Conservation Commission

PO Box 365

Walpole, NH 03608

 

 

MINUTES

For the regular meeting of June 1, 2009

 

Present: Tom Beaudry, Jan Galloway, Marcia Galloway, Peter Graves, Myra Mansouri (alt.) Mary Lou Montgomery, Duncan Watson, Bill Webb (alt.)

 

Present as guests: Mr. Whitney Aldrich, Ms. Barbara Richter

 

Not present: Lew Shelley, Peter Palmiotto (alt.)

 

Ms. Galloway, acting as chair, called the meeting to order at 7:33 PM

 

Non-Public Session

 

A. Review and Revise minutes

 

Ms. Montgomery moved to approve the minutes with a correction to Jan Galloway’s name. Seconded by Jan Galloway. Motion passed with all in favor.

 

Public Session

 

B. Report from Chair

 

BERRY CONSERVATION CAMP

We need more information from the camp so that local people can be encouraged to apply.

 

Treasurers report                             

            We have $6463.01 in the Forestry Account now. The Conservation Fund received 48.65 interest, bringing our total to $55,101.59. We have not yet received the electric bill for the Hodgkins property.

 

SOUTHWEST REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION ANNUAL MEETING

            SWRPC Annual meeting will be at KSC Tues June 23. We have a registration form, please RSVP by June 12.

 

Peter Rhoades forester

            He is stopping doing any marking of trees. The price of logs is so low, there’s no point in doing it now.

 

 

Hodgkins property walk

            Ms. M Galloway walked it, saw the stakes, and reports that the line is well-defined. She suggested to the Hooper Committee they might do some observation on a plot to study reforestation and wildlife. We have a key to access the property. We should get a copy of the plan that Mr. Shelley has made available.

 

Monadnock Conservancy easement

            We will reschedule Ryan Owens of the Monadnock Conservancy to July.

 

C. New Business

 

Community Conservation Partnership Program

            The Monadnock Conservancy sent Ms. Barbara Richter to talk about the Community Conservation Partnership Program. The CCPP is a cluster of non-profits with a plan to help communities become more effective in reaching their conservation goals. The pilot program was done with five towns, and Walpole participated by offering education and outreach events.

            Ms. Richter asked some questions to find out how it went for us, and what kind of assistance might be helpful in the future. One of the main suggestions for the future was to have an event or topic that brings all five towns together at some point. Also, there will be a need for people power to get labor done on projects like building kiosks, monitoring lands, etc. The help with formatting our maps for use in other documents (like posters) was very useful. The conservation lands brochure was an excellent outcome for us.

            A questionnaire was e-mailed to the recording secretary and will be forwarded to the commissioners. Please feel free to send any other thoughts to her or Pete Troop.

 

Aumands Rebuilding

            Joe DiBernardo of DiBernardo Associates brought plans for review.

 

Mill Pond Trail: Request to gather firewood

            There are trees down on the old road, and Lester Shepard would like to engage in his customary cutting and collecting that we have approved in the past. It is helpful because it keeps the trail clear.

 

Mr. Watson made a motion to allow Mr. Shepard to collect wood. Mr. Beaudry seconded, and the motion passed with all in favor.

 

REVIEWING FORESTRY PLANS

            Ms. M. Galloway met with Steve Roberge, UNH Extension forester, to see if he might advise us. He will be happy to speak with us after he reviews the information on our properties.

 

TREE REMOVAL

            Cindy Allen at 47 Maplewood Circle called to ask about a nearly dead tree that is on the line of the Mill Pond Property. It is very close to their residential buildings, and they want it removed. We need someone with insurance to do the work. Ms. M. Galloway

 

Mr. Beaudry moved to ask Mr. J. Parrott for a quote on felling the tree, and to see if Lester Shepard will cut it up and remove. Seconded by Mr. Watson. All in favor.

 

Ct. River Joint Commission

            Marcia went to the meeting last week. She has handouts on local conservation recommendations, and a poster about safe disposal of medications.

 

Route 12 Meeting

            Ms. M. Galloway went to the meeting about rebuilding Route 12 between Charlestown and Walpole. There are issues with the river bank, and no easy solutions.

 

MR. SCHUPACK’S PORTFOLIO

            Mel Schupack will no longer be monitoring the Mill Pond property. Ms. M. Galloway will see if Gary Speed will do it along with the others he was going to do. The Monadnock Conservancy has guidelines for doing monitoring. It would be smart to ask Gary to train some of us to do it as well. Ms. Montgomery is willing to help work on monitoring, especially to give some attention to properties that have not been done in a long time.

            Mr. Schupack also was liason to the SWRPC, so we need someone else to do that.

 

Reservoir

            The local government center says the 1990 vote on the Water Company was not legal because money issues must be on the warrant. In any case, we will not be mowing the property. The dam fee is still paid by the Conservation Commission, but Mr. Aldrich agreed that it makes sense to transfer that out of our budget.

 

Trails

            We need to improve the Sawyer property trail and some others. We will review this next month.

 

Dates for events

            Drewsville Gorge Outing: Sat. August 22, 1pm

            Fall Mountain Walk: October 3 or 4

            Boggy Meadows Wetland Trail: Sept 12 or 13

 

Mr. Watson moved to adjourn, Ms. Montgomery seconded. All in favor, the meeting adjourned at 9:02 PM.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Janis Hall-Fuller, Recording Secretary

 

 

(Note: These are unapproved minutes. Any corrections will be found in the minutes of the next meeting.)