Today, the SBPOA board emailed 3 PDFs including an URGENT LAKE MESSAGE to all members. If you did not receive the email and PDF attachments, they are located on this site in the secure MEMBER RESOURCES area. You'll need the user id and password to access that page. Email us if you forgot the login info. Thank you!

The Town of Thompson will be sponsoring a Spring Clean Up event beginning Saturday April 27 thru Saturday, May 11, 2019. This event is for Town of Thompson home owners OUTSIDE the village of Monticello. You may visit the Town of Thompson Town Clerk (at the Town Hall near Home Depot) to obtain a no-cost voucher. The voucher has all the rules and regulations printed on it. With the voucher, you can take your items to the Sullivan County Transfer Station, 91 Landfill Drive, Monticello, NY 12701 during the transfer station's regular hours. This program is only open to individuals with residences in Town of Thompson outside the village of Monticello. For questions, call Marilee J. Calhoun (Town Clerk) at 845-794-2500 Ext. 302.

To read the flyer click HERE, or go to the Town of Thompson website HERE.

The Sullivan County Division of Public Works through support of the Sullivan County Legislature is pleased to announce that it will host two residential Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events in 2016. The first is scheduled for Sunday, July 17, 2016 from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM. The second is scheduled for Saturday, August 27, 2016 from 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM. Both events will be staged at the Monticello Transfer Station – Scalehouse area, 91 Landfill Drive, Monticello, NY 12701. This program is open to individuals with residences in Sullivan County ONLY. For preparedness, event participant preregistration is required.

To read more details about these events, and to read the flyer with telephone pre-registration info, go to the Sullivan County website HERE.

Contrary to what we initially thought, Eagle Creek has informed us the official  30-day test period for higher lake levels does not begin until the week of May 29. The main function of the high water is to test the integrity of the main dam under a full load. Various measurements will be taken to observe any changes in the structure. What levels to expect after the test period cannot be predicted and will depend on many factors such as the test results, weather, and energy generation demands.

Be prepared for the higher water levels! Another factor will be the effects of boat wakes on docks and the shoreline. Some of these wakes can be particularly damaging at the higher levels. Many boaters traveling half on plane are not aware of the wakes they produce at that speed. There are also some boats designed to produce large wakes for surfing -- all of which will create a lot of motion on docks that are now completely floating.

There is too little attention given this subject at the boater safety courses. Here is a link to an article from SEAWORTHY magazine concerning boater's responsibilities with regard to wakes. The bottom line is whether you are in a no-wake zone or not, you are responsible for any damage or injury caused by your wake!

Eagle Creek RE has requested that we alert all of our members that on or shortly after APRIL 1, 2016, they will raise the Swinging Bridge Reservoir’s water level to a maximum elevation of 1070 feet above sea level, or in relative terms, about 5 vertical feet higher . Please note that as the level of the water changes vertically, the water will travel horizontally over currently dry land and may threaten your personal property that is located along the shoreline. All property owners should take the necessary precautions to protect their property (i.e., boats, docks, etc.). Click here to read the flyer; Click here to read the letter.

We received written notice from Eagle Creek RE that they have completed construction of a 5 foot high by 125 foot long gate system on the Swinging Bridge Spillway near the Swinging Bridge Dam. Beginning November 1, 2015, or soon thereafter, Eagle Creek will use this new gate system to raise the Swinging Bridge Reservoir’s water level to a maximum elevation of 1070 feet above sea level, or in relative terms, about 5 vertical feet higher than it has been in recent years. Please note that as the level of the water changes vertically, the water will travel horizontally over currently dry land and may threaten your personal property that is located along the shoreline. All property owners should take the necessary precautions to protect their property (i.e., boats, docks, etc.). Click here to read the entire letter.

The Sullivan County Sheriff's Marine Patrol will host a one-day New York State Boater's Safety Course on August 2nd. The class will be held from 9 am to 5 pm at the Monticello Fire Department , 23 Richardson Ave., Monticello. You must be at least 10 years old and must pass a written test at the end of the session.

