Joe's Pond Association Meeting
September 5, 2026
President Joe Hebert called the meeting to order at 10:00 am. There were approximately 70 people attending. New members attending were the Lunski’s and Heberts.
Board Actions - Fireworks donations - This is not a JPA event, and the Board had two thoughts on this. One is that members donate their dues and other funds for donations to the JPA and the Board felt that we should not be donating money the members have donated to us. Joe mentioned that the Milfoil costs will be discussed later in the meeting and we cannot afford to donate money. The Board does agree to accept fireworks donations after members pay the dues. Joe asked for discussion of which there was none and the members voted to accept fireworks money donated by members and then the JPA will hand over these donations to the Danville Chamber of Commerce.
Suggestion to remove non-paying members' names from the JPA signs. There are about 245 camps on the Pond with 20 to 30 camps not members. Joe reminded members that it is in the JPA by-laws to not remove names of nonpaying members. This can be changed but at a vote properly warned, etc. Jamie Stewart commented that he discussed this with Peter Crosby (Membership) and we both felt this was a petty move. The members voted for no change of policy with signs.
Joe asked if anyone had a large smart TV they were not using to donate that TV to the JPA so that Jamie Dimick would not have to bring the KATV system to the meetings.
Secretary’s Report - A condensed version of July’s meeting was read by Jamie Stewart. For the full meeting minutes go to the JPA Website. A motion was made and seconded to accept the meeting minutes.
Treasurer’s Report - Jane Segale reported that the milfoil costs were much higher in 2026 and that by the end of the year the unrestricted funds would be around $30,000 which is $13,000 less than last year.
Water Quality Report - Barry Cahoon showed a PowerPoint presentation. He is cautiously optimistic that we are on top of the EWM infestation. The effectiveness of the 8/26 ProcelloCOR treatment is unknown at this time. Barry said that due to the commitment and efforts by the association members that progress has been made. He gratefully thanked everyone but reminded members we still have serious issues to deal with. Barry showed PowerPoint slides showing the locations of plants found in 2024, 2025, and to date in 2026. The very real concern is the EWM found in the inlet channel and the harvest team has been focusing on that area. It is a very difficult area to survey and harvest given the shallowness of the water there and the amount of water lilies.
DASH work - Vermont Hozerz conducted an effective harvest in July. Barry felt the navigation passageway in the 2nd pond worked well. DASH worked totally in the 1st pond as there was a hi-density growth there. They did not work in the 2nd pond as there were not enough plants. JPA surveyors worked with the DASH team by locating the plants and marking the areas so the DASH team could just move there and harvest. None of their time was spent looking for the plants. We had plenty of kayakers supporting the effort and watched for floating fragments.
Barry reported that Scott Burns went into the treatment area after one week. He reported that most of the EWM was upright but sickly looking, brown, and bending over. The EWM plants are dying. Orange buoys were placed at some of the EWM sites to be able to go back and check on them in another week.
Water Quality Questions: A question was asked about the safety for humans with this herbicide. Barry commented that the State lifts all water use restrictions 24 hours after completion of the treatment including use for domestic purposes. Barry asked the questioner to go to the JPA website under ‘Milfoil’ to read and review the MSDS sheets. There is a wealth of information on the website. Barry emphasized that the EWM management committee does not want to use this chemical and the decision is not made lightly. ProcelloCOR (PC) is a focused, highly targeted herbicide but it will impact the white and yellow lily pads. Barry asked everyone to still avoid the 1st and 2nd pond until we confirm the EWM is dead. PC does drift and while the treatment was supposed to stay away from the pockets of lily pads, drift is inevitable. Past experience says that the PC does kill the lily pads but not the roots. They will grow back next season.
Barry emphasized:
8/2024 - EWM found
8/2025 - Sandy Beach, Channel Drive were the main areas of infestation and PC treated. North Shore Rd and the upper narrows had some EWM
8/2026 - the 1st and 2nd Pond were infested and treated with PC. The inlet channel is of great concern.
Since June 2026, the harvest team has gone into the inlet channel twice a week to pull plants.
