Warner Conservation Commission

Minutes of Meeting

January 7, 2009


Attending:  Nancy Martin, Brian Hotz, Russ St. Pierre, Chris Connors, Peg, Bastien, Doug Allen, and Jim McLaughlin (recording)..

Approval of Minutes of the December 3, 2008 Meeting
The minutes of the meeting of December 3, 2008 were approved as submitted.

Natural Resources Inventory (NRI)
Jim suggested possible dates of January 29 and February 5 for a public presentation of the NRI. Brian will check with Dan Sundquist on his availability.
Discussed comments on the report. The map showing recreational trails is missing, as well as any text that addresses this aspect. Brian to check on agreement for using the Kearsarge Trail Snails map information. The consensus was that the Club was okay as long as the Commission wasn’t selling a trail map that competed with their own map.
The scenic viewpoint ID’s in the appendix don’t match the numbering on the map.
Russ observed that many of the small maps contain grey areas that aren’t identified in the map legend.
Jim said that Dan had indicated he would produce 11”x17” maps to replace those in the document. He asked if these enlarged maps would be any clearer than those in the report.
Brian will talk to Dan about these issues and will email the results of his conversation to WCC members.
Chris offered to collect other comments from WCC members on the document for incorporation into a second printing that the Commission would have made. Print quality may be improved by going to a different printer. Jim urged that revisions be done soon. Brian will get the CD with the files to Chris. Preferably the text should be in WORD format, not PDF. Also the Map data should be in GIS as well as PDF format.

Conservation Plan
Brian reported he had talked to three consultants who prepare conservation plans for municipalities. Based on these conversations, he recommends that the WCC come up with a process or scope of what we want to see in a plan for Warner. There are many different approaches and the cost will depend on what we request. Some suggestions made included a build-out analysis, and review of Town regulations. Some consultants have no mapping capability and would have to subcontract this component. Brian will outline a set of objectives for the conservation plan and email this around for comments. This can then be used to get cost estimates from several consultants.

Land Protection
Courser Phase 3 - Brian reported that the closing on this project has been completed. He complemented Ausbon Sargent for coordinating this complex easement. A public site walk in the spring needs to be scheduled.
Bound Tree Parcel - Brian said this project is progressing smoothly. The title abstract is done and is clean. The survey work is between one quarter and one half complete. The easement document is almost finished. 
A walk on the Bound Tree property was scheduled for February 14th. Brian will invite the Stones to participate and will see if Dave Anderson of the Forest Society can make it.

Other Business
Town Report - John Dabuliewicz has circulated his draft of the WCC’s 2008 report.
Wetlands Issues - Received the Town’s application to DES for Connors Mill Bridge replacement
Also received was DES notice of complete application of Joppa Road culvert replacement.
Chris reported a concerned abutter’s contact concerning the construction of a house in Davisville along the river.
Newsletter article - Brian will submit an article on Courser, Bound Tree easements and the NRI public presentation. Nancy reported that Mimi Wiggin wants to submit an article on the CC experiences in conservation work the late 30’s in Warner. This could be the WCC submission for the next edition.
Digital Tax Map Update - Jim reported that the Selectmen have encumbered $3,300 of last year’s funds to pay for updating to the digital tax map from 2002 to 2008.
Chris reported that she had spoken to the Trail Snails Club about hosting Susie vonOettingen’s talk on bats and the timing doesn’t work for their annual meeting. She will check with Rachel DeThomas about scheduling the Bookends for the talk.

The next meeting is February 4, 2009.

Meeting adjourned at 8:25 P.M.