Georgetown Conservation Commission

Meeting Minutes

October 14, 2013 – Town Office

Meeting called to order at 7:04 pm

  1. Quorum determined: Present were: Robin Moore* (Chair), Jay Holt*, Rosalie Paul**, John Hagan*, Kate MacKay**, Nancy Kinner *, Bill Plummer (*=Conservation Commission member; ** Associate Member).
  2. Minutes from September 9, 2013 meeting were approved, as presented.
  3. Project Updates
  • Trails/Map – Robin/John – No report. Does not need to be included in future agendas.
  • Coastal Clean-Up - Jay
  • Issue with GTWN having a different date from State of Maine. 33 participants (last year 72, no Nature Conservancy this year). 479 lbs of material collected. 11.5 miles covered. Driftwood not included this year, so weight is down. Little fishing gear and no lobster traps this year, probably because no storms prior to the date. Perception that public seems to be more aware of issue of trash. Kudos to Jay.

ACTION: Jay will submit report to Select Board and UNH students will add data to the GIS file.

  • Project Canopy Grant – John, Kate, Robin
  • Asecond community meeting was held on September 26th at 7PMat the GCC. There were 40-50 people in attendance. There was a perception that the CC was in favor of clear cutting. The CC concluded that there is little we can do about this perception. CC needs to write a White Paper to be circulated to the Town. Kate has sent thank you notes to all those who listed their email.
  • School children collected data for the project before the leaves fell. This was a successful field programs with students. Kudos to John, Kate, Rosalie, Ruth, Robin and Kathy who helped.
  • Angie Mead is willing to organize a working party to clean up the trees on the trails. There could be a liability issue.

ACTION: John will write the options report. Billy Plummer will explore the insurance issue.

  • Marsh Migration Team (MMT) and Sea Level Rise Project – Renamed the Climate Change-Sea Level Rise Project
  • Climate Change-Sea Level Rise Project – Kate/John
  • Students have vulnerability report outline. They are coming to GTWN on Nov 2 at 9 AM. There will also be a field trip and a potluck that night.
  • The CC answered the students ‘ questions.
  • Midcoast Council of Governments representative will meet with Kate and John about this project.
  • KELT Water Monitoring Project - Jay (for Ruth)
  • Laboratory work has improved with experience. Data collection is going well.
  • Island Sustainability Committee (ISC) – Rosalie
  • The Harvest Potluck on Saturday, October 5that the GCC went well. The event was fun and well attended. The food was delicious and the music fine. Kudos to all, especially Rosalie.
  • ACTION:Pitchers of water were needed. Food dishes should be labeled as to whether vegetarian. Musicians should be fed first. Kids could read poems or play instruments.
  • Facebook Page and Marketing CC –Robin, Kate, John
  • Thanks to John, CC Wordpress site has a registered web address and host as well as software. The site now needs to be built.
  • MACC-Kathy
  • Kathy is getting emails and will report as needed to the CC. It will be dropped from the regular agenda.

IV.Old Business

  • Recycling Promotion
  • John talked with Dave Polito of the Solid Waste Committee. The Town has a contract with Lincoln County Recycling.

ACTION: John and Davewill go on a field trip to the single stream recycling facility in the Portland area.

  1. New Business:
  2. We need to compile an email list for the CC. This could be in an Excel spreadsheet, by event/interest. Kate will work on this. Rosalie will send her the lists.
  3. Ruth will be teaching in the GTWN school about climate change and sea level rise. She is working with Matt on this.
  4. KELT is doing a program in November 21 on the area’s marsh migration project. GTWN is waiting to hear from them about this meeting. Kate will write to Liz Hertz (State of ME) about this matter.
  5. Next Meeting: November 11, 2013 at 7 PM.

A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting at 8:21 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy Kinner

Secretary

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