Conservation Commission
Meeting Minutes
September 23, 2009
Attendees: Roger Lessard, Neal Brown, Carol Irvin, Karen Day
Guests: Bob Marshall from the Planning Board, Ian McSweeney from the Russell Foundation, Sheldon Pennoyer from the Monadnock Conservancy
We received a letter from DES on monitoring mitigation easements. Lots are R9 Lot 20 Seigars 16.4 ac, R9 Lot 32-2 Cohen 5.2 ac. Carol got a monitoring form from the Monadnock Conservancy. The Conservancy gave good instructions on how they do it. Included in their suggestions would be to call the landowner and invite them to accompany us, take pictures to include with the report and give a copy of the report to the landowner. Carol will call the Seigars’ and the Cohens’. We also have an easement that was given to the Conservation Commission from Jerry Adams that needs to be monitored. We can do them all in the same day. The date we have chosen is November 1st. Karen will ask Jarvis to ask Jerry if this is all right with him.
Appointment sheets were received from the Town Office and were passed out to members. All should see the Town Clerk to be sworn in.
We discussed a program that we would like to have in the fall. Karen will call Stephanie to see if it would be possible to use the Humanities Council membership to get a reduced cost. If not, we can afford it but would rather do it in conjunction with the Rec. Dept.
Bob Marshall came in to talk about a letter the Planning Board got from Southwest Regional about assistance programs they can give town officials. The subject that caught the Planning Board’s eye would be the Aquifer Protection Ordinance. Southwest would provide guidance on how to develop this. Bob Marshall volunteered to ask the Con Com if we would like to partner with them on this. Karen made a motion to expend the $500 from the budget for the application for this program. Carol seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous to expend the money.
Ian McSweeney came in again to discuss Winrose Farm easement. Ian explained the situation to members that could not be at the last meeting. Ian represents the Russell Foundation. Sheldon Pennoyer also attended representing the Monadnock Conservancy. The Monadnock Conservancy and the Russell Foundation are working together to buy an easement on Winrose Farm. They would like our help to finance the easement. We recognize the importance of this property because it holds the headwaters of Rand Brook, which is reputed to be the cleanest water in the state. In addition, this acquisition would fit into the protection area that the Piscataquag Water Association and the Monadnock Conservancy have been working on for some time. A motion was made by Neal Brown: to commit $15,000 from the Conservation Fund for the Winrose easement
conditional upon our participation in the easement language concerning agricultural buffers, water quality issues, public access, and any other conservation values as well as having an interest in the easement. Roger seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous in favor of committing the funds.
With no further business we adjourned at 9pm.
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