Bradford Conservation Commission Secretary’s Draft Minutes
November 17, 2020, 7pm at Brown Memorial Library and via Zoom
Present: George Beaton, J Ann Eldridge, Meg Fearnley, Scott MacLean, Brooks McCandlish, and Doug Southard.
Appearance: Barbara Southard presented the Carbon Tax Initiative, a resolution for citizens to take action on factors contributing to climate pollution by contacting and encouraging their elected representatives to enact carbon pricing legislation. Producers and importers of fossil fuels will pay a carbon tax, and this collected money would then be distributed equally among citizens, providing incentive for manufacturers and individuals to decrease carbon usage and use more clean energy sources. Barb will send an email with a petition needing 25 signatures and a link to the website carboncashback.org. The signed petition will be presented to the Selectboard, and also submitted for a vote at the next town meeting. Ann encouraged the BCC members to review this information and decide if they would like to endorse this program at the next meeting.
Secretary’s Draft Minutes:The draft minutes of 10/20/20 were reviewed. A motion was presented by Brooks to accept the draft report, seconded by Meg, and unanimously approved.
Treasurer’s Report: Meg stated there is $220 remaining in the BCC 2020 budget. Brooks made a motion that 200 trail maps be printed and paid from this surplus. George seconded, and all approved.
Cheney Hill Road: There was a complaint made to the Selectboard regarding roadwork on Cheney Hill Road where road runoff was possibly contaminating an owner’s well. Ann and George investigated, and a letter was drafted to the SB and reviewed. Best management practices by the town road crew were encouraged to minimize negative impacts of roads on the surrounding environment. In this situation, a method of buffering runoff into a feeder stream is suggested. Also, the US Natural Resource Conservation Service could be consulted, along with the UNH outreach road program. The edited version of the letter will be sent to the SB.
Map 7/Lot 76 Davis Road: The ZBA denied the variance request for new home construction on this property. It also needed a variance for a wetland buffer.
Bradford Fish and Game Shooting Range Map 02/Lot 111: The State investigated the legality of having a shooting range on this property on Gillingham Drive. It was decided the club may return to using the range for hunter training several times per year for bow and rifle.
Naughton Property Jones Road: The site plan for Map 3/Lot 109A has been withdrawn. However, Map6/Lot 99 will need a septic system to go forward.
Adopt a Road Fall 2020 Report: Doug is collecting the fall reports. The new mud season road closure signs were presented to the SB by Steve Hall, and approved. They will be erected at the designated locations. Doug would like to monitor traffic from Henniker at the Liberty Hill Road town line to gather data on this road’s usage. Meg reports there has been increased traffic on Deer Valley Road by trucks, ATVs and trail bikes this fall.
Low State Forest Bridge: Bridgework was completed, water bars were refurbished on a recent BCC workday. Also, the Knights Hill trail was freshly marked (thank you to whoever did this!)
Warner River Local Advisory Board: The signage describing the Warner River’s protected status has been installed near the sandpit on 114. Scott will submit a Bridge article to chronicle this historical event.
Langley Lot Donation: The Langley deed passed the town Counsel. The town offices will do a title search.
Southern Striped Maple State Champion Big Tree: This beauty lives on Doug and Barb Southard’s property.
With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:10pm. The next meeting will be Tuesday December 15, 7pm at Brown Memorial Library and via Zoom.
Respectfully submitted,
Patty Furness, Secretary