Webster Conservation Commission
Meeting Minutes for March 12, 2013
Present: MJ MacGowan(chair), Linda Clark, Sally Embley, Betsy Janeway, Susan Roman, and Nancy VanLoan
The meeting was called to order at 7:40 p.m., and SallyEmbley was appointed acting Secretary.
Minutes: The minutes from the January 8 meetingwere approved as amended. (The January meeting began at 7:35, not 8:35.) Thecommission met informally on February 21, following its presentation to theWebster Planning Board, but no business was transacted since a quorum was notpresent.
Correspondence: (1) A letter from DES advising GloriaCarlisle that her application would be permitted in accordance with the ShorelandProtection requirement that only 10% of the land surface be impervious, and (2)a notice about the April 6 “Saving Special Places” conference in Weare, whichSusan and Linda are both interested in attending. The membership renewal requestfrom Ausbon Sargent was tabled until April when funds should again be availablefollowing Town Meeting. (The WCC overspent its $500 budget by $2 in 2012.)
Update on Phelps Easement Project: Susan, who serves on the Land ProtectionCommittee for Five Rivers Conservation Trust, reported that Five Rivers hasagreed to purchase this 12-acre easement for $10,000. She will meet with GerryPhelps next week to explain the closing process. She then asked whether the WCCalso wished to take an “executory interest,” i.e., assume backup responsibilityfor the property. Since this might involve legal fees in the future, MJ moved(seconded by Betsy) that we NOT take an executory interest. Susan also notedthat deductions for easements are back to 50% for 2013 but will return to 30%in 2014. She recommended putting a summary of these provisions in the Webster Grapevine to alert potentiallocal donors.
Easement Monitoring: Only one small parcel remains to be monitored. Reports have beensubmitted for the Janeway, Rockefeller, O’Donnell, Riverdale, Mock Forest andadjacent Phelps easements.
Natural Resources Inventory: MJasked Commission members to review the NRI with an eye to updating the text.Bob Quinn had pointed out that our four new maps will be very helpful in identifyingareas of high conservation value, and MJ reported that the maps are now postedon the town website. Betsy recommended that the final report include photos aswell as the maps and that copies be donated to the Webster Library.
Next Event: Sally provided more details on her proposalfor an Earth Day Litter Pickup. WHEN - Saturday, April 20 from 9 a.m. to noonWHERE - Fire Chief Colby has said the Safety Building could be used as astaging area where volunteers can pick up their (blue) trash bags. WCC membersoffered to cover the roads near their residences: MJ- Clough and Sanborn Hill;Linda – Deer Meadow; Sally – Lake Road/White Plains; Betsy – Tyler Road; Nancy– Gerrish/Bayshan Hollow. WHO ELSE – We’ll need more recruits for Pleasant St.,Little Hill, Pond Hill/Roby Road, and possibly Battle Street. (Circle of Homeand Family had a Sponsor-a-Highway section on Battle, but they’ve disbanded.)TheBoy Scouts and older 4-H kids may be available to help – contacts for othergroups would be appreciated. PUBLICITY – Sally will send announcements to DotHaskins for the Monitor and to Dee Blake for the April Grapevine. She expects to get more helpful hints from the Hopkintonmembers of the Recycling Committee who did an
Earth Day pickup last year; they’redoing it on April 20 this year as well.
MJ suggested we give the first 25 volunteers a “wildlifepackage” from the County nursery as an incentive; her motion to spend “not morethan $25” (seconded by Nancy) was approved unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
Respectfullysubmitted,
SallyEmbley, Acting Secretary
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