FINAL APPROVED MINUTES
Regular Meeting
May 22, 2007, 6:00 p.m.
31 Pecks Lane, Newtown, Connecticut
Commissioners Present: Hovious, Ferguson, Cramer, Kaley, Wright and Wilson (arrived 6:40 pm)
Staff Present: Rob Sibley, Conservation Official; Tammy Hazen, Clerk
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The public hearing was called to order at 6:15 p.m.
I. Public Participation
There were no members of the public present.
II. Minutes
Mr. Sibley discussed procedures of recording minutes. According to the town attorney, the legal record of a meeting is the recorded tape. If a tape is not used, the minutes are an official record.
Mr. Sibley reviewed the visual layout and basic content of minutes, and discussed protocols that would assist in minutes being transcribed accurately.
The Clerk will take minutes of each meeting and provide a “Draft Minutes” to the Secretary (electronically). The Secretary will then forward to the Commissioners for review. The Commissioners are to submit any revisions/changes to the Clerk at the following meeting. The Clerk will update them as “Approved Minutes” and electronically forward to the Secretary for distribution to the Commission. A hard copy will be filed in the Conservation Commission binder.
Commissioner Cramer motioned to table approval of the May 8th minutes to the next meeting. Seconded by Commissioner Ferguson.
III. Old Business
1. Education Subcommittee Report - Website
Commissioner Cramer opened a discussion regarding Conservation information being added to the town website. Commissioner Ferguson stated there may be someone who would donate their time to create a professionally-made website. Commissioners are encouraged to gather all Conservation information, including pictures, and forward them to Commissioner Cramer.
2. Commerce Road Economic Development and Open Space Discussion
Minutes of the Special Meeting held on May 14, 2007 will be typed. Commissioners Hovious, Cramer, Kaley, Wilson and Wright, along with Mr. Sibley, George Benson and Jim Wright, met at the property on May 14, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. to walk the property.
The Commissioners reviewed a map and discussed areas on the property to be designated as open-space. The subcommittee will revise the map with a hard line, delineating the open space proposal. An updated map will be brought to the next meeting.
Basic intentions of the proposal is to:
Preserve part of the meadow area for purposes of maintaining a wildlife habitat.
Maintain a 30 feet buffer on the edge of the unnamed northern most tributary to Deep Brook.
Take into consideration the area of the treatment plant and areas considered inland wetlands.
Proposed Tree Planting at Fairfield Hills
Commissioner Cramer made a motion to add an item under old business – to discuss follow-up on the Fairfield Hills trees. Seconded by Commissioner Ferguson.
Commissioners Cramer spoke with Dr. Reed from the Fairfield Hills Commission. He is very open to having the Conservation Commission provide a proposal that would be included in a booklet of recommendations. Commissioner Cramer spoke with Sara Middeleer, a local landscape architect, who will walk the space with her on Thursday. Her recommendations will be e-mailed to the Commissioners for comment. Commissioner Cramer would like a final proposal approved at the next meeting so it can be forwarded on to Dr. Reed as soon as possible.
IV. New Business
Commissioner Hovious made a motion to add a new item to New Business. The Commission is asked to provide a definition and clarification of open space to Planning and Zoning. Commissioners Wilson and Hovious will work as a subcommittee on this.
In the absence of Chairman Hovious, Commissioner Barkman will chair the next meeting on June 12, 2007.
Motion to Adjourn
| 