Anyone born after May 1, 1996 is now required to pass an approved course in boater education in order operate a motorboat in New York State. All operators of personal watercraft must be at least 14 years old and possess the safety certificate. Seating at this course is limited on a first-come basis and pre-registration is required. There is no charge.

Call the Sheriff's Patrol at 794-7100, option 1, and speak with the deputy on the desk to register.

Residents of the Town of Thompson (outside the Village of Monticello) may bring items to the Monticello landfill without charge between May 30 to June 13. There are restrictions and a permit is required.You then take your items to be discarded to the Sullivan County Landfill on East Broadway during their regular business hours, present your voucher and discard your items (no more than one small pickup truck load). Stop in at the Town Hall offices (near Home Depot) to register with a photo ID. Call the Town Hall at 794-2500 ext. 302 if you have questions. Click HERE for more details.

The Sullivan County Sheriff's Marine Patrol will host a one-day New York State Boater's Safety Course on August 2nd. The class will be held from 9 am to 5 pm at the Monticello Fire Department , 23 Richardson Ave., Monticello. You must be at least 10 years old and must pass a written test at the end of the session.

Anyone born after May 1, 1996 is now required to pass an approved course in boater education in order operate a motorboat in New York State. All operators of personal watercraft must be at least 14 and posses the safety certificate. Seating is limited on a first-come basis and pre-registration is required. There is no charge.

Call the Sheriff's Patrol at 794-7100, option 1, and speak with the deputy on the desk.

If you haven't renewed your support for the new membership year, please send your check for $50 to SBPOA, PO Box 1, Mongaup Valley, NY 12762. Thanks to all who have renewed.

At the annual meeting, it was voted on that we should make a donation to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in honor of Richard Bigness, a long-time, active SBPOA member who recently passed away. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. We received the following thank-you note from Virginia Schomp (Bigness):

Yesterday's mail brought notification of the Property Owners Association donation in Richard's name. Will you please extend my thanks to everyone involved? Of all places, Sloan is where Richard wanted his memorial gifts to go. They gave us 3 1/2 years, and he never lost faith that someday their researchers would come up with a
cure. —Virginia

SULLIVAN COUNTY RESIDENTS: A household hazardous waste collection event will take place on Saturday, August 2, 2014 -- from 12:30 to 4:30 pm -- at the Monticello Transfer Station (Scale House Area) at 91 Landfill Drive, Monticello, NY 12701. There is no charge to participate. PRE-REGISTRATION is required and can be obtained by calling 845-807-0291 BEFORE August 1st. Call between 9am and 3pm Mon-Fri. If you get the voicemail, leave your name, address and phone number along with the kind of items you want to dispose of. YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO SHOW 2 FORMS OF I.D. TO DROP OFF MATERIALS. See list of acceptable materials (and unacceptable) below.

Acceptable Items: Solvents, oil-based paints, antifreeze, pool chemicals, acids, bases, fluorescent bulbs, cleaning products, mercury-containing devices, pesticides/herbicides, automotive batteries, roofing tar, wood preservatives, adhesives, creosote, stains and inks.

Unacceptable Items: NO radioactive materials, explosives, ammunition, electronics, consumer batteries, fire extinguishers, LP gas tanks, medical waste, refrigeration devices, latex paint. NO commercial or agricultural waste.

A small black bear was spotted in the woods along Swinging Bridge Estate Road on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 11. Please be aware that this bear may not be the onlyone around, so it is time to secure your garbage bags and bins. UPDATE: This or another bear was spotted on the front steps of a resident's home, so the bear(s) are getting bolder -- DO keep your garbage inside your home until trash pick-up day!

The annual meeting of the Swinging Bridge Property Owners Association will take place at Duggan (school) Community Center in White Lake, NY on Sunday, June 29th at 10 am. Agenda items include the results of the Water Quality Report commissioned by SBPOA last fall, along with other topics. Attendees are welcome to arrive between 9am and 10am for socializing. We will have coffee, bagels, etc. for your enjoyment.

