Washington Conservation Commission
Minutes
– September 16, 2009
Assembly time: 7:00 PM.
Present: Carol Andrews, Nan Schwartz, Jed Schwartz, Arin Mills
and Sandy Robinson
1.0 Approval of Minutes: Minutes from August, Sandy made a motion to approve both, Jed seconded, all voted in favor.
2.0 Old Business:
2.1 Permits –
DES sent a copy of Erin Darrow's further comments on the town project for slip-lining the Island Pond outlet culvert on Washington Drive.
2.2 Land
Conservation - We discussed the conservation land purchase that the CC and town
just successfully closed on. The Langevin lot, Map 7- lot 10, is now
conservation land owned by the town.
Carol
suggested that in order to work on these conservation projects efficiently, we
need a committee of several people to work together on them. We discussed what
this committee would do. Sandy asked if we needed a mission statement for the
committee. We felt a committee could review projects within the priority areas
by looking at maps, hold strategy session on what projects are possibilities
and what are starting up and keep things moving along when a project gets
rolling. They would work with landowners, after contact, on project development
and implementation. This would help with protecting the identity of people we
are talking to and working with, it is important to keep things private until
the landowner is ready to go public with their project. The committee would
advise and recommend to the full commission but would not expend any funds.
Sandy made a motion to create a "Committee for Land Protection" with the parameters we discussed. Arin seconded the motion and all voted in favor. The committee will report back to the Commission on any progress. We discussed how many members should be on the committee and it was decided to start with four. Sandy, Jed, Nan and Carol volunteered to sit on the committee. The committee will meet soon and will decide if they want to designate a chair.
Carol
reported that Janice Philbrick had spoken to her about whether we had money in
the conservation fund to help pay off the note on the Wild Pond easement
(around 400 acres in Washington and Stoddard) that is coming due. Carol
explained to Janice that legally easements that are already done are not things
we are allowed to spend money on.
2.3 Planning Board Update – Nan reported that the PB is about to meet with the Meeting House Committee. Sandy felt that there might still be some question in some people's minds about keeping the town offices in the Town Hall. Carol felt an online and paper survey might help clear up the issue. She felt the Planning Board still needs to hold a town wide meeting to discuss the issues. Nan said the Meeting House Committee is hoping to apply for an LCHP grant for planning on the Town Hall restoration project in mid October.
2.4 Energy
Committee – Carol reported that the Energy Committee is speaking to Bruss
Construction about doing an energy audit on all the town buildings. The
Selectmen will be meeting with Bruss next week to get an estimate for doing the
audit.
Melissa
Cole has joined the Energy Committee as a member.
2.5 Forestry
Committee – We discussed the need to speak to the Forest Committee about
protecting the town forests with easements.
3.0 What's Happening in Nature?
Carol
lost of her two chickens to what she thinks was a weasel. This happened to her
last year also.
Sandy reported she lost most of her sweet corn to a skunk and she saw a mink. She also had a "40 pound" (very large) porcupine up in her apple tree doing lots of damage. Peter captured it and took it off to another location for her.
Sandy
talked about moving animals off the road and out of danger using a blanket she
had in her car. It worked for a baby porcupine by picking it up in the blanket
and carrying it to safety and also for moving a turtle by getting behind it and
holding it up like a wall behind the turtle and encouraging it to move out of
the road.
Arin
reported that a friend of hers accidentally found about 40 snapping turtle eggs
while on location for a power company. The friend took the eggs home to keep
them safe and they are now hatching. She wondered what they should be fed and
what they should do with the hatchlings. Carol said they have all they need to
eat for the first few days from their egg sack and that they should be returned
to the place they came from on a warmish day.
Nan
mentioned that the swamp maples are turning red and moving fast toward peak
color. For more information about these early turning, colorful trees go here: http://www.washingtonnh.org/WCC_Html/NewinNature.html
4.0 New Business:
4.1 Our scheduled trash pick up on our Adopt-a-Highway route was rained out for August so don't forget the next date. Saturday, October 17th, meet at the Library parking lot at 9AM.
4.2 Mrs. Lull's class at Washington Elementary School is looking for Monarch Butterfly pupae (chrysalis) to hatch in the classroom. If you know the whereabouts of any give her a call at 495-3463.
5.0 Correspondence:
Copy
of Selectmen's authorization letter for purchase of the Langevin property on
Twin Bridge Road
Upton & Hatfield (cc) to Board of Selectmen regarding the Langevin land purchase. The letter references two documents sent to the Board.
Upton & Hatfield (cc) to the
register of deeds. The letter references a warranty deed and $16.44 in
recording fees and return postage.
Upton & Hatfield (cc) to Mark Langevin, trustee of the Squam Lake "63" Revocable Trust. The letter references a $250 check sent to Mr. Langevin. It also references a missing signature on the Certificate of Non-Foreign Status.
Copy
of the Purchase and Sales Agreement
Copy
of the Warranty Deed for Map 7, Lot 10.
Conservation
Commission account balance statement from Lynda Roy
Copy of a response for more
information submitted to NHDES for the Washington Drive culvert improvements
File # 2009-00818. DES is considering the outflow stream from Island Pond to be
a permanent, rather than an intermittent, stream and this requires
6.0 Adjourned at 9:00 PM, our next scheduled meeting is October 21st at 7 PM in the Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Nan Schwartz
Secretary