Draft Meeting Notes Bradford Conservation Commission
Date: July 21, 2009
Location: Brown Memorial Library
Time: 7pm
Present: Nathanial Bruss, Brooks McCandlish, J. Ann Eldridge, Meg Fearnley, Amy Blitzer, alternate.
Secretary’s notes: Meeting notes of June 16, 2009.
Treasurer’s notes: Interest earned. No transactions.
Correspondence: Notice from DES re: Morrow incomplete application. Expedited Minimum Impact Wetlands Permit, owner Duffet, signed and delivered to Town Clerk. Notice from DES re: application denied, owner Pickman, deadline for response to DES questions passed. Notice from CRNHPC about a grant for 30 hours planning assistance. Some topics seemed relevant to conservation commission goals, but no need at this time. Will pass information to Planning Board and can assist that board with any projects.
Discussed public presentation on coyotes with Chris Schadler. Date set for September 25th. Cost of $175 plus gas and gratuity, Trustees of library voted to participate. Location will be the Elementary School. Meg left message with Bradford Fish and Game about their potential participation in hosting.
Nathanial attended the Merrimack County Conservation District meeting, discussion of role of conservation district and NRCS (formerly soil conservation service.) There is assistance available for education and grant-writing for ‘on the ground’ projects.
Quarterly report from the Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust outreach meeting discussed. Ann to report back to them about contacts in town. Conservation Commission chair meeting on October 29, Thursday. Bradford as part of discussion on Wildlife Action Plan progress. There will be a regional outreach workshop for interested landowners and organizations about sensitive habitats and their protection and management. Possible focus, grassland and floodplain habitats. Next quarterly meeting is September 17 at 3pm, New London.
Nathanial has contacted the Bradford Elementary School and is researching programs that can be brought to the school regarding resources and natural sciences.
Fourth of July booth discussed. Worth the effort? Few opportunities for public to obtain conservation information, however, suggest limit amount of paperwork/maps…too overwhelming. More photographs.
Trail maintenance needed on Rowe/Low State Forest trail. Will set a date in the fall for workday. Sign for the West Meadow Wetlands Conservation Land has disappeared. Will contact Road Agent.
Draft NRI maps reviewed. [see separate notes]
Discussion on how to handle complaints received. Selectmen are the only enforcing entity. Landowners do not like to complain about abutters, should the Conservation Commission step in or refer them to the Selectmen or State only? Other towns have a range of responses. Topic of discussion at conservation commission chair meeting at ASLPT in October.
Survey reviewed yet again. Brooks to purchase paper, Nathanial to retrieve labels. Ann to finalize document.
Meeting adjourned way too late.
Respectfully submitted, JA Eldridge