Conservation Commission Meeting
Old Lyme Town Hall
October 1, 2008, 7:30 pm
Members: Ted Crosby (ex-officio representing Gateway Commission)
Eleanor Czarnowski
Francine Gumkowski
Taffy Holland
George James
Janice Kraus
David McCulloch
Agnes O’Connor
Tom Sherer
Attending: Ted Crosby, Eleanor Czarnowski, Francine Gumkowski, Taffy Holland,
George James, David McCulloch, Agnes O’Connor
1. September Minutes
Accepted.
2. Last Month’s Action Items
· David read his proposed letter about pesticide use on the Town Woods fields. The group voted unanimously to send the letter to each Lyme and Old Lyme Board of Education member and each Lyme and Old Lyme PTO member, and to the selectmen and town clerks of each town, and to attach a copy of the final letter to the final version of these minutes.
We will have to get more videos, and decide how to make them available.
· George said that AT&T has vacated use of their cell tower at Pfeiffer’s, on Whippoorwill Road. Ellie said reception for ATT&T cell phones is very bad on Rte 156. This will remain as an action item.
3. Deer Signs
Two deer signs are now up on 156, and the mile signs are on order.
4. PRCD Meeting
No one from the Conservation Commission attended this meeting.
5. Quarterly Newsletter and Annual Report
George wrote a draft – Conservation Commission Highlights – for the group to work on. Ellie said this must be submitted about mid-month.
George said the town has used up most of their resources on the school and town hall projects. The state has much less to loan now. The present financial crisis means that little money is available, and the rates are very high. The outlook for open space funding is bleak. Ellie said the annual report will print about one page, and the newsletter about one paragraph.
Fran will ask Michele Dickey when the deadline is.
6. Reusable Grocery Bags
Ellie will ask the selectmen about financing this project.
AOB
· Ellie will forward us the email from Diana Atwood Johnson about the October 10th
Open Space meeting with representatives from The Nature Conservancy, Steve Patton, Nathan Froehling, and representatives from National Audubon and the Florence Griswold Museum regarding the Peterson property. George said the town has invested $140,000 in this project.
· Ellie will discuss the following with the selectmen:
o Making a dog park at the end of the street near the town garage.
o Putting in bike lanes while the new sewers are being installed on 156 across from Woodcrest
o Hosting a shredding day so that people can shred their personal papers. Other towns have done this.
· George said leaves are going to be a serious problem this year. Ted said he will find out what the town plans to do about it.
· George said Saybrook was the lowest bidder on the bus contract, but the town rejected it because they would have to cross the bridge. Janet said she thought the town was obligated to accept the lowest bidder. She’ll ask about this.
· Ellie and Taffy will begin making the new town calendar. We will need updated maps, and information about town and other organization events.
Assignments
· George will follow up on a possible cell tower site near Cross Lane
· David will get more pesticide videos
· Group will work on George’s Conservation Commission Highlights for the Annual Report
· Fran will ask Michele Dickey for the deadline for the report.
· Ellie will forward us the email from Diana Atwood Johnson.
· Ellie will discuss the dog park, bike lane, and paper shredding with the selectmen.
· Ellie will ask the selectmen about money for reusable grocery bags.
· Ellie and Taffy will work on the 2009 town calendar.
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