Condensed from approved minutes of the Conservation Commission:
Members Present: Nancy Robart, Tina Cotton, Jenny Bodwell, Nancy Teach, Jerry Hersey, Lee Wells, Sooze Hodgson, Jesse Schust.
Public Informational Meeting (7 – 7:30 PM)
January Minutes: Nancy R moved that we accept the minutes as edited, seconded by Tina: all in favor.
Agenda: Add NRRC Conference (recycling conference).
Correspondence: ASLPT Chatter, nice tribute to Deb Stanley (Executive Director ASLPT retiring this spring).
Dyer’s Crossing Road
Trifold (for info sessions and for Town election Day) includes FEMA map, topo map, aerial photography, map of easement lands, testimonials, Earle Chase’s letter.
Plan of action for Town Meeting – have a table set up with trifold and hand-outs. Try to get a table near the exit from the voting area and have it manned.
Do an extra informational meeting on March 8. Have an announcement in the Beacon. Change the date on current announcements, post more announcements.
Group worked on the Beacon article explaining the warrant article.
ASLPT: Route 4A update. Property is off the market, as a result Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust and (ASLPT) is very interested in establishing this property as a fee ownership property, i.e. ASLPT would own the property. Real Estate agent, Carter Bascom, contacted the owner who said he would entertain an offer. If ASLPT were to acquire the property, they would have an assessment done and compare it to similar properties in nearby areas. ASLPT can only bid at the assessed value and they would be willing to propose purchasing the land at that level.
ASLPT had recently finalized a project on land in Bradford, where they involved someone willing to be a “conservation buyer” for the property. The conservation buyer buys the land and holds it for ASLPT for the time it takes to fund raise to purchase the land back from the conservation buyer. This allows for the property to be taken off the market, i.e. protected, while ASLPT also does the work that needs to be done before it can be placed in easement. Using a “conservation buyer” is a new approach for ASLPT, the conservation buyer can be a group of people. ASLPT pays for the appraisal. At this point we do not know what the owner of the property would accept and what ASLPT is willing to pay.
Beaver Deceiver update: Nancy looked at Flaghole Road, and Switch Road, which has a lot of debris that needs to be removed.
Community Education/Outreach: Andover Garden Club: Presentation on June 21 at 6:30 PM at the Hub about Invasive Plant Species in New Hampshire. Chris Dixon, liaison to the ACC
from the Andover Garden Club, will handle the food that will be offered before the 6:30 PM
session, and she will have the Garden Club set up registration for this session. Attendance
may be limited to about 45 people. The Andover Conservation Commission, Andover
Garden Club, and the Andover Community HUB are co-sponsoring this event.
Northeast Recovery Association (NRRA ) Conference: Monday and Tuesday May 22 and 23 in Manchester at the Marriott Hotel. Register by April 21 to get an early bird discount of $30.
Nancy R and Sooze went to the first session of wetlands training at Sunapee. (seven sessions) It was well done, and they enjoyed meeting Elizabeth Harper, Director of the Lake Sunapee Protective Association (LSPA) and Chair of Wilmot Conservation Commission. There will be training on accessing and using state maps for determining wetlands when land is being sold, transferred etc. Natural Resource Inventory cost LSPA $14,000. They were helped by the Lakes Region Planning Commission.
Jesse received a letter at home address from DOT/ Bureau of Bridge Design about bridgework (bridge # 143/0077 on Route 4) meeting February 22 6 PM at Town Hall.
Motion to adjourn by Jenny, seconded by Jerry: all in favor.
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM.