Spring 2026 Membership Meeting Monday, April 20th @ Horse & Hound

The TEA Annual Spring Membership Meeting is planned for Monday, April 20th at the Horse & Hound at 94 Spring Street. We also plan to have a laptop/camera at the meeting broadcasting over Zoom for TEA members interested in listening in remotely.

Meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Note: This meeting is for TEA Members only.

Email tea@truesdalelake.com to RSVP for in-person or if you want to attend virtually.

If you want the Zoom Link please ask for it when you RSVP.

If you are new to the TEA or you want to update us on your information, please fill out the TEA Resident Questionnaire. Thanks!

Agenda
➡ President and other Officer reports
➡ Treasurer:

• FINAL FY2025-2026 Budget vs. Actual review
  • Our Fiscal Year is April 1 – March 31
• Proposed FY2026-2027 Budget and Membership Vote
  • We are proposing an increase in annual dues to help with increases in costs. This would be our first increase in 11 years.

➡ Beach Report / Lake Committee update

➡ Projects Update: New Shed / Updated Dock / Drawdown plan / Septics / Sewer /
➡ Upcoming meeting schedule for coming year.

Zelle – members payment – direct electronic payment is live and worked well the past three years. If you have not yet paid for 2025 we will add your outstanding balance to your 2026 dues notice.

Please send your dues payment in ASAP after you receive your dues notice – either via mail or Zelle –

Dues payment can be to tea@truesdalelake.com via Zelle. Or send a check to the address on your dues notice. Dues notices will be sent after the budget is set on 4/20/26.

If you want us to confirm receipt of your payment, email us at tea@truesdalelake.com and let us know you are sending your payment.

More photos in photo gallery or on the https://instagram.com/laketruesdale page

Notes for TEA Board / Officer Membership

The TEA Officer roles are two year terms. We have new officers for the current 2 year (2025-2026) term. New terms will start in 2027 – we will need volunteers to help keep the association powered.

Board members cannot be in the same role for consecutive terms so if you want to take over a role starting in 2027 let us know.

WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS! a lot of the same people have taken on the board and officer roles, some for many years. Fresh eyes and fresh energy is needed and valued. If you are new to the community and want to help, there are lots of ways to pitch in.

Current TEA Officers for 2025-26 (through end of 2026):

President (Rob Cummings) – organizes & runs meetings, in charge of recruiting next president and officers. Can sign checks.

Vice President (Jo Ann Ferrigno) – runs meetings when President can’t attend. Fills in other roles as needed. Can sign checks.

Treasurer (Ellen Rose) – deposits checks, writes checks, tracks and reports on income/expense and bank balances. Tax filing 990.

Recording Secretary (Howard Citron) – Takes meeting minutes, sends drafts to board and membership attendees post-meeting.

Corresponding Secretary (Debbie Fink) – Receives and replies to association correspondence.

Sergeant-at-Arms (Mike Gorman) – guards the door (or virtual door).

Formal roles for Officers are in the TEA Bylaws here:

http://truesdalelake.com/associations/tea/tea-bylaws/

At-large Board members (7-10 members needed) attend 4 standing meetings per year. Current board members are: Mike Vellensky, Lisa Capobianco, Glenn Capobianco, Sarah Polizzotto, Kate Grieve, Harron Appleman, Melissa Scarlatto, Tom Houlihan, Ira Sanchick, Kathleen Ward Gallagher, Carol Gamez, and Wendy Daniels.

Sarah Polizzotto and Kate Grieve are beach co-chairs. Thank you Kate and Sarah!

Standing Association Meetings are on the following schedule (Add to your Calendars!):
-TEA Membership Meetings (entire membership invited 2x/year):
—April 20, 2026, NEXT MEETING Spring Membership Meeting
—Nov 9, 2026, Fall Membership Meeting
-TEA Board Meetings (board members only):
—SECOND Monday of March (March 8, 2027)
—SECOND Monday of October(Oct 12, 2026)
Special Meetings (both board meetings and membership meetings) can be called for association business as needed.

Critical positions that don’t have to be board members:

Beach Chairperson – coordinate beach clean-up, monitor beach conditions, keep an eye on beach things like electricity and trash service. Lots more! A lot of overlap with the Social Chairperson.

Social Chairperson – Plan and get volunteers for any social events – primarily the Summer Kickoff BBQ the second weekend in June. Some events can be at our beach while others we can coordinate with TLPOA. This position is all about fun!

Volunteer Opportunities & Committees:

Beach Clean-up Day – the Saturday before Memorial Day Weekend (May) each year. Lots of sand spreading, weed cleanup, general maintenance, and straightening up the beach getting ready for the first official weekend of summer on Memorial Day Weekend.

