Greenfield Conservation Commission
Meeting Minutes
January 19, 2005
Attendees: Karen Day, Neal Brown, Roger Lessard & Janet Romanelli
Absent: Ray Cilley & Karla Allen
Janet Romanelli is not yet officially a member. Karen will speak to Deb about the paperwork.
Janet offered to take notes.
November’s meeting minutes were accepted as submitted.
The following items were discussed.
Earth Day event - Karen proposed that Greenfield ConCom sponsor a town-wide roadside clean-up day on Saturday, April 23rd from 9:00 a.m. to noon to observe Earth Day (April 22nd) in conjunction with the Adopt-A-Road sponsors - the GIVers, Nikki’s Outdoor Adventures and the Greenfield Trails Association, and also asking individual townspeople to police the roads near their houses. Everyone approved. Neal said he would speak to the GIVers, of whom he is a member, and Janet said she would contact Denise Hopkins for the other two organizations. Karen said she would speak to the Selectmen about waiving the large item recycling fees for the day. Neal said that he had a large supply of blue bags and that the state would pick everything up. Karen asked if the state would recycle and Neal said
probably not. Karen asked if the state would pick up on the non-state roads, Neal said that he could probably arrange it. If not, folks with trucks would be designated to pick up all road-side trash to bring to the Recycling Center from noon until 4:00. Roger also suggested an amnesty day for fee-recycling. Karen suggested a ham-and-bean supper in the evening and assumed about 50 people would come; Neal said we should ask for a free-will donation for the supper and have the proceeds offset any recycling fees. Karen said she would put a short blurb in the Spirit, for which the deadline was January 20th, and then target the next issue for an article with more details.
Set-back ordinance - The building inspector Peter Hopkins came in to inform us that he would inform the ConCom and the Planning Board of any violations of the 20’ set-back ordinance (wetlands, steep slope, property line).
The Stevenson easement - Karen proposed that the ConCom help out with the cost of putting a conservation easement on this property, which consists of wetlands behind 5 or 6 building lots on Blanchard Hill Road deeded to Sheldon Pennoyer. The total is approximately $3,000 (surveying and legal). Everyone agreed, but Roger mentioned that the Selectmen might have to approve it. It was mentioned that since the Town benefits from it, the Town should contribute to the cost of the easement. Janet said she would look in the state handbook to see what was said about how much control towns governments can have over ConComs’ spending, and possibly contact Margery Swope. Karen suggested we have Dick Ober of the Monadnock Conservancy come and talk to us. Everyone agreed.
Land Conservation in general - Since Janet is new at this, Karen and the others gave her an overview about it, mentioning Greenfield land already under easement and also talking about other potential parcels and how to raise money for them, mentioning that Gordon Russell of the Piscataquog Watershed Association has access to an organization that helps pay for easements. Karen also suggested we have Jennifer Byington of the Francestown Land Trust come and talk to us about it, and those interested might possibly revive a multi-town group that would take on these projects. Janet expressed an interest in getting involved.
Aquifer Protection District project - since the ConCom has been accumulating money from current use penalties, there is about $23K in the bank. The Selectmen have been asking about our intentions for this money. Karen proposed setting up an Aquifer Protection District, the idea being that, if someday more town water was needed, you would want to protect all aquifers from contamination; the Planning Board then makes it part of Greenfield’s zoning and it goes into the Master Plan. Everyone agreed, but some questions were, how do we go about it? are the aquifers and their holding capacities already mapped out? Karen said she would contact John Severance and/or Elise Lawson of Wetlands for Wildlife to come speak to us about it.
Volunteer to Chair - Karen suggested that someone else might like to become Chair of the Greenfield Conservation Commission, and all agreed that it should be an agenda item at next month’s meeting.
Items that could not be discussed were donation of a tree or shrubs to the Historical Society and an update on Pin Oaks, because Ray Cilley was not there to update us on those items - they will be discussed at the next meeting.
Submitted by Janet Romanelli
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