October 14, 2019 | Bonnie Hill TOWN OF SUTTON Sutton Conservation Commission Draft Meeting Minutes Wednesday, October 9, 2019 Present: Henry Howell, Co-Chair; Wally Baker, Co-Chair; Don Davis; Debbie Lang; Amy Highstrom; Barbara Hoffman; Chuck Bolduc and Bonnie Hill. Call to order: Henry Howell called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m. Previous Meeting’s Minutes: Henry made a motion to approve the minutes from September 11th’s meeting, and Don seconded. As there were no issues found with the minutes, the vote was unanimously in favor. Financial Report: Debbie reported that there is 74% of our budget left. The only expenditure in the last month was $325 for secretarial services. Debbie and Wally will attend the preliminary budget hearing on Oct 21st, and Henry and Wally will attend the budget hearing on the 28th. Debbie handed out copies of the budget worksheet which she started preparing for the hearing. Since we need more money in the Dues/Conferences/Publications category, Debbie moved $421 into it from the Expenses category, which was under-utilized. The Secretarial Services and Supplies categories can stay at the same levels for 2020. After discussion, it was decided to raise the Dues category to $1300 for 2020, and the Expenses category to $800. A discussion was held about how to spend the Special Projects money. Wally said he didn’t get a chance to look at the KHR bridge site last month. Henry said the KHR bridge will cost about $2000, and the Eagle Scout’s Webb/Crowell boardwalk would be about $1000. Amy said she would like to order 15 butterfly identification books for a total of $405. Chuck would like to get a personal license for GIS so he can take over the mapping work that Dan did for us, and that would cost $100 per year. Don is making signs for the trail kiosks and said the cost will probably be under $50. Henry has received one firm bid for the installation of the gate at the Bean Quarry, from Travis Perkins. It was for $1300, but Henry said the expense for this would really be more like $2000 because of the cost of the concrete-filled lolly columns that are needed. The kiosk at Hominy Pot Rd also needs a new roof, for a cost of about $300. The high school students are working on contour maps which will be printed on metal plates for a cost of $300 apiece. Henry said the total for trail work could be as much as $5000. In light of this, Debbie said maybe we should take all of the money for mowing out of the KHR fund this year. She said Don’s signs and the butterfly books could come out of the Expenses category. It was decided that we won’t pay for the Webb/Crowell boardwalk. Chuck said it would be great to get the Bean Quarry gate finished up. Henry said Dave Anderson was going to bring it up there for us, but Don didn’t think a flatbed truck could get up there. Wally said Travis should be able to bring it up since he will be bringing heavy equipment up there anyway. Wally pointed out that we can use the Conservation Fund for projects. That is the one that comes from the LUCT money, and we can spend from it without a public hearing. Debbie said if we take the money for the KHR bridge out of the Conservation Fund, then the money in the Special Projects account, which is $2300, would just cover the Bean Quarry gate and the kiosk roof. But what about next year? Wally said next year we should take the full amount of the mowing cost out of Special Projects. Don said we can apply for a grant. Chuck said now that the state budget has been approved, the grant money is accessible again, and he will call and find out about it. Wally suggested spending money next year on mowing and cleaning up the Horse Beach property. Maybe the man who mows Enroth would do it. Wally suggested asking for $3000 for Special Projects for 2020. Henry will provide estimates to justify it. Wally said an increase should be accepted, as long as it is substantiated. Wally will work up an estimate for materials for the King Hill Bridge and get it to Debbie, and Chuck will provide her with a cost figure for the mowing. Correspondence: Letter from the InterTown Record informing us of an increase in their advertising rates. Don said they never sent a bill for the butterfly talk ad.Letter from Ausbon Sargent thanking the SCC for the gift of $5,000 for the O’Neil conservation easement. $3500 was credited to the Stewardship Fund and $1,500 to the Enforcement Fund. Notice from NHACC about the Annual Meeting and Conference, November 2nd in Pembroke. Register by October 19th to get the early bird rate.Brochure from NH Sustainable Energy Association, a resource for information about all aspects of sustainable energy. Website is www.nhsea.org.SRKG Coalition Fall 2019 newsletter with list of fall hikes. Note: The newsletter says SCC’s membership expired 12/31/2018.Email from NHACC regarding a survey to determine priorities for communities/conservation commissions interested in protecting wildlife, habitats, and other natural resources. It was decided that the SCC members would take the survey individually. Please complete by 5:00 PM 11/8/2019.Email from UNH Cooperative Extension regarding Speaking for Wildlife Training, 10/25/2019.Letter from a citizen asking if he could use the KHR land for target practice. Henry told him no. Hunting is allowed, but it is really only meant to be for large game.Notice from the National Resources Council that the EPA has re-approved Enlist Duo and sulfoxaflor. This is bad news for beekeepers.Report from