Town of Georgetown

Town of Georgetown

Conservation CommissionMeeting Minutes

February 21, 2011

7 pm, Town Office

Present:

Members: Jay Holt, Kate MacKay, Sarah Mancini, and Susie Wren. Nancy Kinner was present but non-voting. She had been appointed by the Selectmen prior to the meeting buthad not been sworn in.

Others: Geoff Birdsall (Selectman),Betty Cole, Bob Gravino, Kathy Gravino, Robin Moore, Rosalie Paul, and Jack Swift. Kathy Gravino, Robin Moore, and Rosalie Paul have been put forward to the Selectmen as associate members of the Conservation Commission, but have not yet been approved by the Selectmen.

Meeting was called to order at 7 pm by Kate MacKay, a quorum being present. Kate was elected moderator for this meeting by vote of members present. Kate appointed Kathy Gravino to take minutes of this meeting.

Members agreed to table the election of chair and secretary until after a discussion of goals and functions of the Commission.

Kate MacKay distributed information packets. Handouts distributed and discussed were:

• Notes from the Conservation Commission Interest Meeting of February 5, 2011
• “The Language of Conservation,” Public Opinion Strategies, 2009
• Open Spaces/Conservation section of the Georgetown Comprehensive Plan, 1993
• Table of Georgetown Open Land by category (undated)
• Maine Statutes, Section 3261, “Conservation Commissions”
• Georgetown Conservation Commission History of Accomplishments, Annual Town Reports(1972 – present)
• Working document proposing purposes, functions and duties of the Georgetown Conservation Commission, drafted in the format of a Town Ordinance (Jack Swift, 2011)
• Georgetown Conservation Commission Budget, FY2010-2011
• List of relevant state, federal, and private websites
• Mission statement of the Georgetown Conservation Commission (adopted January 21, 2010): “Engage in constructive activities to conserve resources, promote a healthful environment, educate the public, identify and organize support for issues that impact our neighbors and visitors, and take initiative to seek solutions to conservation related issues.”

Kate MacKay opened discussion of how the Commission will operate and what it will do. She noted that at the Interest Meeting in January, participants expressed most interest in public education, in inventorying town natural resources such as water (quality and quantity) and open space, and in working in partnership with other committees, commissions, and conservation groups to identify and meet community needs. Some duties are mandated by State statutes. Some duties were recommended in the 1993 Georgetown Comprehensive Plan (Rosalie Paul and Betty Cole were part of the town group that prepared that plan). Someduties can be set by the Town or by the Commission.

Nancy Kinner volunteered to get the 1993 Georgetown Comprehensive Plan (or relevant sections) scanned and circulated to Commission members.

Betty Cole passed out a handout of Conservation Commission activities during her time on the Commission. She urged collaboration with other groups on programs and activities to stimulate public support and participation, and regular TIDE coverage. Detailed Conservation Commission records are filed at the Town Office, and Betty offered to meet with Susie Wren and others interested in reviewing those files. Kate MacKay will contact Norm Richard to get Conservation Commission meeting minutes since 2005 that are not on file in the Town Office.

Susie Wren suggested that the Conservation Commission focus on activities mandated by state statute and on whatever the Commission (and the community) is excited about. She asked if one meeting monthly was enough to get the Commission moving. Discussion followed on keeping Commission meetings brief and organized, following a tight agenda, and working in focused interest groups outside of Commission meetings to organize specific programs and activities such as Coastal Cleanup. Jay Holt moved, and Sarah Mancini seconded, that the Commission meet twice monthly on 1st and 3rd Mondays for no more than 1.5 hours each meeting, alternating between 8 am and 7 pm meetings, on a regular schedule which will be posted on the Town calendar. Motion passed unanimously.

Discussion followed on what activities are mandated by the State, and what the Conservation Commission and the Town already do to meet those mandates. Susie Wren has ordered 2010 maps from Steve Walker of BEGINNING WITH HABITAT (beginningwithhabitat.org)that may meet the state index/inventory of open areas requirement. The maps will need to be reviewed for general accuracy. Other mandates include working with other groups within town government and there was discussion about the value of having Conservation Commission members attend Selectmen’s Meetings and meetings of other Town Boards. The Commission is tasked with maintaining trails on the Ipcar Preserve in Five Islands and on the Round the Cove property behind the Town Office, and with organizing the Town’s participation in the international Coastal Cleanup project each September. Betty Cole and Kate MacKay reported that those trails were in good shape going into the 2010/2011 winter season.

Jack Swift suggested the need for a current assessment of groundwater quantity and quality for Georgetown. The in-depth data included in the 1993 Comprehensive Plan is almost 20 years old. Steve Maybee’s study of Georgetown groundwater (of which the Commission has a disk copy) is also comprehensive but is out of date. Nancy Kinner volunteered to look at the Comprehensive Plan and the Maybee study and to report back to the Commission with some recommendations.

Discussion followed on electing a chair and a secretary, to serve until Town Meeting in June, 2011. Jay Holt nominated, and Sarah Mancini seconded, Susie Wren to serve as chair until Town Meeting. Motion passed unanimously. Jay Holt nominated, and Sarah Mancini seconded, Nancy Kinner to serve as secretary until Town Meeting, contingent upon Nancy Kinner being sworn in. Motion passed unanimously.

Betty Cole reported that she and Dave Tudor are drafting a revision of the Conservation Commission’s Georgetown Trail Guide to Open Spaces, since the old one is out of date and also out of print.

Next meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 21, 2011 at 7 pm at the Town Office

Meeting adjourned at 8:35 pm.

Kathy Gravino, acting secretary