Mt. Kemble Lake
Association, Inc.
BEACHES AND DOCKS
CHAIRPERSON
Job Description
Mt. Kemble Lake Association By-Laws
- The Beaches and Docks Committee:
· shall be responsible to the Board
(of the Association).
· shall report on activities at the
Annual Meeting of the Association.
· members shall serve for a minimum
of two years.
· shall receive prior approval by the
Lakeshore Board for changes to community property that is owned by Lakeshore
Company.
· shall maintain and periodically
update a job description to at least include:
responsibilities; a maintenance and task calendar; a sample budget
outline; a list of owned equipment (location of equipment and manuals, upkeep
schedule); a list of vendors with name, address, phone, types and schedules of
services.
· shall consist of a Board Member as
Chairperson and at least two additional Association Members (one member new to
committee work as an “apprentice”; the other may be experienced).
Article IV. Sect. D.1.a
a. Beaches and Docks Committee - shall have responsibility for lake
stewardship via:
Studying,
testing, treating the waters and maintaining appropriate plant life and aquatic
species in Mt. Kemble Lake to optimize the health of the lake.
Maintaining
the docks, beaches, floats and other lake related community property.
Lowering the lake periodically
(authorized by the Board and coordinated with the Lakeshore Company) to enable
work on docks, etc.
Arranging and overseeing dredging activities of the 3 bodies of water
that make up the lake as approved by the Board.
Contracting
for and supervising services related to these responsibilities.
General duties:
1. Committee formation: Find a minimum of 2 Association Members to
serve on this committee. Tasks can be
distributed among committee members.
2. The ordering and
distribution of “recreation” badges, which are included in the budget.
3. Scheduling,
organizing and directing the annual
spring Beach Clean-up.
4. Maintaining the cleanliness and tidiness
of all beaches and docks areas relative to swimming and boating activities.
5. Maintaining the face
of the dam, assuring vigorous field grass development and growth.
6. Alertness to
behavior of users for safety and protection of facilities. Reporting problems to the Board
7. Regular
observation (weekly or more depending on season and usage) of all areas of
maintenance responsibility throughout the year including the “off season” for
signs of need, deterioration or damage (human- or nature-caused).
8. Budget preparation
for the following year beginning in November, reviewed in December for
presented at the Annual Meeting in January.
Recreation Badges:
New badges are ordered each year. Residents and their guests are
required to wear (or have with them) current Recreation Badges when using any
of the MKL recreation areas, including: all beaches and docks, the lake and
pond, the Fishin’ Hole, and the tennis court.
A notice is received from the vendor offering discounts if ordered by
early October or November. The badge vendor has been used since the early
1990’s. The color of the print on the badges should be changed each year to
make it easier to see if someone’s badge is current. Each household receives 8
badges (carrying the same number) for the season. The badges are to be distributed
by Memorial Day upon receipt of the list of residents current on Association
dues. Remaining badges are to be distributed as notified by Treasurer.
Colonial
Badge Sales Co., Inc.
17
Woodland Station
Seaford,
DE 19973
(302)
628-5330 – phone
(302)
628-5229 - fax
www.colonialbadge.com
Spring Beach Clean-up: Beach Clean-up is the biggest event on the Beaches and Docks
calendar. Schedule for the first or second Saturday in May (with a rain
date). Distribute notices to all
mailboxes 2-3 weeks before. Include
date, time, tools to bring, note if lunch will be served, etc. Also notify the newsletter editor and the
Webmaster. Before the cleanup date,
survey needs at the beach and at the Fishin’ Hole and make a list of
tasks. The beach is raked and leaves are
raked out of the water in the swimming area. Clean the surface of the diving
platforms at both the main beach and at the east beach. Arrange for a trailer to haul leaves to the
dump. A trailer may be borrowed from Bob Edgar or Diane Bonar. A four-wheel
drive vehicle with a trailer hitch is needed to pull the trailer. Also small
groups can be assigned to clean drains, put out the float line and swim ladder,
trim shrubs or pick up trash along the shore. Lunch is provided by the
committee and often consists of a barbecue or ready-made sandwiches at the
beach (expect 35 to 50 participants; cost is included in the budget). One week
before, hang roadside signs (located in the clubhouse basement). Return signs
to clubhouse after.
Ongoing Beach, Fishin’ Hole and
Eastside Dock Care: These areas need to be kept clean
and neat. Toys, towels, clothing, etc. are to be taken home. If items are left on the beach, they will be
collected and either discarded or put into plastic containers under the deck of
the Club House where residents can retrieve them. Garbage and litter are to be
removed from the grounds. Boats and
boating equipment are to be stored neatly and well to the side of the beach
area or in the appropriate areas at the Fishin’ Hole.
Water Treatment: Water treatment is performed during spring and summer. The
water is treated for weeds and algae. The treatment company, Allied Biological,
sends a contract out during December or January for the next season. Once
signed, the company applies for the necessary state permits. The contract is
for weed control and treatments are scheduled as necessary. Algae treatments can be made on request. A
Sechhi disk, a black and white disk about 10 inches in diameter on a string
marked in one foot intervals, is used to determine the need for algae
treatment. The disk is lowered into the water until it cannot be seen. It is
raised until the black and white sections can be clearly seen. This is called
Sechhi depth. We try to maintain a Sechhi depth of five to six feet. Treatment
of the “breeder pond” (the pond between the “lagoon” and the lake) is an extra
cost. Monitor the “breeder pond”
closely; it may need treatment more often than the lake. Allied Biological has
been used for water treatment since 1981:
Allied
Biological Inc.
580
Rockport Road
Hackettstown,
NJ 07840
(908)
850-0303
abi.lakes@erols.com
Glenn
Sullivan is the president of Allied.
Deborah Mills is the office manager.
