Sherwood Forest Lake District Update
On June 16th HR3702 “Sherwood Forest Lake
District” was presented to the Joint
Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government in Boston. There has been on going communication with
the committee - the most recent on Monday, September 14th. Although there is no commitment, we are
optimistic that the bill will be passed.
A date has not yet been set for the vote. Should the Committee vote favorably the Governor must then sign
the bill. There is then a 90 day waiting
period before it becomes law. At that
point the Town of Becket has a minimum of 14 days and a maximum of 180 days to
hold a special meeting of Sherwood Forest proprietors where a vote will be
taken on the establishment of the Lake District. A procedure for voting by proxy has been established. Since this will most likely happen mid
winter it is critical that your correct address be on file so that you will
receive your proxy in time to return it for the vote
(you may email the information to SFNA.INFO@gmail.com).
Maintenance of the waterways
and the dams has been done with voluntary contributions to SOLO (Save Our Lakes
Organization) by members of the community.
This has worked over the years, but now that the dams have begun to age
out, there is a need for greater sums of money.
The Sherwood Forest Neighbors
Association has responsibility for the lakes, but has no way of raising the
needed funds to do the required repairs.
Passage of this Act will
create a Lake District with the ability to raise the needed funds to be in
compliance with Massachusetts state dam safety regulations. It is predicted that the annual individual
tax will be a fraction of the current annual individual road tax - a small
amount of money to maintain the beautiful lakes and active beaches in Sherwood
Forest.
The Act will allow all
property owners in the Forest to be fairly represented with full voting rights.
A Lake District is needed to
create a responsible way to fund the maintenance of the lakes and dams in
Sherwood Forest.
This legislation would allow
that to happen and would give all interested property owners the opportunity to
vote on Lake District issues.