NORTH STONINGTON CONSERVATION COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING AT NEW TOWN HALL
October 22, 2015 @ 6:00 pm
Minutes
Mission: For the development, conservation, supervision, and regulation of natural and historic resources, including water resources, within its territorial limits. (Adopted September 2007)
Call to Order: 6:07
Secretary pro tem: Mike Charnetski
Roll Call: Bill Ricker, Mike Charnetski, Tony Rose, Dick Blodgett (6:25)
Guest: Rick Stevens
September meeting minutes accepted as written.
Citizen Comments: none
Introduction of interested commissioner: Rick Stevens introduced himself and shared a bit of his background, education and conservation interests.
Ongoing Business:
• Dr. Stephen Colgan has been appointed to serve as a regular commissioner through October 1, 2020.
Unable to attend this meeting due to a prior commitment.
Mark Jaffan asked to be moved to an alternate position given his rigorous professional responsibilities.
Letter received from First Selectman Mullane thanking Richard Blodgett for his service to the Town in finalizing his tenure on the Commission effective October 28, 2015.
• 2016 Calendars handed out for sales. Close to $1000, or 100 calendars sold to date with 25 courtesy calendars given (20 to First Selectman for Council of Governors).
• Follow up
Land trade: Ravenswood v. land behind Emergency Service building
No word from BOS. Hold till new selectmen are seated. Pursue with a follow up letter.
Stewart Hill Preserve: Complete!! Sign to be installed tomorrow. Still need to pursue with DEEP
permission to connect our small trail system to The Narragansett-Blue Trail a short distance west.
Wyassup Lake Road CE’s: Parcel #8101 and #1857 (folders on hold till Nita Kincaid recuperates)
• CE yearly monitoring – Need to complete.
• Research regarding Dick’s concern about our “monumenting or … marking the ground” in our placing signage & monitoring CE’s. (2 handouts). Although we have authority to place & monitor existing CE’s deeded to the Town, in the future land survey developers must place signage and indicate such on the maps submitted to Planning & Zoning after following the accepted “Flow Chart” for CC recommendations.
• Bill met with Planning & Zoning October 1, 2015 and reviewed our recommendations for having a consistent and coordinated procedure for accepting conservation easements on behalf of the Town with optimal and minimal considerations given. CC & P&Z will meet again in February after all have given thought to modifications to the criteria. Public input is welcomed.
New Business:
• Calendar theme for 2017. Given the agricultural community, wildlife and farm animals was accepted as the theme. Getting “cute” pictures of animals for the calendar will be the challenge.
All commissioners are encouraged to seek out, take, and submit pictures for consideration.
• Election of officers; Tabled till November when new commissioners are seated
• Sewer Avoidance Program (December 1978) and WPCA Plan for the Town of North Stonington (January 18, 1994) distributed by Richard Blodgett were reviewed in summary. Bill researched the current state of the Water Pollution Control Authority. Although the names exist on the Town’s web site, no one seems to know who the current chair is. Their last known meeting was in November 2013 regarding the Meadowcourt development. Commissioners agreed a letter should be sent to the known Authority members asking them to address concerns in the attached material and respond for the protection of our aquifer.
Correspondence: “The Habitat” newsletter and “CT Wildlife” were distributed.
Motion made and seconded to adjourn at 7:45pm Voted: 4-0-0
Respectfully submitted,
Mike Charnetski, secretary pro tem
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