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President's Message Stu Smith reports that as of April 10, 2003, we've had 153 inches of snow! Spring showers bring May flowers...but not yet at the lake! Winter just won't leave. The warm spell in mid-March turned out to be just a taste of spring. The Piseco area, (approximately an hour north), had 18 inches of snow just last week, and plenty of snow remains here as well for those who wish to ski or snowshoe. The road conditions have been challenging recently as earlier in the winter, with periodic snow showers, freezing rain and sleet keep the road crews busy, and shoveling driveways and walks a necessity. Just two weeks ago, a pair of Hooded Mergansers visited briefly. As I write in early April, the bay has refrozen, and the water birds have disappeared. But many birds are visiting the feeders including Juncos, Redpolls, Purple Finches, Goldfinches, Nuthatches, Chickadees, Mourning Doves and Blue Jays, and the red and gray squirrels are active as well. An occasional small hawk, (Cooper's Hawk?), visits to dine also.
As we await spring and the return of our other snowbirds, be sure to join us for the annual Spring Cleanup and mark your calendar for the other upcoming events listed in this edition.
And please offer thanks to organizers and helpers who made our winter events successful.
Kathy Henry, President
SPRING CLEANUP...if the snow is gone, join your neighbors Saturday, April 26th to help cleanup our roadsides and shorelines. Meet at 9am at the Henry's, 422 North Shore Road for beverages and coffeecake, etc...For details, or if you'd like to bring a treat, call: North Shore: Kathy Henry at 725-7922 or Lorraine Carlson at 773-7571; South Shore: Joanne Wheelock at 773-3271
YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT Concerned about what your town government is doing? Become involved, attend town meetings. Aspire to the position of Town Board Member. Board meeting dates are posted on the bulletin boards. Become active! Be heard where it counts.
This month's issue, as always, included our Calendar of Events and a listing of our Officers, Board Members & Committee Chairpeople.
Welcome new Peck's Lake property owners:
GARAGE SALE?? I would appreciate hearing from anyone who is interested in participating in the annual Peck's Lake Garage Sale, which is tentatively planned for Saturday, August 2, 2003. If you have any ideas or suggestions as to whether it is held at private homes or at a central location or if there is any interest in having the sale at all, please contact Carol Regan, by leaving a message on her answering machine at 725-0872. Your input would be helpful.
Maps, Guidebooks and Directories for sale for $3 each. Contact Jeanne Brenno, 725-9041
THANK YOU to the organizers who made our winter events possible and successful:
FISH STOCKING On March 15th, Hog Island Bait of Swanton, Vermont delivered the first of two 500 pound orders of fathead minnows. It is estimated that there are 125 minnows per pound, or 62,500 minnows per 500 pounds. The second order arrived April 12th. Five hundred 10 to 12 inch Rainbow Trout have been ordered from Avery's Fish Farm, with delivery expected in early May.
WEB SITE There was a problem with the password change scheduled for January, so the password remains "beaverbay". When the change does go through, the new password will "holidaypoint", the username will always remain "plpa". Any questions or comments can be emailed to Paul Nestork.
CANOE & KAYAK CLINIC Saturday June 21st Mark your calendars to join Dave Pratt and Bob Ireland, who will again offer their popular canoe/kayak safety and paddling course. Come brush up your skills or to learn the basics. Contact Dave Pratt at 725-6460 for more information or to volunteer to help. Call Dave by June 16th to sign up to participate.
PRESERVING OUR LAKE LIFE STYLE We at Peck's Lake are a unique community located on a pristine lake setting. We all can appreciate the foresight of the Peck Family when various rules and regulations were enacted to protect our valued investments in real property and quality of life. When a property owner does not abide by the regulations it results in a detrimental atmosphere for all our neighbors and friends.
Please, for the sake of community unity, we request that everyone become familiar, or re-familiarize themselves, with the various rules, regulations and deed restrictions. With the upcoming summer season we especially draw attention to those regarding:
JOHNSTOWN & BLEECKER TOWN WIDE REEVALUATIONS On Saturday, April 12th, approximately 50 members of the Peck's Lake Protective Association assembled to discuss property taxes and assessments of the homes around the lake. Robert L. Beebe, an attorney from Clifton Park and an expert in the field of law, led the discussion. He previously served for 18 years as General Counsel to the New York State Board of Equalization and Assessment.
Mr. Beebe provided the group with an in depth review of the property tax system, including an overview of local assessment administration and the process available to the homeowner who wishes to obtain an assessment reduction. In his overview of the system, Mr. Beebe explained the various methods by which assessor's value real estate, and the state laws and regulations that the local assessors follow in preparing the assessments and the assessment roll each year. The laws and procedures are the same for both Johnstown and Bleecker.
The base of any assessment must be the actual, current market value of the property. However, owners may offer proof that assessments are made at less than market value, thereby entitling each owner to be assessed at no more than the average of the town. Finally, Mr. Beebe addressed the concern of many of the properties around the lake have been singled out and assessed at more than the average for all other properties within the Towns.
