News

          

Greetings Lake Gerry Association! Season 2024 is here. 2023 proved to be busy and productive.  The Charles Kelley Pavilion received some much-needed attention. It is now straighter and more structurally sound. Once the weather cooperates some minor details will be attended to.

         The beavers were prolific in 2023. Trapping and mitigating their damage were essential to the lake. This effort was no small feat. The spillway was cleaned up and cleaned out regularly as it was plugged repeatedly.

         This season the beach will need some attention. Members have made several suggestions about the stone base at the pavilion, and they will be discussed and voted on at our meetings.

         Solitude will be coming to meet with our board to discuss further efforts to improve our lake quality. When that meeting takes place, the proposals will be brought to the members.

         This is an election year for LGA members please think about joining the board!!!

         This is also a year to review and update the LGA bylaws. The procedure for this will be explained at the first meeting.

         ALWAYS stay engaged! The LGA website is a wealth of information. If you are unable to make a meeting check for updates there.

         Lastly, this year let’s celebrate the talents of our members. This community is home to painters, photographers, wood workers and quilters. Showcasing their talents will be an LGA goal this season!

Let’s Go LGA!!

Hi Everyone!

I hope you all had a good off-season.  Over the next few days you should start receiving the renewal emails for the Lake Gerry Association.  

Please fill out the application, review the by-laws and make your membership payments securely, online.  

Also, if you are renewing your membership and you had made any donations last year, this website for some reason will automatically add those same donations to your membership screen.  You are NOT obligated to make the same contributions and can change them before making payment.  However, your generous donations are always welcome and appreciated. 

Should you have any questions or problems registering/renewing please reach out to me at contact@lakegerry.com and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.  

Thanks and cheers to a fun and productive 2024 season. 

- Tim  -- (The website guy)

The September Lake Gerry Association meeting has been moved from Sept 10th to September 17th.  Charles Kelley Rd. Pavilion - 1:00pm to 2:00pm (or a little longer).   

Lake Gerry Association

July 2023 Meeting

Unofficial Meeting Notes

The meeting was held on Sunday July 9th, 2023.  There were approximately 21 members in attendance.  It rained some, but thankfully not the amount they were calling for.

Treasurers Report -  Money has been spent on:  Pancake Breakfast, Ice Cream Social, Items for raffling at Ice cream Social, Trophies, Port-a-Potty pumping, Paint for the pavilion, Safe Deposit Box, and fish stocking. 

We had a very generous donation toward the Fish Fund. 

Lake Steward Report - 

• Pavilions - We have purchased the paint for the pavilion and will begin painting it as soon as possible, ideally before this year's fire inspection.  There was a bad GFI box noted in the pavilion and has been replaced.  The work to straighten the Charles Kelley Rd Pavilion is planned for September.
• NYSEG - Will be out to remove a problematic tree over the power lines.

30 seems to be the number of the week! 

Last week we held a pancake breakfast which had about 30 people attend. 

We also held the Fishing Derby on July 1st.  It was a huge success and we received many compliments about how much fun it was.  A special thank you to the Beckwith Family and those who helped organize this great event.  There were 30 participants. 

The evening of July 1st we held the ice cream social.   30 people were able to join us to cool down in the evening before the rain started. 

I wish I had taken some photos of them, but the amazingly talented Billy H. carved a set of beautiful logs that will be placed at the entrance to the Charles Kelley Rd Pavilion.  Be sure to check them out once they're installed.  

Right of Ways - We continue to have problems with people abusing, moving, or trashing the right-of-ways.  Ellis Lane this past week has been clogged up with boats, chairs and even a swing across the lane making it unusable for many Lake Association Members.  Please remember that all Lake Gerry Association Members have access to these lanes and they must be kept clear.  

Speeding - There has been a rise in speeding around the lake, and in particular, down Kent Road and other longer Lake Gerry Association Properties.  The police have been notified and will increase patrols of the areas.  If you are having a problem with someone speeding in an car, truck, or ATV, please contact the police. 

• A vote was held to set a speed limit of 5 MPH on all Lake Gerry Association roads.  (Note:  This does not include Charles Kelley Rd. which is a public road) This speed limit will pertain to all motor vehicles. 
• A vote was held to post signs at the beginning of each Lake Gerry Association road with the speed limit and any applicable restrictions.

Dogs - There were several more incidents involving some of the dogs around Lake Gerry.  We continue to address this issue as best we can, however:

• If you have a problem with a dog on your property or while on Charles Kelley Rd or any of the Lake Gerry Association roads, please call the Dog Control Officer:  Roger Barrows at 607-952-6025, leave a message with the date and time and details if he doesn't answer.   
• If there is a dog on your property, or a public road way and it is menacing you, trying to attack you or causing you to be afraid, then you need to call 911 and give them the details of the incident.
• If you are bit by a dog, you need to report the bite to the police by calling 911.  

