LYME CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Minutes – July 5, 2004
1. The regular meeting of the Conservation Commission convened at 7:30 PM. The following members of the Commission were in attendance: Joan Goldburgh, Dick Jones, Paul Klee, Lee Larson, Vicki May, Laura McDaniel and Adair Mulligan. Members of the public attending parts of the meeting were: Paul Barker, Wayne Pike and Pat Reynolds.
2. Wayne came in to request permission for the Lyme Pinnacle Snowmobile club to perform work on the snowmobile trail in the western part of the Town Forest. He described the work as removing and burying stumps on the steep hill (part of the Western Forest Trail) where the groomer got stuck this last winter. Laura moved and Adair seconded a motion to approve the proposed stump removal and burial, which carried unanimously. Lee added that the Commission would like to be notified when the work was to take place so that a representative could check on its scope and satisfactory completion.
3. Approval of Minutes and Policy:
a. The minutes of the June 7th regular meeting were approved as submitted.
b. The minutes of the June 9th Public Hearing were approved as submitted (with proof reading corrections).
c. Laura moved and Adair seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the June 9th Special Meeting with the addition of a new paragraph “A subcommittee of Lee, Laura, Adair and Dick was appointed to refine the “Purpose” paragraph.” inserted as the penultimate paragraph of the first page. The motion carried unanimously.
d. Paul moved and Laura seconded a motion to approve the final wording of the “Post Pond Water Level Policy” with the refined “Purpose” policy developed by the subcommittee. The motion carried unanimously.
4. Lee told the Commission of the Loch Lyme Lodge, Inc suit against the Town over the beaver policy. Copies of the petition to Superior Court were made and distributed to Commission members. He went on to express his disappointment that it had escalated to a suit after the Commission’s efforts to develop a policy fair to all shoreline property owners. Paul Barker said that they were only following their attorney’s recommendations. Dick said that now that legal action against the Town was filed, Commission members should not make any public statements about the issues in the suit as such comments could have legal consequences.
5. Other business:
a. Laura gave a brief update on the “Tree City” project.
b. A site visit to the Stadler’s proposed dock (wetland permit by notification) on the Connecticut River was scheduled for July 7th at 4:30 PM.
c. Lee gave a brief update on the dead fish found at Chase Beach and water testing of Post Pond.
d. Laura moved and Joan seconded a motion to approve the bills totaling approximately $151 for water testing. The motion carried unanimously.
e. Dick briefly reviewed the Conservation Commission’s budget and funding for the benefit of new members. Currently there is $99,135.35 in the Conservation Fund.
f. Lee led a discussion of various trail maintenance (primarily mowing) projects and who would do which projects.
g. Lee asked what type of Conservation Commission we were – one that works with people or one that enforces regulations? The consensus was that we are a Commission that works with people.
6. The meeting adjourned at 9:02 PM.
R. G. Jones
Recorder pro tem
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