Washington Conservation Commission

Minutes – January 17, 2023

Assembly time: 7:00 PM, Meeting at Town Hall.

Members present: Arin Mills, Jed Schwartz, Nan Schwartz

Visitors: Mark Florence

1.0 Approval of Minutes: November minutes approved as written, no December meeting held.

2.0 Permits Committee –

New: Linkiewicz, TM 17-23, Shoreland PBN, expanding deck, under technical review

Butler Mountain Holdings LLC, TM 5-1, Forestry PBN, logging, complete

Calabro, TM 14-184, Shoreland PBN, tree removal from waterfront buffer, accepted

Previous: Jeffery McLaughlin Trust, TM 16-82, Shoreland Standard, Island Pond, raze house and replace in same footprint, approved.

Audrey Kern, TM 17-50, Millen Pond Road, Shoreland PBN, adding catch basin for stormwater, accepted.

Ed Thayer (DPW,) Millen Pond Road, Routine road maintenance., culvert replacement, disqualified, need pictures. Arin wrote Ed to offer her help in getting what is needed for the application.

NEFF, TM 15-42, Forestry PBN, accepted

Goshen Hill Farm, LLC, TM 1-1, Forestry SBN, accepted

Cordeiro, TM 12-201, Expedited Minimum Wetlands Permit, for driveway, more information requested

Black, TM 15-89, 1021 Millen Pond Rd., Shoreland Permit for razing existing structure and replacing, new septic, approved

Horton, TM 11-42, Standard Dredge and Fill, minor impact, approved.

Barkie, TM 25-116, 1681 Valley Road, reported violation, construction of 2 garages and altered an existing structure in protected shoreline. Restoration plan accepted.

*Cote, TM 24-58, 46 Lookout Point Road, installation of dock without a permit.

*Colette - Complaint of violations, TM 12-69, over clearing of waterfront zone, no follow up yet

* these are complaints with no follow up by DES, Arin to make an information request.

Arin suggested that we remove all shoreland permits from the permits list because we don’t have oversight of them. Nan will do that next month.

3.0 Committee and Board reports -

3.1 Land Protection Committee – After a meeting and discussion with the BoS about their alternate plan for protecting the Camp Morgan property they said would be working toward a warrant article for Town Meeting. They asked for our help with drafting language but we haven’t heard anything since. Arin will contact them for a copy of what they are proposing. Arin brought up Anita Blakeman’s letter to the BoS concerning the earlier meeting with Forest Society members about the Conservation Easement for Camp Morgan. Arin thought it was inaccurate and inappropriate. She has also sent comments about a cut in the Camp Morgan Town Forest. Jed said she should be speaking with the Forestry Committee. It is a messy situation. Nan made a bulleted document concerning Camp Morgan and all the town entities involved with the property that she shared with CC members, she feels it makes things clearer to all parties. We decided that a meeting with the BoS to talk things through would be appropriate and floated January 26^th at 3PM as a date and and alternate date of February 4^th. Arin will set something up.

3.2 Energy Committee – Not meeting.

3.3 Planning Board – Nan said the LUO update to address driveways was vetted by the town attorney but PB members weren’t happy with changes he had made to their proposed language. They decided to withdraw that section from the ballot and keep working on it this year.

3.4 Forestry Committee – They aren’t meeting.

3.5 Legislative update – No news.

4.0 Public Presentations and workshops –

4.1 School Program - Kelli Caruso has set two dates for a school program with Dawn (SCCD) and the CC; Mondays - February 13^th and May 15^th. Arin will contact Kelli and see if the dates are firm and what she needs us to do.

4.2 Spring Hike – Arin suggested a spring hike out to Twin Bridge and Lempster Mountain Road and back, she would like to hit the Town Forest property also. Jed suggested a pre-plan hike before the hike to scout.

5.0 New Business:

5.1 We asked Mark Florence if he wanted to speak with us and he stated he is running for a Select Board seat and wanted to hear about our issues. Arin explained our responsibilities; wetland permitting oversight, land protection, education, bringing in speakers, hikes, etc. She explained that we are not enforcers but will comment on issues. We are struggling with membership as most of the Town Committees are. We are working on a Recreational Booklet with local hikes and other recreational opportunities in it. She still needs to do some maps for the booklet and most of the writing is done. Mark said he has lots of experience with mapping and he created the recent interactive online Town Tax Map app.

6.0 Other Business:

6.1 Adopt-a-Highway Trash Pickup – trash pickups will be picked up next spring.

6.2 East Washington Town Forest – Arin said there will be a warrant article at Town Meeting concerning moving forward with phase 2 of the proposal from Meridian (driveway design and permitting). They are also discussing doubling the size of the proposed sand shed at the DPW to accommodate the sand.

6.3 Trails and Recreation Guide Booklet – Nan and Arin will continue working on this.

6.3 Facebook Page – Arin said she is continuing to post items when she can. To check out the CC’s Facebook page go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2173271309586226/

6.4 Master Plan goals for 2023 – This is a placeholder.

6.5 Land Use Change tax – We received a check for $3150. Arin will give the check back to Cindy to deposit into the Conservation Fund.

7.0 What’s Happening in Nature?

Arin said she has had flocks of Evening Grosbeaks at her feeder. She said the birds have been coming in waves and they aren’t there all the time feeding. She thinks this is because of the lack of snow cover and the availability of natural food around.

Nan said there are tons of turkeys around this winter. She said that the toms and hens are moving in separate groups.

Jed saw a big Bob Cat running along the road recently, Arin had one in her yard in the daytime and her Ring camera captured a picture of it.

Arin said that the Northern Long-eared Bat has finally be upgraded to the endangered species list.

Jed said we are having a very mild winter so far, there is open water in mill Pond and the ground is still quite unfrozen. There are lots of seeps in the woods and we have had several rain events because of mild temperatures. They saw an otter playing and fishing on the edge of the ice and open water in the pond.

Jed said he has had a flock of Starlings in East Washington at the bird feeder and hasn’t seen them before in winter. To learn more about Starlings, click here: NewinNature.html

8.0 Correspondence:

8.1 Copy of restoration plan from DES for Barkie, TM 25-116

9.0 Adjourned at 8:25 PM, the next meeting is TBA, February at 7PM, at Town Hall.

Respectfully submitted,

Nan Schwartz, Secretary