder for Mattawa - North Bay Algonquin First Nations MNBAFN John recognized our significant partnership with the First Nations groups in the area. 3. Review and Approval of Minutes of Annual General Meeting of July 31, 2016 It was moved by Jeff Allen and seconded by Charlie Kerr that: The Minutes of July 31, 2016 be approved. Result - CARRIED Business Arising from Minutes of Previous AGM 1. Report from Mattawa-North Bay Algonquin First Nations Elder Don Paquette (Land Claim Blanchard s Landing Dock & Ramp Water Levels Major Investment) Algonquin Land Claim o There is a signed Agreement in Principle and the respective Negotiators are working towards a final Agreement and Don advised that he was confident that they will conclude their work in the next few years. New Bonfield Sawmill o A $140 million wood and finishing plant is being built by International Wood Industries at the corner of Highway 17 and Trout Pond Road. There is forecasted to be 90 jobs with a $4.5 million payroll there once the plant reaches full production. o The MNBAFN have permits to cut wood from Nipissing forests and in Algonquin Park and this plant will generate considerable work for them in supplying harvested wood. Raw wood will also be shipped in from other sources, including British Columbia. There will be no cutting in areas adjacent to Lake Talon. 1
o The Mattawa North Bay Algonquin First Nations were very active in lobbying the Ontario Government to ensure support for this major employment opportunity in the area. 2. LTCA Newsletter Report by Jeff Allen Jeff included key, up-to-date information in the Summer 2017 edition, Issue No. 18. He circulated copies to those attending and extra copies will be available online and at Talon Lake Campground & Marina and Camp Conewango. The LTCA Newsletter is comprehensive and includes excellent historical photos. If you want to have photos or articles included in future issues, please send them to Jeff at talon@allendw.com. 3. Illegal Net Fishing Report by Dave Humphries and Roger Laframboise The last two years there hasn t been any sign of illegal netting. President John thanked Dave and Roger for keeping an eye on this critical matter. 4. Financial Report for January 1 to December 30, 2016 Report by Mike Marrs via Nancy Humphries Michael Marrs submitted the Audited Statement of Revenue and Expense for the year ending December 31, 2016. It was presented by Treasurer Nancy Humphries. Cash on hand at the end of 2014 was $5,772.48, at the end of 2015 was $6,197.49, and at the end of 2016 was $4,716.14. This report can be seen on the LTCA website. Discussion: There was discussion about the $1,400 operating deficit in 2016. The Summer Students costs are continuing to go up, especially with the loss of student grants. It was noted that last year there was no YES Grant for the 2 Summer Student jobs. In the past, the LTCA had $2/hour of the students salaries reimbursed by YES. This practice was stopped in 2016 unless the student(s) has never been in the workforce before. Next year the minimum wage is going up, which is concerning. This change in funding has in part impacted the overall revenue and expenses of the Association. This year, we are still hoping to secure the $300 for the one summer student who has never worked previously for any other employer. Our executive will work on summer student funding opportunities in March or April through YES employment and possibly federal grants. The executive will make a submission to Parks Ontario to request an increase to the summer student funding as the LTCA is partially paying, through our Summer Students, to clean up this section of the Mattawa River Provincial Park. It was also suggested that we could have fewer hours for the students although this lessens the attractiveness of the positions. There will be no donations made to any groups this year. It was suggested that the yearly membership fee be raised from the current $35.00 to $50.00 to help cover our costs. For further information, refer to the Membership section of these Minutes. Expenditures It was suggested that the LTCA should have the amount that it costs to run the LTCA for a year in the bank. This is considered to be a prudent objective. 2
5. Membership Report by Nancy Humphries Treasurer Nancy Humphries reported that we had 88 Members paid before this year s AGM. The Summer Students are only halfway through visiting the cottagers on the lake so this number is definitely expected to increase. When someone isn t home, the boys leave a doorknocker on the door of the cottage. Final numbers of memberships for previous years were 156 (2016), 130 (2015), 137 (2014), and 141 (2013). There are approximately 240 cottages/homes on the waterway. Memberships are currently $35/year. The LTCA encourages donations to also help with costs. Donations to date are $650 which is very encouraging. It was suggested that the membership fee be raised from the current $35.00 to $50.00/year to help cover our decreasing revenue. A motion moved by Barry Pond and seconded that The Annual Membership Fee for the LTCA be increased to $50.00/year effective 2018. The motion was CARRIED The executive will send out an email in April with membership information and possibly a means to pay on-line. The executive will be investigating this. We need new Members. If you have neighbours who aren t Members, talk with them about becoming Members and direct them to the LTCA website. 