MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, January 14, 2014 at 7:00 P.m.
Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room
302 Main Street
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present
Robert Fish
Richard Esty
Walter Smith
Emily Grochowski
Members Absent
Pat Ingellis
Nina Garrett
Jerry Brophy
Land Use Department Staff Present
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
III. REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Minutes
MOTION to approve the minutes from the Conservation Commission’s Regular Meeting of November 12, 2013 as presented.; MADE by R. Fish; SECONDED by R. Esty; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, W. Smith, R. Esty,
E. Grochowski; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 4-0-0.
- Correspondence and Announcements
Letters dated 11/20/2013 were received from the Selectmen’s Office re-appointing Richard Esty, Emily Grochowski and Pat Ingellis to the Conservation Commission with terms to expire 11/2015. A letter was also received appointing Nina Garrett to the Conservation Commission with a term to expire 11/2015.
- Committee, Representative & Staff Reports
W. Smith, representing the Conservation Commission, attended the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission meeting. He reported that there was an Inland Wetlands violation on the Max’s place property. Trees were cut down that should not have been cut down. Judy Preston offered to help in suggesting what to replant in that area.
Also, at the IWWC meeting, there was discussion about updating the Town’s Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Regulations. W. Smith offered to serve on a subcommittee to review and update those regulations.
W. Smith reviewed the Conservation Commission’s budget for 2014-2015. The budget will be increased to cover costs for the Climate Adaptation Committee. As presented, the budget is $3,169.00. An additional $2,500.00 is needed for the Climate Adaptation Committee which would bring the total budget to $5,669.00.
MOTION to approve the 2014 Conservation Commission budget for $5,669.00.; MADE by R. Esty; SECONDED by E. Grochowski; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, W. Smith, R. Esty, E. Grochowski; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 4-0-0
IV. NEW ITEMS
- Welcome New Member: Nina Garrett
Nina Garrett worked with the Founders’ Park Group. She’s a retired professor, and W. Smith said she will be a wonderful addition to the Conservation Commission.
MOTION to elect Walter Smith as Chairman of the Conservation Commission.; MADE by R. Fish; SECONDED by E. Grochowski; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, W. Smith, R. Esty, E. Grochowski; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 4-0-0.
MOTION to elect Jerry Brophy as Vice Chairman of the Conservation Commission.; MADE by R. Esty; SECONDED by E. Grochowski; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, W. Smith, R. Esty, E. Grochowski; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 4-0-0.
Discussion about electing a Secretary will be tabled until the February Conservation Commission meeting.
- Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission Representation
MOTION to elect Walter Smith as Conservation Commission representative to the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission.; MADE by R. Fish; SECONDED by R. Esty; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, W. Smith, R. Esty, E. Grochowski; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 4-0-0.
- Conservation Commission Outreach Plan – Current and Future
Gail McDonald, a reporter with “Connecticut Woodlands” magazine, has contacted W. Smith to discuss the Conservation Commission’s point of view about the purchase of “The Preserve.” Commissioners discussed this in detail.
Commissioners are hoping Sustainable Saybrook is a successful outreach opportunity for the Conservation Commission. They agreed that it is not ready to stand on its own yet, and it still needs the Conservation Commission’s support. R. Esty suggested a membership drive targeting those interested in sustainability and conservation.
Commissioners suggested that E. Grochowski, as head of Sustainable Saybrook, request help from members for certain projects gathering broader interest from more people.
W. Smith offered to attend Sustainable Saybrook meetings as Chairman of the Conservation Commission.
W. Smith suggested a brown bag lunch time with various speakers from the Conservation Commission as an outreach opportunity. The Rockfall Foundation decided not to sponsor the Conservation Commission’s lecture series. W. Smith is going to look for alternative funding sources.
- Alternates to Conservation Commission
W. Smith talked with Town Planner Christine Nelson about adding Alternates to the Conservation Commission. She said the Town Charter would have to be changed to add two Alternates to the Conservation Commission. She suggested that if a project comes up that is too big for Commissioners to handle; the Conservation Commission could have de facto members to handle those projects. A Conservation Commission member would provide oversight, but would not be doing the project.
V. CURRENT PROJECT UPDATES
- Conservation Commission Website
W. Smith is interested in updating the Conservation Commission’s web site. He talked with C. Nelson about this. The Town is going to be working to update its web site for all of the Boards and Commissions.
- Climate Adaptation Committee
The Board of Selectmen asked if the Conservation Commission would be interested in forming a Climate Adaptation Committee. W. Smith attended a meeting on this. The Committee would look 20-25 years into the future to predict what is likely going to happen to the town in that time based on sea level rise. The Committee is going to be formed in February. Committee members will be talking to different communities in the town to get their perceptions on sea level rise.
W. Smith asked R. Fish to work with J. Brophy and S. Prisloe on this. R. Fish agreed to do this.
R. Esty said that starting in February, the Commissioners’ work on the vernal pool project will become more active. R. Esty suggested a more in depth letter be submitted to “Event’s Magazine” for their April edition. Also, letters should be sent to homeowners who have vernal pools on their property. R. Esty said he would like help in drafting a letter to the homeowners that would ask them if Commissioners could come onto their property to study the vernal pools.
R. Esty plans to contact the high school and middle school to find students interested in helping with the vernal pool project.
R. Esty has put together an Excel spreadsheet for the vernal pool project. He inputted the 2008 survey information, and added fields for the detailed information that needs to be included on the spreadsheet when the vernal pools are studied such as pool length, height, depth and types of eggs found. E. Grochowski offered to help with this project.
R. Esty would like to create butterfly gardens at Fort Saybrook Monument Park. He distributed a list of native beneficial plants and a list of native butterfly species and how those species would benefit from those plants.
He showed Commissioners the power point presentation that he plans to show the Parks and Recreation Commission.
A butterfly garden would raise conservation awareness and provide conservation education for our community. It would also create intergenerational community involvement with groups who normally would not interact. The cost for this project should be minimal. It would be a continual program.
Final Survey
E. Grochowski said she would like the results of the survey to be on the Sustainable Saybrook Website, in “Harbor News” and “Events Magazine”.
W. Smith would like to submit a three -pronged article in the April issue of “Events Magazine” about sea level rise, vernal pools and the Sustainable Saybrook survey.
E. Grochowski distributed copies of Sustainable Saybrook Survey Results to Commissioners. They are available for review in the Land Use Office.
CT Solar Challenge
First Selectman Carl Fortuna asked E.Grochowski to research implementing the CT Solar Challenge in Old Saybrook. She researched this and found a list of suggested activities other towns have used in order to make this program work which include holding a lecture at the library, placing signs on the side of the road, recruiting volunteers, sending e-mail blasts, advertising in local papers, and mailing letters to residents who are good candidates for solar power. This would take a lot of volunteer effort. W. Smith offered to talk with First Selectman Carl Fortuna about the manpower needed to make this project work.
W. Smith reported on the status of the lecture series under Conservation Commission Outreach Plan.
- Cornfield Point Coastal Access Point
Because Pat Ingellis and Town Environmental Planner Sandy Prisloe are the two people working on this project, this will be tabled until they are present to report.
W. Smith is on the newly formed Beaver Committee.
VI. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 8:30 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Conservation Commission which will be Tuesday, February 11, 2014, 7:00 P.M., Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 302 Main Street; MADE by W. Smith; SECONDED by R. Fish; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, R. Esty, W. Smith, E. Grochowski; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none.; APPROVED: 4-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
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