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Water System Work at High Crest

A message from the Passaic Valley Water Commission:

The Passaic Valley Water Commission is committed to providing our customers with high quality water and service. As part of our on-going improvement program, we are cleaning and lining existing cast iron pipe and replacing existing 6-inch transite pipe with 6-inch diameter Class 54 ductile iron pipe in a portion of the High Crest system of West Milford. Work includes the rehabilitation and installation of new mains from the High Crest Pump Station, along Upper High Crest Road, to the High Crest Tanks at Pawnee Terrace. The work is proposed in order to have a dedicated supply main to convey all flow to the storage tanks for treatment of disinfection byproducts prior to the water entering the distribution system. Bypass piping will be required to provide continuous water service to the customers. All affected customers will be contacted as required to coordinate work at their meter. Customer service connections shall be transferred from the old pipe to the new distribution main after the new pipe has been installed, pressure tested, and disinfected. Milling and final paving of the work area, from edge of pavement to edge of pavement, shall be performed. Upper High Crest Road, between Longview Road and Mallory Road will be closed to thru traffic at various times throughout the work. Through traffic will be detoured around the block. This work is to start on or about June 25, 2020. Please call the PVWC customer service number at (973) 340-4300 during regular working hours if you have any questions.

Lake & Beach News Update – Beach Passes Inspection

Good news! Today High Crest Lake Beach was issued a 2020 beach license by West Milford Health Inspector Kathy Coyman!

There were a couple of stipulations however, including the need to put another row of social distancing demarcation signs on the beach sand. Also, the health inspector considers our canopies to be “pavilions”, and therefore, said they need to be taped off (instead of taking them down). Therefore, in addition to bringing your own beach chairs, please bring your own umbrellas too if you are looking for some shade.

The health inspector will be coming back for a surprise visit sometime this summer, so it is very important that we continue to maintain all of the COVID 19 restrictions so that we pass inspection again. This includes making sure that the Social Distancing signs remain in place and do not get moved, keeping all the caution tape in place, and following all the rules for social distancing as well.

Please also limit the amount of guests that you bring to the beach this summer and/or the length of time that you stay at the beach to avoid over-crowding, especially during busy times. If over-crowding becomes an issue, we will have no choice but to impose rules that don’t allow guests (as many other lakes have already done).

A High Crest Lake social distancing plan for COVID 19 has been posted at the beach in accordance to Executive Order. 143.

Thank you to the many HCL people who helped get the beach ready, including (but not limited to):

• Michael Schoenfeld for generously donating the many necessary social distancing signs needed in order to open the beach this year and also helping to install them
• Mario Kapturski for also helping with sign installation.
• Jen Roer and the HCL Hurricane Swim Team for generously donating the replacement float needed for the dock
• Jimmy Weinbrecht for preparing the sand with the backhoe
• Joe Macaluso, Bill Minick, Steve Seltinrich, Bill Kane, and Mike Shale for helping to rake out the sand
• Wilson and Kris DeDios for helping with the canopies
• All the people who volunteered for the HCL beach membership patrol
• Melissa and Jennifer for all of the work you’ve done behind the scenes.

Lifeguards will be on duty on weekends only starting, this Sat. June 6th. They will be on duty 7 days a week beginning at the end of June, (M-F 10-6, and Sat & Sun 12-6 pm)

Although it may not be ideal at the beach this summer due to COVID 19 and the many restrictions, we are just glad High Crest Lake is allowed to open during the Pandemic and look forward to making the best of it!

HCL Beach News Update

Reminder: The WM Health Inspector is coming to inspect the HCL beach on Thursday June 4th at 12 noon. This is necessary in order for HCL to obtain a beach license and be able to officially open our beach for the season.

Therefore, please refrain from coming to the beach at that time during the inspection.

Thank you.

2020 Budget Vote Results

The High Crest Lake Lodge Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the budget for the new fiscal year has been unanimously approved by the membership with 99 votes cast. Thank you to everyone who voted.

