Newsletter 1981

President:		Directors:
Ernest Judkins		Barbara Howard
Vice President:		Laura Stacy
Joseph Guyotte		Bud Robinson
Treasurer:		Darrell Buzzell
Laura Stacy		Gilman Glover
Secretary:		Herb Severence
Gloria B. Chase		Howard Kesseli
		Sheldon Harvey
		Richard Johnson
		Gloria B. Chase

Spring is here, early this year! Your thoughts are no doubt turning to summer and your Sebec Lake Cottage.

You recall we mentioned in last year’s newsletter that a citizen was interested in replacing the power plant at Sebec Village to generate electricity.

Several weeks ago a local newspaper carried the notice of an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a permit to study the feasibility of a proposed hydro-electric generating facility at the dam in Sebec Village. Interested parties were given until April 17, 1981 to respond to the Commission with respect to the permit application. The Sebec Lake Association did respond, pointing out the importance of a stable water level during the summer months. The SLA has also expressed concern on this matter to Maine Legislators with districts bordering Sebec Lake and to the members of the Maine congressional delegation.

Studies relating to the feasibility of such a hydro-electric project may extend over many months. Construction by a developer could be undertaken only after licensing by the Commission. The SLA intends to take an active part in assuring over the long-term that Sebec Lake does not become a second or third rate lake with extreme highs and lows and continually fluctuating water levels. Under such circumstances, not only would the recreational qualities of Sebec Lake be diminished, but property values would fall. Sebec Lake could no longer serve, as it now does, the recreational needs of many people from out-of-state and from the State of Maine.

The effort to preserve Sebec Lake as we know it will take the support of everyone, another reason for you, or someone you know, to become a SLA member, if you are not already. The matter will be considered further, of course, at the annual meeting; it is of vital importance to everyone.

At our annual meeting last July we were charged by our membership with the responsibility of trying to get a more equitable fishing license rate for non-resident property owners.

We presented a bill to the legislature, sponsored by representative Stephanie Locke, Legislative document No. 795. This bill to give non-resident property owners a seasonal fishing license fee of $19.50, with any future changes, the fee would be the average of , the fees for resident and non-resident, thus maintaining the equitable ratio.

This bill was referred to the “Committee on Fisheries and Wildlife”. There Rep. Locke presented the bill, along with a study showing the recent decline in license sales as a proportion to price, indicating this would show no loss in revenue. The SLA member present, spoke giving the viewpoint of the membership affected by this bill.

This bill along with another bill more complicated and including hunting licenses was taken under advisement and later turned down. There was however, a feeling that the committee may be convinced to moderate the price in the future rather than take on an additional rate and creating more administration cost.

There are approximately 60 buoys maintained at a cost of about $1,000.00 for placing, inspection every 10 days, and removal.

The light marking the narrows was destroyed by weather the latter part of last summer and has been replaced with a new one at a cost of $130.00.

We, the directors, on behalf of the Sebec Lake Association members, have a project (as some of you already are aware) where all roads and cottages on Sebec Lake are to be numbered. This will give assistance to the FIRE, POLICE and AMBULANCE departments, to enable them to give quicker and more efficient service to all cottage owners in case of an emergency.

Would you please help us by putting your number on you cottage or on a tree near your driveway?