We’ve gone live with the new site- my wife helped me test and check things over. I don’t think anything is seriously broken, though there are a few mostly cosmetic things that remain to be done. Undoubtedly there are still some links that point back to the old site- I’ll fix them when I find them. There are also features and functionality that I have yet to implement. All in due time.

One of the neat features of WordPress besides being easier to manage, update, and maintain is it’s built-in comment system. In order to leave comment, you need to have a user account and be logged in. Now, I don’t expect a whole lot of people to take advantage of this new functionality, but I sincerely hope some of you choose to participate.

The normal procedure for signing up for an account is to click on the Login link on the right side of the page and then click “register”. You’re then prompted for a username and an email address to send your password to. Unfortunately, outgoing email isn’t working on the server just now. I’m working with the server administrator to solve this issue, but in the mean time to sign up for an account, email me at gsfergusson@clarylake.org and provide the username you’d like to have and I’ll set up an account and send you your password. Once you’re logged in, you can update your user profile and change your password if you want. Sorry for the inconvenience!

UPDATE: I got email working so signing up for an account is a now a simple matter of clicking on the Log in link on the bottom right side of the page and selecting Register (it occurs to me there’s a Register link on the page right above the Log in link). Enter a username and a valid email address and you’ll shortly get an email with your temporary password. When you first log in, you’ll be at your profile page where you can add additional information about yourself. At the top left corner of the screen you can click on the Clary Lake Association link to get to the site.

If you have any questions or problems, email me.

January Thaw! Saw two sets of ice fishermen on the lake today- the first this year. Not sure I’d want to venture out there too far, knowing what I know about the condition of the ice but I suppose it’s safe enough. As cold as it has been, there is likely some relatively thin ice in places- there’s a substantial current running down the length of the lake that kept sections open for the longest time.

Anyways, I’ve added a new album to the site, Album 9: Winter 2013 and I’ve decided to use the picture for this month’s News page banner.

For completeness, I’m posting ALL the original news posts from the old site here in one long post.

• 06 January 2013:
  • It was just a little over a year ago that I submitted the completed Clary lake water level petition with 54 certified signatures to DEP- on the 3rd of January 2012 to be exact. I made a commitment at that time to pursue this petition process relentlessly to a successful conclusion. I did not expect it to be a simple process, or to necessarily go smoothly. I expected bumps in the road and some push back from the dam owner but I had honestly expected the petition process to be largely behind us by now, not stalled at DEP, in apparent administrative limbo.

    While this situation is admittedly discouraging, rest assured that it is only temporary. DEP cannot sit on this forever. I remain steadfastly committed to doing whatever is necessary to resolve this matter. We have State law and public opinion on our side, and we hold the moral high ground. We will prevail.

    I understand that in the past few weeks a number of people have called and/or written to Beth Callahan expressing their concern over the delays in processing the petition. Thank you. It is important that DEP be reminded that there are real people with real concerns out here. I’ll let everyone know as soon as I hear anything. If you have any questions feel free to contact me. I’d be glad to talk to you.

• 01 January 2013

• It’s a new year so I’m starting a new News page. In addition to rolling over the news I’ve rolled over the water level chart. At the bottom of the water level chart page you’ll find links to the 2012 monthly charts as well as the chart for the entire 2012 year. The new chart includes the month of December 2012 for continuity.
• I had expected more progress on the water level petition in 2012. We start this new year (still) waiting for DEP to rule on the motions before them. The general level of frustration over the delay is rising judging from things I’m hearing. I remain confident that we will see some positive forward motion on the petition real soon now.
• I’ve started work on the Winter 2013 Clary Lake Association newsletter with an eye towards getting it in the mail by the end of January. If anyone has anything they’d like to contribute to the newsletter, get in touch with me and let’s talk.