Special thanks to Trevor Erickson who created the on-line voting platform for our website. It worked great and will come in handy for future voting.

Beach Opening Status – as of May 30, 2020

West Milford Health inspector Kathy Coyman is scheduled to inspect HCL Beach on Thursday June 4th. Due to Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 143 pertaining to Covid 19 – there are several extra requirements that will have to be met in order to receive a Recreational Beach Bathing License to operate this year including Social Distance signs and 6 ft. beach spacing requirements.

The Playground, Grove and Cove common areas that have picnic tables have been taped off and the water on the beach has been turned off to comply. The Floating Dock with Diving Board will also be taped off prior to opening. In addition this year everyone will have to bring their own chairs as the executive order prohibits using any item that is used by everyone – like picnic tables and our HCL Beach chairs. Lifeguards only will be allowed to use the HCL chairs during beach hours which will be cleaned and put away everyday. Toys that are usually shared by the community will also not be allowed to be put out for use.

Bathrooms will be accessible with additional cleanings done throughout the day. However, if it’s possible for you to use your own bathroom at home, it will make it easier to have less people using the bathroom at one time.

When the Beach opens the Lifeguards will strictly enforce the requirement that every member must have their HCL member or guest badge. There will be no exceptions. If a member does not have a badge they will have to go home and get it. The guards will also be given a list of all members in good standing and it will be placed in our HCL Beach Log book.

When the beach license is approved, the earliest we could potentially open would be Sat. June 6th. This is tentative and the community will be updated accordingly. As always, lifeguards would only be there on weekends until we officially open 7 days a week in late June.

Lake & Beach News Update

HCL will be allowed to officially open High Crest Lake beach soon, however due to Covid 19 it will be AFTER Memorial Day weekend and WITH a lot of restrictions per the NJ Governor new Executive Order #143. Some of the restrictions include (but are not limited to) NOT allowing swim team competition or swim lessons. It is possible however, this law may change later in the season.

Since everything has started later this year (including obtaining the Bathing Recreational Beach Health license from the WM Health Inspector’s visit prior to the season, which list this year includes a lot of new beach do’s and don’ts per the Executive Order), it is uncertain of the exact date we will be allowed to open. HCL members will be kept updated and informed. Dealing with Covid 19 these last few months has been – and continues to be – a challenging time for everyone. It is essential that we do everything we can to protect the health and safety of HCL members.

The Recreational Beach Operating Health License will now have to include a Social Distancing plan. Up until this week the Township of West Milford was not accepting applications for the beach license until further notice due to Governor Murphy’s original Executive Order 107– banning all recreational facilities from operating – this action has delayed the application process by several weeks (the application is usually submitted in April).

Here are some highlights of Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 143 pertaining to Beach Restrictions that will have to be followed at the HCL beach under Executive order:
143 #2 a. b. c. and d. – Water Fountains, Picnic areas, Playgrounds, and Pavilions that are by the beach have been ordered closed by Governor Murphy and will be taped off.
This would include the Grove area and Playground by the beach.
Under Executive order:
143 #3 – d. Remove or tape off or block access to benches and tables and chairs to discourage gatherings.
143 #3 – h. Prohibit all organized sports at the Beach.

The lodge will continue to be closed including the bathroom – to prevent the spread of Covid 19.

As soon as HCL is granted a Bathing Recreational Beach License that adheres to all of the additional social distancing rules an announcement will be made to all HCL Members.

ALSO: It is important to note that this weekend we are likely to see several non-members attempt to use the lake and beach. These are mostly people that do not live at the lake. Please be sure to use your badges and parking passes so that it is easy to identify who needs to be told that our lake is open to members only.

Lake Inspection on April 20

On April 20, Solitude Lake Management will be operating an airboat on the lake to perform their spring inspection. This is only an inspection. They will not be treating the lake at this time.

Water Main Break & Bridge Closure Update – April 5, 2020

There was a water main break Sunday afternoon, April 5, by the bridge over the spillway channel. The resulting flow of water over and around the bridge resulted in the need to close the road. 

