Washington Conservation Commission

Minutes – October 16, 2019

 

Assembly time: 7:00 PM, Town Hall

 

Members present: Arin Mills, Jed Schwartz, Johanna Young and Nan Schwartz.

Visitors: None

 

1.0    Approval of Minutes: September minutes – Minor changes were suggested, Nan will make the changes. Jed made a motion to approve the minutes as amended, Johanna seconded the motion and all voted in favor.

 

2.0   Permits Committee  - New: None

Previous: Ashuelot Pond Dam repair – application is under review at DES.

Wetlands permit for water crossing on Millen Pond Road, Chidester, Arin signed this permit but it is reported as administratively incomplete. DES is waiting for an item from them.

Camp Morgan Beach and Field project – Arin sent a letter to DES with our thoughts and concerns for the project and gave Parks and Rec a copy.

Highland Lake dredging – No news.

        Mill Pond dredging – No news.

        Ayers Pond Bridge – Jed reported that the temporary bridge installation should be done in the next 2 weeks if the weather cooperates.

Longval wetland issue –We are working on a preferable outcome.

           

3.0   Committee and Board reports:

3.1   Land Protection Committee – Jed called NEFF and Whit has retired. He spoke with Sophie Traficonte who has taken over his projects. She will get back to us in the next 10 days and is reaching out to the appraiser.

3.2   Energy Committee – Johanna said that they haven’t met but Andrew reported to her that Eversource has agreed to a 50% match for the school insulation job. The School Board is working with the SAU to put out an RFP for that work. He also mentioned the conversion of the lights at the Town Garage and that Kevin’s Electric is doing the work. He is also speaking with Eversource about doing a baseline audit on the Schoolhouse. She said there is a local energy conference on November 15^th that members will be attending.

3.3   Planning Board – Nan said the Town Center Vision Committee has put out suggestion boxes at Town Hall, the Library and Church seeking comments and ideas for the town center historic area. Nan put the list on the website as a PDF so people can fill it out and email it in.

3.4   Forestry Committee – No news.

3.5   Legislative update  - No news.

 

4.0   Public Presentations and workshops:       

4.1   Annual NHACC Meeting and Conference, Saturday, November 2^nd, Pembroke. Nan said she signed up to attend.

 

5.0   New Business:

5.1   Merger of Chute and Old Meadow Town Forest properties – We decided to hold off on this for now.

5.2   NHACC dues for 2020 – We received an invoice for our 2020 dues, Johanna made a motion to pay the $250, Jed seconded the motion and all voted in favor. Nan will send Arin the authorization to pay sheet.

 

6.0   Other Business:

6.1   Lovewell Mountain Hike – We had a great hike on October 5^th, with a small group. The views and fall colors were spectacular.

6.2   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/  

6.3   Trails and Recreation Guide Booklet – We will keep working on this through the fall/winter. Nan wants to get it done before Old Home Day, so we can have them available then. Arin and Nan will get together to see where we are with it on November 6^th at 3:30pm. Jed will talk to Don and Tom about the Snowmobile chapter and see what they might want included.

6.4   Master Plan goals for 2019 – This is a placeholder.

6.5   Tracking Invasive Plants project – Arin NH DES was supposed to come out and pull the Spotted Knapweed but she looked and it is still there. They had planned a day to come out and pull it.

The reporting sheets and guides are always available here: InvasiveProject.html

 

7.0   What’s Happening in Nature?

Arin said that we the fall colors are now past peak.

She said we have had 2 frosts recently. Jed said it was in the 20’s in East Washington, with a hard freeze.

Jed had a picture he took of a mother moose and her youngster.

Arin said that Shayne has seen a lot of turkeys and a deer in LAE.

She talked about the tussock moth caterpillar and that not everyone is sensitive to it.

Johanna said she had a mosquito bite that became infected and she is on antibiotics.

Arin said Millen Pond is being drawn down, as well as Ashuelot Pond. Jed said that Mill Pond is down also.

We are finding lots of ladybugs moving into the house this time of year. To find out more about the fall ladybug invasion, click here: NewinNature.html

 

8.0   Correspondence:  

Copy of Forest Notes

            NCAA Invoice for 2020 dues

Adopt-a-Highway renewal agreement

 

9.0   Adjourned at 8:27PM, our next meeting will be Wednesday, November 20^th at 7PM at TH.

 

Respectfully submitted,           

Nan Schwartz, Secretary