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Conservation Commission Minutes 09/28/2016
Date:           September 28, 2016
Attendees:      Neal Brown, Karen Day, Conrad Dumas, Janet Renaud, Marlene Paulsen, Stephanie Kokal, Henry Underwood (guest), Lisa Murphy (guest), Paul Renaud (guest), and Janet Lutkus (minute-taker)
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 pm. The following items were addressed:
  •       Review agenda and other old business – Conrad Dumas
  • Recap of Robertson event on September 24:  Conrad and other attendees were really impressed with the event. Conrad felt the commission should be proud. Neal thought it was a good chance for the town to see their investment. There was a quorum of commission members at the event and Janet R took notes at the event to recap the day (see document attached at end of minutes).  
  • New Boston Road culvert – Karen went to the board of selectman. The engineer working on the project dropped the ball.  Aaron is looking into it but Karen will have to go back for the definitive answer. Town will be working with Sanford Engineering and DES to remedy the problem. There will be updates at future meetings.
  • George Proctor update- Janet reported that the select board has been working in fits and starts. The board expects to vote on it at the next meeting. Select board will contact Greg Martus who lives out of state. This item will continue to the next meeting.
 
  • Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) –Discussion with Paul Renaud of the Greenfield Planning Board and Henry Underwood and Lisa Murphy of Southwest Regional Planning Commission.
  • Southwest Regional Planning Commission (SWRPC) – Henry Underwood created a scope of work to reflect list of desired contents Karen sent him and he brought it to the meeting with a proposal letter dated August 19.  He came to this meeting to discuss the Master plan and NPI and funding opportunities.  Henry thinks of the NRI as a basic study, a general introduction of knowledge and basis for planning and strategies.  Variations could make it more of a planning document.  Some towns take on a separate comprehensive document that sits between the Master Plan and Natural Resources Inventory.  Regardless, the coordinated information is a great input into a Master Plan.  The required funding depends on the scope of the NRI.  Lisa addressed two samples:  The Francestown sample reflects an inventory and an analysis, whereas the Winchester sample is an inventory of data.  
  • Lisa asked the commission about their goals. Karen thinks an open space study is important.  Conrad mentioned a trails plan. Stephanie mentioned engaging the younger generation.
  • Lisa talked about an Implementation chapter for the Master Plan. Goals are integral to this chapter.
  • Paul stated that due to time frames, there may be a problem with encumbering funds.  Planning board is still looking at target time of February for the completed Implementation chapter for the Master Plan.  
  •  Henry stated that the time line estimated for the NPI project is about 6 months start-to-finish which would make February a tight deadline. There should be a reduced effort for the Natural Resources chapter of Master Plan if it is addressed after the NRI is completed.
  • Lisa noted that New Hampshire Charitable Foundation offers express grants of 5000 dollars.  They are offered 3 times a year.  The next deadline to apply for this grant is February.  
  • SWRPC quoted $6800.00 as the price for an NRI deliverable similar to the Francestown sample.
  • Lisa and members of the commission discussed submitting for the express grant this year and looking to fund most of the NRI with the grant and relying on commission funds as a back-up. At the conclusion of the discussion, all agreed that work should begin on the NRI now, and therefore couldn’t be funded by the grant. The commission discussed applying for the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation express grant instead to implement a project based on a conservation commission goal.
  • Lisa stated that starting the NRI later will not hold up the Master Plan in any way.
  • Janet made the following motion:  The Greenfield Conservation Commission contracts with Southwest Regional Planning Commission now to begin developing the Natural Resources Inventory for the town of Greenfield.  This work is to be funded by Greenfield Conservation funds.  Neal seconded the motion. Those commission members present agreed unanimously with the motion.  
  • Henry will email the NRI contract to Conrad to be signed.  The SWRPC needs to have the board authorize the signed contract at their next board meeting on Tuesday, October 11.
  • Open Space Zoning and other items Planning Board would like to coordinate with Conservation Commission – Paul Renaud
  • The Greenfield Planning Board will start to discuss the Open Space subdivision on this coming Monday.  Last year the board made an attempt to amend it but it was tabled for this year.  Paul also discussed the Village Plan Alternative subdivision. The board is not sure if they want to replace Open Space ordinance or have the ordinances apply to different parts of town.  There are differences between “open space” and “common area”.  A “common area” may allow improvements.   
  • Paul will return to the conservation commission with an update from the Planning Board and keep conservation commission informed.   
  •  Conrad suggested conservation commission can share its expertise with Paul (as chair of planning board) on easements and attend meetings as needed.  
  • Paul stated that there is a vacancy on the Greenfield Planning Board.  If anyone is interested in temporary appointment, please contact Paul.  
  • Report on Second Annual spraying of Phragmites on Sunset Lake –Update from Neal
  • Neal reported that there will be no need for a third spraying because the first spraying was extremely effective.     
  • The Annual Meeting of the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissioners (NHACC) – Discussion among commission members.     
  • Meeting will take place at Pembroke Academy in Pembroke on Saturday, November 12.  
  • Several members expressed desire in attending the meeting:  Neal and Stephanie.
  • The meeting costs $55.00 if you register by October 14 but the price increases after October 14.
  • Cavender Road property auction discussion - Janet
  • Janet was approached by Lee Baker from Hancock who told her about 37 acre property of open land. She and Paul walked the property and it is beautiful.
  • Minimum bid is $35,000.00.  
  • 2017 Budget – Conrad
  • Conrad reviewed the current budget.  Recommending that we keep it at roughly the same amount with minor exceptions.
  • Conrad is bumping education line up to fund several commission members to go to annual meeting of NHACC.
The meeting officially adjourned at 9:20 PM. The next meeting is October 26, 2016 at 7:30 pm.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Janet Lutkus to Conrad Dumas and Janet Renaud for approval, corrections, and posting.  
The following attachment is Janet Renaud’s document describing the Robertson event on September 24:
Robertson Farm Easement Open House
Hosted by Ray Cilley and the Greenfield Conservation Commission (GCC)
September 24th, 2016