We have been informed by the West Milford Engineering Department that they are in the process of arranging for a structural inspection of the bridge.  As of now, we do not know when water service will be restored or when the road will be re-opened but we will forward any updates as soon as we receive them.   

Goose Feathers

They’re baaaaack……

The Canada Geese that is.

Controlling the Canada Goose population at our lake is critical to maintaining the water quality to keep it safe for swimming and boating.

If you are lake front, please put up barriers to keep them off of your property.

Everyone, please do not feed the geese and let us know if you see one hanging out on land by emailing environment@highcrestlake.com.  They will not be harmed.  We employ professionals that use state approved methods to prevent them from reproducing.

Thank you,

The Environmental Committee

HCL Dam Refurbishment & WM Bridge Replacement Project Update

February 14, 2020

From the HCL President

In recent issues of the West Milford Messenger, there have been articles published about our community related to the Dam Refurbishment Project and the replacement of the township bridge over the spillway channel. Specifically, there were articles published this year on January 17, January 30 and February 7. These articles contain several misleading and incorrect statements.

As a member of the HCL Master Plan Committee, I have first-hand knowledge of these projects and have attended meetings with representatives of GZA Engineering, the W.M. Township Engineering Department and the State of NJ. I have double checked the related facts by speaking with an experienced member of the W.M. Town Council and with the W.M. Tax Department. I have also researched agendas and minutes of W.M. Township meetings as well as the Jan. 6 letter from the NJ DEP. The facts are as follows:

• W.M. Township owns the roads at High Crest Lake including the bridge. The Township acknowledges that the bridge needs to be replaced, that it is a township responsibility and that the cost of the replacement will be borne by all W.M. Township taxpayers.
• The NJ DEP, HCL Lodge and W.M. Township recognize the dam needs to be refurbished to meet the latest state standards.
• The Jan. 6 letter from the NJ DEP is in reference to the dam, not the bridge and is based on the standards related to a Class 1 (high hazard) dam which is how the dam is currently classified
  • Class 1 dams, if breached, result in probable loss of life and/or significant property damage
  • NJ legislation requires that Class 1 dams handle Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) of 33 inches in 24 hours (based on HCL location)
  • The dam, as it exists today, is designed for a 100-year storm defined as 8.6 inches in 24 hours
• A state dam repair loan in the amount of $575,000 was acquired by HCL Lodge to fund the Dam Refurbishment Project
• Repayment of the state dam repair loan will be administered by the W.M. Tax Department
• Repayment assessments for the state dam repair loan will be applied to all property owners in the HCL community, not just the members of HCL Lodge
• The HCL Master Plan Committee is working on the possibility of acquiring an additional state dam repair loan in case additional funding is needed for the dam refurbishment
• While the township bridge replacement and dam refurbishment projects are separate issues, coordination between the two is taking place to gain efficiencies, ensure design compatibility and minimize the time needed for road closures.
• Time has been taken in the design process to minimize the impact on neighboring properties, minimize cost and provide the best aesthetic appearance while achieving the safety needed for state approvals.

The best source of information on these projects is to attend the HCL general membership meetings. Rich Kluge, our resident expert and point man on the projects, along with the Master Plan committee have been working diligently on these issues. Much has been accomplished but the project is complex and there is still much to be done. As has been done in past meetings, a comprehensive update will be presented at the upcoming April General Membership Meeting with an opportunity for Q&A.

Finally, I have heard there has been discussion within the community about the status of mandatory membership for High Crest Lake. At the end of 2019, after an extensive amount of work, the By-laws Committee submitted to the Board their recommendations for by-laws updates. At the first meeting of the new Board in January, it was agreed that all board members would read the current by-laws and the proposed changes in preparation for discussion at the February Board meeting. In the next few months the Board intends to make it a priority to become educated on mandatory membership issues and applicable state law so that appropriate actions can be taken. Updates will be communicated at the April General Membership Meeting.

See you at the April meeting.