Conservation Commission Minutes

Date:                     April 26, 2017

Attendees:         Karen Day, Conrad Dumas, Janet Renaud, Neal Brown, Stephanie Kokal, Ken Paulsen (guest), and  Janet Lutkus (minute-taker)

The meeting was called to order at 7:31 pm. The following items were addressed:

1. Call to order, organize agenda, mail, etc. – Conrad.
   • Group photo for the Natural Resource Inventory (NRI) – Ken Paulsen, photographer
     • Members present: Neal, Conrad, Janet, Karen, and Stephanie posed outside for a group photograph of the Greenfield Conservation Commission taken by Ken Paulsen. The photograph will be included in the published NRI. 
   • Conrad reviewed the correspondence – The items reviewed were:
     • Wetlands permit application to fix the New Boston Road culverts.  Conrad made a motion that he sign the application to indicate approval of the plan and send it back. Janet seconded the motion and those members present agreed unanimously. Application was signed and will be mailed accordingly.
     • Copies of “Intents to Cut” were passed around to members present for their review.  Karla and Town will also review.
     • The Piscataquog News was passed around to members present for their review.   
2. New Business - Commission members.
   • Roadside Round-up Final Preparation for April 29 – Neal and commission members.
     • Neal confirmed details for setting up tables and chairs. Conrad and Stephanie will perform set-up by 3PM. To make this possible, Neal will unlock the doors at noon.   
     •  Stephanie and Neal will be there for clean-up.  Neal will help dismantle.  Attendees of the dinner usually join in the clean-up effort.  
     • Carol is scheduled the mistress of ceremonies but in her absence, Candi will be the back-up.  Neal will bring the PA system.
     • Neal will bring receipts, tickets, and paper to list names and number for the bags the children collect.
     • Neal noted that we have a surplus of blue bags which can be used in Greenfield outside of the Roadside Roundup to pick up trash to be collected by the state.
     • There will be 7 gift baskets for prizes at the dinner.  Conrad collected contributions of $7.00 from each member of the commission for the cash prizes of $20.00, $15.00 and $10.00 dollars for the children collecting the most trash.
     • Neal will pick up the ice cream and related supplies tomorrow (3 gallons of vanilla, 3 gallons of Moose Tracks) along with syrups, spoons, ice cream scoop, and napkins.  Neal voiced the need for 3 members of the commission to serve as a “scooping team”. Stephanie volunteered to help Neal.
     • Committee members are assigned to shifts at the recycle center as follows: Neal from 8AM to 10AM, Conrad from 10AM to 12PM, Stephanie from 12PM to 2PM, Candi from 2PM to 4PM.  Committee members stressed the importance of recording the number of bags for each child, each child’s name and age.  Neal assured the commission that he has a large roll of tickets.
     • Janet will send Stephanie the name of the Greenfield editor for the Peterborough Ledger so Stephanie can make sure Greenfield’s Roadside Roundup is included on future Earth Day announcements and stories.
     • The commission engaged in a discussion of Carol Irvin’s suggestions in her email of 04/21/2017 on the future of the Roadside Roundup. The email suggested that the Commission consider getting out of the business of having the dinner, prizes, etc. currently part of the Roadside Round-up.  Karen expressed the opinion that the Roadside Roundup is the one extremely visible event that the Conservation Committee sponsors. Neal offered the suggestion that the event’s current activities could be spread out over a weeklong period, especially given the school vacation schedule. Conrad offered that the Conservation Commission does not have to make a decision about the future of the Roadside Roundup until the next budget cycle. Budget items for this event consist of the cost of the food for the dinner and mailing costs. The Woman’s Club members currently prepare the dinner but the club is retiring this year. Several commission members suggested eliminating the town-wide mailing and instead distributing the bags at every conceivable public place such as the library, recycling center, school, fire station, and so on.  The money saved from the mailing costs could be put towards catering the dinner with a local business.  Karen’s husband Roger Lessard has already volunteered to cook the dinner next year in the absence of the Woman’s club. Conrad suggests the commission determine the plan of action in January.
   • Natural Resource Inventory (NRI) Update, including survey and coordination with Master Plan -- Janet
     • Janet read email from Henry Underwood of the SWRPC.  Henry may be able to present a draft of the NRI at the May Conservation Commission meeting.   
     • Conrad read a letter from Henry Underwood of the SWRPC. In the letter Henry recommends that NRI project activities be extended through July. The consensus of the commission members was to extend Henry’s production schedule. Conrad agreed to communicate this to Henry.  Janet noted that this means the NRI will not be ready for inclusion with the Master Plan as originally planned.
     •  Surveys. Janet asked Catherine Shaw to send out surveys on the town bulletin board (email blast to town).  Janet will ask Catherine to extend the deadline until the end of May and to resend the email request once per week until the end of May. Conrad will mail the hardcopy surveys received in the mail to Henry to be entered into the database.
   • George Proctor stewardship update – Janet.
     • Recap of Site Walk on April 22 – Gary Russell led site walk.  Janet declared the site walk a big success. She produced minutes which she distributed during this meeting and allowed time for the commission members to review them.
     • Legal Standing – The commission can go forward with the Forestry committee. The members are Janet Renaud, Carol Irvin, Betsy Hardwick, Gary Russell, and Hunter Carbee. The Forestry Committee will create a stewardship plan.
     • Janet distributed an email invitation from Hunter Carbee to tour his land which is held in conservancy by Monadnock Conservancy land.  Janet would like to have the commission plan to tour the land in the future.  The text from Hunter’s email invitation is as follows: 

