Conservation Commission Meeting
April 15, 2008
Town Office
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 4:10 p.m.
by Chairman Spencer.
PRESENT: Larry Spencer,
Shelagh Connelly, Jackie Jewell, Anne Packard, Barbara Currier, and Janet
Cocchiaro.
OTHERS PRESENT: David Lorch (town
planner) and Anne Abear (municipal secretary)
MINUTES: Ms. Currier moved
and Mrs. Cocchiaro seconded to approve the minutes of the March 18, 2008 as
written. Vote was unanimous. Motion passed.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
& COURSES –
1.
Presentation
by Anne Packard – Mr. Spencer announced that Ms. Packard would be presenting an
Environmental Colloq. regarding creatures of Mirror Lake at PSU on April 23,
2008 beginning at 4:00 p.m. at Boyd Hall 001.
2.
Watershed
Conference – Mr. Spencer advised the conference would be held on April 16 and
is being put on by NH DES. The
conference will be held at the Grapone Center in Concord.
OLD BUSINESS –
a.
Town Energy
Committee Meeting – Mr. Spencer advised this committee met and have reviewed
the energy audit that was conducted by NHEC.
The audit showed few areas in which could be improved within the Town
buildings. Mr. Johnson will be reviewing
the audit with the individual departments and making suggestions to them.
b.
Comprehensive
Shoreland Protection Meeting – Ms. Connelly advised the meeting was held on
April 3 and 9 towns were represented at the meeting. 32 people attended the presentation. Ms. Arlene Allen did a great job with the
presentation. Ms. Connelly inquired if
the commission wished to have a part in or to be a reviewing committee to any
permits that may be submitted to the State during the Shoreland Protection
permitting process. Members of the Board
advised they felt it was important for the Commission to be informed as to what
applications are being requested and Ms. Connelly will draft a letter to the
Board of Selectmen advising them of the wishes of the Commission for the Board
to review at the next meeting.
c.
Spring Vernal
Pools Workshop – Mr. Spencer advised that 6 people attended the workshop and
the slides used during the presentation will be available on the Commission’s
website. The Commission advised they
were still collecting information on vernal pools throughout the community and
anyone could send Chairman Spencer an email regarding vernal pools on their
property and he would add it to the list. In the discussion of vernal pools,
comments were made about salt and sand on the roads. The commission felt it
would be a good idea to invite Peter Furmanick to a future meeting to talk
about practices and policies about salt and sand on the roads. The chair will
contact Mr. Furmanick
d.
Update on
Royea’s – Ms. Currier advised that the Board of Selectmen held a public hearing
on the renewal of the junkyard license and further discussed the prioritization
of the conditions that will be placed on the license in the coming year, at the
last meeting. The priority of the Board
of Selectmen will be to get fire lanes established within the junkyard for
safety reasons. Ms. Currier advised a
walk through will be scheduled when some of the snow is gone. This walk through will be in conjunction with
NH DES. Further, the Ms. Currier advised
that the Selectmen or their agent continue to have access to the property for any
future walk through as necessary.
e.
Saving Special
Places Meeting – Mr. Spencer discussed the meeting that was held at Keasarge
regarding conservation easement.
NEW BUSINESS
a.
Meeting with
Selectboard concerning commission membership – Mr. Spencer and Ms. Currier
discuss the recent meeting with the Board of Selectmen regarding the
reappointment of Ms. Jewell and Ms. Packard.
Mr. Spencer advised that the Commission has created policies in the past
that compel members of the Board who are abutters to a property to recuse
themselves from acting upon an issue as a member of the commission, further, a
policy had been created that no member of the Commission can enter upon private
property without being requested or without permission. Ms. Jewell inquired if the Selectmen were
informed that she did recuse herself from the Reynolds case? Mr. Spencer and Ms. Currier advised they did
notify the Selectmen of that circumstance.
Mr. Spencer will place the new policy on the Commission’s website.
b.
Attendance
policy – Ms. Connelly moved and Mr. Spencer supported to create a policy in
which the Commission will advise members who miss (3) three consecutive
unexcused scheduled meetings will be sent a letter from the Commission Chairman
questioning their continued interest in the Commission. Vote was unanimous. Motion passed.
c.
David Lorch,
Town Planner – Mr. Lorch discussed the grants that are available for the
development of low income properties that encourage and create open
conservation lands. The grant application
process for the spring has passed, but will be opening again in the fall. Mr. Spencer discussed the possibility of this
grant being available for the golf course area to keep the property open for
recreational lands.
Mr.
Lorch advised he has been working with the GIS and Granite programs and is
looking at the future possibility of mapping out all of the fire roads in
conjunction with skiing maps to get more use of the properties that are
available for recreational purposes within the Town.
d.
Possible
future conservation lands – The Board discussed the Huckins farm property. Chairman Spencer will approach Mr. Huckins
about the future use of his land.
Chairman Spencer advised he is still planning on meeting with Mr.
LaRochelle to discuss the Reynolds property.
e.
SLA’s
perimeter survey – Ms. Connelly advised that SLA has completed a perimeter
survey of the lakes and inquired if anyone knew what this information would be
used for? Members of the Board requested
Chris Devine to attend a future meeting to discuss this.
f.
Pilote forest
trail work – Mrs. Cocchiaro will contact former Commissioner Reggie Pettit to
discuss scheduling a date for trail work within the Pilote Forest.
g.
4H Camp
Scholarship - Chairman Spencer discussed a request of UNH for the Commission to
sponsor a child to attend 4H Camp. Mrs.
Jewell advised she spoke to a member of the Holderness School and advised that
the Commission had offered a $100 scholarship.
The commission will leave it up to the school as to how the scholarship
is divided.
h.
It was agreed
that for the June meeting, the board would try to schedule a visit to one of
the Town’s Prime Wetlands.
The next meeting of
the Commission will take place on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 beginning at 4:00
p.m. Member of the Board decided they
would not have a meeting during the months of July and August unless it is
deemed necessary.
ADJOURNMENT: Mr. Spencer
adjourned the meeting at 5:25 p.m.
Respectfully
submitted,
Anne M. Abear
Municipal Secretary