Truesdale Lake  

South Salem, New York

TEA Volunteering

Contact the TEA via email at tea@truesdalelake.com.

TEA Officers for 2021-22:

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

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

Treasurer (Mike Vellensky) – deposits checks, writes checks, tracks and reports on income/expense and bank balances. Tax filing 990, FICA/Medicare/employment. Pays lifeguards. Manages checkbook.

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

Corresponding Secretary (Michael Jackson) – Receives and replies to association correspondence.

Sergeant-at-Arms (Kay Jex) – guards the door (or virtual door) and asks non-members to leave.

Formal roles for Officers are in the TEA Bylaws here: http://truesdalelake.com/associations/tea/tea-bylaws/

At-large Board members (7-9 members needed) attend 4 standing meetings per year. Current board members are: Lisa Capobianco (Beach Chairperson), Glenn Capobianco, Harron Appleman, Melissa Scarlatto, Tom Houlihan, Ira Sanchick, Kathleen Ward Gallagher, Carol Gamez, Debbie Fink. 

TEA Board members also monitor emails for between meeting issues that need to be addressed and possibly voted on. Special Meetings can be called for association business. 

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

Beach Chairperson – Hire and train lifeguards, 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 (below) and right now they are the same person, but it would be nice to divide and conquer!

Social Chairperson – Plan and get volunteers for any social events – primarily the Summer Kickoff BBQ the second weekend in June. We formerly had a large End-of-Summer Clambake but need someone to step up and take on the planning role if we are to bring it back. Can invite outside friends, families, and neighbors. We also had a kids watersports day with games, contests, and food. 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 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. Two people make it easier. A third helper makes it go faster. 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 to contribute to a statewide database of water quality including nutrient loads, plant life, algae, etc. Each lake provides their own volunteers. 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 rather than migrate back to the Canadian Tundra for the summer. This causes unhealthy conditions in the lake and on lawns. More information at truesdalelake.com/goose and https://epermits.fws.gov/eRCGR/  

Truesdale Lake Dock Committee (TLDC) – We have a joint TEA/TLPOA/Vreeland/Lake Shore Drive committee that accepts applications for new and renovated docks for all houses and common properties directly on the lake. Anyone building or changing a dock must submit an application to the committee using the forms here: http://truesdalelake.com/docks/ This committee tends to have more activity in the warmer months, though applications come through in the winter sometimes. ***Any dock built or modified also needs a Lewisboro Building Permit and a Wetlands Permit.*** The TLDC process is designed to help the homeowner comply with our restrictions and also helps the homeowner get everything together that the Town of Lewisboro will need for their building and wetlands permit. 

Truesdale Fishing Committee – not yet formed, but when it convenes it will formalize fishing guidelines and signage around Truesdale Lake. The TEA, TLPOA, Vreeland, and Lake Shore Drive households will have the opportunity to have representation. Fishing information here: http://truesdalelake.com/lake-management/fishing/

Ad-hoc Building Committee – Last few years the building committee has built the fence around the TEA Beach, built two TEA member boat racks at the boat launch area, managed delivery and assembly of new picnic tables, and installation of a fence and gates at the TEA Boat Storage lot on the corner of Lake Shore Drive and Gilbert Street. Some other possible projects include:

1.) Fix the fishing dock landing and land anchor at the TEA Beach including new pathway to the fishing dock.

2.) New shed installation including a proposed tiki bar. (NYSEG Electric box needs to be moved from existing shed so this is more involved than a simple swap.)

3.) building a boat rack at the TEA Boat storage lot for use by lake association members (this will be rentals just like the two existing boat racks).

If you are interested in helping build it please let us know: tea@truesdalelake.com.

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.