SHUTESBURY — While no ban on motorboats on Lake Wyola is being contemplated, a serious accident that injured a boater last June has prompted a review of the current bylaw governing use of the 128-acre body of water, which some residents say should be modified to enhance safety, while others say safety is largely a matter of personal responsibility.

During a two-hour joint meeting of the Lake Wyola Boating & Safety Review Committee and the Selecttboard on March 27, held at Shutesbury Elementary School, Carol Samuels of South Laurel Drive said she is not against motorboats, but supports improved safety, especially during peak times. She also worries about wakes from motorized boats flipping canoes, as has happened to her 80-year-old father, who never went out again to paddle.

“No matter how respectful many boaters are, we all know it only takes one to end or alter my life,” Samuels said.

Rory Miller of North Laurel Drive, who has been coming to the lake since the early 1980s and owns a motorboat, though, said he teaches his young children how to be safe whether the water is calm or rough, and that it’s hard to “rule safety into law” through restricting use.

“It’s a learned experience, it’s all part of the lake experience,” Miller said of being on the water, comparing it to how bicyclists have to be comfortable sharing the road with vehicles.

Any amendments to the current bylaw “Watercraft and Persons Using Lake Wyola,” originally adopted in 1973 and last revised in 2003, could be brought to Annual Town Meeting on May 31.

Currently, the bylaw has rules setting the speed limit at 30 mph during the daytime, and 5 mph from dusk to dawn; requiring motorboats to go counterclockwise; limiting water skiing to daylight hours; and requiring swimmers to be accompanied by a boat when they are 150 feet or more from shore.

The safety study committee was formed last summer following the incident June 15 at 7:38 p.m. in which a motorized boat struck a stationary boat. One person was injured and another person was summoned to court on unspecified charges.

Matt Borowiec chairs the Lake Wyola Boating & Safety Review Committee, which has been meeting since September, looking at bylaws and great ponds regulations throughout New England and at laws in various states. The committee, he said, has discussed all aspects of the town bylaw, talked with Police Chief Kristin Burgess about how law enforcement can enhance safety and spoken to state environmental police officers about their jurisdiction.

“We think awareness is one of the biggest keys for both newcomers to the lake as well as reminding Shutesbury residents what they should know about the rules and regulations for the lake,” Borowiec said.

The committee will continue working on recommendations, even as a majority of its members are not recommending any tweaks to the current bylaw.

Committee member Alexandria Windcaller, who describes herself as an avid boater, said she offered a proposal to keep the current bylaw in place for 2025, but also to have a trial run of restricting some uses to designated times. Examples include having certain times when boats must travel at a speed that will keep the lake calm for swimmers, kayakers and paddleboarders, and having other times when high-speed boating and water skiing is allowed. “The core issue here is safety,” Windcaller said.

But even though Windcaller said this is not radical and such rules are common elsewhere, “unfortunately that proposal didn’t go anywhere,” with only four members supporting it and five voting to keep the bylaw as is.

Division among residents

For Meaghen Mikolajczuk, a fourth-generation lake resident, the ongoing discussion has been dividing residents there, and she suggests remaining focused on safety measures first before modifying the bylaw for boating use.

At the nearby Morse Hill Outdoor Education Center, children who attend summer camps are advised about being good neighbors and boating safety when using the lake, said Assistant Director Jess Evans.

Occasionally, though, speeding motorboats come closer than comfortable to children, and the large wakes make it challenging for those new to canoeing, she said.

“Our hope is that Lake Wyola continues to be a place where safety regulations are frequently enforced, visitors are clearly informed of the need for these regulations in Shutesbury’s bylaw and the community works together to keep everyone safe,” Evans said.

Glenn Stockton of Lakeview Road suggested that some boats are going faster outside designated times, leading to problems for those out paddling and rowing.

Jennifer Wallace, a 21-year resident, said she doesn’t support banning motorboats, but there should be discussion of whether restrictions are in place on the busiest days on the water.

“There are apparent blinders on regarding safety, and it looks to be giving priority to preserve the status quo, rather than looking closely at what would improve the experience for all users,” Wallace said.

Rich Clarke of Gass Lite Lane said making sure families and children are safe is paramount.

“The challenge is to make sure we enforce — that when bad eggs are coming out, we want to, as a group, get that handled,” Clarke said.

Charlene Galenski, who has used the “multifunctional” lake for 60 years and lived on it for 40 years, said she has always felt safe, and people need to use good sense and be respectful of everyone, whether boating, paddling or swimming, and that the crash is not typical.

“People being respectful of one another is the key here, and education is the most important key,” Galenski said.

Burgess concluded the meeting by advising those at Lake Wyola to follow the “see something, say something” adage. “I can do very little if I don’t know that something is happening,” Burgess said.

One effort she is undertaking is being in regular contact with environmental police officers, and informational booklets will be handed out to address situations as they arise.