Jim Bernotas spoke of the challenges of surveying/harvesting in the inlet channel. It is impossible to swim up there. The water is 6 inches deep and so one must crawl on hands and knees. This stirs up the muck and causes very poor visibility. The bottom is spongy and mucky, and you are pulling the plants blind. Kayaks have difficulty moving around. Paddleboards with the skeg removed are better but the surveyor must also be skilled in harvesting. They are on their belly on the board and pulling themselves along. We will keep at it until it is too cold. DASH cannot work in that area. Their boat has too much draft and there is too much natural vegetation. The SNUBA cannot operate there either. The air hoses get hopelessly tangled up in the weeds.
To the question of whether Joe’s Brook is the source, Barry denies this. Boat traffic is the culprit. Motorboats and Kayakers dragged the plant up there in 2025 and it took root. To another question if it was OK to put your kayak into the channel at the trestle bridge. This is OK but do not travel down to the loon lagoon and then back up to the trestle bridge. You would possibly drag the milfoil further up the channel.
Barry reported that if we are now just dealing with the inlet channel, we may be able to stay on top of the EWM infestation and the milfoil expenses should come down. The fear is that the inlet channel EWM is now sending fragments down into the 3rd Pond and we are back to where we started.
Barry also commented that a SCUBA survey happened after the DASH project was finished in the 1st pond and before the PC Treatment; there were 245 plants counted in the 1st pond, and we probably missed just as many. The EWM is a prolific growing plant and very difficult to eradicate. The use of DASH is a stop gap treatment to knock the plant back in areas of boat traffic. It is also a spreader of the EWM. Boat fragmentation is the real issue of the spread of this plant. We strongly feel that the DASH project in the 3rd pond in 2025 spread a lot of fragments into the 2nd pond and the 1st pond. It was the EWMMC first rodeo, and we are learning as we go.
Board Actions - Fireworks donations - This is not a JPA event, and the Board had two thoughts on this. One is that members donate their dues and other funds for donations to the JPA and the Board felt that we should not be donating money the members have donated to us. Joe mentioned that the Milfoil costs will be discussed later in the meeting and we cannot afford to donate money. The Board does agree to accept fireworks donations after members pay the dues. Joe asked for discussion of which there was none and the members voted to accept fireworks money donated by members and then the JPA will hand over these donations to the Danville Chamber of Commerce.
Suggestion to remove non-paying members' names from the JPA signs. There are about 245 camps on the Pond with 20 to 30 camps not members. Joe reminded members that it is in the JPA by-laws to not remove names of nonpaying members. This can be changed but at a vote properly warned, etc. Jamie Stewart commented that he discussed this with Peter Crosby (Membership) and we both felt this was a petty move. The members voted for no change of policy with signs.
Joe asked if anyone had a large smart TV they were not using to donate that TV to the JPA so that Jamie Dimick would not have to bring the KATV system to the meetings.
Secretary’s Report - A condensed version of July’s meeting was read by Jamie Stewart. For the full meeting minutes go to the JPA Website. A motion was made and seconded to accept the meeting minutes.
Treasurer’s Report - Jane Segale reported that the milfoil costs were much higher in 2026 and that by the end of the year the unrestricted funds would be around $30,000 which is $13,000 less than last year.
Water Quality Report - Barry Cahoon showed a PowerPoint presentation. He is cautiously optimistic that we are on top of the EWM infestation. The effectiveness of the 8/26 ProcelloCOR treatment is unknown at this time. Barry said that due to the commitment and efforts by the association members that progress has been made. He gratefully thanked everyone but reminded members we still have serious issues to deal with. Barry showed PowerPoint slides showing the locations of plants found in 2024, 2025, and to date in 2026. The very real concern is the EWM found in the inlet channel and the harvest team has been focusing on that area. It is a very difficult area to survey and harvest given the shallowness of the water there and the amount of water lilies.
DASH work - Vermont Hozerz conducted an effective harvest in July. Barry felt the navigation passageway in the 2nd pond worked well. DASH worked totally in the 1st pond as there was a hi-density growth there. They did not work in the 2nd pond as there were not enough plants. JPA surveyors worked with the DASH team by locating the plants and marking the areas so the DASH team could just move there and harvest. None of their time was spent looking for the plants. We had plenty of kayakers supporting the effort and watched for floating fragments.
Barry reported that Scott Burns went into the treatment area after one week. He reported that most of the EWM was upright but sickly looking, brown, and bending over. The EWM plants are dying. Orange buoys were placed at some of the EWM sites to be able to go back and check on them in another week.