Because the annual meeting signals the beginning of the membership year 2014-2015, we encourage all members to save a stamp and pay your $50 annual dues at the meeting. Treasurer Laurie Lawrence, will be at a table near the meeting room entrance to accept dues payments (cash or check only). If paying cash, please be sure to get a receipt for your dues payment. We will also have the Swinging Bridge caps available for $7 each. Hope to see everyone there!

The following communication was sent by SPBOA to Senator Bonacic and Assemblywoman Gunther with a copy to DEC commissioner Martens:
SBPOA represents the property owners at Swinging Bridge Lake in Sullivan County. We are very concerned about the possibility of invasive species gaining a foothold in our lake from boats coming from infected bodies of water.  We are requesting that you support Senate Bill 7273 (O’Mara/Assembly Bill 9619 (Lifton). A clean healthy lake is an important asset as we all work to increase the economic growth of tourism in our area. —Ralph Cheney, President, SBPOA

Residents of the Town of Thompson may bring items to the landfill without charge May 31 to June 7. There are restrictions and a permit is required. You can stop in at the Town Hall offices (near Home Depot) to register with a photo ID. Call the Town Hall at 794-2500 ext. 302 for questions.

THIS ARTICLE is from the SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT and refers to the plan recently presented for the Concord site.

On behalf of the SBPOA Executive Board, we would like to wish all our members a happy and healthy New Year (and higher water levels next summer would be nice also).

The final Water Quality Report commissioned by SBPOA is complete. This report was paid for by our members and so we have placed it on the private Member Resources page. You will need the SBPOA password to access this page. If you forgot the password, email us and we'll send it to you.

We included some explanatory notes along with the report. The report is clearly written and very understandable, and will provide direction in tackling some of the conditions not to our liking.

A boating law change goes into effect May 1st for minors between the ages of 10 and 18.( This is taken from the website www.nysparks.com. A list of safety courses can be obtained from the website). There are additional requirements for minors holding the certificate. "An operator under 18 must be accompanied on the vessel by someone at least 18 who holds a certificate if required by age, or someone at least 18 who is not required to hold a certificate." Motorboats (from www.nysparks.com):

New Law Effective May 1st 2014
All individuals born on or after 5/1/96 are now required to successfully complete an approved course in boater education in order to operate a motorboat. Approved courses include those offered by NYS Parks, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliaryhttp://www.cgaux.org/ or the U.S. Power Squadronhttp://www.usps.org/. Individuals less than 10 years of age may not take this course of instruction. Certain allowances to this law have been made for visitors to New York, persons renting a boat from a livery and persons purchasing a new boat for the first time.

Please refer to Frequently Asked Questions for more information. Find a Boating Safety Course near you. CLICK HERE to go to the originating website.

The Concord Project, development at Davos, and the sale of Kutchers Country Club (see attached article) are in the news. Click here to read the article (as PDF in a new window).

We have received a report of the theft of a Grumman aluminum canoe from a residence in the Starlight section of homes. This is the time of year when the area becomes quiet yet there are a number of contractors and workers active. The boat may have been stolen for the value of the metal at a recycle center. Items such as this should be kept out of sight and if possible chained down. Please make a note of any suspicious vehicles and activity. It only takes one watchful neighbor to catch a criminal.

The Thompson Town Board in conjunction with the Sullivan County Legislature has announced the Annual Fall Cleanup will once again take place for all Town of Thompson residents from October 5th until October 12th. (Village of Monticello residents are excluded as they have their own program and landfill tipping allocations.) The procedure will be the same as last year. First, visit the Thompson Town Clerk and obtain a no-cost voucher (all the rules and regulations are posted on the voucher). You then take your items to be discarded to the Sullivan County Landfill on East Broadway during their regular business hours, present your voucher and discard your items (no more than one small pickup truck load).

