Wallingford
Conservation Commission Minutes*
*These are
unofficial Minutes subject to the approval at the next regular meeting.
April 27, 2009
Attendees:
Ralph Nimtz, Debbie Scranton, Kim Blodgett, David Klock, Peter Upton,
Carol Macleod, Tim Chila
Absent:
Anne Miller,
Shannon Pytlik
(1)
Approval of March Minutes.
(2)
Walking Brochure:
David brought an example of the paper that Lowell
recommended (approximately 100 weight, legal size--$18.49/100).
David will order 2 packages of 100. Tim will attempt to brighten the
colors of the trails before printing. David
will deliver the paper to Joyce for printing.
(3)
Green Up Day:
Debbie picked up the bags, report forms, posters, and maps for Saturday.
Posters were distributed for posting at at the post office and Busheys in
East Wallingford, Sal’s, Wallingford Country Store,
PO
in
Wallingford, 2nd hand store in Wallingford, hardware store, two telephone poles in
Wallingford. Chip Gottlieb has already picked
up Haven Hill Rd
(7 bags). The Assistant Clerk at Town
Hall is planning to do Hartsboro Road from Route 7 to Ice Beds Road.
Debbie will bring easel and folding table on Saturday.
Peter will put the sign at the Rotary up by Thursday.
Julie suggested selling the green recycling bins at Green up day for
$5.00/each. The group agreed and
Carol will make a for sale sign. Tim
put together an email sign up sheet so townspeople can register for information.
Kim will bring cider. Tim
will check the box and email Kim regarding whether she should buy cups.
(4)
Town Plan:
Shannon
was unable to go to the PC meeting but plans to attend the next one.
(5)
Selectboard Meeting:
Ralph attended the Selectboard meeting to discuss reactivating our plans
for trails at the pit. The
recreation committee seems to be interested in developing playing fields and may
want to cooperate with the WCC. The WCC may be in a position to help write grants to develop both the
recreational fields as well as conservation activities such as buffer planting
along otter creek, development of nature trails etc.
The walking bridge is supposed to be installed this summer.
We have permission to resume work on the trails in the pit.
Ralph will organize an evening walk for the commission. Peter will talk
to Julie about getting plans for the pit, the bridge, etc.
Ralph will look into the overall map of the area and the possibility of a
loop trail around the entire pit.
(6)
RRPC meeting:
Tim and Peter attended a talk by Debra Saks from the Way to Go
–Commuter Challenge, an effort to get people to use alternative modes of
transportation. Tim volunteered to
see if our Selectboard would be interested in participating by signing the
commuter challenge pledge for week May 4th-8th however, it
is probably too late for this year. In
the next newsletter we will discuss the commuter Challenge, print the bus
schedule, advertise the park and ride at the rec field, etc.
Tim will write the newsletter item, Carol will call the bus company for
the route 7 bus schedule, Kim will look up the 103 bus schedule.
(7)
Website teaser: The
group would like to figure out a way to include a button on home page of the
town website to get folks to go to the WCC page.
The group agreed to discuss at the next meeting.
(8)
Speakers:
Debbie has been looking into getting a speaker through the extension
office to talk on master gardening. She has not yet received a return call. Kim
left a message with Ryan Smith regarding a bat talk and will let the commission
know via email if he is available in May. It
is a little late to have
Sharon
do the edible plants talk but Ralph asked her to speak in the late summer or
fall on freezing and canning garden produce.
(9)
Strategic plan: The
group decided we should spend a meeting developing a “strategic plan:
to help us focus our energies on one or two activities every year.
(10) Railroad
Building
: Ralph looked into fixing up the
building. He talked to “Ben” from the railroad company who said that they
might be able to fix it up along with the one at True Temper.
(11)
Other business:
A lot of what we are talking about is getting the work out.
David suggested talking the town into putting a kiosk and picnic table on
the lawn next to the library (David will follow up).
Run-of-the stream hydro: David
is interested in investigating run of the stream hydro in the old location off
the Elm Street
extension. Tim has always been
interested in this issue and would like to work with David.
(12)
Meeting adjourned
8:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Kim Blodgett |