6. 2017 Summer Student Report Supervisor Clint Wilson and Matt Wilson & Nicholas Gadomski Supervisor Clint Wilson, Students Matt Wilson and Nicholas Gadomski submitted both a written Interim Report (posted on Facebook and the LTCA website and emailed to members) and shared a verbal report at the AGM. They perform public relations work on Saturdays and Sundays (including renewing and soliciting memberships), and maintenance clean-up work on Fridays and Mondays. They reported that so far this season, camping and tripping activity is below normal and the access points are in good condition. 7. Control of Dam/Operation & Safety Report by John Kelsall, Brian Baker & Elder Don Paquette There are a number of concerns about this year s fluctuating water levels. John and Brian approached the MNRF about the need to have consistent levels. The MNRF has been to the dam 14 times since the beginning of May. They said that operating this dam was one of their high priorities. The MNRF said there s been a changeover in staff and the technicians who do the work; as a result, they are still gaining experience with controlling the dam. The MNRF s objective is to keep the water level between 9.85m to 10.15m, which is a 30cm or 12 range. They are targeting 10.05m in the dryer period of the summer. This year there has been a 55cm (22 ) range from the minimum to the maximum. Concerns with High Water Levels: o There are concerns about the flooding of loons nests. When the participants in the meeting were polled, no one reported seeing a baby loon this year, which is concerning. o When the water is too high there is more of an impact due to erosion (e.g., more sand is o washed away, things float away, docks are underwater). When they drop the water it impacts the lake trout and loons. Elder Don is going to bring this up with the Chief. The North Bay Nugget included the LTCA s concerns about the high water levels on Lake Talon as part of an article they wrote about flooding on Lake Nipissing. The Nugget learned of our concerns from the post on the LTCA Facebook page. See the article on the LTCA Facebook page, dated July 7, 2017. 3
Immediately after the article was published, the MNRF contacted the LTCA offering to discuss the matter. President John, Brian Baker, Dave Humphries and Don Paquette of the Mattawa - North Bay Algonquin First Nations met with the MNRF in North Bay and immediately thereafter at both Blanchard s Landing dock and then at the Talon Chutes Dam. The MNRF indicated that they receive numerous complaints about the water levels, some wanting higher water levels and some wanting lower water levels. LTCA indicated that the major issue was water levels fluctuating well outside the published guidelines. The LTCA sent out emails and Facebook posts to get Lake Talon residents input about water levels. Similar to feedback received by the MNRF, one third of respondents thought the water level was too high; one third thought it was too low; and the other third said their primary problem is the fluctuation itself (e.g., they ve had to adjust their docks 3 times this summer because of the fluctuations, prop damage, difficulty operating boats due to low water, beach erosion and damage to bird and fish habitat.). John and Brian asked that an automatic water gauge be installed at the dam. The Conservation Authority had a gauge there, but for whatever reason took it out a number of years ago. The MNRF indicated that they would seriously consider budgeting ($8,000) for an Automatic Water Recorder. See detailed information in the post on the LTCA Facebook page, dated July 18, 2017. A motion moved by Clint Wilson and seconded by Ken Davies that A request be made to the MNRF for the water levels on Lake Talon from the last 10 years. CARRIED The LTCA Executive strongly recommended that appropriate signage be installed upstream of the dam because very strong currents that can occur along the waterway that leads up to the dam, when the MNRF is taking the logs out of the dam at the Chutes. Canoeists and boaters need to be made aware of this strong current. The MNRF has committed to installing signage this year at the entrance to the Mattawa River above the dam. Barry Pond commended the efforts of John and Brian. He supported keeping communication open and keeping the respect that is already there between our Association and the MNRF. 8. Blanchard s Landing Dock & Boat Ramp Report by Brian Baker and John Kelsall History The Federal Fisheries and Oceans - Small Crafts Harbour had an excellent dock here in the mid 1990s. The Small Crafts Harbour then decided that they were withdrawing from this service, both at Blanchard s Landing and elsewhere. Under considerable pressure from the LTCA, Small Crafts & Harbors agreed to leave a small floating dock and boat ramp after removing the old docks. Ownership was transferred to the MNRF with an obligation to do this for 5 years. The LTCA agreed to do minor maintenance to the floating dock as may be required. The boat ramp and floating dock is within the limits of the Mattawa River Provincial Park. Last year the LTCA advised Parks Ontario that the dock was unsafe due to a loss of flotation capability. Parks Ontario subsequently investigated its condition and advised it was not unsafe. Currently no one is taking ownership of the dock. President John and Brian Baker recently met with MNBAFN Chief Clifford Bastien Jr. and Elder Don Paquette to discuss the matter. Chief Bastien agreed to contact the Mattawa Bonfield Economic Development Corporation to arrange a meeting of the key partners to discuss the dock and boat ramp. The meeting will be held near the end of August and will involve LTCA representatives, Bonfield Township, Calvin Township and possibly the North Bay Mattawa Conservation Association. The discussion will centre around who will be responsible for the dock and who will contribute money or services to get it replaced. It will cost $25,000 $35,000 as dredging will need to be done as well as replacing the dock. 4