Vouchers will also be available at the October 5th Shredding Day that will take place from 9:00 a.m. until Noon in the parking area in front of the Town Hall. For further information please contact Thompson Supervisor Tony Cellini @ 794.2500 x 306

Eagle Creek has started to notify lakefront property owners of increased water levels in the future. The gist of the notifications is as follows:

With the completed replacement of the spillway control system (flashboards), the potential exists for water levels in the future reaching the 1070 level. It is inevitable that this will take place depending on weather and snow melt conditions. Owners are warned to be aware of how far up their property this level of water will reach and to take appropriate steps protecting items and structures which may be affected.

Some members have commented that they have gone to the dam site and did not see anything new to the right of the gates where the flashboards were located. The new structure is currently in the down position as shown in the photo. It can be raised to any level up to their five foot height.

Also: there is a hazardous waste collection event this Sunday. This is an opportunity to get rid of a variety of materials that should not go into the landfill. An appointment time is necessary. Call 807-0291 for information.

There is also a "shred" program on Saturday, October 5, from 9 till noon. This a great opportunity to securely get rid of documents containing personal information.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so here are the new and finally installed flashboard replacement structures. This is the dark wall to the right of the open gates. With the gates down, the top of the water can now be about 10 feet higher than pictured (presently about the 1060 level). Now if we can just get some decent rain!

NOTE: The bear has been active hitting several garbage sites around the lake. Keeping garbage in a shed or garage as close to pickup day helps. You can add a splash of ammonia or some moth balls to the bags and cans as a deterrent. It might work.

A special thanks to Judy Selsky, Judy Knee, and Lynn Goodman for the bagels and coffee hour prior to the Annual Meeting, making for a great meeting starter.

As a follow up to some points expressed at the meeting, a visit to the dam site yesterday showed workers present and a newly poured concrete base for the flashboard replacement.

Camp Road has been abandoned by the Town of Thompson, and "turned over" to the Tetz Quarry as it was no longer used by the town. It runs only through the Tetz property and they can connect their lots by getting rid of the road. According to the Highway Superintendent, all quarry traffic will be through the present entrance on Route 17B.

A special thanks to all our members who have renewed for the new year starting this month. Please continue your support by sending your check for $50 made out to SBPOA and mail to PO Box 1, Mongaup Valley, NY 12762. Thank you!

About 100 homes lost power for 2 hours this morning. Please check on important appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, and dehumidifiers to make sure all are up and running again. No word on the cause of the outage.

A special thanks to Judy Selsky, Judy Knee, and Lynn Goodman for the bagels and coffee hour making for a great meeting starter.

As a follow up to some points expressed at the meeting, a visit to the dam site yesterday showed workers present and a newly poured concrete base for the flashboard replacement.

Camp Road has been abandoned by the Town of Thompson, and "turned over" to the Tetz Quarry as it was no longer used by the town. It runs only through the Tetz property and they can connect their lots by getting rid of the road. According to the Highway Superintendent, all quarry traffic will be through the present entrance on Route 17B.

A special thanks to all our members who have renewed for the new year starting this month. Please continue your support by sending your check for $50 made out to SBPOA and mail to PO Box 1, Mongaup Valley, NY 12762

9/1/09–We have been informed by Alliance Energy Resources that they plan to keep the water levels between 1060 and 1065 for the next few weeks. Members will be notified of any changes. This information should help in planning to remove boats and docks during the next several weeks. Be prepared for possible higher water levels in the spring. With the expected installation of the flashboards the lake has the capacity to be 5 feet higher than anything we have seen since the spring of 2005. If you are leaving docks, canoes, etc. tied up at your shoreline, extra precautions should be taken.

In mid-July 2009, Starlight Road (including Kitz Road) was resurfaced from 17B to the intersection of Mongaup Road and lower Starlight Road. Crews worked for several weeks clearing vegetation from the shoulder and runoff areas, and installed several culverts for water runoff control. The roadway surface is much improved and our appreciation goes to the road crews for their work during one of our wettest (rainy) Julys on record.