With ice formed over much of the lake and deep cold overnight temps over the last week, weekend ice skating might be a thing this weekend for the first time this year!
Always go with a buddy and tell others where you are going. Places where the water flows underneath tend to have thinner ice. Also closer to shore ice is also thinner. But these are guidelines and not always perfectly true. Exercise caution always — and note where residents have placed rescue ladders.
From the TLPOA Winter 2021 Newsletter with a handy guide to making an ice-thickness measuring device. (click image to view full newsletter)
If you go out – take photos! Send them to lake@truesdalelake.com and we can post them here. Or if you are an instagram user tag them with #truesdaleskating #truesdalelake and mention @laketruesdale.
January 20, 2021
by rob Comments Off on TLPOA Winter Newsletter Published
The story of the lake has many twists and turns. Priscilla has also included historic photographs and scans from the original sales documents for the TLPOA and TEA predecessor corporations.
Set aside a few minutes and read up on the lake’s history.
Original sales brochure for what became the Truesdale Lake Property Owners Association
January 6, 2021
by rob Comments Off on Some Lake New Year’s Resolutions for 2021
I will “overseed” my lawn rather than spread fertilizer or pesticides. I’ll tell my lawn service – or myself – to cut my grass high and leave the clippings on the lawn. If I think fertilizer is needed, I’ll use phosphate-free fertilizer since it’s the law. I will also tell my lawn care company that it is illegal in Westchester County to use phosphate based fertilizer unless extensive testing has been done on the soil – and even then only on a limited basis and never within 20 feet of the lake.
This year I’ll make sure no oil or gas from my mower or car spills on the ground or into the lake.
If I take coolers, sand toys, or other beach or boat items to another waterbody, I’ll make sure that they are free of weeds and shells before bringing them back here so I don’t transport invasive plants and animals.
If I visit the association beaches and boat launch properties, I will leave them in better condition than when I arrived. That includes putting all beach toys away and removing trash.
If I fish on the lake, I will clean up my fishing tackle, monofilament, and any hooks that get snared. I will not fish in areas where fishing is prohibited (all beaches and the dam/spillway near the siphons). I will not leave fishing equipment, debris, or garbage around or in the lake. It does not disappear and it kills birds, turtles, and other wildlife.
If I haven’t done so already, this is the year I’ll take a safe boatingcourse.
I will make sure my Truesdale Lake boat sticker is still affixed to all of my boats. If any have come off I will replace them. If I have new or unregistered boats I will register them and get a sticker. This applies for boats stored on private lakefronts as well as the boat launch properties.
I will join and volunteer with my lake association and make my voice heard and my energy felt during this coming year.
I will try out sailing in the Truesdale Sunfish Fleet #27 this spring and summer. (Sunfish are available to borrow from lake residents if you’d like to give it a try – contact us ahead of the Sunday races and we can figure it out.)
Happy 2021 to all!
Thanks to Janet Andersen and others for these timely resolutions, add yours below in the comments.
December 18, 2020
by rob Comments Off on Truesdale Lake Pop-Up Store Open thru Jan 4
The original 1927 TLPOA Logo and headline from the house sales brochures is featured in the merchandise for this limited-time pop-up store which features shirts, sweats, hats, and other custom printed items featuring the logo.
If you are interested in the designs visit the link below:
“From now until January 4th, the store will be open for orders. Once the sale period is over, orders will be processed and shipped by mid-January for month end delivery.
All are welcome to purchase merchandise so feel free to send the link to anyone you think might be interested in purchasing items!”
October 29, 2020
by rob Comments Off on TLPOA Newsletter and Archive Page Published
The TLPOA has started publishing its newsletter again. The editor is resident Clare Panno. She wrote articles and received contributions from lake residents and TLPOA board members for the most recent newsletter from Fall 2020.
Photo: exposed tree stumps left behind are revealed during the 2019 drawdown. The stumps date from 1929 when the stream was dammed and the lake was formed. These trees were cut down but the stumps were not removed and they remain in the south end of Lake Truesdale nearly 100 years later.
With the recent drop in temperature and seeing little to no activity on the lake, we decided to begin the lake drawdown next week.
Depending on the amount of rain we might encounter, the water level should drop quickly over the following 2 weeks. This will allow the exposed mud on the lake bed to compact and help minimize next years weed growth in the shallow parts of the lake
For those with waterfront homes –Â this is a great time to take advantage of the lower water level to make any repairs, clean up your shore line and remove any fallen trees from the water.
Signs have been placed on either side of the dam indicating where fishing will not be permitted during the drawdown.
There is no fishing permitted from the bridge and between the signs posted on Indian Lane.
TLPOA Lake Management Team – John Gusmano, Ray Morse and Lara Gorton
Website note: There is absolutely NO FISHING allowed in the stream from the north side of the dam and bridge. It is private property. Signs have been placed. Numerous cleanups have been done in the past six months of fishing line and hooks in that stream and the bushes and trees that surround it. Several water birds have been trapped by the crisscrossing discarded fishing line. At least one Great Blue Heron was killed by discarded fishing line.
October 13, 2020
by rob Comments Off on November 2nd – TEA Fall 2020 Membership Meeting
Fall 2020    Membership Meeting Nov 2nd @ ZOOM Virtual(meeting info available via email, send us a note if you did not get it)
The TEA Annual Fall Membership Meeting is planned for Monday, Nov 2, 2020 via Zoom. If we have your email address, you have gotten the link via email. Meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m.
