Duane Lake Association, Inc.

(last updated January 9, 2020)

D'burg town gov't wants your comments on proposed new Comprehensive Plan
Phill Sexton, chair of the Town-appointed committee to revise the Comprehensive Plan, has provided us a copy for your review.  
     Written comments from the public are due January 31. A "virtual" hearing will be held January 21. Click here for details and to read the proposed plan.


HOW WE VOTED 
results of both the Duane Lake "sewer survey" and the follow-up survey


THE MID-SUMMER SURVEY

In the summer of 2020, a link to an online survey was emailed to 74 Duane Lake property owners identified as likely to be affected by any of the alternative proposals for managing septic leakage into the lake. Another 15 paper ballots were hand-delivered to residents unable to or not wanting to vote via internet.

The survey was completed by 71% of the property owners contacted (many of them contacted multiple times with reminders.)

                Results

* 17 preferred forming a Sewer District.

* 9 preferred forming a Septic Inspection District.

* 19 preferred requiring inspection upon transfer of ownership.

* 17 preferred doing nothing. 


              Conclusions

*    By a 45 to 17 vote the community voted for doing something.

*   The majority preference is rather evenly distributed between a Sewer District and inspection upon transfer of ownership.

*  The Septic Inspection District idea did not draw much support.

*   By a different 45 to 17 margin the community did not prefer a sewer pipe around the lake. 

            Other findings

In an information-gathering part of the survey, we learned that 53%
of households rely on lake water; 43% on wells. A survey conducted several years ago found that about 65% relied on lake water for household use. 

*  73% of all households reported that they do not drink lake water, though many who don’t drink it do use it for washing and cooking.

*  26% say their septic system was installed or upgraded since 2010; another 17% since 2000.  Unfortunately, 19% don’t know when it was done.

*  Regarding septic tank pumping, 19% said they have it done every year; 45% every two years; and 22% every three years. Two households report never pumping.

*  50% use the DLA-endorsed septic pumping service--King's Midway.

These maintenance numbers are fairly encouraging and testimony to the power of “gentle nagging” by the DLA and the offering of a modest financial discount through the DLA for septic pumping.


THE FOLLOW-UP SURVEY

The first survey told us that by a 3 to 1 ratio most people around the lake thought some major action or policy should be put into place to prevent or reduce septic effluent leaking into the lake.

However, the survey was unable to determine which of the three "do something" options posed by the Duane Lake Association board of directors was preferred. A follow-up survey would be necessary.

The follow-up survey used ranked-choice voting and was successful in discerning a clear favorite.

By assigning two points to each person's first-choice alternative, one point to each person's second choice alternative, and zero points to their third-choice, the following consensus emerged:
     Inspection upon Transfer—52 points
     Septic Inspection District—33 points
     Sewer System—27 points

At its October 13 meeting the DLA Board of Directors voted unanimously to convey these findings to the Duanesburg Town Board with a request that the Town Board create a local law that would require a thorough, state-of-the-art septic inspection upon transfer of ownership of any property around the perimeter of the lake. Such local laws are not unusual in upstate New York towns with lakeside neighborhoods.



___________________________________

DUANE LAKE ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

(year indicates 3-year term ends in June)  

Alan Knight, President   2021
David Elliott, Vice President  2022
Maria Flores Seibert, Secretary  2022
Norman Stewart, Treasurer  2021
Michaelynn McClenahan, Director  2022
Christina Miller, Director  2020
Kim Roberts, Director  2020
Pat Huff, Director   2021
Christine Whitaker   2021

The Association can be contacted at DuaneLakeAssoc@gmail.com









 

 





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