Water Quality Questions: A question was asked about the safety for humans with this herbicide. Barry commented that the State lifts all water use restrictions 24 hours after completion of the treatment including use for domestic purposes. Barry asked the questioner to go to the JPA website under ‘Milfoil’ to read and review the MSDS sheets. There is a wealth of information on the website. Barry emphasized that the EWM management committee does not want to use this chemical and the decision is not made lightly. ProcelloCOR (PC) is a focused, highly targeted herbicide but it will impact the white and yellow lily pads. Barry asked everyone to still avoid the 1st and 2nd pond until we confirm the EWM is dead. PC does drift and while the treatment was supposed to stay away from the pockets of lily pads, drift is inevitable. Past experience says that the PC does kill the lily pads but not the roots. They will grow back next season.
Barry emphasized:
8/2024 - EWM found
8/2025 - Sandy Beach, Channel Drive were the main areas of infestation and PC treated. North Shore Rd and the upper narrows had some EWM
8/2026 - the 1st and 2nd Pond were infested and treated with PC. The inlet channel is of great concern.
Since June 2026, the harvest team has gone into the inlet channel twice a week to pull plants.
Jim Bernotas spoke of the challenges of surveying/harvesting in the inlet channel. It is impossible to swim up there. The water is 6 inches deep and so one must crawl on hands and knees. This stirs up the muck and causes very poor visibility. The bottom is spongy and mucky, and you are pulling the plants blind. Kayaks have difficulty moving around. Paddleboards with the skeg removed are better but the surveyor must also be skilled in harvesting. They are on their belly on the board and pulling themselves along. We will keep at it until it is too cold. DASH cannot work in that area. Their boat has too much draft and there is too much natural vegetation. The SNUBA cannot operate there either. The air hoses get hopelessly tangled up in the weeds.
To the question of whether Joe’s Brook is the source, Barry denies this. Boat traffic is the culprit. Motorboats and Kayakers dragged the plant up there in 2025 and it took root. To another question if it was OK to put your kayak into the channel at the trestle bridge. This is OK but do not travel down to the loon lagoon and then back up to the trestle bridge. You would possibly drag the milfoil further up the channel.
Barry reported that if we are now just dealing with the inlet channel, we may be able to stay on top of the EWM infestation and the milfoil expenses should come down. The fear is that the inlet channel EWM is now sending fragments down into the 3rd Pond and we are back to where we started.
Barry also commented that a SCUBA survey happened after the DASH project was finished in the 1st pond and before the PC Treatment; there were 245 plants counted in the 1st pond, and we probably missed just as many. The EWM is a prolific growing plant and very difficult to eradicate. The use of DASH is a stop gap treatment to knock the plant back in areas of boat traffic. It is also a spreader of the EWM. Boat fragmentation is the real issue of the spread of this plant. We strongly feel that the DASH project in the 3rd pond in 2025 spread a lot of fragments into the 2nd pond and the 1st pond. It was the EWMMC first rodeo, and we are learning as we go.
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Barry’s last slide was a to-date look at the costs of the 2026 milfoil efforts. These are to be verified by Jane Segale |
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Barry also told of the frustrating condition of the treatment permit is water testing after the treatment. The first test is 48 hours after treatment. If the results are less than 2 ppb, then all is well. If any tests are above 2 ppb, then daily testing is required at great expense. We had 3 sites to test, and the costs would be $612 per day.
Barry asked that all volunteers be sure to fill out their volunteer hour forms which are on the table. Our grant money depends on these forms being filled out.
Boat Wash Station - Barry also stated that he is restarting the boat launch wash station for 2027. He will be coordinating a meeting with the JPA and Fish/wildlife department.
Jack LaGue commented that from Barry’s report that DASH is ineffective and a waste of money and we should inform the State. Barry said that most of the lakes with EWM do not have a glimmer of hope of eradicating the EWM. DASH is used to knock back the plants so homeowners can use their waterfront, and boat traffic can occur. The State of Vermont is not much help to lake associations. Steve Dudley asked if any lake has been successful in eradicating EWM. Shadow lake in Glover is the only lake in the State to beat this weed. They have only 200 acres, a nutritionally poor lake and very little littoral zone. They manually pulled the weeds into oblivion, and it took over 3 years.
Barry thanked again all the volunteers who have worked so hard to date on the EWM project. Joe Hebert thanked Barry for his efforts on the 8/26 treatment plan. The State kept throwing roadblocks to prevent us from treating the 1st and 2nd ponds and Barry surmounted every one of the roadblocks.
