HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2024!!!

With 2023 in the rear-view mirror, I am truly excited about what 2024 holds for us! We had several “successes” in 2023 and the coming year can be even better.

I want to first thank all of you and your families and friends who supported us last year in various capacities: enjoying the speakers at our meetings, helping out with our Fish Habitat Renewal projects, participating in the Christmas Boat Parade, enjoying the summer Poker Run, assisting with Renew Our Rivers and providing your concerns regarding the Chandler Mountain power project that we shared with the Feds and Alabama Power.

At our end-of-year Community meeting/dinner in December, we had a great turnout of the members and families. We also had many new members attend as well. My thanks to you all for participating!

During the dinner meeting, recognizing that we had some folks who had not been members very long and weren’t aware of some of NHLA’s accomplishments, we had the opportunity to share some of those activities:

• In 1995, petitioned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to get the trees cut and removed from the shoreline up and down the river to increase safety
• Initiated and partnered with APCO to get winter water levels raised and stabilized so that the lake could be used during the winter
• Supported and contributed to Message In a Bottle and the Water Festival community education programs
• Support and contribute to Renew Our Rivers
• Partnered with APCO on Fish Habitat Renewal for over 10 years
• Working with APCO, we were able to get a regular maintenance draw-down scheduled every 5 years
• Supported the State of Alabama’s effort to develop a Comprehensive Water Management Plan
• Stood firm in our opposition to the proposed Rendering Plant
• Continue to stay focused on the ongoing Water War with Georgia and its impact on our lake levels and the quality of water

In 2024, we will continue our efforts for many of the above activities and will keep everyone informed and seek your support as needed.

The Water War is not over! We need to get our elected representatives focused on the Comprehensive Water Management Plan for our state! We also will be working with Gadsden State to establish a scholarship for a deserving student.

Again, thank you for all of your support…I look forward to what more we can accomplish as a TEAM in 2024.

If you have ideas for speakers or you have any concerns that you think NHLA can help with, don’t hesitate to let us know. We are here for YOU!

Sincerely,

Dave Tumlin
President
Neely Henry Lake Association