There needs to be an Environmental Assessment done by Parks Ontario. See information about the Mattawa River Provincial Park Management Plan on the LTCA Facebook Page, dated July 23, 2017. The LTCA and the Algonquin First Nations are working to source out a number of resources. The dock and ramp are within the provincial park and is an approved public access point by the MNRF. As a result, it is not LTCA s responsibility. The people in attendance agreed to authorize LTCA executive to donate $500 over each of the next 3 years toward the building of the dock. 9. Water Quality Testing Report by Roger Laframboise The water quality testing done on the lake has nothing to do with the water quality testing for your drinking water. If you want to test your drinking water from the lake, do this through Public Health Ontario. Historically, the main concern has been Kaibuskong Bay because of the water coming in from Lake Nosbonsing. The Federation of Cottagers Associations of Ontario s (FOCA) website (foca.on.ca) has information about the Lake Partner Program. It includes information about Sampling Results & Assistance. The map on the website allows you to view the secchi depth and total phosphorus data from sampling sites as far back as 1990. The LTCA tests the phosphorous levels in the lake water. There have been no changes since 1990. The last report there are on the website is 2013 (Sample 1 9; Sample 2 8.2; Sample 3 8.6). 10. Federation of Ontario Cottagers Association (FOCA) Report by Ken Davies Ken Davies highlighted the following items: Septage Management Plans; Algonquin Land Claim; Blue Green Algae; Hydro Rates in Cottage Country; and Useful Guides for cottagers available on the FOCA website. Ken s full report can be read online. It was noted that more cormorants and Canada Geese are moving onto the lake, which is impacting the loon population, as there is competition for nesting sites. In addition, it was shared that the more lawns there are on the lake the more geese there will be. 11. Update on Land Use & Logging Issues Report by Marcia Pond Four agencies were contacted about Land Use around Lake Talon: 1. Rick Hansel, of Nipissing Forest Management, reported: There are no planned harvesting or road construction operations scheduled for this year near Talon Lake or the Mattawa River Provincial Park on Crown Land. 2. Cameron Hockey, from Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park and Mattawa River Provincial Park system reported: no active logging in their area, only in Algonquin Park. 3. Valerie Murphy, of North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority, reported that they have issued 4 permits this calendar year. The permits are valid for 2 years from the date of issue. 12. Provincial Park Matters Report by Barry Pond No further information to report beyond what has been reported during the meeting. 5
13. Donations from Tripping Groups- Report by Vice President Bill Mountain Information sent from Bill via email August 1, 2017: An email, and a hard copy of the request letter were sent out last year (about this time) to the following camps: Camp Wabanaki, Camp Kandalore, Camp Pinecrest and Camp Arowhon. The emails were sent to the camp directors, and letters were sent to their head offices, if that information was available. When I learned that no funds had been received from these requests, I tried to follow-up this summer with phone calls to all the above camps (either the camp itself and the head office if I could get a number). As it seems to be with a lot of businesses these days it is almost impossible to get someone to answer the phone. I have left messages asking someone to call but have not received any calls back yet. If I still lived in Ontario, I probably would arrange to stop into each of the camps on different trips north to actually talk to the Camp Director and be able to expand more on our importance to the Mattawa River Canoe Route experience, but that is not possible. I will continue to try and contact these camps, and maybe get more info from the trippers passing through once I am back at Talon Lake. If no success, I will try to get through to the head offices again once the camping season is over and people are back in the city. 14. GPS Coordinates of Cottages Report by Brian Baker This is a program that was started last year: o The LTCA wanted to see where their membership came from and map the cottages on Google Earth. o In addition, it was desirable to develop a file with Name, Dock Number and GPS Coordinates that could be made available for use by emergency responders. o Brian recommended everyone to take the coordinates of their docks on their cell phone and record that info for their future use. Dock numbers o One of the attendees of the AGM asked about the dock numbers. Other cottagers on the lake have also asked some members about them. This program was in place a couple of years ago. George McLellan ably looked after this. Brian undertook to contact George to see if this could be re-offered. 