MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, June 12, 2012, at 7:30 P.m.
Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room
302 Main Street
Members Present
Jerry Brophy
Pat Ingellis
Bruce Sherwin
Richard Esty
Walter Smith
Members Absent
Robert Fish
Kimberley Gallagher
Land Use Department Staff Present
Sandy Prisloe, Environmental Planner
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
J. Brophy, Vice Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M.
Minutes
MOTION to approve the minutes from the Conservation Commission’s Regular Meeting of May 8, 2012; MADE by R. Esty; SECONDED by P. Ingellis; VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Brophy, W. Smith, P. Ingellis, B. Sherwin, R. Esty; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Sustainable Saybrook Website Support
B. Sherwin reported that he is now recording the minutes for the Sustainable Saybrook meetings himself because the budget for a recording clerk has been used up. The group brainstormed ways to keep the web site fresh and interesting, to continue to add new content, and to connect with the community. They would like assistance in finding how Sustainable Saybrook works into the Plan of Conservation and Development. B. Sherwin has put a survey on the web site asking for the public’s input. The survey has been active, but there were no responses at first due to a technical problem, which B. Sherwin has since resolved.
B. Sherwin met with Karen Carlone, a teacher at the Old Saybrook High School who teaches environmental field biology, and runs the ecology club. She is very interested in the work the Conservation Commission is doing. B. Sherwin discussed getting students involved with Sustainable Saybrook doing such things as writing articles and helping with in person public promotions (such as the farmers’ market) as part of their community service requirements. Because school is almost out for the year, the club will not resume until September. Commissioners suggested inviting Karen Carlone to attend a Sustainable Saybrook group meeting over the summer.
Commissioners would like to involve students in additional conservation projects such as monitoring shad, educating town residents about recycling at the town transfer station and eradicating invasive species of plants.
S. Prisloe has been sending out Sustainability Tips on a regular basis on behalf of Sustainable Saybrook with the most recent tip informing people about composting. He is using Constant Contact as the e-mail management system for these e-mails.
The next Sustainability Tip will be about recycling pizza boxes. S. Prisloe asked Commissioners to let him know if they have ideas for tips that they would like to share. It would be an opportunity for the Conservation Commission to get information out to the public. Suggested ideas, especially when the weather gets colder, included solar energy, energy conservation and weather stripping.
There was discussion about aquifer protection education. W. Smith said he would like to get more information about the disposal of mercury at the transfer station, especially since it is in an aquifer protection area.
J. Brophy asked S. Prisloe to investigate “best practices” for mercury disposal at the transfer station.
Regional Trailway Projects
R. Fish and J. Brophy met with Tom ODell, Chairman of the Westbrook Conservation Commission, about open space and connecting the regional trailway between Old Saybrook and Westbrook. There will be a follow up meeting with Westbrook Town Planner, Meg Parulis, about connecting land parcels. J. Brophy will be meeting with Attorney David Royston, who represents Lehman Brothers, to find out about rights to “The Preserve” property to establish this connection.
Water Resources Projects
John Porter from the Department of Public Works has been working on the outfall inventory by mapping the town owned outfalls, culverts and catch basins with a sophisticated GPS system that S. Prisloe has taught him to use. He has been measuring both the in flow and out flow. This will provide a good inventory of the storm-water drainage system, but it will not include the pipes underneath the ground. The systems appear to be relatively small in terms of geographic extent and the amount of water they are collecting. At this point, they have found no town owned outfalls greater than 15”.
W. Smith asked if the town could get data from the state about state owned outfalls. S. Prisloe does not know if the state has that information. He said he would check into it.
S. Prisloe reported that the town is getting 3 new data sets: a 6” aerial imagery, which will help detect and analyze wavelengths to identify wetlands. That information was acquired this spring, and it will be delivered in about 2 weeks. The town is also getting building footprints for all buildings greater than 200 square feet in size, and data about impervious cover (patios, sidewalks, parking lots, etc.).
Other Updates
S. Prisloe said the town has gotten an amendment to its cooperative agreement with the US Fish & Wildlife Service for eradication of phragmites. The town will be getting another $5,000.00 plus the money left from last year, which totals $7,500.00, for mechanical treatment of phragmites.
S. Prisloe would like to expand the area needing treatment. He mentioned an area near the marsh in Great Cedars East that is full of phragmites. He would like to recommend that area be treated. Commissioners thought this was a great idea, but they said it might be difficult getting equipment into that area. P. Ingellis said there is an access road near the power line and the Piontkowski property. S. Prisloe said he would get more information on this and report to the Commission next month.
Commissioners suggested phragmites eradication education on private property as a future Sustainability Tip.
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 8:45 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Conservation Commission which will be Tuesday, July 10, 2012, 7:30 P.M., Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 302 Main Street; MADE by P. Ingellis; SECONDED by B. Sherwin; VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Brophy, P. Ingellis, R. Esty, B. Sherwin, W. Smith; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none.; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
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