MARK YOUR CALENDAR! May 10th Sutton Town Mtg! TONIGHT

Sutton Town Meeting TONIGHT has article(s) of interest to the friends of Manchaug Pond. No problems are anticipated with their passage. If you can attend, here’s the details: Sutton’s Annual Town MeetingMay 10, 7:30pmSutton High School – Romasco Gym http://www.suttonma.org/Pages/index Check the link for a message from the town administrator and a full list of the articles on the warrant for consideration. Article 12:MANCHAUG BOAT RAMP BUDGET: Annual appropriation for boat ramp – allows for gatekeeper and port-o-let. Gate receipts actually fund the line item. Article 14:HYDROPOWER: With 17 dams in town and all the talk last year over the Manchaug Pond dam and the importance of its water, the Town Administrator asked the Planning Board to develop and propose a zoning bylaw change which would allow for small installations. A public hearing was held April 12 with no individuals speaking in opposition. (also no dam owners in attendance either!) The change will allow small hydropower generation in all districts and require dam owners to apply for a special permit before the Planning Board. Because of proximity to wetlands, filing with the Conservation Commission will also be required. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S MESSAGE also notes the preservation of the Whittier’s Farm nearly …

Rain Garden Blossums

Our new perennials are blooming in the “made possible by an s. 319 stormwater grant from the EPA/DEP” rain garden at the state boat ramp. If you are having a runoff problem on your property causing erosion into the lake or large wet areas in your landscape consider planting a rain garden of your very own. Visit these links: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/runoff/rg/index.htm#plant_lists http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/runoff/rg/littleone/small.htm

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! May 22nd SAFE VESSEL CHECK!

Does your boat have this sticker? Bring your vessel(s) – canoe or kayak, sail or motorboat- for a free inspection by the Worcester County Sail and Power Squadron. Receive your official sticker certifying your vessel is safe. Manchaug Pond Boat Ramp on Saturday, 22 May from around 9:00 A.M. to around noon.Boats can be on trailers or in the water.  Bring one or bring them all! The ramp is located on Torrey Road in Sutton MA.42* 05.473′ N71* 46.118′ W Minimize the loss of life, personal injury, property damage and environmental impact while maximizing the safe use and enjoyment of U.S. waterways by recreational boaters. The Vessel Safety Check process is one of “prevention through education, outreach and volunteer compliance” helping recreational boaters to gain a respect for the boating environment.  The VSC Program also helps to achieve voluntary compliance with federal and state recreational boating safety laws, particularly with regard to the carriage of safety equipment while raising boater awareness about safety and environmental issues through voluntary contact by a Vessel Examiner. Discussions with recreational boaters are designed to motivate maintaining and operating their boats in a safe manner, taking boating safety courses to increase their knowledge and skills …

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! May 15th Cleanup!

Join the MPA Board of Directors and members for coffee, muffins and donuts, and a little outdoor work to benefit Manchaug Pond on Saturday, May 15th  for our twice a year CLEAN-UP!  If you’ve never participated you’ll be surprised as to what we find! These are the big three in roadside trash: McD’s, Dunkins, and then bottles of all flavors and strengths! We hit the road!… by car and on foot with gloves and trash bags. Hit the Boat Ramp!… with wheelbarrows, tractors and leaf blowers and this year with paint brushes (we’re going to paint the ramp gate!) and we Hit the shore! in boats to just pile it in. We’ll meet at the state boat ramp on Torrey Rd, Sutton at 9:00 am and work until noon. Come for the morning or come for an hour! Pick the task you like best and bring the buddy you like to work with most! or meet a new friend! Thank you to the Sutton Highway Dept. for joining us in this effort with the use of the truck and to the Sutton Transfer Station for disposal of the trash collected and the the MassDEP 319 NonPoint Source Pollution Grant for …

Downstream Offered Cute Fundraiser – Rubber Duckie Race

Saturday was the 2nd Annual Rubber Duckie Race (not sure of the exact title) to benefit the work in the village of their civic organization. It was a breakaway with the winning duck making the winning little 4 year old boy very happy.

Murphy’s Law or My Dog Ate My Tackle Box… !! TACKLE BOX !!

YES, YOU HEARD IT RIGHT! Here’s the email message and photo that came in this week.   “Want to laugh? I just got back from the vets – Murphy ate my tackle box… with all sorts of stuff in it. 190 dollars and 6 x-rays later – no hooks! yay! What a CRAZY dog we have, huh?” GULP!

Sutton Town Warrant of Interest to Manchaug Pond

Yesterday gray skies filled the day with a bit of rain here and there. Minutes ago a rain shower brought a bit of hail and now the sun is shining. http://www.suttonma.org/Pages/index Of interest to Manchaug Pond are a few items on the Sutton town meeting warrant: Article 12 is the annual appropriation for the management of the state public access ramp and Article 14 and 15 allow for the small installation of hydroelectric by special permit of the Planning Board. Click the link or post title to bring you to the town website and then click to see the entire warrant to read it for yourself. The members of the Manchaug Pond Association were present at the Planning Board public hearing when the hydroelectric power article was discussed. Personally, I found it very interesting that not a dam owner or potential dam buyer was in attendance and further I have heard word on the street that this article was brought by a potential dam owner, but in reality the Planning Board opened the hearing explaining that the Board was bringing the article for town consideration at the urging of the Town Administrator to address concerns at Manchaug Pond. Sutton has …

One of Manchaug Pond’s Pileated Woodpecker

You’ve heard them around Manchaug Pond calling to each other!Now thanks to a member who sent these photos in, taken this morning, you get to see this large woodpecker up close.  Click the links to hear their calls and drumming. http://www.pileatedwoodpeckercentral.com/audio/call.mp3http://www.pileatedwoodpeckercentral.com/audio/drumming.mp3 http://www.pileatedwoodpeckercentral.com/audio/awoik.mp3