AGM Recap – September 2009

The annual meeting of your Stewardship Council was held on July 26^that the Alban Community Center

President Joe Dippong delivered his review of the major projects from last year.

• We are continuing to inform the general public of our activities through our local newspaper “The French River Today” we also send update information to our members prior to the annual meeting.
•  In our water quality sampling project we are completing our 3^rd year and final year.
•  From previous year sampling we identified sewage lagoons as a potential source of water quality issues and so began a lagoon study and project.
• We completed our second year of our tree planting project and involved our local schools this year.
• We have been successful in our request for input into dam design for the upper French river dam rebuilds. With our input water quality with respect to oxygen carrying ability was included in the design.
• We have formally been requested by the French River Municipal council to provide our input on water quality issues. We will act as an advisory group with a steadfast focus on water quality.
• We are now a ‘not for profit organization.

Our plans for 2009 and 2010 include important projects which are:

1. In our advisory role with the Municipality, we plan to pursue next steps and to request government funding to continue our Lagoon project. We feel this is the most important item on our agenda at this time
2. We plan to do some clean up of Pickerel spawning beds. We will be asking for volunteers to help with this and other projects.
3. Many residents have expressed concerns about the Pickerel fishing declines and so we plan to review with the MNR their policy for the management of Pickerel in the French River.
4. Testing of water quality will continue in targeted areas and may be expanded where appropriate.
5. We are planning a membership drive and communications project with grass roots support. We hope to have active members from all areas of the river.
6. The tree planting activities will continue in 2010 and we again plan to involve local schools.
7.  We are aggressively pursuing government funding for our various projects.

Greg Mason from the eastern Georgian Bay stewardship Council presented information on the learning’s and challenges of that group with respect to Blue Green Algae and the Sturgeon Bay area of Pointe au Baril.

Extensive studies and analysis of the water and surrounding areas have determined the levels of phosphorous are excessive and reducing phosphate input is the best way to prevent similar situations, as a result all residents are encouraged to use phosphate free soaps, laundry and dishwasher detergents. This one single action by everyone will greatly reduce nutrient loading.

In the member’s portion of the meeting, the Board of Directors for the year 2009/2010 was confirmed as:

Joe Dippong         Ron Garbutt          Rose  Heddle                  Mac Heddle            Dean Wenborne     

Norman Stoner    Terry Young          Mike Palmer              Garrie Roman      Jim Rook

Carl Bisaillon      Richard Martel

 As a volunteer organization, we need active members – please visit our web site for information on how you can join us as a member or as a volunteer to help in our efforts to maintain and improve the long term quality of our water