By Sarah Opdahl

At the Wednesday, February 11 Candlewood Lake Authority (CLA) meeting, Director of Ecology and Environmental Education Dr. Neil Stalter updated members on the deep drawdown of Candlewood Lake. Though it was intended to be a shallow drawdown year, First Light received a federal order from the Department of Energy “to maximize generation, so they had to switch to a deep drawdown.”

 Originally enthusiastic about the plan for a shallow drawdown, given that it would allow for “potentially, the plant community [to] recover a little bit” the CLA is  looking on the bright side, that the deep drawdown will expose more zebra mussels and help to reset their population. Stalter pointed out, “It doesn’t go deep enough to get rid of them all, but it does help kind of manage them.” In terms of plant recovery, “this may set that back,” he said, “although I cannot necessarily say that it actually would make a difference, but it certainly is not helpful to the plants to do a deep drawdown.”

CLA Executive Director Mr. Mark Howarth explained that newly hired Marine Patrol officers are currently undergoing training and are completing their swim tests. Soon they will begin training sessions with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). Marine Patrol Chief Mr. Nick Mellas added, though there were originally ten hires, seven remain committed. He is hopeful that all of them are  able to attend DEEP’s trainings, as those are critical to the process.

In the Treasurer’s update, Mr. Will Meikle was happy to report that, at seven months into the fiscal year, the CLA is approximately $50,000 ahead of budget. He explained this is largely the result of their annual appeal which has exceeded expectations, especially in relation to the timing of donations. He and others extended a message of gratitude to the community of supporters. Meikle noted, “some of that overage right now is just timing…but we are ahead of our full year in terms of donations.” He mentioned that all five CLA committees are also running under budget, in terms of expenses.

The CLA approved a capital request introduced by Meikle, in the form of the replacement of two personal watercraft for the Marine Patrol fleet. These will replace  a pair the patrol has used since 2008. He pointed out that the purchase of these replacements is in the capital plan, so the expenses were expected. Meikle shared that those closest to the project reviewed model options “with a couple of other law enforcement organizations that use them, notably Stamford and Fairfield Police Departments,” and the Sea-Doo model chosen “does appear to be the most well-recognized model for law enforcement purposes.” He went on, “This machine will come with a technology package that allows the officers to connect via Bluetooth to their phones, as well as the speakers on the device itself, so they won’t have to reach into their jackets and pull out a phone and risk losing it in the water, should they get a call for assistance.” The model also has a sophisticated braking and reverse system that the old model did not have. The watercraft will be outfitted with lights and sirens that will be repurposed from the old units, as those were recently replaced. The CLA also approved the purchase of a new double trailer to pull them.

Regarding equipment, it was noted that the off-season has provided time to upgrade the original silver ship, so that it matches the capabilities of the newest ship. Working in an airport hangar in Danbury, Mr. Michael Gasperino has outfitted the older boat to better standardize features. He is also completing an in-depth inventory of all equipment, including serial number collection.

Howarth explained that there are some new videos being planned to film during the summer season. The Public Aware Committee is working on topics. The new CLA website is in progress and will be launched this spring.

CLA members welcomed Mr. Bob Palladino to the group. He is the new Sherman delegate.

The next regular Candlewood Lake Authority meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 11, 7:00 p.m.