15. Joint Funding Application of Various Projects Report by Brian Baker Our primary application will now focus on the replacement of the Blanchard s Landing Dock rather than a larger proposal that was previously developed. Funding was previously available through the Samuel de Champlain 400 th Anniversary but this program is no longer available. 16. Communications Update Report by Brian Baker The LTCA Facebook Page is starting to pick up. Don t hesitate to post on the Facebook site. The website is more static than Facebook. Email is the choice of communications now. There aren t any hard copy mailings anymore. About 50% of people are opening and reading the emails the LTCA is sending. The main forms of communication are LTCA Newsletter, Emails by MailChimp, Facebook, and the LTCA website and through the Summer Students. 6
Last week there was an emergency response needed the OPP and ambulance came. Their response was excellent. There was no issue going across the lake. They came out on the lake without question. Brian wanted to compliment them on that. Partnerships The LTCA is continuing to work in a number of partnerships with the Mattawa-North Bay Algonquin First Nations, Parks Ontario, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and local elected municipal officials through the MBEDC. This has been key for the LTCA. Camp Conewango Report by Brian Baker Wendy Morley and Chris Winterburn are the new owners as of last year. They have made significant upgrades to the Camp. They donate to the LTCA and are active members of the Association. Their restaurant is open on Friday and Saturday evenings for dinner, and Sunday for brunch. They have excellent food. They post their featured menu items on their Camp Conewango Facebook Page each week. Everyone is encouraged to go for a wonderful meal and recommend the Camp to their friends. Check their hours of operation. 17. Septic Pump Out Report by Brian Baker Nine years ago Barry Pond arranged for Muskoka Septic Services from Parry Sound to come and pump out septic systems. Brian travelled with their barge around the lake. The company pumped 3-5 septic systems a day and brought the waste to licensed haulers at the dock who took it away. The company examined the tanks after they were pumped out to see if the tanks were broken, damaged or needed to be rebuilt. Dave Humphries is a licensed contractor who could do repair work if needed. Now that almost 10 years has passed since this was done, we may want to consider organizing this again. Brian will get a cost estimate then send out an email to members to see if people are interested. Please email him at acedublb@gmail.comi if you are interested. 18. Energy East Pipeline Conversion Project Report by Don Paquette The federal government is not making any decisions on the pipeline until at least December. President John, at the request of the Algonquin First Nations, drafted a letter for them on behalf of the MNBAFN about the pipeline and the potential impact on the Lake Talon waterway. The Algonquin First Nations is definitely not going to accept anything the way it is right now. They are agreeing to the line, but only if the government specifies upgrades of the pipeline at all water crossings. If these upgrades do not happen they will not agree to the line. The pipeline may not happen for years due to challenges the government is experiencing in Quebec and Ontario. TransCanada Pipe knows the LTCA and Algonquin First Nations have a strong partnership. LTCA may apply for Intervenor status once the National Energy Board is reconstituted. 19. Mattawa First Nations Fish Hatchery- Report by Don Paquette and Roger Laframboise Due to the very high water levels on the Amable Du Fond, they weren t able to get any eggs from pickerel, as the river was too dangerous. The hatchery building and all of the equipment was built and ready. The LTCA financially contributed to the hatchery operation so that fingerlings could be provided for our lake. The Mattawa First Nations were thankful for and used the money that we contributed. They will try again next year. 7
New Business 1. Election of LTCA Officers (Bold indicates Directors) At 2017 AGM Motion Approved: No Annual Term; Board Directors noted in Bold President John Kelsall Sr. Vice President Bill Mountain Communications Officer Brian Baker Treasurer Nancy Humphries Secretary Paige & Jane Bennett Financial Audits Mike Marrs Lake Stewards Dave Humphries, Chris James, Rick Miller, Bob Davies Newsletter Editor Jeff Allen FOCA Representative Ken Davies Student Manager Clint Wilson Land Use Committee Marcia Pond Water Quality Testing Clint Wilson (new to the role) A motion moved by Charlie Kerr and seconded by Cindy Chadbourne that, The Officers and Directors noted above undertake the indicated role for the next year. The motion was CARRIED 2. Other New Items from LTCA Members for Discussion None 3. Motion to Adjourn There was a Motion to adjourn at 11:20am. Motion moved by Charlie Kerr and seconded by Cindy Chadbourne. CARRIED 8