Friends of Willard Brook

Board of Directors Meeting – MINUTES

Thursday, May 6, 2010, 7:00 PM, Willard Brook State Forest Headquarters

 

1.  Attending were Sherisa Sterling, Doug Reynolds, Don Stoddard, Tom Nevins,

     Sussie Holzberlein, Cathy Kristofferson, Joellyn Nevins, Emily Norton, John Bilotti,

     John D’Angelillo, Bruce Colburn, Deborah Smith, Eino Kauppi and Jayne

     Perkins

2.  Corrections to the minutes --- None

3.  Treasurer’s report – Eino – total of $2,389.93 balance.

4.  Membership report – Sussie – Current 57, 1 year or less overdue 21, 1-3 years

     overdue 46.

5.  Publicity

            - not seeing our schedule in Townsend Times, again – Emily will contact

              them.

            - summer newsletter; target date June1 before annual meeting; articles:

              Tuesday morning walks, invasive committee, annual meeting speaker

              on white nose syndrome in bats, have you met; pictures: yurt, vernal pool

              certification, DCR news, and a schedule.

6.  Spring programs so far

            - vernal pool certification. Emily and Cathy identified 10 potential pools, a

              discussion on signs to label vernal pools.  It was decided to label vernal

              pools close to trails but leave the more secluded ones unlabeled.

            - invasive species walk – the biologist from DCR cancelled.  Emily has been

              asked to provide GPS points and pictures.

            - Earth day at Townsend Common went very well, we made $60.00 and

              had lots of interest.

            - Park serve day – a big success 16-18 volunteers; 7 bags of trash.  The

              Nashua River flood left a huge amount of stuff in Pepperell, still to be

              cleaned up.  A group of wheelchair folks and their assistants came to

              Groton and were a lot of help.

7.  Friends of NRRT - Duane

            - Ayer kiosk – Groton center is getting a new kiosk, and maybe the old one

              can be reused at Ayer.

            - washout north of Sandhill Road – Bruce took photos and talked to the

              engineers who will talk to Groton Conservation Commission; then Bruce

              can fix it.

            - mural – no new information

            - planning for Human-powered vehicles day; article for summer - Ed has

              forwarded the request to DCR, NRRT committee will need 10 parking

              places to set up for the event.

8.  Trails – Sussie

            - Dead Swamp Loop – was flagged.  SCA did some of the work on

              bridges/crossings for wet areas but more needs to be done.  We can

              schedule trail maintenance days once we know what is left to be done.

            - summer trail maintenance; where, when?

9.  Fessenden Hill Road gates – In process of being resolved.

 

10. Tuesday morning weekly walks – will be added to FOWB official schedule. 

      From 1 to 13 folks come on the walks per John D., they take several different

      routes.  John D. will find out who is responsible for removal of dead trees

      along Dudley Road.  Ray is to meet with Townsend about the old exercise

      course.

11. Annual meeting plans

            - location set? New meeting room at Townsend’s Senior Center.

            - timing:  6:30-9:00;  6:30 supper; 7:10 election/business; 7:30 speaker

            - invitation addressing: May 13, 6:30 at Emily’s; John B will print the

              invitations and matching envelopes. Joellyn and Tom and Jayne to help.

            - meal plans: drinks – John B will bring. placemats and utensils are in pretty

              good supply but Joellyn will make sure. 

            - setting up:  5:00 PM Joellyn, Tom, Emily and Jayne

            - nominating committee; update had a couple new people, maybe.

12. Mountain bike trail off Vinton Pond Road – DCR is aware of it.  It was also

      brought up that there is a new bike trail at Watatic, Bruce will check into it.

13. Invasive species committee – Document locations and take pictures and get

      the info to DCR.

14. DCR/Forest news – Bruce – Pearl Hill Pond beach sand has been replaced. 

      The Yurt is up but not complete.  It needs a ramp, landscaping, electricity,

      grading and loading ramp and walkways.  High water debris at Damon Pond

      was cleaned up by Bruce.  Beaches fixed for the season. The pond should be

      filled tomorrow.  Mass Highway contracted to have the bridge at Damon

      Pond repaired and  railings replaced.  Guard rails at the parking lot are to be

      replaced.  This year’s  supply of new tables has arrived and is getting stained. 

     The water tests ok at Damon Pond and Pearl Hill, but headquarters water

     didn’t pass and bottled water has been supplied.  There was no staff loss for

     the full time seasonal.

15. A GPS unit for FOWB? Needed for vernal pool certification, trails mapping,

      locating invasive species.  It was voted to spend up to $500.00 for a good

     GPS unit with an antenna.

16. Other business

            - we will need board member to be treasurer – Tom will take over those

              duties for next year.

            - Don to call Jennifer Flanagan about the lack of policy for liability for

              groups working with DCR.

17. Next meeting:  Thursday, June 3, 2010, 7 PM, Willard Brook State Forest

      Headquarters;  Duane to chair.