Lyme Conservation Commission
Minutes of the 2 March 2004 Meeting
LCC Members Attending – Ben Hudson, Dick Jones, Paul Klee, Lee Larson, Laura McDaniel and Adair Mulligan
LCC Members Absent – Joan Goldburgh
The Meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM by Lee Larson.
1 Approval of Minutes from the February 2, 2004 Meeting
The minutes of the February 2, 2004 meeting of the LCC were moved (McDaniel/Klee) and approved.
3. Old Business
a) Chaffee Sanctuary
Lee reported that there was no update from Pathways Engineering.
b) Report on the snowshoe walk held February 8, 2004
Approximately 10 people attended – ½ of whom were LCC members or their families. Lee has a good group picture taken out at Trout Pond which he will make available for town records or other use.
c) Review and discussion of possible properties available for conservation
Potential properties for conservation easements were discussed, one near Lyme Center, one off Hardscrabble Road, and one off Washburn Hill Road.
No action was taken as a result of these discussions.
4. Wetlands
Lee reported that for the first time in many months, the Commission has received no requests for site visits or wetland applications.
5. New Business
a) Review of Conservation Fund report
The Commission members briefly reviewed the Conservation Fund report which has been reported in the Lyme Town Report for 2003.
b) Trout Pond Posters
Some of the excess Trout Pond Posters will be available “for the taking” at the Town Meeting on March 9. Ben will deliver them to the school that morning. Dick is checking to see if there is a spare, small sized ballot box which could be used to collect donations for the posters.
c) Mailing to shoreline property owners
Adair has prepared a draft letter for Lyme shoreline property owners which was reviewed by the Commission. Slight modifications were suggested. Adair will assemble the necessary copies of the enclosure and the assembly of the mailing packets will likely take place at the next meeting on April 4. Expenses for the mailing will be taken from the LCC Education Budget line item.
d) Connecticut River Joint Commissions Partnership Grants
Lee noted that the Connecticut River Joint Commission has announced a partnership grant program in support of projects related to recreation, improvement and preservation in the Connecticut River watershed. Grant awards will range from $500 to $5,000. Applications are due April 7. Lee urged the Commission to consider think about possible projects which might be eligible.
e) Upper Valley Trails Day, June 5
Two possible projects were discussed for work on the upcoming Upper Valley Trails Day on June 5 – rerouting a section of the Grant Brook Trail, and possible construction of a hemlock bridge over Whipple Brook in the Town Forest. This later project would require some advance preparation by Ben (felling appropriate trees, etc). The consensus was that the LCC would participate and that, given weather and ground conditions, the particular projects could be determined closer to the actual date.
f) Natural Resources Inventory Map
Lee had received several maps from UVLSRPC relating to Local Resource Protection Data. Input on the three maps had been provided by various town authorities with regard to the different map layers. The Commission members marked up map #3 to correct (both add and delete) areas of note.
6. Other Business
Lee noted that both his and Adair’s terms on the LCC were due to expire as of this year. Both he and Adair are willing to continue serving for another three year term. The other commission members voted to send a resolution to the Selectmen re reappoint both Lee and Adair. This reappointment will be considered by the Selectmen after they have convened with their newly elected members following Town Meeting on March 9.
7. Publicity
A notice alerting the public to stay off the muddy spring trails will appear in the next issue of the Lyme Church Newsletter.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:18 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Laura McDaniel
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