Carry Pond Association 2019 Annual Meeting
Minutes
August 3rd, 2019
The Carry Pond Association 2019 annual meeting
was held on West Carry Pond at the Bean’s site at the Outlet and began at
1:05. It was well attended and included a packed agenda.
Walter Purda, Association President kicked off
the meeting by thanking Leo & Carrie Bean for use of the location and Steve
Sperry for use of the tent. He thanked Wanda Calder for her years of
service as the Association Treasurer.
Purda delivered the Treasurer’s report
highlighting that the cumulative Savings ($23,517) and Checking ($697) account
statements have grown vs. last year. The emergency fund is in the black.
David Grimm read through the notes from last
year’s meeting and the June 15th Director’s meeting.
John Dipierro (Keeper of the Keys) shared that
there are currently 9 locks at gates around the association boundaries with 4
being replaced this year. Spare locks are held by Art, Norm, Stan and
Jerry. John won’t be here through the
winter but is available to help with any lock situations that
arise.
-Paul will make 5 extra
8in pins, John will measure and inventory all gate pins
-Half a truck load of
pipe available for making new gates is available
Road Commissioners
-Stan: East Carry & Middle Carry Pond roads
are in good shape. Two culverts have been replaced and lots of gravel has
been put down.
-Jim: West Carry Pond roads look good.
This year’s work has included new culverts and ditching. Some gravel may
still be needed on Story Rd.
-Thanks goes out to Ted Grady for grading the
Spring Rd and Norm for spreading gravel and dirt on Story Rd.
-Roadside mowing will start soon
-Volunteer morning planned for Saturday, Aug 17
for Story, Spring & Dickson roads
*Recommendation
to put up notes by gates for volunteers
-Planning to spread gravel to Maurice’s this
afternoon
Old Business
-Conflict on Story Rd between association and
Clocks:
*CPA believes we have
the right and responsibility to maintain the road to where it ends at Maurice
Belanger’s property, Clocks are contending the road across their lot is private
property.
*Clocks put up a rope
gate last summer and are in the midst of installing a more permanent gate in an
attempt to stop any vehicles or pedestrians from passing.
*Lots of discussion on
the issue, including questions, frustration on lack of expressed expedience
towards a resolution, and efforts from a number of association members to find
common ground and a solution that would remove the gate, returning ease of
access to the Belangers.
*President Purda
requested all ATV traffic to stop before the Clock’s property
*Letter from the Clock’s
attorney, David Saunders stated that the Clocks don’t want to argue, and they
agreed to take the gate down.
*Clock backtracked on
that statement, suggesting there was a difference between a rope and a gate,
refusing to commit to moving forward with removing the gate.
*Precedent exists on
Eagle Trail to install a sign stating where the road ends, asking vehicles to
turn around. This has worked and the idea was again suggested for the top
of the hill prior to the Clocks lot. It
was also noted that the difference between these two cases is that the sign on
Eagle Trail is in front of the very last property. On Story Rd this would
more equitably apply to the Belangers’ lot.
*A motion was made to
install a sign at the top of the hill before the Clock’s lot, but was withdrawn
when Clock continued to be non-committal towards removing the gate.
*When it became clear
that no resolution was to be found through the discussion, President Purda
shifted the meeting towards remaining topics
-Dirigo Timber communicated that it had no plans
for additional harvesting within the next two years
-Election of officers:
President: Walter Purda
Secretary: David Grimm
Road Directors: Stan Giguere & Jim
McCloud
Motion to confirm was moved and approved.
Art Bridges was appointed as a director for the
next year.
Paula Ferguson was appointed treasurer
-Treasurer position description was shared with
a request for interest. John DiPierro offered to help on an interim
basis.
-Bob Smith not re-upping as an association
director, discussion regarding the number of directors resulted in a motion to
proceed with four (vs. the current five).
-A motion on establishing a proxy ballet was
made and the association voted to approve the first of two presented versions.
-911: Variance in response service between
towns and locations. President Purda researching and attempting to
clarify, simplify and distribute magnetic cards on which ambulance service to
contact.
*In
the case of an emergency, unlock and open the gate, then lock the pin through
the open gate so it remains unlocked until help arrives.
*Suggested
that camps have names and numbers posted on properties if possible to help
*Art
stated that Somerset County is only available during the summer months,
Kingfield would need to be contacted in the winter.
*Norm
asked about Life Flight coordinated for the landing site, sharing that it used
to exist just outside the gate next to the dam. A site exists near ECP as
well.
-Ted Grady has been working with Wagner on
securing free gravel for CPA roads
*He
met with their forester, Eric, toured the roads and discussed Wagner
policies. Any gravel is free to be used outside the gates, $5/yard if
being used inside the gates.
-West Carry Dam: dam is leaking, water
level is low. It has been 15-20 years since any work has been done.
*Art’s
assessment at either end of the spillway suggested no work was needed.
Digging might make it worse.
*Leo
Bean stated it would be beneficial to reinforce the sides due to rot and
potential for more significant issues if the rot gets worse. Work might
take a half day to complete.
*Caroline
Wood was involved in building the dam in 1986 and recalled high water levels
that occurred as a result, consequently opposed to increasing height of the
dam.
*Jim
McCloud will work with Leo Bean to set a date for the work
-Snowbird Security contacted President Purda
offering security services from Wilton. Business cards available for
anyone interested.
-Token of appreciation presented to Wanda
Caulder for her years of service as association treasurer.
Meeting officially ended at 3pm.
Summary of a follow up conversation between
President Purda and David Clock:
On Sunday
August 4rth, the day after the CPA annual meeting David Clock approached the
CPA president, Walter Purda and told him that he and his wife reconsidered
their stance on the rope barrier across the Storey Road leading to Maurice
Belanger’s and have agreed to take it down temporarily. Earlier, they had
met with Maurice and Maxine Belanger and expressed a willingness to resolve the
barrier issue.
The Clocks
asked that we put this issue in the hands of our respective lawyers in the
hopes that they can come up with a compromise that would be agreeable to
everyone.
The
Questions the Clocks would like answered by our lawyer are:
#1 Does
CPA have a valid easement to use the Storey Road through Clocks property
stopping at the beginning of Maurice Belanger’s property?
#2 Is the
Easement transferable through the sale of other properties?
In the
meantime, the Clocks have put up a sign on their property that is similar to
the one that is being used on Eagle Way at East Carry Pond. It states:
STOREY
ROAD TURN AROUND
END OF
ROAD
PRIVATE
WAY
On August
23rd CPA’s lawyer Donald Fowler responded to the Clocks lawyer with
the enclosed letter. As of today’s date, we have not had a response from either
the Clocks or their lawyer.
As soon as
further information becomes available CPA will share it with all of the association
members.
In the
meantime anyone who as any questions or comments on this issue we urge to
e-mail Walter Purda at wpurda@maine.rr.com or call him at 207-671-6915.