Contact Rob Cummings to RSVP for the meeting via email tea@truesdalelake.com for more information and Zoom Meeting Link.
Agenda
President and other Officer reports
Treasurer:Â YTD FY2020-2021 Bud, vs. Act.
Beach Report / Lake Committee update
Project updates – Lake Drawdown 2020-21
Upcoming meeting schedule for coming year.
New Officers proposed slate for 2021-22:Â
President: Rob Cummings, Vice President: Howard Citron, Treasurer: Mike Vellensky, Recording Secretary: Wendy Daniels, Corresponding Secretary: TBD,Sergeant at Arms: Kay Jex.Â
IMPORTANT: If anyone is interested in the Corresponding Secretary role, let us know
Some helpful links for lake residents new and old:
NOTE: Current TEA Board & Officers Terms will end Dec. 31, 2020 — let us know if you are interested in an officer spot next term. See contact info at the bottom of this newsletter.Â
Current TEA Board & Officers 2019-2020
President: Michael Jackson, Vice President: Wendy Daniels, Treasurer: Ruth Vellensky, Recording Secretary: Howard Citron, Corresponding Secretary: Rob Cummings, Sergeant at Arms: Debbie Fink.   
TEA Board Members
Lisa Capobianco (Beach Chairperson), Glenn Capobianco, Harron Appleman, Melissa Scarlatto, Tom Houlihan, Ira Sanchick, Kathleen Ward Gallagher, Carol Gamez, Mike Vellensky, Kay Jex.
TEA Board – Are you interested in joining?
If you are interested in serving as a TEA officer or board member, please email us at tea@truesdalelake.com.
We are always looking for new ideas and energy to work with our outstanding TEA board members. A BIG Thank you goes out to current board members for your time and service.
What’s Going On
Beach Report
Summer 2020 was a great year for the beach. We started with a socially distanced beach cleanup the week before Labor Day and went all the way through the extended summer with great weather and mostly good water quality.
Photo: cleaning up weeds and spreading sand in May 2020 at the beach clean-up
Lifeguards were on duty over the weekends and many residents took advantage of our beach as an outdoor haven during the pandemic summer when many other outdoor areas were restricted or crowded.
Lake Drawdown Project
We plan to draw down the lake again for the 2020-21 winter. That process will start around mid-October/early November and end in February 2021.
Photo: drawdown shoreline, Oct 2019
Last year we drew the water down THREE feet below spillway level. This year the aim is FOUR feet below spillway. So more lake bottom will be exposed.
Drawdown is explained and will be documented on the lake website here:
The Joint Lake Management Committee has organized resident volunteers starting in the early spring to manage the resident Canada goose population on    Truesdale Lake. The program is run in cooperation with the US National Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS).
Photo: Canada geese management program, March 2020
We obtain a permit each year to take a census and oil eggs to control and limit the resident geese population. More information is available here: truesdalelake.com/goose
Nextdoor Lake Website
There is a useful community website at truesdalelake.nextdoor.com where neighbors can discuss lake issues and post other items such as for sale items, local events, questions, and other neighborhood bulletins.
New Beach Boat Rack Built Spring 2020
In the spring of 2020 volunteers got together to build a 6-shelf boat rack for TEA member rental. Seasonal rental is $100/shelf. The shelves can accommodate 2 kayaks or 2 paddle boards, a canoe, a sunfish, or a rowboat. Lower shelves are reserved for heavier boats like sunfish and rowboats.
The existing rack is full and returning TEA renters have right of first refusal for next season.Â
We have had some interest in building a SECOND rack. We do have room for one more rack. We will do this if we have FOUR of the six spots committed before building it. We have two TEA members who are committed so far. Price will be $100/season for each shelf. More information: http://truesdalelake.com/tea/
Ongoing Improvements
If you see anything that needs updating or replacement at the beach or boat launch property, please let us know at tea@truesdalelake.com.
Meeting dates for 2021:
The TEA Spring Membership Meeting will be Monday, April 5th, 2021 location TBD. The board meeting to plan for the membership meeting will be Mon. March 1st, 2021.
The TEA Fall Membership Meeting will be Monday, November 1st, 2021 at location TBD. The board meeting to plan for the membership meeting will be Mon. Oct 4th, 2021.
Imaged TLPOA Newsletters from 1980 – 2008. Not a complete archive but there are a lot of them!
Towards the end of the Newsletter archive are scans of the original Truesdale Lake sales brochure. The trees were a lot shorter and fewer in number back in the 1930s!
Enjoy dipping your toe in the history of the lake!
If you have any old newsletters or photos, please let us know at lake@truesdalelake.com and we can scan and post them.
Photo: Pon & Lake Connection fanboat surveying and treating today.
Pond & Lake Connection was out on the lake this morning treating phragmites which are an invasive species of reed that grows along the shoreline. The herbicide used was Clearcast. There are no water usage restrictions.
Phragmites proliferate quickly and grow into the lakebed causing marshy outgrowth and reducing shoreline access. They are particularly bad in the south end of the lake around the TEA beach area where Pond & Lake is concentrating their efforts. Phragmites treatment was also made in selected other spots around the lake. In addition, spot treatments of cutrine for algae control were also made.
