Washington Conservation Commission

Minutes – February 22, 2023

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

Members present: Arin Mills, Nan Schwartz, Jed Schwartz attended on FaceTime

Visitors: Mark Florence

1.0 Approval of Minutes: January minutes, Jed made a motion to approve, Arin seconded the motion and all voted in favor. The minutes were approved as written.

2.0 Permits Committee –

New:

Previous:

Cordeiro, TM 12-201, Expedited Minimum Wetlands Permit, for driveway, approved

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

*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 reported that Barbara Skuly (ARLAC) had reached out about a Shoreland permit on Ashuelot Drive. Arin said she didn’t see the email until it was too late to go look at the site and comment. She shared the plan with us and there is also a lot that extends to the other side of the river. Barbara was concerned about a driveway hat extended as a walkway down to the water and the possibility of storm water runoff into the river.

3.0 Committee and Board reports -

3.1 Land Protection Committee – Jed reported that he spoke with Brian Hotz who was contacted by Deb to provide the BoS with a list of “pros” and “cons” on a conservation easement for Camp Morgan. We think they don’t really understand the concept but we feel it is simple. An easement is the only way to put permanent protection on a worthy property, anything else leaves it open to development. We will try to tell a clear story from the floor at Town Meeting, if people believe that Camp Morgan Town Forest is worthy then they should vote for the easement, the legislative body needs to decide. Jed will write up something and Arin will write a short piece on why CM is worth protecting. They will both speak at TM. We will explain that if people vote for the easement there will be a public process that they can have input in along the way. We talked about having a map of the property to use and Mark offered to provide one. He will send it to Nan and she will get it printed for Town Meeting.

3.2 Energy Committee – Not meeting.

3.3 Planning Board – The Planning Board has a special ballot at Town Meeting with several items on it.

3.4 Forestry Committee – They aren’t meeting. Jed asked Arin to ask the BoS to share Anita’s report with FC members. She will contact them about it after Town Meeting when the new board is seated.

3.5 Legislative update – No news.

4.0 Public Presentations and workshops –

4.1 School Program – We spent a day at the Elementary School with Dawn from SCCD on February 13^th. It was a fun time and the kids enjoyed the programs about winter tracking, survival and more. The next session with Dawn is May 15^th.

4.2 Spring Hike – Arin mentioned the spring hike out to Twin Bridge and Lempster Mountain Road and back, she would like to hit the Town Forest property also. We agreed that we will plan this next month for May.

4.3 Saving Special Places Conference - March 30 (virtual) 12:00-1:30pm features Keynote Speaker, Katharine Hayhoe (Chief Scientist, The Nature Conservancy), on Conservation and Climate Change. April 7 (virtual) 12:00-1:30pm Peter Forbes (First Light) discusses First Light, a collaboration among 65 land-holding organizations and the Wabanaki Confederacy of Maine. April 15 (in-person conference) 8:45am-2:45pm includes 18 workshops on a variety of conservation topics.

4.4 Cottrell-Baldwin Lectures at Fox State Forest – information here: https://forestsociety.org/area/education-and-events/cottrell-baldwin

5.0 New Business:

5.1 Nan said that she spoke with Ed Thayer who wanted to know if we would like to order the Compost Kitchen containers again. She said they are $11 this year. We discussed and decided we would order them again and sell them at cost at the Transfer Station to encourage composting of organic kitchen materials. Nan said the order opens in April, she will let Ed know we will be ordering.

5.2 Robinson Dam - Arin mentioned that she spoke with the DES and they haven’t yet released any ARM funds but that there aren’t any funds available for our watershed. We are disappointed. Arin asked if the bridge is on the red list and Mark said that it is. According to the Dam Bureau the dam is deficient also. The sluiceway goes under the roadway so Ed and the Town are trying to coordinate with the dam owner in getting both projects done at the same time. Arin said the stream is tier 3, it comes out of Island Pond and connects to Beards Brook which flows into the Contoocook River. Arin said she will ask around about any other funding possibilities.

6.0 Other Business:

6.1 Adopt-a-Highway Trash Pickup – trash pickups will be picked up in the 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). Jed said he got a call from a concerned citizen about the proposed project. We discussed our stand on the issue. Jed said he has personal concerns about the amount of sand and the cost of getting it, he is not sure it is worth it. Arin said that so far CC has been for the project if it is done right. It is a Town Forest so the town would have to make sure the management of operation and responsibilities are clear. A reclamation plan needs to be designed and the funds should be put in place for this prior to beginning the project. Nan mentioned that the CIP could be used to save over years for closure costs. These things will be needed to have our support.

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 We discussed changing our meeting day because of on-going conflicts and agreed to meeting on the 2^nd Wednesday of each month. Nan will let Deb know so she can add it to the BoS calendar.

7.0 What’s Happening in Nature?

Arin said she still has flocks of Evening Grosbeaks at her feeder.

Mark mentioned that he has had the Starlings mobbing at his feeder in East Washington.

Nan observed that the snow cover is disappearing and there is open water in the Mill Pond again. The Fire Department Fishing Derby was held but now the ice is iffy in places. Nan said that Phil Barker hasn’t reported any new snow for a month. There was an early sap run and lots of syrup was made over a few days. It got cold again and the run ended for now.

Arin said that someone saw a big Bob Cat in LAE, in their yard.

Nan got a great picture of snow tunnels dug by small animals in her yard. To learn more about the subnivean zone, click here: NewinNature.html

8.0 Correspondence:

8.1 Copy of restoration plan from DES for Merriam, TM 24-108

8.2 Thank you from NHACC for paying dues and they sent a copy of the updated CC Handbook

8.3 Newsletter from Fox State Forest, includes a schedule for Cottrell-Baldwin Lecture Series

9.0 Adjourned at 8:26 PM, the next meeting is March 8th at 7PM, at Town Hall.

Respectfully submitted, Nan Schwartz, Secretary