2013 OLA AGM Minutes

OLA AGM Minutes

Minutes of the 50th Annual General Meeting

Oxtongue Lake Ratepayers Association

August 5, 2013, 10:00 AM

Oxtongue Lake Community Centre

 

  1. Call to Order and Opening Remarks.
  • introduction of Lori
  • welcome to Lori’s first meeting as chair
  • any members new to the lake (nope)
  • welcomed our Reeve Carol Moffatt, councilor Marlene Kyle
  • introduced the board – Ben, John Lawrence, Brian Lambert, Scott Hayden, Lori and me
  • no cellphones
  • need to get Lori’s notes

 

  1. Approval of the Agenda.

– FT, LL

 

  1. Approval of Minutes.

– JT, Liz M

 

  1. Treasurer’s Report.

– need to get from JL

 

  1. Fire Chief Report.

– Tom Logan and Roy are two new members; 16 total

 

  1. Regatta Report.
  • AO, Blue Spruce, Station 70, Jim Rowan and Wilbur, John from Ox Lake Cottages,
  • Christina Pongetti, Sydney Hayden, Paul Jorgenson (each one got a paddle from AO)
  • 1,700ish profit
  • thanks to everyone
  • still need a commodore
  • Fran Gower suggests a corn and potluck after the regatta for the 50th regatta celebration
  • Gower family will lead the celebration

 

  1. Snowmobile Report.
  • club events went very well; 52 active volunteers put in more than 1500 hours
  • thanks to 36 private landowners
  • question raised about rental (Tim gave out some information about local businesses available to do so)
  • lori called on members to direct people to the region in the winter because of the importance of the snowmobile season to the local businesses
  • come up and enjoy the beautiful winter (NO BUGS!)

 

  1. Friends of Oxtongue Lake.
  • cultural committee put together to promote the arts in the community
  • Chris Woods presented on the Gof7 project
  • Very excited about the cultural plan in the Hali region last year; approved by council last year
  • One of the things that came up was that Bob Hilscher discussed that more than 30 paintings were done by AJ Casson on OL
  • Also discovered that Tom Thomson, AY Jackson, Harris all also painted on the Oxtongue Lake region
  • Small group of residents, businesses and cottagers have formed a small group to figure out how to embrace the history and promote it
  • Applied for a grant from the Haliburton (?) ask Chris to put a plaque commemorating the paintings and to have plaques in the region to show where paintings were done. Will be an ongoing project, and will see the results of the grant by April of next year. Working on the designs (Janine Marsden?) now.
  • Chris McGlockin asked whether there would be a reproduction of the design on the signs – Chris W mentioned that there are copyright issues but they are hoping to overcome them; if not, will consider a replica
  • Wilbur B asked whether there was a lot of participation and whether there is a minimum donation – we are not at this time fundraising (there was one for the mural, and they may be looking for a shortage of approx $200) – grant says that we have to put in $240 to the project (individuals have committed to that funding); no tax receipts, but donations are welcomed.

 

  1. Community Centre Committee Report.
  • I have the notes; read by Scott.
  • Fran Gower gave a report
  • Beautiful day for July 1 celebration
  • More people than any previous year
  • 4 members of our political community were present
  • Georgian Bay sax group for
  • A&C set up in the fire hall – thanks to Marnie for setting it up
  • Janine and Leteigne were here to unveil the plaque
  • Joan Hayden had a AJC memorabilia set up in here
  • Fran Gower thanked the people at the time for the Algonquin Highlands presentation for the mural doors opening – everyone who got a chance to put their paint stroke on it
  • Jillian Thomas had set up drums for the enthusiasts
  • FF were there for the BBQ
  • Marilyn Farber for the cutting of the cake (she’s 95); she was there for the first Canada Day celebration in the 90s
  • Jan Woods suggested that Marilyn be the one to cut the cake
  • Thanks to Melissa Alfano, the rec director for our township (always a big contributor)
  • BIG THANK YOU!
  • Thinks the time has come for new ideas, and Fran will not be the one to do the Canada Day celebration (need a volunteer)

 

  1. Oxtongue Lake Steward Report.
  • Ben is leaving; sad; thanks
  • Thanks from Ben for letting him take on this role (interesting and mostly fun)
  • Ben likes to share something that he thinks is important from a caretaker/steward lake
  • Septics was last year’s topics
  • Value of wetlands – (get presentation from Ben)
  • Ben has kept the seat warm for the next lake steward – someone with time (hard for a local business owner because of the time demands)
  • On other lakes, the stewards are almost all retirees (that would be the ideal situation for this lake)
  • Would be good to be ON THE LAKE itself

 

  1. Water Level Presentation.
  • lumped a bunch of stuff into the h20 presentation
  • John Lawrence is making a presentation
  • Bridge update – it’s not done yet (looking like next September, rather than April)
  • Anticipate that the bridge will be done by next summer, but the bailey bridge will need to come down and landscaping.
  • We are not alone in our water level issues (pointed to a Globe and Mail article on the recent issues with water level)
  • Been talking about the water level in the minutes in 1976
  • $4 million of damage in the Minden area; will take years for the community to recover
  • community will need to raise 1/3 of that amount (that’s 1.3 million)
  • Lori spoke about examples of the devastation in the area – insurance policies do not generally cover externally covered flood
  • Many lakes have stepped up to help through fundraisers (AGMs and Regatta proceeds)
  • Any donation of $20 or more is eligible for a tax receipt
  • Would be great for Oxtongue to help
  • Need to find a way to help (Regatta fund?)
  • Fran moves that regatta funds, Vivian Stronach seconds – motion carried
  • John Lawrence then gave a slideshow on the flood in April (April 18 and 19 had tremendous rain storms; total of 60 mm of rain in two days); normal temperatures are 0 – 5 degrees; temperatures on those days was 15 degrees (ie, maximum snow melt)
  • Showed pictures, particularly of Ragged Falls