The two hour meeting included many questions and answers, and the members felt that a good deal of information had been provided. Individual members are invited to contact Mr. Beebe directly, and further discussions among the members are planned to determine the advisability of a group action based upon selective assessing. Mr. Beebe can be reached at the following address:
Beebe, Grossman & Bergins, LLPThose interested in pursuing the aforementioned group action should contact Evelyn Kirschenfeld, 524 North Shore Road, 518-775-1437 or 516-621-9018.
514 Vischers Ferry Road
Clifton Park, New York 12065
Tel.: 518-373-1500 Fax: 518-373-0030
E-mail: Robert Beebe
Note that there are several sources of information on the subject of the property taxes, including:
TOM FOSTER, a South Shore neighbor, previous PLPA Board member and unheralded supporter of the Peck's Lake Community passed away early this year. He served many years on the Town of Bleecker Property Tax Grievance Board and designed, constructed, repaired and managed the south Shore mailboxes until his death.
LAKE BUOYS MAP Be Certain to save the enclosed updated lake hazard buoy map pullout. Watch those shoals and sandbars and the speed limits in the bays and channels. If you find any loose buoys, please return them to Emilio Muscolino or the Marina.
PECK'S PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY Please come to the next Peck's park Historical Society meeting Tuesday, April 29th at 7:15pm at Alice Peck's home to plan for the upcoming season. a spring rolls around, it's time to houseclean the schoolhouse, windows need washing, and spruce up the nature trail. We have school classes coming, so cleanup must be done in the beginning of May.
People are also needed to help by being at the schoolhouse at least one afternoon during open hours, (Wednesdays or Saturdays from 1 to 4pm), and also to be trial guides, especially on Saturdays. If anyone has time to help, including when school classes will be visiting, please call me at 725-6236. The children arrive about 9:30am, stay and eat lunch, and then leave about 12:30.
We hope to have another successful summer, with lots of visitors and at least one event held at the school. Your help is always welcome. please come and bring your friends and relatives to visit too. A visit is really a worthwhile journey back into the past!
| 1983 - April 12 | 1984 - April 17 | 1985 - April 16 | 1986 - April 13 |
| 1987 - April 11 | 1988 - April 14 | 1989 - April 23 | 1990 - April 16 |
| 1991 - April 10 | 1992 - April 23 | 1993 - April 25 | 1994 - April 27 |
| 1995 - April 07 | 1996 - April 23 | 1997 - April 24 | 1998 - April 10 |
| 1999 - April 14 | 2000 - April 13 | 2001 - April 29 | 2002 - April 15 |
| 1996-97 | 128" |
| 1997-98 | 101" |
| 1998-99 | 81" |
| 1999-00 | 93" |
| 2000-01 | 149" |
| 2001-02 | 90" |
| 2002-03 | 153" |
Country Living by Esther P. Neal
Considering the winter we have had, I think the open water and the duck arrivals will be somewhat later than usual. Where there will be open water along the shore, you will eventually discover a female Mallard swimming with her mate close by. The bonding took place while they were on vacation south. the male will be attentive until the young appear. mother duck will glide along with an invisible thread attached to dozen or so ducklings. these little puffballs float on the water like air bubbles!
You might call it "voice mail" as communication between mother and young begins while they are still in the shell. The mother makes low sounds and the young reply. Dabbling ducks, such as Mallards, Black, Teal and Pintails' young all hatch within about 24 to 36 hours of one another and are at once out and about, feeding on seeds and under water plant material. Later, as they grow they turn to crawfish, insects and any other source of protein. Males do defend the nest site.
Duck nests are usually well hidden and the eggs are plain, soft colors. White, cream, pale green and buff are not easily spotted in grass and rushes. If you spot a nest, try not to tell friends, as nests will be abandoned if curiosity seekers appear. Having babies is a private affair. Thanks to the fact that there are still undrained swamps around Peck's Lake, you will often see one or two mother Mallards crossing the North Shore Road from the swamps on either side. You'll sometimes see turtles as well. They have been seen crossing Route 29A headed towards West Bay. I have seen cars stop to let them pass. Luckily the speeders have killed none. An unauthorized person charging up the cut off road to Route 29A past the trailers killed one last summer.
Most people know that Wood Ducks nest in trees but they have companions that do also. Common and Hooded Mergansers, Goldeneye and Buffleheads take to holes in trees. The Goldeneye and Buffleheads will also nest in burrows and crevices. Different strokes for different folks - or ducks!
"Lookit them duckies, ain't they cute? One is a Mallard, one is a Coot."
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ARTICLES WANTED! Articles are wanted for publication in the upcoming newsletter and later on the Web Site. Submit your article, saved as a simple text file to Kathy Henry, Newsletter Editor.