our history
The Richmond Pond Association, Inc. (RPA) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2000 from a committee representing the Town of Richmond Conservation Commission, the City of Pittsfield Conservation Commission, the Boys’ & Girls’ Club of Pittsfield (now the Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires), the Western Massachusetts Girl Scouts’ Council (now the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts), and Lakeside Christian Camp (Northeast Baptist Conference). All are non-profit organizations or governmental bodies that, together with a few homeowners, held a common concern about the health and vitality of Richmond Pond. Nestled in the heart of the Berkshire Hills and shared by the Town of Richmond and City of Pittsfield, Richmond Pond is a 218 acre lake.
How to contact us
Cursor down this page for a description of What We Do, and a list of the volunteer RPA board members and our contact information. Please feel free to contact us with your questions and suggestions.
Further down the page are our two most recent Annual Reports.
How to Donate, Our Budget, and how to Stay Informed are found at the bottom of this page.
For Current News, including details on the Goose Management Plan, click on the News page in the above menu. See Calendar page for upcoming meetings & events.
What do we do?
Since its creation, the RPA has conducted a volunteer water quality monitoring program to regularly take test samples for analysis of the lake and its four tributaries, from June through September. It also raises funds for the monitoring and control of invasive, exotic aquatic vegetation through draw-down and aquatic herbicide treatments. The RPA creates displays, postings, pamphlets and newspaper articles to provide public information and education about the Pond and related environmental issues. The RPA has engaged local school children in a bumper sticker contest and watershed education. Public education is an ongoing process, as are all the RPA activities to improve the water quality of Richmond Pond.
Clean Water - The RPA has also been working to identify and mitigate impact from storm water runoff that causes erosion, sedimentation and lake pollution. In 2002, the Town of Richmond was awarded a matching grant under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act of 1987, in the form of federal funds administered in Massachusetts by the Department of Environmental Protection and awarded to towns to control non-point sources of water pollution. The RPA worked in cooperation with the Town of Richmond for the 60/40 match, providing volunteer manpower to do much of the necessary work planting trees, bushes, monitoring the installation of drop inlets (catch basins), providing rip-rap to storm water erosion channels, monitoring the construction of detention basins, and working with engineers who designed the structures. The grant was issued to the town. No funds were received or expended by the Richmond Pond Association.
Sewers replace septic tanks - As part of this effort, a sewer system was also installed, serving all of the cottages and camps around the Richmond side of the lake (those in Pittsfield were already served by sewers). The septic systems, some of which had been leaching into the lake, were all de-commissioned as hookups to the sewer system were completed in 2006 and 2007. The water quality of the pond, as documented by the RPA’s water monitoring, improved substantially.
Communication - The RPA provides a forum for interaction between the major stakeholders at the Pond and allows a coordinated response for environmental issues facing the pond. Its focus on public education also helps bring about the goal of permanently protecting and preserving our beautiful Richmond Pond. As part of that effort, the RPA regularly updates this website, and periodically updates its brochure, which is available at the Richmond Town Hall, the boat launch ramp kiosk, Bartlett’s Orchard and in response to requests.
who we are
RPA Directors & Alternates
Directors (voting)
Ken Kelly, President Independent cottages kkelly@utica.edu
(413) 329-9678 (cell)
Susan Benner, Vice President Whitewood Association Suebenner@gmail.com
(413) 447-5060
Carl Foote, Treasurer Branch Farm Association carl.foote@verizon.net
(413) 441-9742
Doreen Donovan, Secretary Richmond Shores Civic Association
(413) 441-7455 ddonovan54@hotmail.com
Laura Rosenthal South Pond Farm Assn. laurafsa@aol.com
Dan Joslyn Camp Russell (Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires)
(VACANT) Lakeside Christian Camp (NE Baptist Conference)
Miles Garfinkel At Large mggarfinkel@gmail.com
Kerry Hamilton At Large kerryleehamilton@gmail.com
Ex Officio Directors (non-voting)
Danielle Fillio Richmond Town Administrator
(413) 553-7803 townadmin@richmondma.org
Jim McGrath City of Pittsfield jmcgrath@cityofpittsfield.org
(413) 499-9344 (office); (413) 464-5527 (cell)
Dan Scorpa Richmond Conservation Commission
Ron Veillette (alternate - Richmond Conservation Commission)
Alternates
(Alternates may vote in the absence of the Director from their camp or association)
Joe McGovern Camp Russell jmcgovern@bgcberkshires.org
Kais Abderrahim Camp Russell kaisabderrahim@bgcberkshires.org
Barry Kellogg Richmond Shores barrykellogg@gmail.com
Brian Grebeldinger Richmond Shores bdinger22@hotmail.com
Louise Brogan Branch Farm kjb723@gmail.com
John O’Brien Branch Farm jobrien@crescentcreamery.com
Kitty Levitan Whitewood Assn. Lennielit@aol.com
Jessica Baumgarten South Pond Farm Assn. grannyjessica@aol.com
Al Nardacci Independent cottages nardacci@aol.com
Tim Mason Independent cottages TMason74@outlook.com
(VACANT) At Large
Please provide any list updates to Ken Kelly via email or cell phone @ (413) 329-9678.
