Town of Newton Stewardship Meeting
Newton Town Hall
Newton, NH 03858
Meeting Date: 3/28/06
Time: 8:30am
Members Present:
Mary Marshall, Pat Wonson, Nancy Slombo, Mike Seecamp & Trisha McCarthy
Meeting called to order by Chairman Mary Marshall
Meeting called to order at 8:35 by the Chair.
1. Establish dates for future site walks & annual meeting:
4/11/06- Site walk at Hidden Acres (Forrest’s home) at 8:30am
11/14/06- Site walk at Hidden Acres (Forrest’s home) at 8:30am
12/12/06 Annual meeting at Town Hall at 8:30am
2. Saving Special Places for 4/1/06. This is an all day seminar on 4/1/06 in Wolfeboro
Mary Marshall and Trisha McCarthy would like to go. The cost is $50.00 per person.
Mike reported that the stewardship endowment fund has $10,416.42. The principal, $10,000 must stay in the fund but the interest, $416.42, can be spent on education and training of the committee.
A motion made by Nancy, seconded by Pat Wonson, to pay for Trisha & Mary to spend $100.00 total for Saving Special Places carried unanimously.
3. Report from Pat on interview with Forrest on Hidden Acre Easement
Good meeting with Forrest and his nephew, Ed Batchelder.
Planned maintenance includes: Repairs on the carriage shop. They plan to jack it up from the street side first so as to retain its foundation. It will depend on what the building can handle how fast they can jack it. The cupola on the main barn which was on the list last year represents a somewhat difficult job with the fixing to be done from the inside. Ed hopes to reshingle the outhouse to remove manmade materials. He also mentioned fixing the front porch steps.
Discussed working on upper field with planting buckwheat for the soil and the bees as well. He plans on adding a couple more fruit trees in pairs, liming some fields, and of course, mowing.
Passive recreation use was discussed. Ed proposed split rail fence gates to help define the closed areas where the yellow tape has been used.
Signage is something we need to address. Forrest says other towns have signs on their conservation areas. Ed said that some people think the Town, not Forrest, owns the land. He also thinks that the public doesn’t understand that the front field is a crop, a hay crop of value to be protected. We said we would get some wording for Ed and Forrest to review. Nancy offered benches for resting along the woods road. She has them already, but they have to dry.
Landowner didn’t think there was any problem with the easement this year
Nancy reminded home owner that prior to any transfer of property, a copy of the
Easement has to be given to potential buyer.
Ed asked about developing the educational aspects.
4. Mike found a company to make sign medallions to tack to trees for around the Boundary. Quality Name Plate Company (small round signs at $1.49 each)
Mary made motion to spend $149.00 for 100 boundary signs with wording to be approved by the landowner. Pat seconded.
Discussion: (Possible Suggestions for Words on Sign)
Conservation Easement Sponsored by LLCHIP & Town of Newton
Hidden Acres, Private Land Available For Public Use
Put Hidden Acres Symbol in center, LLCHIP Town of Newton Easement,
Private Land for Passive Public Use
The motion passed unanimously.
5. Pat wanted to know if we could move forward contacting the Boy Scouts to make a big sign for the street. Mary made motion for Pat Wonson to contact Boy Scouts about making a roadside sign for Hidden Acres with our approval to spend up to $75.00 on materials with the wording and placement to be approved by Pat and Forrest. Mike Seekamp seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
6. Nancy made motion for Mary to approach Police, Road Agent and people on Birch Road for permission to park on Birch Rd. for use by people to access Hidden Acres. Pat Wonson seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
7. Pat reiterated that Forrest wanted to make sure that people understand that the field is a crop area. Nancy informed Forrest that the Slombo family would no longer be mowing the field.
8. Mary asked Mike about a Vernal Pool Program. He said that Seekamp Environmental teaches for the Exeter River Local Advisory Committee with a little presentation indoors, a slideshow, and we have recordings and then we take them our with nets to a vernal pool and show them fairy shrimp and the daphnia and pollywogs. Mike said he is putting on a program in Kingston in early May for the public, and we could come and watch and take notes to adapt the program for school use.
Nancy made motion to adjourn at 9:32am.
Mike seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Submitted by,
Trisha McCarthy
Secretary
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