Conservation Commission Minutes 12/6/12
Conservation Commission Meeting
Old Lyme Town Hall
December 6, 2012, 7:30 pm
Meeting called to order at 7:35 pm.
Members:
Tom Sherer
George James
Lauralyn Lewis
Sue Baehr
Linda Clough
Maureen Plumleigh, Alternate
Frank Finley, Alternate
Suzanne Thompson, ex officio
Peter Cable, ex officio
Attending: Tom Sherer, George James, Lauralyn Lewis, Sue Baehr, Linda Clough,
Maureen Plumleigh
- Approve Minutes of October 4, 2012
The commission approved the minutes of October 4, 2012.
New Business
Lauralyn reported: There are television ads now running here for biofuel and Wilcox in Westbrook is a Bioheat dealer (New York City is leading the way with this - heating oil must contain 2% biodiesel as of October); she attended Bill McKibben’s (350.org) “Do The Math” tour stop in New York City which calls for divesting in fossil fuels as the necessary step in slowing the rise in carbon which is the major contributor to climate change; Linda and Lauralyn attended the UConn Invasives Symposium on October 25th. Lauralyn mentioned there was strong support for the use of glyphosate mentioned in all the workshops she attended. In one of the workshops, Lauralyn posed the following question to a scientist from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station – as we now know that
the spraying of glyphosate on GMO crops has created “super weeds”, has anyone looked into whether we could be doing this to invasives by spraying them with glyphosate? He could not deny the possibility.
- Changes/Revisions to Old Lyme Regulations
Members were in full support of the proposed changes drafted by George. Our focus will center on drainage. George will rework the draft on this.
Maureen will invite a DEEP employee to come to the January meeting. He will be instrumental in helping us learn more about changing the regulations.
Old Business
Lauralyn reported she was able to reserve the first two weeks in April 2013 for the spring placement of the banner over Halls Road.
Sue presented the new banner. All members were pleased with it.
Earth Day
Lauralyn and Sue were scheduled to meet with the LOLHS Environment Club, but it was canceled due to Hurricane Sandy. They will reschedule. Earth Day location and date will be discussed.
Sue will focus on expanding the third grade’s role as it pertains to Earth Day 2013.
Tom reported the FCCOL would like to offer the church as the location for the second Old Lyme Community Earth Day. Lauralyn expressed gratitude for the offer, but felt it was important to give first right of refusal to the LOLHS Environment Club as they had expressed interest shortly after the first Earth Day of possible collaboration.
Maureen and Linda suggested we include Audubon at Earth Day to speak to the need to inspire the next generation of conservationists. There was a forum on this at the FCCOL hosted by the Old Lyme Land Trust on November 29th.
Maureen, in response to Lauralyn’s email to members which highlighted Laysville Hardware’s efforts to move toward green, asked John Coffee if they would consider selling clover seed. He would be willing if there was a market for it. The commission may bring this to the public’s attention at Earth Day.
Maureen has reached out to both Christ the King and Saint Ann’s for the advertising of Earth Day in their newsletters. She has also suggested we reapply for an Education Foundation Grant to cover some of the cost of Earth Day.
Region 18 Website
Maureen suggested we put the link to the Huffington Post’s Green Page on their flyer page under Conservation Commission.
Sue mentioned she had noticed burned out weeds in the parking lot and had concern that toxins may have been applied.
George thought we should work to get a compost site at the new transfer station. The
green material pulled from the lake this past summer would have been great to compost; it instead went to Old Saybrook.
Sue reported that many homeowners along the lake privately hired the crew that was contracted to pull the milfoil in the lake this summer. Additionally, she mentioned there is another pile of debris along the side of the boathouse.
Linda said she will let First Selectwoman Reemsnyder know when it is a good time to get the excavation work at Hains Park scheduled.
The meeting adjourned at 9:10 pm.
Lauralyn Lewis, Secretary
| 
