The Watershed Vol. 1, No. 2

Committee reports

Pond Management

Work by this Committee that was nothing short of brilliant has led to the first substantive step toward improving Oyster Pond. The town has included in its FY 1997 budget $20,000 to be spent for engineering to pick a location for and design of an adjustable weir to be built at the outlet to Oyster Pond. Barry Norris describes this coup in an article on page two of this newsletter.

Land Acquisition and Management

With OPET's new status as a 501c(3) charitable organization it is now possible for OPET to put into action the agreement made with Salt Pond Sanctuaries whereby OPET will assume the responsibility of the remaining mortgage on the Oyster Pond Trust property on Ransom Road. At the same time, Salt Pond Sanctuaries will transfer to OPET title of all the parcel (known as the Fisher property).

When the transfer has been completed OPET plans to immediately launch a fundraising campaign to retire the mortgage on this property for more details of the property, it's mortgage and the fund raising effort see page 3 of this newsletter.

Fund-Raising

This committee is getting geared up for the Fisher property effort

A quick look at OPET

In less than two months OPET will have completed its first year of operation. Oyster Pond Environmental Trust, Inc. is now officially a 501c(3) organization, meaning that contributions to OPET are tax deductible.

Officers and committee assignments:

President: John Dowling, Vice President: Cecily Selby (Coles), Secretary: Wendy Gabriel, Treasurer/Newsletter Editor: Len Hocker III, Counsel: Dana Rodin, esq.

Committee heads:

But...

We could sure use new faces on the committees. With your help we will make this next year even more successful!.

Second Annual Meeting- July 13th

Celebrating successes...

Please come to OPET's second Annual Membership Meeting on July 13th. The meeting will be at the Sea Education Association (across Woods Hole Road from Tree Tops), starting at 5:00 pm and running until about 7:00. We will be celebrating the spectacular successes of the Pond Management Committee, and (we trust) the turnover of the 'Fisher Property' to OPET.

...and building to new ones

We will also be working on a number of new initiatives for the improvement of the pond and the surrounding area including:

• Evaluation of pond bacterial contamination
• Identification of additional watershed properties for conservation
• Increasing membership and active participation of members in OPET's operation.

...and Electing Officers

OPET's direction is determined by its officers. Make sure that you have a say in what's coming up by voting at the meeting. We need your active participation.

Guest Speaker

Selectman Virginia Valiela will be our keynote speaker; we expect her to be as entertaining and informative as Eric Turkington was last year!

Treasurer's Note:

OPET's additional costs (newsletter printing, postage, refreshments at the Annual meeting and legal costs have been borne by certain individual members. Special thanks to Dana Rodin, William Kerfoot, Birgit Rose, Wendy Gabriel and Cecily Selby.

As of 12-31-95 OPET had 72 members: 46 regular and 26 contributing. By Lon Hocker

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