TOWN OF OLD LYME
OPEN SPACE COMMISSION MEETING
Friday, March 9, 2012.
Chairperson Diana Atwood Johnson, called to order the meeting at 8.36am, and welcomed First Selectwomen Bonnie Reemsnyder and all to the meeting.
Members Attending: Diana Atwood Johnson, George James, Peter Cable, Ted Kiritsis, and Kurt Zemba.
Absent: Marianne Gotfredson, , Bruce Baratz, Amanda Blair, and Bill Dunbar.
Guests: Bonnie Reemsnyder.
Diana Atwood Johnson announced Kurt Zemba as a seated member.
Diana Atwood Johnson motioned to accept the minutes for Februarys meeting, seconded by Kurt Zemba, all agreed.
Diana Atwood Johnson informed the commission that she had recently been contacted by several organizations to request the OSC’s participation in local spring activities. The Conservation Commission is planning on a celebration on the 22nd for Earth day. Diana welcomed suggestions for this event. Kurt Zemba suggested handing out copies of OSC trails in the area at a table and volunteered to man the table. George James will be conducting a walk for Earth day and suggested also displaying maps of all the OS in Old Lyme and to list donors/sellers of this land for public information. The Land Trust has asked OSC to participate in International Migratory Bird day on May 5th. The OSC and OLLT will conduct a bird walk led by Andy Griswold of Connecticut Audubon early in the morning. The OSC will follow the bird
walk with a dedication of the Ames Family Open Space later in the morning. Diana Atwood Johnson will make contact with the relevant parties and put arrangements in place.
Upkeep has taken place on the AMES trails and on OSC land behind the Old Lyme Inn. George James praised workers for doing a good job. Steve Ames intends to walk an OSC trail in this area and assess the current state of a fallen tree, Diana will seek permission from Steve Ames to allow the appropriate authorities to cross his property with equipment and have the tree removed if he can’t do it himself.
Bonnie Reemsnyder informed the commission that the Board of Finance has approved funds to be spent on a higher resolution fly over for the town. The committee discussed the benefits of the fly over for OSC and fellow committees for Old Lyme also.
George James handed out maps of trails that had been produced from a personal GPS, highlighting the gradient of the land. These maps will be used as information for the trails booklet. The OSC agreed to incorporate the information from all maps available to produce the most clear and informative maps for the trail book.
Diana Atwood Johnson informed the committee that she had a productive meeting with Ed Adanti, head of the Public Works Department. He has workers available to build bridges and is willing to assist the OSC with other woodwork. They have already mowed the fields at Champlain North and Ames.
Diana Atwood Johnson has talked to Cathy Frank regarding the AMES grant. Cathy is working to put together the correct information for the DEEP.
Diana has been concentrating on the new OSC signage to be produced. Proposals for the work have been taken to a computer sign company. The signs will be made from a PVC material that will typically last for ten to twenty years. The company will provide a price for producing the new signage and erecting it in the near future. Diana Atwood Johnson handed out the intended text for the new entrance signs. The committee agreed on the text. Diana Atwood Johnson handed out hand drawn maps of OSC trails which had been color coded to highlight the individual trails available in one area and explained to the committee that colored disks will also be purchased and placed on the trees to indicate the route the walker is on. The intent is to have colored trails online with the trail maps and create an all
together clear, easy to follow loop for all trails belonging to the Town.
The OSC intend to walk trails on March 17th together and record various information such as trail length, severity and so on to assist with the production of accurate maps in the trail book. Diana Atwood Johnson will create a check list for participants to fill in on route.
6. Reports of officers and/or committees:
George James reported that the CL and P had been contacted regarding unstable electrical cables on an OS trail. Bonnie Reemsnyder went on to say that the employee of CL and P that she had expressed concern to regarding this matter has acknowledged the situation but as cases like these are prioritized, and as the cables mentioned are not live cables at the moment, they will not be removed in the near future.
7. Correspondence and communications: None
8. Adjournment:
Motion to adjourn meeting was made by Kurt Zemba, seconded by Diana Atwood Johnson, approved by all. Meeting adjourned at 09.38 am.
Respectfully submitted
Stacey Pamplin
Secretary
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