An open letter to Sheepscot Lake Association members and potential new members

Karen Spehler, a summer resident on Sheepscot Lake, found this loon posing for her in August.

by Slater Claudel, President
Sheepscot Lake Association

In lieu of our normal annual meeting and get together we will be updating you all via this letter.  Hopefully next year we’ll all be together again and enjoy another great potluck dinner!  There are several items we’re focusing on this year:

•  The Courtesy Boat Inspection (CBI) program will be operating again this year. We  have two trained inspectors who will be working at the launch every Saturday morning through Sunday late afternoon to inspect boats prior to launch. Please be sure to support their critical efforts and let them know how much you appreciate what they’re doing. This is our best tool for controlling introduction of invasive species to the watershed.
•  LakeSmart on-site inspections this year have been curtailed due to Covid-19. Please watch for updates on the Sheepscot Lake Association Facebook page or the LakeSmart website, mainelakessociety.org.
•  The Audubon Annual Loon Count will be held July 18th, organized by Joe Burke. We will share the results on the Facebook page. Please continue to be respectful of our loons and give them a wide berth when you see them on the lake or near a nesting site. This is a courtesy and also the law. Visit the Audubon website: www.maineaudubon.org.
•  There are new signs as a reminder that the river is a no wake zone. Please drive slowly whenever in the river to prevent erosion and promote safety. Maine law requires a no wake zone within 200 feet of any shoreline.
•  The second annual boat parade will be held July 4th at noon. Please meet in the boat launch cove or join as we pass by your camp. Feel free to decorate your boat. This annual event is an opportunity to show our appreciation of our lake and to build community support.
•  Water Testing results over past years have been excellent. We will continue our testing this year and will post results on our Facebook page. Many thanks to Ursula & Joe Burke for their continued efforts over many years. However, SLA is looking for someone to continue the water testing program next year. If you are interested, feel free to join them this year. Contact Ursula at upburke@yahoo.com.
•  A HUGE thanks to Gary Miller, co-founder of SLA in 2012, president for many years, and an active board member for 8 years. The Lake Association Board will miss his dedication and hard work. The Sheepscot Lake Association currently has three openings on the board. If you are interested in being a member of our board please contact our president, Slater Claudel, at Sheepscot_Lake@yahoo.com.  Nominations need to be submitted by July 3rd. A slate of nominees will be sent out to our membership via email along with details as to how to vote in July.

We will miss our opportunities to gather this year at our annual meeting and the Palermo Day Parade. We will also miss the beautiful raffle basket Lynda Pound creates each year. The funds from your membership and the proceeds from this important raffle help to fund the critical programs summarized above. We also rely on and appreciate the contribution from the town of Palermo each year supported by the taxpayers of Palermo. The lake needs your continued support.  You can renew your membership this year by sending a check payable to Sheepscot Lake Association to:

Sheepscot Lake Association
P.O. Box 300
Palermo, ME 04354 

Or via PayPal at our website: https://sheepscotlakeassociation.webs.com. The dues are $20/person, $30/household, or $50/patron. Please share this article with any neighbors or friends who would like to join and support the lake. We need to grow our membership!

Thank you all for your continued support, we look forward to another beautiful summer on our spectacular Sheepscot Lake!