Our Lake Days Picnic and Auction will be held on August 5th.  We will be changing the start time from 1:00pm to 12:00pm.  Although the Phil's Chicken House picnic last year was a great success, many people liked grilling burgers, hot dogs and bringing a dish to pass, so we will be going that route again.  The challenge is that it is difficult to plan for how many people will attend.  Therefore, we are asking that everyone RSVP to the Picnic who plans on attending.  You can do this through the website, by clicking on the event link in the calendar on the home screen.  Hopefully I made that process easy enough for everyone to figure out.

Following lunch on the 5th - around 2pm, will be our annual Auction.  This year we will be raffling gift cards, art work, and other ticketed items.  We will also be collecting "gently used" items for the auction.  Any items you wish to donate to the auction can be left on your curb by 9:00am on the morning of the 5th.  Our volunteers will be around to pick them up.    We will not be accepting:  Books, Cat Trees, Baby Items, Electronics, or Junk.   We encourage everyone to join us and help us raise money for the Lake Restoration and Preservation projects. 

Boat Parade - The boat Parade will be held on August 5th at 6pm.  Judging will be held on the beach.  While I don't know all the official rules or how this works, I'd like to see everyone take a lap around the lake and everyone in the boats and on the shores cheering and having some fun with each other.  There will be trophies awarded!

RV Lots and Snow Birds - We revisited this discussion some.  See last meeting's notes or the website forum discussion if you have any questions, comments or concerns.  We will plan on continuing these discussion but will need to make some decisions soon. 

2023 Lake Gerry Fishing Derby Results!

Somehow the rain held out again for this year's fishing derby!   I missed all the activity but it looked like there were quite a few people out enjoying the fishing at Lake Gerry!

The winners are:

Youth:  Most Fish -- Aaron

Youth:  Largest Fish -- Carter  with a 15-3/4 Inch, 1lb 12 oz Large Mouth Bass

Youth:  Smallest Fish:  Ruby with a 4 inch whopper.

Adults: Most Fish - Valerie O.  with a total of 16 fish.

Adults: Largest Fish -- Travis F. with a 18-1/2 inch, 2lb 11oz Large Mouth Bass

This year we had 30 participants which is the most ever recorded!!  

A special thank you to the Beckwith's and for everyone else who helped make this day a fun!  

We are all looking forward to next years derby!

Lake Gerry Association –

June 2023 Meeting  - Unofficial Meeting Summary

Charles Kelley Rd. Pavilion

The meeting was well attended and there were several new faces joining the group!

The meeting was opened but we were unable to read last meeting’s minutes due to the secretary being unable to attend the meeting.  They will be posted online shortly. 

During every, single, meeting the same questions are asked by mostly different people.  Constantly addressing these questions takes up a substantial amount of meeting time where members could be enjoying their time at the lake.  To address this, we have created this website, and we will be posting these questions and the answers to them on the page so they can be easily located and we can focus our efforts on improving everyone’s lake life.

Lily Pad Cutting Machine – As of Sunday’s meeting we made it to the next round in the grant funding.  We are crossing our fingers that we continue to progress as this machine will be a wonderful tool to use to improve Lake Gerry and will help us address Lily Pads. A decision will likely be made by June 15^th.

Much of the Association’s project planning for the year will take place after we hear about the Lily Pad Cutter grant.  That will dictate how much money we have left in the budget.

Flag Pole – We had a very generous donation of a new flag pole and brick work at the Charles Kelley Rd. Pavilion.   Thank you Lance W. it looks great!

Last week the Sheriff was at the Lake due to a dog bite.  Dogs continue to be a problem around Lake Gerry.  Remember: 

• ·         All Dog’s must be vaccinated for Rabies. 
• ·         All Dogs must be licensed in the Town of Oxford. 
• ·         All Dogs MUST be leashed when not on your property.
• ·         Pet Owners who are not in compliance with the town ordinances may be fined. 

If a nuisance dog comes onto your property, you should photograph or video record it and contact the dog warden.  If the dog is menacing or causing you to be nervous or afraid, then you need to call 911 to report the incident.

Website:  We will be adding more content and details to the website to make sure everyone has access to up-to-date and accurate information about Lake Gerry.  I’m trying like crazy to make this easy for everyone and keep you all as informed as I possibly can.  So, if you notice any issues or if there is content you would like to see, send an email to contact@lakegerry.com .  Information to be updated will also include a list of active board members and trustees.  It was decided to NOT list the permanent trustees due to privacy concerns.  We will not list contact information for any Board Members or members unless they give expressed permission to do so. 

Lake Days – We are looking at changing Lake Days due to a lack of participation and interest.  Instead of a weekend long series of events in the middle/end of August, we will be moving some of the events to July and the beginning of August.  Our hopes are that we can get more members and families interested and participating in the various events.

Fishing Derby – Will be held on Saturday July 1^st.  We are working to determine if we should have on the access lane near the Beckwith’s dock or bring it back to the Pine Road Pavilion.  We will decide that shortly and post it on the website.

After some discussion, the plan for the next few events:

• Pancake Breakfast (from Lake Days) - will be held on the morning of the Fishing Derby – July 1^st at the Charles Kelley Rd Pavilion from 8 until 10. 

• Fishing Derby - will be held on July 1^st from 10 until 2.  Location TBD.

