MIDDLESEX CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Thursday, January 6, 2005
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Middlesex Town Offices
Middlesex, VT

MINUTES

 
Commissioners Present
John Austin
Barry Goodman
Heather Furman
Duncan Nichols
Rick Paradis
Bill Rossmassler
Dave Shepard
 
Other Guests
Gary Miller
 

Administrative Operations
Call to Order 7:14

Minutes
  Dave made a motion to approve the December minutes, Gary seconded. Minutes were approved.

Approve Treasurer’s Report
Rick reported the accounts had the following balances:
Special Projects Fund = $2006.99
Includes Keeping Track = ($207.60)
Selectboard Operations Appropriation =$957.39
Conservation Fund = $5,025.00

Review Correspondences
  The Seedling, Land and Water Conservation Fund workshop, and VLCT newsletter.
  Commission should review the Annual Meeting
  John will follow up with VINS about spring salamander crossing

Committee Reports
Village Action Committee
  Barry reported out on the Transportation Enhancement Grant. Town has approved about $2200 of cash outlay and $1800 in donated services. Middlesex Occasional should get word of this. Only about 40% of the applicants received funds. We can start the “in kind” and the RFP once the contract is signed. We need to keep careful track of the hours contributed. 
  Bill has been talking with Steve Gladczuk about tying in with Moretown Scenic Byways study. Barry should ask Steve about how much he can help us. Barry will send the narrative to Heather and she will send it out to the VAC to solicit help from village folks. We should form a committee to review RFP and selection criteria for grant.
  Next steps: coordinate with Steve, RFP, committee to review proposals.

Conservation Fund Committee
  Dave, Bill and Barry went to the Selectboard meeting to discuss the budget. The Selectboard agreed to allow the Operational Appropriation for the CC into the budget as a line item. For the Conservation Fund, the Selectboard did not feel that we needed to get a petition for Town Meeting, and they will put it on the ballot as a warned article voice vote. 
  Brochure: Bill sent the brochure out for final comments but didn’t hear back. Bill will send out the latest version of the brochure with Michael Levine’s comments. We will have one week to get edits back to Bill. Brian Pendergast is donating design services.
  Bill made a 4 panel brochure. Bill will call Judy about the logo.
  Gary will send us a URL link to his personal website to review the photos for the brochure.
  Dave will check with National Life to see if they can offer free printing.
  John will email photos to Gary

Friends of the Worcester Range
  Bill will send out Duncan’s list of large landowners who may be interested/eligible to conserve their property, and who we might want to contact. He will have edits and comments. Rows that are highlighted in yellow are those that are related to Worcester Range Legacy project.
  Heather will contact Duncan McDougall to coordinate inviting Faith Bieler to the Waterbury Legacy dog and pony.
  Dave suggested that Middlesex invite Worcester to a Legacy dog and pony.

Resource Planning Committee
  Planning Commission is meeting with the group of people who voiced opposition to the zoning. Dave suggested that we might be interested in attending those meetings. Duncan suggested that we would muddy the waters if we got involved right now.
  Planning Commission is making progress with the opposition group. We decided to wait to participate in the zoning discussions.
  A discussion ensued about digitizing the data. The listers have solicited bids for digitizing the parcel data with the Selectboard. The project looks like it might move forward.

Wildlife Monitoring Committee
  Dave brought up the remote camera purchase with the Selectboard. The Selectboard approved the purchase. John is going to move ahead with the purchase of the camera. John said that they are running around $300.00, but he will let us know what the final cost will be.
  Various suggestions were made for keeping track of the camera over the long term. Once the camera is purchased we agreed to develop a protocol for how we will monitor its use.
  John Austin agreed to talk with the Keeping Track volunteers in Middlesex about whether or not they are interested in doing the transects. Otherwise, we might want to look into other uses for the Keeping Track money.

Other Business
Rumney View Magazine: Middlesex Gone Wild
  Gary is working on a wildlife issue and how to bring awareness to the students about Middlesex wildlife.

Playground Meeting
  John Rahill. Black River Design. Duncan has been to the playground meeting and the school board has budgeted funds. The school is going to need help building the new facility. There will two different areas for younger and older kids.

Adjournment 9:05