Cyanobacteria - Dorothea Penar reported that it has been a very calm season. No blooms to date and we can thank the very dry year so far.
Events - Jeremy reported on the 4 events of 2026. He apologized for the confusing year. There was a menu change at the first dinner after the newsletter was printed. Jeremy reported that for 2027 there will be only 3 dinners. A Ham/Mac & Cheese, the Italian dinner, and the Cocktail Party. He thanked Nancy Buttura and Sue Yesalonia for their successful efforts for the Cocktail Party and announced that Katie Emerson and Michele Hebert will take that event over. Jeremy thanked all the coordinators for all the events.
Maintenance - Larry thanked all the volunteers that helped install the new fence around the pavilion. The old posts and rails are still available in the corner of the lot and help yourselves. A next year project is to improve the drainage at the boat launch area.
Member Questions - Steve Dudley expressed concern that the JPA fund balance is decreasing. Do we need to raise dues? Jane Segale said that at the end of the year we should have $30,000 in unrestricted funds. We normally have about $40,000. It is obvious we cannot spend $80K every year. Raising the dues to $100 per camp will not raise that much money. The dues were $40 for 4 years and then last year we raised them to $75.00. It was felt that the JPA should encourage donations to help refill the coffers. Let’s rely on that. Jack LaGue agreed and said let’s have a wait and see in 2027 and then fundraise if needed. Joe Hebert stated that he will be going back to the town of Danville and Cabot to share with them our milfoil harvesting efforts and will ask for more money.
The meeting adjourned at 11:10 am.
Respectively submitted,
Jamie Stewart
Barry asked that all volunteers be sure to fill out their volunteer hour forms which are on the table. Our grant money depends on these forms being filled out.
Boat Wash Station - Barry also stated that he is restarting the boat launch wash station for 2027. He will be coordinating a meeting with the JPA and Fish/wildlife department.
Jack LaGue commented that from Barry’s report that DASH is ineffective and a waste of money and we should inform the State. Barry said that most of the lakes with EWM do not have a glimmer of hope of eradicating the EWM. DASH is used to knock back the plants so homeowners can use their waterfront, and boat traffic can occur. The State of Vermont is not much help to lake associations. Steve Dudley asked if any lake has been successful in eradicating EWM. Shadow lake in Glover is the only lake in the State to beat this weed. They have only 200 acres, a nutritionally poor lake and very little littoral zone. They manually pulled the weeds into oblivion, and it took over 3 years.
Barry thanked again all the volunteers who have worked so hard to date on the EWM project. Joe Hebert thanked Barry for his efforts on the 8/26 treatment plan. The State kept throwing roadblocks to prevent us from treating the 1st and 2nd ponds and Barry surmounted every one of the roadblocks.
Cyanobacteria - Dorothea Penar reported that it has been a very calm season. No blooms to date and we can thank the very dry year so far.
Events - Jeremy reported on the 4 events of 2026. He apologized for the confusing year. There was a menu change at the first dinner after the newsletter was printed. Jeremy reported that for 2027 there will be only 3 dinners. A Ham/Mac & Cheese, the Italian dinner, and the Cocktail Party. He thanked Nancy Buttura and Sue Yesalonia for their successful efforts for the Cocktail Party and announced that Katie Emerson and Michele Hebert will take that event over. Jeremy thanked all the coordinators for all the events.
Maintenance - Larry thanked all the volunteers that helped install the new fence around the pavilion. The old posts and rails are still available in the corner of the lot and help yourselves. A next year project is to improve the drainage at the boat launch area.
Member Questions - Steve Dudley expressed concern that the JPA fund balance is decreasing. Do we need to raise dues? Jane Segale said that at the end of the year we should have $30,000 in unrestricted funds. We normally have about $40,000. It is obvious we cannot spend $80K every year. Raising the dues to $100 per camp will not raise that much money. The dues were $40 for 4 years and then last year we raised them to $75.00. It was felt that the JPA should encourage donations to help refill the coffers. Let’s rely on that. Jack LaGue agreed and said let’s have a wait and see in 2027 and then fundraise if needed. Joe Hebert stated that he will be going back to the town of Danville and Cabot to share with them our milfoil harvesting efforts and will ask for more money.
The meeting adjourned at 11:10 am.
Respectively submitted,
Jamie Stewart
Past Meeting Minutes: