Sutton Conservation Commission (SCC) Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, January 13th, 2016

 

Present: Betsy Forsham, Chair, Don Davis, Henry Howell, Jane Williamson, Chris Ashton and Bonnie Hill, secretary. Absent: Gerry Putnam, Ben Dobrowski, Jean LaChance and Wally Baker. (Jane to sit in for Gerry; Chris to sit in for Ben.)

Call to order: Betsy Forsham called the meeting to order at 6:40 p.m.

Previous Meeting’s Minutes: A motion was made by Henry Howell and seconded by Don Davis to approve the minutes of December 9, 2015. There being no discussion, the minutes were accepted as written.

Financial Report:

The SCC received $8675 in land use change taxes (LUCT) in December, and that was the total for 2015. A third tax in the amount of $4530 has been billed this month.  The Bean Quarry timber cut is finished and yielded $21,266.62, in seven payments. There is nothing in the town account, since it has not been disbursed yet. TD Bank shows the Conservation Account balance at $102,442.15, reflecting the deposit of the LUCT from December. The King Hill Reservation account contains $6571.91, for a total of

$109,013.96 in the Conservation Fund.

Betsy reported that the budget committee hearing of 12/14 went well. Bob DeFelice recused himself due to discussion of the Stevens property. Jody Wells has stepped down, and Steve Hamilton has joined the committee. Betsy told them that the SCC would actually be contributing money this year, not just asking for funding. As a department head, she will be attending the final public hearing on February 4th at 7:00 PM. A deliberative session will follow later.

Correspondence:

• Memo from Elly Phillips requesting 2015 Town Report submission no later than 1/15/16. Jane and Henry are going to provide some photos for inclusion in the
• ASLPT announcement of new website
• Copy of letter of thanks to Lumber Barn from the BOS and SCC chair, dated 12/14/15. The letter was signed by all of the selectmen, and thanked the Lumber Barn for their donation of materials worth $653.88 to the bridge project at KHR with students from KRHS
• SRK Greenway winter newsletter
• Emails between Dave Anderson and BF regarding walk at Webb/Crowell. Dave may possibly come to the March board meeting to talk about using KRHS students for trail clearing on SPNHF’s Black Mountain Forest
• Pamphlet from UNH regarding professional development and training courses
• Letter from the SPNHF asking for donations to purchase the land at the trailhead of the Andrew Brook Trail
• Supply Lines with The Source Winter 2015 issue of the newsletter of the NHDES Drinking water and Groundwater Bureau
• Forest Notes magazine of the SPNHF

Wetland Applications and Issues:

A Wetlands and Non-Site Specific Permit, #2015-02049, dated 12/23/15, was received for D. Burnham project, T/L #6-208,196, Rt. 114.

Review of Intents to Cut and Logging Issues:

• A Complete Forestry Notification was received, dated 12/11/15, File #2015-03177, for Steve Lord, T/L# 2-0190, 373 & 238,254, Bum Carter
• There was a discussion regarding an Intent to Cut from E & S Sanders, T/L# 9-655, 158 Shaker Rd, 25 out of 4 acres, Brooks Weathers, forester. Betsy noticed that this parcel crosses Baker Brook. She inquired of the forester if a Complete Forestry Notification had been applied for, because of the wetlands crossing. Brooks replied that it was not necessary, as the logging is to be done on the side of the parcel away from the wetlands.
• Jane had a question about the logging cut above the Maple Leaf area, which didn’t seem to match the original Betsy replied that this can change, and that it is the report of the cut and not the intent to cut that must match the actual work done.
• Henry asked if cutting is allowed right up to the border of a wetland, and Betsy said she thought yes, and it can even be done within the wetland itself, depending on what kind of

Old Business

Stevens property:

Betsy investigated the issue of encumbrance and found out from the town’s law firm that the expenditure of $50,000 from the CRF can be “non-lapsing”, as per RSA 32:7-VI. It can’t lapse for more than five years, but this will easily accommodate our anticipated one-to-two year delay. We discussed the warrant article. Elly Phillips is writing the article to expend up to $50,000 from the SCC’s capital reserve fund, specifying that $85,000 will need to be raised in total to cover the costs, with the balance to be raised through private donations.

Bobcat hearings:

The public hearing on the NH Fish & Game Commission’s proposed hunting and trapping season for bobcats will be at 6:00 PM on February 1st, at the State House. Some people are forming car pools. See  http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/wildlife/bobcat-season-proposal.html for more info.

 

New Business

2015 Town Report:

Betsy mailed her draft of the Town Report to the SCC members, and several people made suggestions or corrections. Since there were four members absent from the meeting, it was decided that no new picture would be taken. Instead, the picture from last year’s town report will be used again, since the same people are on the SCC this year.

SCC Properties & S-R-K Greenway Reports

Report from Henry on bridge work with KRHS students at KHR:

Henry said the students didn’t go out to the site, due to weather issues and the Christmas holiday. They may get out there this week to finish things up. The railings have been constructed off site, at the school.

The beams need to be fastened to the granite slabs. The man in charge of the STEM program loves this project. They may be doing contour maps of the site since that fits in well with the STEM curriculum.

Final Update on Bean Quarry timber harvest:

The timber harvest is finished. In spite of stopping early because of the wet weather, it still brought in

$21,266.62. A recapitulation statement came with the last payment, giving the totals for each species logged. Henry asked if the figures are based totally on the word of the forester. Betsy replied that there is also corroboration with the mill. The loggers did try to smooth out some of the ruts and repair some water bars. Steve Bagley has had Jersey barriers placed on the road, blocking traffic. SCC will do a post-harvest walk in the late spring/early summer, after the ground dries out. Brooks will plant some pines on the denuded bank, in the area nearest the road, where the first attempt was made to create a landing.

Animal tracking walk at Webb/Crowell:

Dave Anderson has agreed to lead an introductory-level tracking walk on March 5th from 10:00 to 12:30. Dave said this is the peak of the breeding season for fur-bearing mammals. Participants are asked to bring snowshoes. Don said he would make posters for the event.

Report on monitoring Wells lots

Betsy, Jane, Bonnie and Donna Catanzaro walked the three Wells lots on December 13th, 19th, and 28th. No problems were seen, and many interesting natural phenomena were observed. One lot had an area of beeches that were unblemished by beech-bark disease, and one of these trees had some perfect sets of bear claw marks showing all of the claws on both paws. While monitoring the northernmost lot, the team witnessed a black bear come flying out of its den, which was under an excavated stump. The section of Dodge Hill Rd that runs past these parcels is being severely eroded by vehicles. Betsy said that if this Class 6 road was declared subject to bars and gates, then a gate could be installed there (and left unlocked). She will research this further.

Miscellaneous

Ausbon Sargent will be hosting a talk on the Emerald Ash Borer presented by Dode Gladders of the UNH Cooperative Extension on Thursday, February 4th at 6:30 PM, at the Wilmot Community Association Red Barn.

Adjournment: There being no further business, a Motion was made by Henry and seconded by Don to adjourn the meeting at 8:23 p.m. The Motion was unanimously approved.

Respectfully submitted, Bonnie Hill, Secretary

The next meeting will be held on February 10, 2016 @ 6:30 p.m.