As the Association entered the 90’s, it was still saddled by legal bills incurred in its successful anti-condo fight. The threat of that type of development, though, brought attention to the need for stricter zoning and planning in the more than 4,000-acre Highland Lake watershed—a more holistic approach for protection and preservation of the lake. The Association would emphasize the importance of the entire watershed by changing its name to the current Highland Lake Watershed Association.

The Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission (IWWC) in the 90’s began to step up and take its rightful role in the protection of Highland Lake and it, together with the Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z), joined to form a subcommittee (chaired by Clare Stevens) to create a Highland Lake Management Plan.

One great concern in the past had always been the danger of septic system failures from shoreline cottages. In fact, many cottages did not even have a “septic system” but more primitive arrangements. There had been occasional testing by the Torrington Area Health District (by putting dye in toilets and checking the lake to see if there was leakage), but the best solution to the problem would be the installation of municipal sewers all the way around the lake. That was about to happen, and the Association provided much information about the mechanics of the system and the cost to homeowners. Today we are one of only a few lakes of our size to have the benefit of that utility.

In 1992 the state implemented boat operator licensing and the DEP tried (unsuccessfully) to get legislation to have all boat launch fees go into a lakes fund rather than the general fund.

Today, many of us miss the beautiful sight of sailboats in Third Bay every Sunday morning. Interest in the races was waning in the 90’s and the Association was trying to encourage more participation. There is renewed interest in promoting sailing on the lake, and the HLWA supports the effort.

In 1995 I chaired an HLWA subcommittee to gather and coordinate information for the implementation of weed control and present a plan through our Board to the proper authorities. It was an enthusiastic and hard-working committee which researched and evaluated all available weed control methods of the time. Once again the Association was leading the way to educate and provide guidance to the Town in lake management.

Also in 1995, guidance for individual homeowners was provided by publishing and distributing The Highland Lake Owners Manual, a thirty-page manual written by Clare Stevens as chairperson of the Highland Lake Management Plan Committee.

HLWA joined the North American Lakes Management Society and the newly formed Connecticut Federation of Lakes. It was during this period we also purchased equipment (as recommended by our Water Quality Committee, chaired by Craig Dennen) and began our own water quality monitoring and testing which continues to this day, thanks in large part to the dedication and work of Clare and Gerry Stevens. Volunteers are needed to help Clare and Gerry continue to do the testing and monitoring.

With the help of Community Lawyer, Charlene Lavoie, new bylaws were written and we became a nonprofit corporation, which, among other things, made us eligible to apply for grants.

Our newsletter was transformed by a committee, chaired by Paul Fusco, into what it has become today, a much more informative, more appealing and more widely distributed publication.

In the next edition, a look at the growth of HLWA in the 21st Century.