The meeting came to order at 6:01 pm. Present were Scott McCaskill (chair), Bruce Gezelman, Marlene Freyler (Select Board), and, by ZOOM, Matt Monahan (CNHRPC). Jim Bibbo arrived at 6:04.
Also present, by invitation, was Clyde Carson of Warner, representing the Currier & Ives Scenic Byway. Patty Heffner had suggested by email to the committee, that Bradford might be added to the route, and the committee contacted Clyde at her suggestion.
Clyde explained the history of the route, and of the Scenic Byways program run by the NHDOT. The current route begins in Henniker, and runs through Hopkinton, Warner, Webster, and Salisbury. The proposed addition would add a loop from Warner, along Route 103 to Bradford, and then along Route 114 to Henniker. Attractions in Bradford would include the Town Hall, the Tall Pines, the Bement Bridge, Lake Todd and Lake Massasecum, the Appleseed, the Sweet Beet, the Pizza Chef, the Rosewood Inn and the Bradford Village Inn, 5 Acres Garden Center, the Lumber Barn, and Wicked Sweet Cakes And Treats. The loop through Bradford would also provide a connection to the Lake Sunapee Scenic Byway, which is just north of Bradford.
The procedure for application includes getting letters of support from local businesses, holding a public hearing, and getting approval from Bradford’s Select Board, and from the Select Boards of the towns already on the byway. Clyde provided some sample documents, that have been used by other towns in the past.
The committee feels that this project is worth pursuing. Marlene will contact our Select Board, the Boards of the other Byway towns, and our state representatives. We thanked Clyde for his help.
Scott and Matt report no progress yet on the right-of-way adjustment at the Main Street/103 crossing. Scott to follow up with Chris Turgeon of NHDOT.
We continued the discussion on grant writers begun last month. Bruce has talked with Bryan Nowell, and will continue as vacations have slowed the discussion down a bit. The committee agrees that this is worth pursuing. Bruce will continue to work with Bryan and will report next month.
Work on a new town web site appears stalled. Bruce noted the lack of any map of the town on the current site. Marlene offered to bring in a copy of the old Bradford Business Association map next month.
The meeting adjourned at 6:50.
Minutes submitted by Scott McCaskill