A ski club’s use of a lake with a 45-letter name, known more popularly by its much shorter name, has caused waves in the town of Webster.

The Nipmuc Water Ski Club, according to Board Member Jason Cadrin of Millbury, has been hosting ski lessons and shows on Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg, or Webster Lake, for more than 70 years. That use ended abruptly earlier this year after a trio of cease-and-desist (C&D) letters were sent to the club.

One came from the state Department of Transportation (MassDOT), dated June 26. The other two were from the town’s Building Commissioner, two days before the MassDOT letter, on June 24, and the town’s Conservation Commission, on July 1. 

Now, the club is fighting to regain use of a piece of property it says it has been using the past 50 years at 235 Thompson Road as well as the lake, amidst a number of complaints about inappropriate use of the lake, including whether, in fact, the club is in violation of local town bylaws prohibiting commercial use. 

The property is owned by MassDOT. 

Town Administrator Richard LaFond told the Yankee Xpress that the issue came to light after public complaints. 

“There were some complaints of inappropriate behavior. We looked into those,” LaFond said. “We learned they didn’t own the property and there were some wetland and zoning issues.”

MassDOT, he said, became involved after learning the club was using its property adjacent to Exit 1 off of Interstate 395 for parking and a shed to house equipment.

LaFond later clarified that the town had initiated contact with the state after several complaints, one written, and “probably a good half dozen verbal” about the club’s activity at the lake. 

MassDOT Chief Communications Officer Amelia Aubourg referred a reporter’s initial inquiry to Director of Communications Marshall Hook, who did not respond to multiple email requests for comment and information for this story.

An email to Karissa Hand, Deputy Communications Director for Gov. Maura Healey, also went unanswered. 

In his June 24 C&D letter, Webster Building Commissioner Sebastian J. Mroczka noted the land was state-owned and was within a Lake Residential Zoning District. 

MassDOT, in its letter to the club, said it had reviewed and discussed with Webster officials the club’s “current and proposed use of the property.” Based on that review, MassDOT said it had identified “substantial safety, operational, and property-management concerns.”

In an emailed response to Yankee Xpress seeking more information and comment, a MassDOT representative referred the matter to a colleague, who did not respond to a follow-up email. 

The Conservation Commission, meanwhile, in its C&D letter to the club, cited multiple alleged violations “within a wetland resource area and/or buffer zone.”

One of the complainants who has spoken against the club is Felicia Wood of 243 Thompson Road. In written testimony submitted to the town, Wood laid out 18 specific grievances, including, but not limited to, having “purposely headed towards boats to force them out of the cove” and leaving broken pieces of Styrofoam, used under ski jumps, in the lake. The club has created wakes that have left Wood and her husband unable to put their ski boat in the water. She also complained about the residence of those participating in the club. “The people that belong to the club are not from here,” Wood wrote. 

Wood spoke at an October 6 ZBA meeting, where she provided documentation of her complaints to Webster’s Director of Planning & Economic Development, and Conservation Agent Joseph Wigglesworth.

“What’s going on over there is they are teaching people to do show skiing, and they are competing and they are using our lake to do that, and they aren’t even from here,” Wood said. “They say they’re a nonprofit … When they park over there, they’re literally jammed into that lot. Cars are parked on the side of the road. It’s an accident waiting to happen. They have outgrown that spot.”

According to records provided by the club, the IRS recognized the organization as a 501(c)(3) in August 2019.

Of the complaints, Ski Club Secretary Sara Mosely said, “I have heard the claims. It’s one neighbor. We have several other neighbors that love us and were upset we were not there to ski this summer.

“What I would say,” she continued, “is it’s Webster Lake. We personally don’t go out on our boats on the weekends. It’s chaos on the lake. There are lots of boats … driving close to shore. To point the finger at the Ski Club, it’s just not true. Our boat drivers all have a ton of training.”

In response to Wood’s claim that members are not from the area, Cadrin noted his parents own a house on South Pond. 

Wood also contended the club uses the lake seven days a week, morning to night.

Cadrin said the club’s scheduled nights are Mondays and Thursdays, as well as Saturday mornings. On Wednesdays, normally from mid-July through mid-August, they would host a free show at Memorial Beach. 

The club has met with Webster officials, including the Zoning Board of Appeals, and has another meeting with that board scheduled for Nov. 4 as Yankee Xpress was going to print.

The club has laid out its point of view via a statement on its Facebook page, where a timeline of events notes town officials “officially contacted” them in March 2026 via certified letter regarding its use of the Thompson Road site. According to the post, the club “engaged in ongoing communication with both the Town and MassDOT.”

Mosely said the town first constructed barriers on the property then posted “No Parking” signs there.

According to Mosely, the club has been working “very closely” with MassDOT and met them at the property after the barriers went up. 

“They said they were not told this was going to happen,” she said about the barriers. 

LaFond, however, told Yankee Xpress that the town’s highway superintendent contacted MassDOT and asked for permission to erect the barriers.

“Keep in mind,” LaFond said, “the state doesn’t want the club there.”

Yankee Xpress has been unable to clarify the conflicting statements with the state because of a lack of response regarding the issue. 

LaFond said the town’s position is the club does not possess required permits to use the lake. There are also zoning issues, such as whether the club is operating commercially, something the club strongly denies. 

LaFond insists the town has worked in good faith to resolve the issue, including an offer this past summer for the club to use an area near Memorial Beach. 

“I had multiple conversations with Ski Club members,” LaFond said. “Ultimately, I had offered a location on the town’s beach, Memorial Beach, to run the program for the rest of the season. They declined. There were conditions attached. The one that seems to be the reason they rejected the offer is they needed to remove their property from the Thompson Road property they were operating from.”

However, Cadrin said the reason why the club turned down the offer, was LaFond’s requirement that members pay for passes to the beach. 

“Here we are with a family of four, and they all want to water ski, and they would have to bear the cost,” Cadrin said. “They wanted us to have everybody have a pass to the beach. We would have had to transfer the cost to our members.”

As it is, he said, shutting down operations this past summer has had a negative impact on the club.

“Before this all happened, we had around 60 members,” Cadrin said “Now it’s dropped down. We have to give refunds, give a lot of money back. We had families that had three to four kids in the program. We had to give them refunds.”

In its Facebook statement, the club said it has worked in “good faith and in compliance with requests from the town and MassDOT throughout this process.”

The club states it was not afforded adequate notice or opportunity to participate in town meetings, “which may have allowed the club to preserve the 2027 season.”

“While working to return to Webster Lake in 2027, the Club remains focused on its mission [of] providing free skiing instruction and community programming to the youth and families of Webster and the surrounding area,” the FB statement reads. Nipmuc Ski Club is hopeful for a resolution that allows this 70-year community tradition to continue.”

Asked whether the town was amenable to other solutions to potentially resolve the conflict, LaFond said the town tried to help the club, saying they remained focused on using the existing state-owned property.

“I think I’ve made enough overtures to the club,” LaFond said. “I don’t expect to be reaching out again. Certainly, if anybody calls me, I’ll pick up the phone.” W