Swimming Water Analysis: Swimming water analysis is performed by Garden State Laboratories
(GSL) throughout the swimming season. We receive a contract in April for the
current season. Sign and return. Testing is requested from Memorial Day through
Labor Day. Samples are taken from two locations (east dock, Main Beach)
bi-weekly and tested for fecal coli form bacteria and pH. These results are
sent electronically to the Beaches and Docks chair and to the Harding Township
Health Department. If coli form bacteria is over state proscribed levels,
Garden State calls the chair and has a standing order to retest as soon as
possible. If levels are too high, the township health department (Gary Annibel,
973-455-7296) can decide to close the lake to swimming.
Supplier:
Garden
State Labs
410
Hillside Avenue
Hillside,
NJ 07205
www.gslabs.com
908-688-8900
800-273-8901
Harvey
Klein, Laboratory Directory
Cindy
Vitiello
MKL is
client # Z24M4266
Sand Replacement/Maintenance: White beach sand is added approximately once every five to
10 years. In 1994, 24.5 tons ($647) were purchased. The most recent purchase in
1999 was made from Alan G. Cruise, Inc. The sand is golf course sand-trap
material. The sand is delivered to the parking lot. Dennis Page a local
excavator is contracted to move the sand to the beach. Dennis is also hired as
necessary to reclaim sand that washes into the lake. This was done following
severe spring rains in the Spring of 2000, again in May 2004 and in 2006. Chris Backshall moved the sand in 2006. The lake was lower than usual for the
dredging and it was discovered that there is a very large amount of sand
working its way out toward the floating raft. When the lake was lowered in the
spring of 2009 to permit dredging of the area below the diving board, Chris
Backshall pulled up sand from the lake bottom.
This was raked out at spring clean-up.
New sand may not need to be brought in for many years. We have used
these suppliers/excavators for years:
Alan G.
Cruise, Inc. Dennis Page Chris Backshall
Landscape
& Golf Course Page Excavating (973) 539-0257
Materials
Harding Township,
NJ Cell (973) 479-
460
Horseneck Road (973) 538-5283 6941
Fairfield,
NJ 07004
(973)
227-7183
Lake Water Lowering:
The water level in the lake is lowered for dock maintenance about every
five years (lowered in 1999 and again in 2006). The DEP allows the lowered
level for only one or two weeks. In 1999 the lake was lowered in the spring and
drought conditions kept the level lower than normal well into summer. In 2008, the Beaches and Docks chair applied
for a permit from the DEP to lower the lake for the purpose of dredging sand
below the diving board at the main beach.
(State regulations specify a 12-foot depth.) The DEP indicated that permits are not granted
for later than October because of hibernating amphibians. They approved lowering for the following
spring between April 1 and 15.
Dredging:
1. The “lagoon”
(narrow pond to the east of the clubhouse) needs to be dredged every 5 - 6
years or so. A list of potential dredgers and their bids considered in 2004 for
the dredging of the lagoon is provided in the file: dredge_contractors_04.txt.
The lagoon was last dredged in 2010 by A.W. Alward of Basking Ridge, restoring
the bottom to its original 8-foot depth.
At the same time, the north end of the lagoon was restored, repairing the
erosion of the bank that moved dangerously close to the road. The inlet pipe was extended and riprap was
placed on the face of the embankment.
Technically, a DEP permit is needed for this work. Paul Fox, the Township engineer whom the
Association hired to perform technical support, determined that the permit for
the dredging of the lake was valid for the 2010 dredging. The spoils were trucked to the ball field and
deposited there.
2. The “breeder pond”
is dredged about every 20-25 years.
3. The lake was
dredged for the first time in 2006.
Docks and Floats:
Docks: 2 (stationary) at Main Beach, 1 (floating) at
the Fishin’ Hole on the west side of the lake, 1 (stationary) on the east side.
Floats: 1 at the Main Beach and 1 at the Eastside
dock.
Any wood
docks and floats should be sealed every year.
Floats should be relocated as necessary (wind and ice tend to move them
during the winter). Except for a section of floating dock at the Fishin’ Hole
and the decking of the diving board dock, all Association docks and floats are
now composed of Connect-a-Dick plastic components. Annually, the bolts holding sections together
should be tightened in the spring. In
2001 the Lakeshore Company asked that the swimming floats be secured to a
stationary object. A heavy chain is used to tether the float at the beach to
the diving board dock and the float at the Eastside dock to a large tree. For
dock and float repair or purchase, call Jim Morgan of Russmor Marine who
handles Connect-a-Dock materials.
D.W.
Hendershot – welder Jim Morgan
540 Green
Village Road Russmor
Marine
Green
Village 07935 One
School Street
973-966-0779 Califon NJ
07830
908-832-9544
(Fax)
908-832-9310
Dam:
The face of the dam should have a vigorous growth of
field grasses. The grass should be mowed
once or twice a season to eliminate weeds and brush. The cuttings should be done before late
season weed seeds have matured. This
work is coordinated with the Grounds chair.
At appropriate times (boating, fishing, swimming, skating seasons), notices are distributed to all residents, providing them with safety suggestions and reminders of Association rules and regulations governing recreational use of facilities.
In addition, the Beaches and Docks Committee
recommends to the Association Board any rules and regulation changes they deem
necessary. The Board has final approval
authority.
Miscellaneous:
The Committee
should keep an eye on water conditions, especially after heavy rains. If there
is an influx of mud into the lake, upstream construction sites should be
monitored for proper erosion controls. The township engineer (Paul Fox at Apgar
Engineering 908-234-0416, apgarassoc@aol.com) should be consulted if controls
are not in place or not adequate.
The New
Vernon Volunteer Fire Department holds practice drills at Mt. Kemble Lake every
few years.