Condensed from approved minutes.
Present: Nancy Robart, Tina Cotton, Sooze Hodgson, Jerry Hersey, Jesse Schust, Lee Wells
News: John Cotton is the recipient of the Kimball Ayers Award. In the future, the award will be known as the Kimball Ayers – John Cotton Environmental Service Award. A plaque will be on display at Town Hall.
The Award is given for “Outstanding Contributions to the Lakes Region Environment” in memory of B. Kimball Ayers, Jr. of Moultonborough, “who faithfully and persistently worked to maintain and improve the environmental quality of the Lakes Region.” (Taken from Lakes Region Planning Commission website.)
The only other person from Andover to receive this prize was Betty Bardsley in 1990.
Andover currently does not have a representative on the Lakes Region Planning Commission. Someone needs to be appointed.
Conservation Monitoring: Derek was here and completed his monitoring, Lee is in process of setting up a time to do Broshek Easement. Sooze has completed hers.
Correspondence: Nancy received no response from Marj re: DES communication on White Oak. We can ask to be cc’d on Town communication with DES. Not being cc’d is a missed opportunity for us to learn or to be helpful.
Received forwarded email from Marj that there will be further upgrades to the land under the power lines. We also received a voice message from The Refinery about a snowmobile trail.
Town Office/Select Board: Second email sent regarding adding Lee Wells to ACC member roster, now officially on roster.
ACC members: Jesse Schust, Alan McIntyre, Jerry Hersey – approved by Select Board: sworn in status. Jesse has been sworn in. Jerry needs to take care of it.
Select Board meeting attendance schedule: Third Monday. Jesse will cover November 15 at 6:30 PM. Jesse will raise being cc’d on logging permits.
Budget 2021 Meeting 11/17: $1,300. Jesse has expenses to submit for Derek as his monitoring expenses. Nancy and Jesse will attend that meeting at 6 PM.
Elita recommends that we send an email next Monday ahead of the meeting time. We need to advocate for a budget line-item to be in the Highway Department budget. We need a commitment that the funds will be used for Beaver Deceiver maintenance and not used by the Highway Department for other expenses.
We have been informed that the Highway Department has no funds left in this year’s budget for Beaver Deceiver maintenance. We will have some funds left in this year’s budget. Jesse will talk to Marj next week about:
- Making sure Michelle is covered by the Town’s insurance, and
- Using our remaining funds from 2021 to hire Michelle to do some deferred maintenance work in November and December on Beaver Deceivers as a one-time offer.
White Oak: Nancy has taken pictures. Gravel has been put in place to prevent erosion, road has been compacted, dirt road on other side of sand pile put in. Has sand been dumped? Follow up at the next meeting with the Select Board.
ASLPT Update (Jesse): CC reps talked about different issues.
Wilmot (Liz Harper chair of CC) is trying to put together a warrant article to protect wetlands. Trying to designate prime wetlands as well. Trying to figure out what ordinance will work. Perhaps we can work together on developing warrant articles and getting them passed.
Several towns talked about conflicts involving town lands.
Shawn is working with DES on removal of Valley Road Beaver Deceiver.
Post the Signs at White Oak: Do we wait until Heaton’s work is done? Should have someone from reorganized Highway Department management joining us so it is a cooperative project.
Michelle Lambert’s assessment (Nancy): Michelle has submitted the number of hours to do deferred maintenance and to do regular maintenance. The Town does not have any funds in the budget for this year. We have requested Beaver Deceiver maintenance funds in the past, and they have not been included.
Thanks to Sooze for the article about Wolf Trees.
New Hampshire Conservation Commission (Nancy): Merrimack River Council has culvert inventory. There have been culverts that have had streams developing under them and eventually the culverts are removed and a “natural” flat-bedded stream is put in place. Might this work for Valley Road?