Floats and Dock installation, management, and winterizing – 2-3 people needed – at the beginning of the season, usually on Beach Clean-up Day, volunteers put out the floats and swim dock. 2-3 people. At the end of the season, this group pulls in the floats and winterizes & secures the swim dock

Lake Management Committee Member – be the TEA liaison to TLPOA Lake Manager John Gusmano and Pond & Lake Connection (James Gorman, main contact). Participate in email communications and bring any concerns to the TEA & TEA Board. More info: http://truesdalelake.com/lake-management/

CSLAP Testing Member (1 person needed) – We are looking to rejoin the New York State Federation of Lake Associations “Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program” which uses trained volunteers to sample the water conditions of Truesdale Lake and hundreds of other NY State Lakes. More info is at: https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/81576.html

Resident Canada Geese Registration and Egg Control program volunteers (2-3 people needed to go out to the islands in March and April) – Each year we get permits from the United States Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) to oil and addle eggs in the nests of Resident Canada geese. 20+ years ago there were hundreds of Canada geese that would take up permanent residence on Truesdale Lake for the summer. This causes unhealthy conditions in the lake and on lawns. More information at truesdalelake.com/goose

Truesdale Lake Dock Committee (TLDC) – We have a joint TEA/TLPOA/Vreeland/Lake Shore Drive committee that accepts applications for new and renovated docks. The TLDC process is designed to help the homeowner comply with our requirements and the Town of Lewisboro’s regulations..

Truesdale Fishing Committee – fishing guidelines and signage around Truesdale Lake. Fishing information here: http://truesdalelake.com/lake-management/fishing/

Ad-hoc Building Committee – We built two boat racks at the TEA beach. These racks have 2 spots available for TEA members. If you are interested in a spot on the rack, the season rental is $100. If you are interested in helping build an additional boat rack at our TEA Gilbert/Lake Shore boat launch property let us know. Other projects of the Building Committee in 2025 will include the new shed installation including a proposed tiki bar(!?)

Landscaping committee – anyone with ideas to beautify our already lovely beach let us know. We have ornamental grasses along the boat launch fence side. Always looking for additional ideas to make it look good.

Projects for the following items at the beach:

• Boat Launch Dock, bridge, and path
• Storage Shed / electric
• Landscaping on street side of beach fence.

Anything else you can think of? Let us know…

Some helpful links for lake residents new and old:

• http://truesdalelake.nextdoor.com
• http://truesdalelake.com/fishing
• http://truesdalelake.com/boatsticker

TEA Map and Other TEA Resources Online
Map available at the website here: https://www.truesdalelake.com/tea

For residents new to the lake, download the TEA Welcome and Information Packet from this link above as well.

*If you are interested in volunteering for the TEA board or a specific activity, please email tea@truesdalelake.com or fill out this questionnaire.

Contact Information

Truesdale Estates Association
PO Box 363
South Salem, NY 10590
tea@truesdalelake.com

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*if you are not current with your TEA dues, you cannot vote until your dues are brought current.

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Notes Spring 2026 – SUMMARY OF ITEMS OF INTEREST

Drawdown 2025-26

• No drawdown in 2025-26.
• Lake management best practices advise staggering years for drawdowns so the flora does not become adjusted to it.
• Lake website has detail on the past winter drawdown: https://truesdalelake.com/tag/drawdown/

Septic/Sewer Plan – Engineering studies (FUTURE)

• -County/State/NYC initiative / funding
• –https://truesdalelake.com/2023/07/cleaning-up-our-lakes-septics-sewers/
• -3 lakes plus Truesdale involved
• -Waccabuc, Oscaleta, Truesdale, Rippowam (WOTR is the acronym being used)
• -Treatment facility at recycling center
• -Fully treated outflow into stream that becomes the waccabuc river
• -See map in linked story for covered locations.
• -estimated $40 million cost paid by NY state and NYC EOH grants
• -Early stages of plan
• UPDATE: TBD status of grant requests

Beach improvements

• Dock rebuilding – Howard and Ira will spearhead this project in 2026
• Shed replacement
  • Electric meter moved (since electric meter was on shed)
  • New electric hookup to be done on delivery of new shed
  • Timer for aerator also will be moved inside new shed
  • Shed installed early April
  • Old shed disposed of by TEA volunteers
  • measure and customize new shed for efficient use
• Aerator Replacement
  • Aerator motor blew after 20 years of service
  • Replaced in August by Pond & Lake Connection