 

  1. Cottage Watch Report.
  • Marlene reported on behalf of GG – in 2010, lots of break-ins (GG spearheaded the CW program in partnership with OLRA, FOCA and the OPP)
  • All of the members keeping an eye on property, neighbours and roads
  • Over the last several years, nearly no break-ins or thefts
  • People are walking the roads and paying attention
  • Take note of suspicious activity and provide information to the OPP hotline
  • Offered stickers with numbers to call and CW stickers to put on properties
  • Thanks to GG, who is out of town

 

  1. Web Guy Report.
  • Jim Elliott asked for general discussion of the matter; local businesses are very much in favour of this; pros and cons discussed.
  • Frank Tizel asked what happens to the URL (can still own both domain names and drive them together)
  • May drive more websites.

 

  1. Highlands Internet Services.
  • OL business association is endorsing the next speaker because the internet service in the area is abysmal; looking for cottagers to get on board because it brings the costs down
  • Based in Dorset area and have been providing internet service down there for several years
  • Was approached by Scott and others, and have put up a tower on the Siegfried property
  • There will be pockets on the lake where service is not perfect
  • Going to be lit up this week
  • Wireless (four frequencies used, 900 MHz technology)
  • 100 foot towers, hidden discretely, we hope
  • Radios on property are intended to be discrete (and get hidden as best he can)
  • Intended to be much quicker than satellites (which are better than dial-up). Phone company prices are too expensive.
  • Website is Kawagama.ca. Sign up!!
  • Three rules: (i) no sharing with neighbours (grounds for termination), (ii) don’t tamper with the equipment or tamper with the network and (iii) pay us.
  • No exit fee.
  • Three plans inclusive of the business: annual customers is 59.95 per month for 60 GB (most people use 20 – 25, heavy Netflix users tend to be in the 40 – 45 range); six months on and six months off is $480.
  • $249 installation; cost of the router is $99 (wire is the floating variable).

 

  1. Township Council Report.
  • Reeve Carol Moffatt
  • Three things to say: (i) flood pictures were great, but Minden is really devastated and thanks for the regatta money, (ii) overall the tship is in great shape, financially (successful in collecting in more than $1 million in tax arrears), (iii) should be proud of the work the committee has done in respect of the community centre (and the community as a whole). Thanks to a great community.
  • One big announcement: MNR fire base relocation (eastern fire HQ being relocated to the Stanhope airport). Very good for Algonquin Highlands. The tship investment is $3.2 million (projections indicate that by 2017, we will only owe $90k).
  • Cultural centre was approved by AH township.
  • Follow the township on Carol’s facebook page.

 

  1. New Business.
  • Very exciting year. Gof7, internet, friends of Algonquin. New one is HOLD. Exists to promote the businesses in the Dwight-Oxtongue-Hillside corridor. Starting up a fundraising initiative for community interaction. Wine and beer collection at Dwight Garden Centre – can donate to Hold rather than take the money. Farmer’s Market on Tuesdays. Italian dinner in Dwight on August 15 is a fundraiser (including prizes from local businesses). Will be hosting a HOLD outdoor movie night at Oxtongue (date TBD).
  • Colin from Parkway has created an Algonquin corridor website. Need to support the local businesses as the gateway to Algonquin.
  • Shirley at the dump reports that it has been a very good year at the dump in terms of people following the rules. Those who rent the cottage, please buy the dump package.
  • Speed limit on the highway – Lori reported on the dangers in the stretch in front of Lobo’s. Speed limit change is not likely, but Lori is putting together a petition for at least a double line. Carol Moffat will contact OPP.
  • Mike Zavitz is swimming on behalf of the Dorset Centre. Jana Seal-Zavitz presented on behalf of Tie Together Swim. He donated a kidney in a four-way swap to a stranger.
  • Got the idea from the OxMan and is training to do big lake swims. August 24 = Lake of Bays, and Lake Ontario next summer.
  • Camp Dorset supports people for dialysis in the area – three times a week and knocks you out for the entire day.
  • Need a pontoon boat and a second zodiac.
  • We have to support this man. We should offer a donation as a group – not clear how that would be done. Move to turn it over to the committee to make a decision on the amount.
  • Fran Gower won the YMCA of Muskoka woman of distinction for volunteerism in the Muskoka and Haliburton region. Fran deserves something from our association. Presented with a ticket to the Deerhurst evening entertainment.
  • Q&A: what’s the connection between HOLD and other existing organizations (e.g., Explorer’s Edge)?
  • Confusion as to the hazardous waste day – poorly attended in part because the date may have been wrong on the website and poorly advertised. Also, there’s lots of stuff that can’t be taken (such as gas and oil).
  • What’s happened to Timber Trail? No news.

 

  1. Election of New Board Members.

–

 

  1. Adjournment.

– There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.