lake may be drained

hermy1291 · Posted: Aug 22, 2005 8:07 am Post subject: lake may be drained

I have a lake that i have a cattage on has a dam that is 90 years old and the county thinks it is going to fail. The county has a resolution to lower the lake 11 feet. That lake is not that big and in most placesit is only about 7 feet. They think that it could kill and make millions of dollars in damage to the people down stream. I don't want tho be mean but the houses on the river are not very nice. So they are going to have a court hearing about it. They say that if the property owners do not pay for 75% of the dam(witch will cost about 4 million dollars) they will leave the lake drained intill we pay. Has this ever happened to anyone? just venting my anger.

J_DOGG · Posted: Aug 22, 2005 9:00 am Post subject:

Not to this extent but these are the reasons you need a LAKE ASSOCIATION so you can fight for what you believe in as a group. Do the people down stream pay LAKE FRONT taxes? If yes, does the town appropriate a portion of that money to the lake that feeds them? I can speak for my town, they will do as little as possible unless the PEOPLE make them act. We are currently going through a boat launch situation. The state says the boat launch is pay per use and should be controlled by the town. The town is not doing anything to monitor use or even provide parking for that matter, they are truly taking a hands off approach. The state is telling us the towns people need to pay and the town is telling us the lake front people need to pay. We are telling the town we do pay every year with our tax dollars and the town is now scratching theirs heads wondering why they were able to get away without doing anything for so long and are going to get stuck with the nut. As the state has it clearly documented that they (the town) is responsible for the boat launch. And the Town has clearly document the reasons for our higher tax rates are to help maintain the lake. Sounds like the town got them selves into a pickle when they decided to collect our money and do nothing lake related with it.

I bet you could prove to some degree the town neglected the dam and they are the ones that should foot the bill. You need to fight back with numbers or you are going to get what the town gives you. Sounds like they like doing nothing, so you would get nothing from them unless you kick and scream as a team. In simple terms, if they collect a higher tax rate from the people on the lake by law they need to appropriate a portion of that money to maintain the lake!! By law they con not just take your money and run, they need to justify the higher tax rate in the first place by sayn they are doing something with that money. What is documented as far as the town obligations with your waterfront tax dollars?

Find that out and start the fight!

hermy1291 · Posted: Aug 22, 2005 10:45 am Post subject:

we do have a association and yes they are fighting it. but still the county believies we are the only one te benifits from it. but really the whole city does from the econmic profit. Like my family most of the people on the lake are only part time residence. so when we are there we spent our fair share on gas and food. just hope it works out and i can wakeboard next year. only 2 more weekends and my seasons over Sad

AndyAndy · Addict Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Posts: 660 City: cutchogue

Does the damn generate power?

hermy1291 · Posted: Aug 22, 2005 1:12 pm Post subject:

nope it used to i just wish it used to cause then they would pay for it

southshoresledder · Criminal Joined: 21 Aug 2005 Posts: 75 City: meyers

Sucks bro... at my lake i just heard they are banning all boats and just want house boats on it... i hope its a huge rumor... but what lake are you at?

Leggester · Posted: Aug 22, 2005 3:05 pm Post subject:

What class is the dam and what does the Army Corps of Engineers say about it?