Text Box: finalCONSERVATION COMMISSION

 

MINUTES OF March 1, 2007

 

Present: Chris Giordano (Chairperson), Judy Jervis, Sheila Johannesen, and Ron Comeau

 

Also present: Michael Denison

 

The meeting opened at 7:30 and was televised.

 

Sheila made a motion to accept the minutes from the last meeting, February 15, 2007 after three typographical errors were corrected.  Judy seconded the motion and the motion carried.

 

The Easement and the need to forward a copy of the latest draft to other boards were discussed.  This way a joint meeting could be set up to hopefully finalize a draft which could then be sent to the town attorney for review.  The confusion at the meeting held last October will hopefully be avoided if other committees bring their suggestions to the joint meeting, rather than type their suggestions onto the document themselves.

 

Judy discussed needing some answers from Audubon and will try contacting them again.  It was clarified that a stewardship plan was not necessarily needed before the Easement was finalized and that Audubon supplies the tags for boundary markers.

 

Janet was asked if she’d heard from the Forestry committee about their timeframe for finishing the Stewardship plan.  She had emailed them but had not received a response yet.

 

The date of April 5th was set for a joint meeting to discuss the Easement.  This gives everyone enough time to read it and come up with any suggestions.  The Selectmen, Forestry, and Recreation Committees, the Heritage Commission, and Zoning Boards will be invited to attend.  Janet will forward a copy of the Easement draft for their review.  A copy will be sent to Peter Laughlin as well.

 

Chris had not yet heard from Peter Laughlin about the recent land purchase.  Bob Meaney had hoped to close by the end of February or early March, but that didn’t happen.  Some older descriptions of the property were found.  The exact acreage will be found when the deed research is done.  The survey is not necessary before the acreage is purchased.  The deed research is done to ensure it is approximately 20 acres.  The possibility was brought up, what if the property wasn’t surveyed properly way back when?  It was explained that the meets and bounds are done in the deed and that’s how to determine the acreage. This is why the deed research is important.  This is how the amount of acreage will be determined and why the sale of the property is contingent on knowing the size of the lot.

 

Sheila mentioned that trash has been found in the shooting pit.  She was walking there recently and discovered someone had deposited a large appliance and used it for target practice.  The need to discourage the town forest being used as a dump site was discussed.  Possibly a gate can be put up to discourage vehicles from entering the rear entrance of the property.  It was mentioned that there had recently been a gate installed which was then vandalized within an hour of its installation.  Also the snowmobiles and other motorized vehicles had been running off the trails.

 

Chris will notify the Selectmen in writing that the back entrance needs to be gated, as this seems to be how people are entering the property with their trash to dump it.  The Forestry committee will also be notified about the need for a gate.  It was brought up that this will possibly cut off all motorized vehicular traffic.

 

The trash needs to be removed, whether permitting.  How best to do that was discussed with no clear conclusions made.  Michael Denison, attending the town meeting in order to complete a Boy Scout merit badge, mentioned that this could be incorporated as an Eagle Scout project.  He was told to talk to Bruce Caillouette, the road agent.

 

Chris mentioned the aerial photo of Danville, which was recently framed, would be a nice addition to a wall in the town hall.  He mentioned a white screen will be added to the back wall upon which to project PowerPoint presentations and such.

 

Mr. Denison was addressed and asked if he had any questions.  He asked about trash removal in the town forest and how and when this could be done.  Judy gave him a newspaper clipping about another town organizing a trash clean-up day.  He asked about whether the trails are marked and the discussion centered on several possibilities for Eagle projects.  He asked about trail markers that explain the consequences of violating the rules of trail usage.  Sheila will keep in contact with Mr. Denison about the condition of the trails to help him with the possible Scout project.

 

Judy mentioned another Scout project done previously in which the Scout blazed a trail, built a bridge, and then wrote a pamphlet explaining the trail system in the Clyde Goldthwaite area.  It was asked if anyone maintains those trails and it is unknown.  Chris mentioned that the town usually works with UNH to design trail systems. 

 

Correspondence:

 

  • Email from Cheryl Carlson to Lchip supporters and applicants: notification that Governor Lynch supports the $12 million funding.
  • UNH Cooperative Extension: a seminar on March 27-28 about landscaping on the water’s edge: an ecological approach to landscaping shoreland property.  This will be filed with other correspondence in the town hall.
  • A bill from Eagle Tribune for legal notices put in the paper.
  • A notice from the Forestry Committee: their new meeting time is to be the first Wednesday of the month, starting on March 7th.
  • From Wally Fries about backyard buffers.  Copies were made and given to the board members present.
  • From Wally Fries about forestland buffers.  Copies were made and given to the board members present.
  • From NHDES: status of waterbodies listed officially.  They’re looking for factual information about waterbodies located around the state.  The one in Danville for which they seek information, is Diamond Pond, located off of Colby Road.

 

Since the discussion would involve consideration of land purchases which, if discussed in public, might benefit a party whose interests are adverse to those of the general community, RSA 91-A: 3 II d should warrant nonpublic session, Sheila made a motion to go into nonpublic session per RSA 91-A: 3 II d and Judy seconded.  The motion was made and seconded.  A roll call was completed and the motion passed.

 

The public meeting adjourned at 8:22 pm.

 

Judy made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Sheila seconded.  The motion passed and the meeting adjourned at 8:41 pm.

 

 

 

 

*****Next Meeting: March 15, 2007****

 

 

THESE MINUTES ARE NOT PERMANENT RECORD AND ARE SUBJECT TO APPROVAL AT THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING, AT WHICH TIME, THE ABOVE MINUTES, AS CORRECTED BECOME PERMANENT.

 

 

MINUTES ARE PREPARED BY Janet S. Denison, CLERK