• Ice Cream Social (from Lake Days) - will be held in the evening of July 1^st, starting around 6pm at the Charles Kelley Rd. Pavilion

• BBQ/Picnic and Auction (from Lake Days) - will be held on August 5th at the Charles Kelley Rd. Pavilion – Food Source TBD, Time: TBD

• Boat Parade (from Lake Days) - will be held on August 5^th, following the picnic at 6pm. 

The Saturday before the last LGA meeting in September will be Coffee at the Pavilion.

Other events may be added depending on planning and funding.

Over the past year there have been several smaller lots for sale around the lake.  These lots are currently too small to build on, but are a good size for adding a seasonal RV usage. There was some discussion about this and we would like to further explore if this is a good idea or not.  We would need to put guidelines and rules in place for these lots to assure they meet our community’s standards and needs.

Issues to think about:   RV’s would need to be a certain year/age.  All RV’s would need to be removed at the end of the season.  There would need to be some sort of septic contract.  They could provide a good revenue source for the association.  Will they invest in the community?

Treasurer’s Report:

~60 memberships this year.  8 are pending.

2 memberships are for income properties

Grass Carp Fund:  $275

Fish Fund: $627 – Will be purchasing Bass, Fat Head Minnows, Perch

Restoration Fund:  $310

Lake Steward Report:

Beach - Chris M. worked on fixing up the beach a few weeks ago for use this year.  Lance W. put the bouy line out to mark the swimming area.

Welcome Signs – The sign posts have been painted and look great!

Spillway is being maintained every other day.  Stick and debris are cleared as needed.

Beaver Permit has been issued to trap the beaver who has been plugging up the spillway, among other things.

New metal cabinets have been placed at the Charles Kelley Rd. Pavilion.

There is one more outhouse that needs to be removed over the next few weeks, as time allows.

Grass Carp seem to be doing there thing, we would like to assess their effectiveness on the vegetation of the lake.  Email us if you see them and how big they are getting. 

BOAT STICKERS -- All boats using Lake Gerry MUST have a current Boat Sticker attached to the side of your boat so that it is visible.  If you see a boat without a yellow Lake Gerry Association Boat Sticker, they are trespassing and the police should be notified.  If you have not picked up your boat stickers yet, they are free this year with your membership.  Please contact the Lake Gerry Association Board member and they will get you the boat stickers.

Lastly, we will be discussing our By-Laws this year and are scheduled to review them and submit any changes for a vote in the Spring of 2024.  The by-laws over the years have been a challenge and overly complicated.  We would like to simplify them and make them more appropriate for the scope of our organization.  If you would like a say in the governing of the organization, it is incredibly important that you attend these meetings and vote. 

I will be creating a couple discussion groups on the website for members to discuss the potential of RV’s and By-Law issues/changes.  To access these forums, you will need to sign-in to the website.  Once signed-in, you will see a menu appear to view forums.  (Among many other things that we are trying to keep private for members).

Hi Everyone, 

Membership renewals for the 2023/24 Season will be sent out in the next few days.  Please watch your email in-box for information on how to renew. 

We made some pretty significant changes to memberships starting this season:

• You will no longer need to purchase individual guest passes. 
• We have eliminated the Extra Vote option for members
• We are no longer charging extra for Boat Stickers, though every boat on Lake Gerry MUST have a current Lake Gerry Association Boat Sticker. 

We are streamlining the donation funds for the Lake Gerry Association also, please consider rounding-up your membership or making a contribution to help us maintain the association's properties throughout the year. 

Our goal is to make the registration process fast and easy for members and the board.  Should you have any problems please reach out to us via email at:  contact@lakegerry.com

We look forward to seeing everyone at our first Lake Gerry Association meeting on May 21st. 

** Please Note:  Each Membership Renewal will default to adding any previous donations to your membership for the year.  You are not obligated to donate again and can zero those out if you need to on the membership application.   If you would like to donate, or add funds, it can be changed there as well.  

Thanks and we look forward to a great year!

Lake Maintenance - 

Last week the Lake Gerry egress/spillway was cleaned out and a new cage was attached to help with flow from the lake. 

     

We also completed the posts for the lake entrance signs. 

Also, there are just a couple days left before the shotgun raffle!  Be sure to buy your tickets from Mayhoods, a LGA Board Member or from our website by clicking on the Shop button.   

Time is drawing closer to the drawing for our shotgun Raffle!   The drawing will be held on November 1st.   Win the Mossberg 500 - 12g shotgun, or a $600 Mayhoods Sporting Goods Gift Card!

To purchase tickets, click on the Shop button on the top of the website. 

All proceeds from this raffle will go toward the restoration and preservation of Lake Gerry. 

Today we added 600 Catfish to Lake Gerry along with 5000 fathead minnows to help feed our game fish.  We will be adding our Yellow Perch next month. 

Last Thursday SOLitude Lake Management company was at the lake to apply our last herbicide treatment to take care of the lily pads.  They brought the airboat and were able to easily navigate into some of the worst lily pad areas on the lake!  Yay!   Please remember we won't see the effectiveness of these treatments until the spring and summer.