Otisfield Conservation Committee Meeting
Minutes – Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 7pm.
(approved)
Present – Pixie Williams, Lee Dassler, Susan Feller, Scott Vlaun, Bob Blake, OCC
Jacinthe Sirois, Friends of OCC
Minutes from 12/8/2010 meeting were read and corrected, Rick Micklon’s email response to 12/8/10 minutes read and reviewed. Moved to accept by Susan, seconded by Lee at 7:40 pm.
Election of OCC Officers – Pixie elected to remain as chairperson, with the agreement that other committee members will assist with duties as needed, and Jacinthe will assist Pixie with computer work. Susan elected to continue as secretary. Scott moved to accept elections, Bob seconded.
Saturday Pond – Reviewed the public hearing held at Otisfield Town Hall on 1/4/10. No decision has yet to be made by the DEC to limit boats to 75 hp motors, due in part to the change of government officials taking office in January, and the new gubernatorial plans to review all regulations and make decisions on whether to keep or change current regulations. Pixie did not feel hopeful that the state will approve a restriction to 75 hp. Pixie will gather the scientific based information regarding the reasons to restrict hp. for inclusion on the OCC web page.
Projection Screen – Quentin Henderson had donated a home slide projection screen to the town; however it may not be large enough for Power Point presentations by guest speakers for public forums.
Town Hall February OCC Bulletin Board – Pixie will remove her current information, and Lee will replace it with Land Trust and Maine climate change information by 2/12/11. Jacinthe suggested including bulletin board information on the future OCC webpage.
Submissions for website – Invite Tanya Taft, Otisfield’s Web Manager, to our next OCC meeting in Feb. to discuss the design parameters for the OCC webpage. If Tanya cannot attend on Feb. 27, we could arrange another date convenient for her. OCC would like to have a newsletter included on the site, along with articles related to town conservation issues. Scott said any articles used from a published source would need permission from that source for use, or, provide “links” to those articles. Jacinthe suggested having a paper newsletter go out to advise residents on the upcoming OCC webpage. Scott motioned to have an electronic and PDF printable newsletter with a check off box to receive OCC emails, and provide a paper copy for distribution at Town Meeting in June. Lee moved to accept the motion,
Susan seconded.
Bob said he would create a newsletter format, and serve as the recipient of information the committee wants to include in a newsletter.
Early Spring considerations- Vernal Pools – Pixie discussed University of Maine’s training programs for volunteers to locate and monitor vernal pools. Pixie has a CD of frog calls that helps identify species present, and offered to have it available for the committee. Bob emailed OCC members the university’s Vernal Pool website, along with the locations in S. ME for volunteer trainings this Spring. Due to the amount of preparatory work needed to conduct vernal pool surveys, it would take a year to implement a program.
Other Business – Bob showed the draft of a tri-fold brochure for Heniger Park, and would like to include the lake front portion of the park on the map. All agreed. He will get information to fill in the “blanks” for the back of the brochure.
Pixie contacted the DEC regarding Jugtown Plains management plan. David Rodrigues with DEC told her he still hasn’t received the report from the summer intern, nor the report from the University of Maine’s forestry professor.
Next meeting of the OCC will be Feb. 23, 2011.
Bob moved to adjourn at 9:10 pm, Scott seconded.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Feller, Secretary
TAFT 05.26.11
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