Conservation Commission Minutes 10/3/13
Conservation Commission Meeting
Old Lyme Town Hall
October 3, 2013, 7:30 pm
Meeting called to order at 7:37 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
Guests: John Stearns, Ellie Czarnowski (Flood and Erosion Control), Sanitarian Sonia Marino, George Clough
- Approve Minutes of September 5, 2013
The commission approved the minutes of September 5, 2013.
New Business
- Rogers Lake Fish Ladder Signage
Ellie Czarnowski shared plans for a three-sided sign that will be installed at Haines Park. Tom suggested a temporary installation be considered due to the site work planned for the park as a result of the STEEP grant.
Linda shared news from the FCCOL Environmental Committee. Reverend Jungkeit
has a number of ideas that he would like to see implemented: a partnership with CL&P to conduct energy audits and a group be formed of knowledgeable townspeople who together could offer the work necessary to implement the audit recommendations; a contest with an environmental theme to generate environmental stewardship interest in high school students with a possible internship with the FCCOL in the Guatemalan Rainforest awarded.
Tom shared the response letter from the Old Lyme Land Trust regarding the use of herbicides on the Watch Rock property. Christina Clayton stated, “If there were an alternative to selective use of herbicides at Watch Rock, we can assure you that we would have adopted it.”
Ongoing Business
Lauralyn reported that she and Sue have agreed to represent the commission at the upcoming Health Day on November 2.
Sue shared a calendar that was created by The Long Island Sound Foundation to help protect that natural resource. The calendar features the artwork of children under the title “What it Means to Me.” She recommended the commission replicate this by expanding on the artwork that has been created by the third graders for Earth Day to include students in other grades. Members will discuss this further at the November meeting.
George has a meeting scheduled with Lyme Old Lyme High School’s James Wygonik and Heather Fried to discuss senior projects and the Water Quality Management Plan items number 1-7.
Rogers Lake
Members discussed the minutes of the selectmen’s meeting in which it was stated that the Rogers Lake Authority has the final decision making authority in dealing with the invasives in the lake. Discussion followed regarding the Aquifer Protection Act. Sonia Marino shared what she knew about this. There are presently eighty towns in the state that abide by this particular act and it allows the towns, not the DEEP, to make decisions on restrictions on the waters protected by the act. Sonia will speak with the DEEP to get further information for the commission. George shared that former commission member; David McCulloch, a geologist of high stature, has reported that there are two town aquifers that depend on the water from Rogers Lake.
George Clough reported that Asian clams have been found in the lake and are presently at the DEEP for further investigation.
The meeting adjourned at 9:17 pm.
Lauralyn Lewis, Secretary
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