Meetings are generally held the fourth Tuesday of the month, at Richmond Town Hall, from late spring to early fall, but times & dates may shift or be added as needed. During 2020, all meetings were held via Zoom, with the link posted each month on the Calendar page. We anticipate starting our monthly meetings in 2021 by Zoom at 7:00 pm on 4th Tuesdays, starting in April. See Calendar page for meeting dates. If meetings subsequently shift to Town Hall, they may begin at 5:30 pm.
We welcome your input
We are an all-volunteer association. Please feel free to contact any of us for additional information about the pond, pond management, the RPA or your related questions or suggestions. We welcome your input, and our monthly meetings are always open to the public.
annual report 2018
Richmond Pond Association marks another successful year in the preservation and protection of Richmond Pond. We are very appreciative to the Richmond Town Administrator, the Richmond Conservation Commission, the Pittsfield Open Space and Natural Resources Program Manager, and our numerous volunteers and donors without whom we would be less able to maintain this natural treasure. All are cordially invited to join our public meetings, to like our Facebook page, and to subscribe to updates on our website, www.richmondpondassociation.org.
A great highlight of 2018 for us was the relocation of the paddle portion of the Josh Billings RunAground to Richmond Pond due to a toxic algal bloom at Stockbridge Bowl, therefore raising its profile among local paddlers and triathletes. Members of the race committee were very pleased with our work and hope to use Richmond Pond as a backup venue for that leg of the race if ever needed in the future.
Among our priority achievements:
- Weed treatment: Richmond Pond was treated twice in the summer for invasive plants: Eurasian milfoil, curly-leaf pondweed, and spiny naiad. We are now considering future treatment for tapegrass, a native species, which is overgrowing in some areas.
- Boat ramp monitoring: A team of four boat ramp monitors worked over the summer to inspect boats and educate the public about the risks of invasive species, particularly of zebra mussels.
- State of the canal: Study continues on how best to ameliorate the problem of weed overgrowth and siltation in the canal. We continue to monitor water levels and quality there.
- Water monitoring: We continue sampling to ensure that the water flowing from Richmond Pond to the Housatonic River is clean.
- Dam maintenance: Work has been ongoing throughout the year on the pond’s dam on Lakeside Christian Camp property. We continue to work with Lakeside to keep the dam structurally sound.
- Annual picnic: The Richmond Pond Association held its second annual all-town picnic at Camp Russell. It was well attended and was an excellent way to showcase our work to Richmond residents.
Among our future plans:
- Goose management: A flock of about 150 Canada geese took up residence at Richmond Pond this summer and made their way onto many properties on the lakefront. Considering that their droppings contribute to E. coli contamination in the pond, we are meeting over the winter to consider an all-pond goose management plan.
- Science education: We continue our collaborations with the Massachusetts Audubon Society and Richmond Consolidated School faculty about the use of Richmond Pond for science education of our local pupils.
- Priority projects: We shall continue our focus on weed management, canal restoration, water quality monitoring, and public access for recreational purposes. We likewise shall share our experiences with our state legislators and with other municipalities and lake and pond associations so as to promote lake and pond health throughout the Commonwealth.
Respectfully submitted,
Ken Kelly, President
Susan Benner, Vice President
Carl Foote, Treasurer
Matthew Palardy, Secretary
annual report 2017
This was a successful year of implementing our newly adopted Lake Management Plan goals for preserving and protecting Richmond Pond. We can only accomplish these goals through volunteer RPA members working in collaboration with the Richmond Town Administrator, Richmond Conservation Commission and City of Pittsfield Open Space & Natural Resource Program Manager. We thank our donors for their generous support, without which far less can happen! We invite you to join our monthly public meetings, our Facebook page and our website subscribers group.
PRIORITY ACHIEVEMENTS
- Weed management of the pond continues to be successful. Thanks to the Town of Richmond and City of Pittsfield for allocating the funds for herbicide treatment.
- Public boat launch monitor enforcement continued, with boat inspections to prevent zebra mussels, also funded by the Town of Richmond.
- Study of the siltation and build-up of decaying weeds in the canal and monitoring of Nordeen Marsh water levels should help determine the best management plan.
- Access to the pond was significantly improved with the renovated public boat launch area, new accessible fishing platforms and canoe/kayak launch (all state-funded), as well as RPA-funded benches.
- Tributary monitoring reveals that the pond delivers clean water to the Housatonic River.
- Increased the promotion of boating & swimmer safety rules.
- First annual all-town RPA-sponsored picnic was held at Camp Russell – a new format for RPA’s annual meeting.
- Shoreline fishing trail was cleaned up and related signage was installed.
- The donation was celebrated of the former Camp Marion White beaver pond, blue heron rookery and land to Mass Audubon for the new Tracy Brook Wildlife Sanctuary.
- The pond’s dam was inspected; a portion of this cost is supported by RPA.
- RPA also participates in the implementation of other pond-related action plan initiatives outlined in the Richmond Open Space & Recreation Plan.
Donate for Richmond pond
Your donation helps support such expenses as the inspection, maintenance and repairs to the dam, pond-related education, weed management expenses, tributary monitoring, and the hiring of boat ramp monitors to inspect all boats for invasive species, especially zebra mussels. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so donations are fully tax-deductible.
To donate by check - Please make donation checks payable to Richmond Pond Association and mail them to: Richmond Pond Association, PO Box 447, Lenox, MA 01240. Include a return address so we can acknowledge your donation.
To donate by credit card or PayPal - Click the Donate Now link below and follow the instructions.
