MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, December 11, 2012, at 7:30 P.m.
Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room
302 Main Street
Members Present
Robert Fish
Bruce Sherwin
Richard Esty
Pat Ingellis
Kimberley Gallagher
Members Absent
Jerry Brophy
Walter Smith
Land Use Department Staff Present
Sandy Prisloe, Environmental Planner
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
R. Fish reminded Commissioners that beginning in January; Conservation Commission meetings will begin at 7:00 P.M. instead of 7:30 P.M.
Minutes
MOTION to approve the minutes from the Conservation Commission’s Regular Meeting of November 13, 2012 as presented; MADE by K. Gallagher; SECONDED by P. Ingellis; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, P. Ingellis, R. Esty, B. Sherwin, K. Gallagher; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Election of Officers
R. Fish offered to serve as Chairman, but he suggested Commissioners consider a succession plan. Commissioners agreed that they would like R. Fish to remain as Chairman.
MOTION to nominate Robert Fish as Chairman of the Conservation Commission; MADE by K. Gallagher; SECONDED by P. Ingellis; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, P. Ingellis, R. Esty, B. Sherwin, K. Gallagher; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
MOTION to nominate Jerry Brophy as Vice Chairman of the Conservation Commission; MADE by P. Ingellis; SECONDED by K. Gallagher; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, P. Ingellis, R. Esty, B. Sherwin, K. Gallagher; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
R. Fish said it is not necessary for the Conservation Commission to have a Secretary because they have a clerk, but if someone wanted to serve as Secretary, that would be fine. Commissioners agreed that the CC does not require a Secretary.
Election of Inland Wetlands Representative
K. Gallagher said she would like to continue on as the representative to the IWWC.
MOTION to nominate Kimberley Gallagher as the Conservation Commission’s representative to the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission; MADE by P. Ingellis; SECONDED by B. Sherwin; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, P. Ingellis, R. Esty, B. Sherwin, K. Gallagher; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Correspondence
Commissioners received the following: a copy of the CC budget dated 12/3/2012, a copy of a letter dated 11/27/2012 addressed to First Selectman Carl Fortuna from the CT River Coastal Conservation District regarding a request for financial support, and the Fall 2012 CT River Watershed Council newsletter.
Sustainable Saybrook Support
B. Sherwin reported that he was not at last week’s SS morning meeting, but he was at the previous SS evening meeting. A few new people have been attending the meetings. One new member, Emily, submitted a revised SS logo and bookmark design. The members liked the new design and would like to print some new bookmarks.
There was discussion at the meeting about what can and cannot be placed in the bins at the Transfer Station. B. Sherwin suggested printing up information educating residents about what is permitted in the recycling bins. He suggested Public Works be notified about this issue.
R. Esty suggested that a sign with a map diagram be placed at the entrance of the Transfer Station with details about which items go in each bin.
B. Sherwin said he spoke to someone at Calamari Recycling, the Town’s waste handler, regarding CFL light bulbs and batteries acceptable for recycling.
R. Fish said the school system buys a special box for recycling batteries. The box gets filled with batteries and then it gets mailed to a special recycling center. Nickel cadmium batteries are difficult to recycle because they contain mercury. R. Fish said he would start the process by talking with Larry Bonin, Director of Public Works.
B. Sherwin offered to talk with Goodwin School Principal Sheila Brown about how the Goodwin School recycles nickel cadmium batteries.
Regional Trailway Projects
P. Ingellis said he was hoping to meet with J. Brophy, but he has not been able to. P. Ingellis will be going out of state for the winter months, and he is hoping to meet with J. Brophy when he gets back.
S. Prisloe reported that C. Nelson contacted Meg Parulis, Town Planner for the Town of Westbrook, about scheduling a staff level meeting to discuss the regional trailway mapping. C. Nelson would like to find some of the original map exhibits for The Preserve and put that information in a digital format to determine where the trails and properties are and how to connect them.
Water Resources Projects
S. Prisloe said he and W. Smith met and they talked about reducing impervious cover to protect water quality. They would like to do some outreach education and go to the Planning Commission at some point in the future with maps and information to talk with them about what they can do to reduce existing imperviousness and encourage LID (low impact development.)
R. Fish said years ago, the CC went out in the field to identify, survey and study the Town’s vernal pools. They wanted to create a report for the PC and the IWWC. R. Esty offered to continue work on this project. R. Fish said one issue of concern is deciding what information should become public regarding private land. There are some landowners who do not want the information about their land to become publicized.
K. Gallagher spoke to the IWWC, and they are interested in obtaining more information about the Town’s vernal pools.
S. Prisloe explained Map Geo, which is on the Town’s web site home page, to Commissioners. The field card for every property in town is there. Information such as town trails and vernal pools could be added as a map layer.
Old Business
P. Ingellis installed the rain garden sign at the Acton Library.
K. Gallagher notified Commissioners that there is an application currently in front of both the IWWC and the APA for a retail tractor store.
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 8:35 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Conservation Commission which will be Tuesday, January 8, 2013, 7:00 P.M., Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 302 Main Street; MADE by K. Gallagher; SECONDED by P. Ingellis; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, R. Esty, B. Sherwin, P. Ingellis, K. Gallagher; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none.; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
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