“Good morning, Janet-

Looks good. I would like to invite the Greenfield Conservation Commission and Bob Marshall (other selectmen and any other folks with interest) to take a walk on the Carbee woodlot. There, you will see wildlife habitat and timber management being practiced; the results of a harvest operation performed in 2008. I think it would give you some insight as what to expect with future management of the Town Forest. I realize everyone is busy this time of year. Just let me know if there is any interest for a walk in the future-

Regards,

Hunter Carbee “    

• Discussion of Correspondence from the Town – Conrad and commission members.
  • All members of the Conservation Commission have to re-appointed. This means each commission member has to go to Dee Sleeper and be sworn in again. 
  • Conrad reviewed a letter from the Selectmen querying  the history of  a .7 acre parcel of Land donated by Mr. Goodwin to the Town of Greenfield in 1999 (tax map R4, Lot 13.) The commission agreed that if the donor expressed how the donated land was to be used, then that the donor’s wishes should be followed.  The selectman must research the deed. One source is the online registry of deeds. Another source of information for the selectmen might be contacting any living relatives of the land donor.
  • Conrad reviewed a request from the Selectmen requesting any suggestions about water usage guidelines and drafting from lakes. Members reviewed minutes from the January meeting where this was discussed in the context of a presentation by Bob Marshall. The commission agreed that water usage guidelines for the town are set by the DES. Greenfield should follow DES guidelines. Bodies of water, such as lakes are the property of the state so any regulations related to drafting from lakes would be determined by the state. 
• Board Roles – Conrad.
  • As of May 1, Conrad is resigning from the Conservation Commission.
  • The commission will need at least one new member and a new chair person. Karen will ask her husband Roger Lessard if he is interested in joining the commission.
  • Janet will continue as vice chair.
  •  Conrad will speak with Candi about serving as the temporary chair person.
  • Conrad gave the cabinet key and the door key to Stephanie for safe-keeping.
  • Janet has spare keys for the cabinet and door as a back-up.

The meeting officially adjourned at 9:07 PM. The next meeting is May 24, 2017 at 7:30 pm.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Janet Lutkus to Conrad Dumas and Janet Renaud for approval, corrections, and posting.