So What's Happening? The Non-Point Source Pollution Grant Project and Sutton Election

Hello All!

Life has been busy both on the personal front and with the MPA so I haven't had much time for blog entries.

Let me get you up to date on our Grant Project:

Four of our Board members attended a Start-up Meeting kicking off the s.319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant Project. This award is made possible under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act to address prevention, control and abatement of nonpoint source poolution. The April 9th meeting was held at the Milford office of CEI (Comprehensive Enviromental Incorporated) with two engineers assigned to our Manchaug Pond Improvement Project. CEI will provide $56,000 in consulting design and engineering services to the MPA and the Towns of Douglas and Sutton over the course of the 3 year project. All services from CEI will be paid for by federal funds.

This spring is slated for the engineering and design of the stormwater best management practices (BMP) at the 7 priority locations identified around the lake. These include 5 in Sutton on Manchaug Road and the Public Boat Ramp and 2 in Douglas on Oak Street. Specifically, 3 locations on Manchaug Road will see vegetative swale restabilization and plunge pools designed to prevent erosion and filter nutrient carrying water from the watershed before entering the lake. Another Manchaug Road site will see 2 leaching catch basins with a crushed stone bed. The fifth Sutton site, the Public Boat Ramp, will see a bioretention area (a special designed shrub garden to collect run off waters before they reach the lake), 2 leaching catch basins, a plunge pools and a vegetated swale with a gabion check dam. Sounds impressive doesn't it! A ride through the boat ramp shows the steep, paved slope of the parking lot, and the area which drains it all into the lake. The two Douglas sites will include plow pull-off restabilization, 2 plunge pools and vegetated swale restablization.

Summer and Fall of 2007 and into 2008 is slated for the construction of these BMPs by the Douglas and Sutton Town Highway Departments. This grant is bringing in over $64,000 in funds to the towns for construction materials. The towns'existing staff's labor and equipment will be used to complete this part of the project and as part of our matching component.


On another note: tomorrow, May 22nd, is an election day in Sutton. Don't forget to get out there and vote. A proposition 2 1/2 override is on the ballot as well as a question to require the town to once again plow ALL town roads. My road is actually one which will be effected by the outcome of this vote - plowed and graded by the town for decades, two years ago Sutton decided not to plow certain private roads - mine included. I can't tell you how important this one is! My grandson who lives on a private road on the Douglas side of the lake was taken one evening to the hospital - I thank the Town of Douglas for plowing those snowy roads making it possible for the ambulance to get through!

Also on the ballot is a Board of Selectman election. Retired Police Chief John Hebert is running against incumbent Bob Kneeland. You'll remember Chief Hebert attended past MPA Annual Meetings with then Town Administrator Pat Nedorosik. Mrs. Nedorosik worked with us to get the Town's okay on this Grant and Chief Hebert has supported the lake Boat Patrol Program and changed the Public Boat Ramp's opening hours from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. A change we greatly appreciate on the Sat. and Sunday morning as bass boats roar out of the channel!

Enjoy this sunshine! Talk to you tomorrow!