Cornell Labs about a 30% decline in overall bird populations. Review of Wetland Applications and Issues: Chuck Bolduc’s update on NHDOT “Top Ten” list re: I-89 repaving – Chuck said he now has more time to follow up on this. Meli from DOT told him that we don’t need the list until the end of the year. Adam, the road agent, has been too busy to talk with Chuck. Debbie said that Roger Wells suggested having projects of varying sizes on the Top Ten list. Amy asked about roads that are in danger of washing out from the next big rainstorm, such as Baker Hill Rd. Bonnie said a list of culverts to be repaired is in the Hazard Mitigation Plan, on the town website. Chuck said he photographed all the culverts going up King Hill Rd. Henry said there are culverts on the Hominy Pot trail that are supposed to be maintained by the snowmobile club but haven’t been. Chuck said that besides culverts, the other thing to concentrate on is purchasing land with wetlands impacts. Review of Intents to Cut and Logging Issues: Copy of a DES “Confirmation of Complete Forestry Notification” letter (File #2019-03150) to E. and E. Fowler, T/L#s 04-683-028 and 02-745-482, Andrews Ave.S. Kenrick, T/L# 02-755-410, High Mowing Road, 5 acres out of 12.92, John Whyte, logger. The town property map shows no wetlands here, but Debbie said it is kind of a steep area. J. Magee, T/L# 01-855-559, Roby Road for 20 acres out of 28.2, Neil Butcher, logger. This land abuts the Lane River. Henry will call to alert the owner to potential wetlands impacts. Old business Horse Beach parking issues – KLNA, KLPA & NSIS update – Wally said he still hasn’t heard anything back about the maintenance agreement. Don said the NSIS will be meeting on October 24th. Wally said he will bring this up when he meets with the BOS and budget committee on October 21st. Sutton’s tax-deeded properties: next steps – Bonnie sent an email to Elly with the SCC’s recommendations, but did not receive a reply. She will follow up with Elly to see if there is anything we need to do. SCC’s presentations for the public Moose Man – Amy talked with the Wildlife Heritage Foundation, which contracts with the Moose Man. What they do is an all day event, with the actual moose, and a lunch for the volunteers, at a cost of $500. As for a one-hour presentation to the public, that is just not what they do. Apparently Fish & Game used to have a person who did moose talks, but she retired. Debbie asked about doing the Moose Man event at Muster Field Farm, since that seems the right kind of venue. Don said he would talk to his sister, who is the Moose Man’s wife’s best friend.NH Lakes – Debbie said both lake associations were interested and agreed on Water Quality as the topic to be presented. It was decided to do this on a Thursday evening at the end of June, at the Free Will church. We will invite the two lake associations, Kezar and Blaisdell, and open it to the public. There is no charge by NH Lakes, but the church costs $40 and we will need to advertise.Conservation Plan– Barb said that since we want to roll out the Strategic Action Plan to the public, why don’t we do a presentation this winter, and invite someone from ASLPT to explain conservation easements. Debbie said she will talk to Debbie Stanley about it. Don suggested doing it before Town Meeting, like in January. He said we should explain how the Delphi voting process works and how the areas on the map were prioritized. Debbie said she will ask about reserving a January evening at the Free Will church. New Business Sutton Butterfly Society –The group had 11 or 12 people at its first meeting, and there are others interested in coming, including the high school biology teacher. NH Fish & Game was represented. Amy gave us some tips about mowing for pollinators – don’t mow shorter than 6 inches, to avoid disturbing the over-wintering insects. Also, mow one third of the fields every 3 years, which is what we have been trying to do with KHR. Amy said that there is a possibility of matching grant money from Fish & Game for butterfly gardens. Miscellaneous Emerald Ash Borer – Don informed us that this is now in Sutton. He passed around a state map showing the infested areas. He said he saw a lot of dying ash trees in Winslow State Park, and he is concerned about fire risk after all the dead trees have dropped. Japanese Knotweed – Don asked if anyone has seen evidence that knotweed has been mowed along town roads. He saw a patch that was mowed, but it is small, and he is hoping it was done accidentally. Mowing it causes it to spread. Amy asked if it can be smothered, and Don said that the SCC once tried some experiments with that. They cut it and took the cuttings to the dump to be burned, then covered the area with black plastic and old carpeting. He said it worked to a degree. Don said he would talk to Adam about the mowing. ASLPT news – Henry said he and Wally need to fill out a form for accreditation. Don said he would print it out for Wally. The twice-annual round table meeting for conservation commission chairs is coming up. Wally and Henry will attend, and Debbie will also be there as an ASLPT outreach person. If anyone has issues they would like to bring up, Debbie said to notify Kristy Heath so she can put them on her outline. Adjournment: Barb made a motion to adjourn, and Debbie seconded.The meeting was adjourned at 8:14 PM. Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 13th, 2019, at 6:30 PM. Respectfully submitted, Bonnie Hill, Secretary