BRADFORD CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
Date: September 16, 2008 Time: 7:00 p.m., Town Library
Present: Amy Blitzer (seated for Perry Teele), Brooks McCandlish, Carol Meise, Ann Eldridge, Andrea LaMoreaux, Nathaniel Bruss (Quorum met)
Visitors: Joe Trudeau (new Bradford landowner), Phil LaMoreaux (Planning Board Chair), Andrew Pinard (Selectmen), Denise Rico (Terra Design Landscapes)
I. Secretary Report
a. August meeting minutes were reviewed, minor edits made, moved to accept, seconded, and approved by all.
II. Treasurer Report
a. Interest made.
III. DES Minimum Impact Expedited Application Review
a. Applicant: James and Lynne Cary, 14 Steele Road, Bradford
b. Representative: Denise Rico, Terra Design Landscapes
c. Stormwater runoff problem from site (culvert) into Lake Todd. During severe flooding events, culvert discharge has scoured a deep, dangerous hole in lake along shoreline that poses a safety problem.
d. Portion of project for Commission to comment on involves reinforcing drainage swale at culvert outlet and filling in hole in lake. Other portion of project will be reviewed by DES through the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act permit program.
e. Conservation Commission Comments: While the project does not specifically address or correct the ultimate drainage problem of too much surface runoff being funneled into an existing culvert, it does address the symptoms of the drainage problem and seeks to improve the symptoms and correct the safety issue.
f. Action Item: Commission will sign permit but will also submit comments about the overall drainage problem needing to be addressed.
IV. Housekeeping
a. Intents to Cut
i. Ann not aware of any.
b. Workshops
i. Carol Meise went to COVERTS for 3-days.
1. Learned about forest ecology and management.
2. The field trips were useful.
3. Highly recommends program for others.
V. Lake Massasecum, erosion and right-of-way issue (James property)
a. Abutters are concerned about erosion occurring on right of way that is reportedly caused by a new septic system and new culvert that raised the road level
b. Abutters have asked the Conservation Commission to comment on the erosion along the right of way.
c. At this time, the Conservation Commission does not have enough information.
d. Action Item: Conservation Commission will visit the site to make recommendations.
VI. Bradford Bog Easement
a. Was sent to the Town Counsel for review.
VII. Upcoming Events
a. Bog repair:
i. Sunday, October 19, with rain date of Sunday, October 26
ii. Action Item: Phil mentioned that someone will need to buy nails.
b. Bat Program
i. Could do at the beginning of November
ii. Action Item: Ann will look into this.
VIII. Fire Department Land Swap Deal
a. At August meeting, Chris Frye of Fire Dept. discussed the possibility of town swapping property with the State for a ¼ acre lot next to the pines to expand fire house.
b. Ann called the State and was told that the easiest way to get the Executive Council approval is if there was another lot adjacent to the pines lot.
c. Action Item: Ann is looking at other properties in town.
IX. NRI Mapping Project
a. Draft Mooseplate Grant
i. Due Oct. 3.
ii. Brooks made a motion to allow Conservation Commission Chair to work on grant with others outside of regular meetings. Motion seconded by Carol and all voted in favor.
iii. Joe Trudeau suggested that Commission might want to think about producing a natural history guide (booklet) as a hard copy deliverable that you can put a Mooseplate logo on.
b. Other funding sources
i. Ann talked to Digit Taylor of the Land Protection Center who wasn’t sure of other grant funding sources.
c. Review of Request for Qualifications draft
i. Action Item: Brooks will revise this once more and will plan to have it ready for the October meeting so that we can have a submission deadline of January.
Meeting adjourned. Respectfully submitted by Andrea LaMoreaux