GCC attendees:
Neal Brown
Karen Day
Conrad Dumas, Chair
Janet Renaud, Vice Chair and note-taker

Sample of attendees
Agneta Brown
Deb Cilley with children and grandchildren
Lenny Cornwell
John & Evelyn Forsyth
Mary Ann Grant
Carl Inglestrom
Roger Lessard
Jon Manley, State Rep
Richard McNamara, State Rep
Craig Morrocco
Ken Paulsen
Paul Renaud
Doreen Robertson
Elizabeth Robertson (sister of Stevie)
John Robertson (brother of Stevie)

  • Karen, Roger Lessard and Janet arrived at 9:30 to confer on logistics (Neal and Ray were already there with the boy scouts); Conrad came a little later
  • Karen, Neal and Roger were greeters at the kiosk starting at 10:00 a.m.
  • Janet directed parking and sent people on foot to the campsite to meet Ray for an informal tour
  • There were 20 – 25 cars, with folks coming late and leaving early
  • Ken Paulsen, unofficial town photographer, took <100 pictures, exercising heroic restraint
  • The Boy Scout troop built a fire, made forked sticks and generally helped out, especially with the clean-up
  • Neal supplied hot dogs, rolls, chips, condiments, cookies, water and cider
  • Around noon, Conrad gave a short address about the history of the land and of the easement
  • Ray gave a short address on the easement process and his work on the property
  • Brooke Smart, Easement Resource Conservationist of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) gave a short address thanking Ray and the GCC
  • John Robertson gave an emotional word of thanks
  • Lenny Cornwell, representing the Greenfield Historical Society (GHS), supplied an anecdote about a humorous “murder mystery” related to the gunpowder factory located near the farm.  It seems that the supposed “victim” got paid off for a debt owed him, plus a little more – totaling about $9 – and promptly disappeared.  Nobody knew what became of him, so the locals assumed the worst.  However,  he turned up here and there around the country in later years.  The assumption was, he was so excited about all the money that he skipped town to indulge in riotous living.
  • An attendee asked Ray if the land would continue to be farmed.  Ray indicated that bee-keeping and haying were going on, and welcomed other suggestions.  Someone suggested that the community garden might expand to this location.
The group disbanded around 2:00 p.m.