Town, residents consider Hadlock Pond’s future

FORT ANN -- After a heated debate in a packed meeting room, the Town Board agreed to support efforts to create a special taxing district around Hadlock Pond, but they won't be paying a penny for the process.

Attorney Martin Auffredou, representing the Lake Hadlock Association, asked the Town Board to help rid the lake of Eurasian watermilfoil by beginning the process to create a special taxing district.

Alex DiLatto, the association's president, presented the board with a petition signed by 158 lakefront property owners and said only 26 oppose being taxed in order to fix problems with the invasive species in the lake.

"If you do nothing, the lake is going to continue to suffer," Auffredou said. "You have an obligation to maintain this lake."

If the board gave approval, Auffredou said, a report could be prepared detailing how the district would operate.

Auffredou said the $3,000 to $6,000 cost of the report would initially fall to the town but would be recuperated whether or not the district is created - either through tax revenue from the eventual district or by adding a charge onto residents' tax bills.

But after hearing concerns from the Town Board about whether they have the funds to front the cost, DiLatto said the association would pay for it and come back to the board with the plan.

Despite not having to pay a dime, Town Supervisor Gayle A. Hall was hesitant to support the initiative, citing the possibility of having to seek special legislation for the district and concerns about language in the petition.

"I have questions on the validity of the petition," she said, referring to a line that said residents could opt out of the extra taxes on grievance day. "Nothing gives me the opportunity to opt out on grievance day."

The Town Board eventually agreed to support the efforts as long as the association pays for the costs of the map plan report.

But in the meantime, the milfoil in the lake won't be controlled. A harvester, a giant lawnmower-type machine used to trim milfoil in the lake, will sit idle in the town's garage this summer after Hall said the town cannot legally tax the lakefront property owners to fund the machine's operation.

A representative from the lake association said the association cannot fund the harvester either, since it will be paying for the map plan report.

One resident came in at the end of the discussion and handed the Town Board and residents a sheet of paper with reports from around the U.S. detailing how people died after becoming entangled in weeds such as those found in the pond.

"Whose responsibility is it if someone drowns on the lake?" one resident asked.

The Town Board was silent as they looked down at the table.

"I want to be on the record that I think this is a safety issue myself," Councilman Duane J. Vaughn said.