Friends of Willard Brook

Board of Directors Meeting MINUTES

September 15, 2011

 

1. Present:  Ed Torcoletti, Sussie Holzberlein, Deborah Smith, Suzannah Black, Sherisa Sterling,

               Diane Conde, Jennifer Pettit, Ray Jackson, Emily Norton

2.  Emily Norton opens the meeting by reading the purposes of FOWB stated in the by-laws.

3.  Meeting minutes from the last meeting – no updates, approved as is.

4.  Treasurer’s Report

               $2,117.95 in the bank.  We spent $1,150.00 as a contribution for the eradication of the Phragmites in   

               the Dead Swamp.  Balance to come from a partnership grant.

5.  Membership

                64 Current and active members

                21 less than 1 year overdue

                25 less than 3 years overdue

6.  Officers for 2011

                Emily Norton – President, Joellyn Nevins – Vice President, Tom Nevins – Treasurer, Diane Conde –

               Secretary.    Vote approved unanimously.

7.  Publicity

                Emily Norton has the fall schedule out to the newspapers

                Suggests adding another drawing session – Deborah to run – October 1st at  10:00AM, Pearl Hill

               Sandwich Boards – Diane found inexpensive sandwich boards on Amazon – 24 X 32 $50.99.  The DCR

              has one that we can use.  Board made the decision to use the DCR sandwich board and hold off on

              purchasing another one for now.

8.  Face Book page is up and running.  We need to get the word out.  We can place events easily out there as

      well has share information and pictures within the group.

9.  Summer Events –

                Blueberry picking - 6 people

                Hike – no attendance – very hot weather

                Fly Fishing - ?

                Beavers - ?

                Native – 2 people

                Aquatic Plants – 5 people

                Trail work – 7 People

10.  We discussed fall programs – (copy from events)

11.  Friends of Nashua River Rail Trail – subsidiary of FOWB – They want to raise funds on their own.  Because

        FOWB is licensed as a non-profit and they are a subsidiary, they will have to do it under FOWB.

        They also plan a second mural on the rail road bed with a rail road theme.

12.  Invasive Committee –

                Phragmites – Tom Flannery with the Wetlands DCR gathered 4 bids for the project. Lycott Environmental

        was awarded the project.   They came in with a price of $2,900 for the initial clearing and $400 yearly

        maintenance for additional growth removal per visit or $800/season.  The work is to be completed by the

        end of October.

13.  Controversy about invasive control.   Emily raises this topic and the group is generally in agreement that we

        should support efforts to prevent harmful invasive from destroying native plants.  Suggested that the next

        project be the removal of Bittersweet at the beginning of the Friends trail near the apple trees.  Jennifer

       Pettit suggested we cut the plants and bring in a licensed applicator to paint the stems with herbicide. – DCR

       has licensed applicators we can access.

14.  Fessenden Hill Road gate – one gate purchased – will be installed on the Townsend end of the road.

15.  Photo Contest – We received many pictures, but only had two applicants competition.  The group will pick

        the top three pictures and each applicant will receive a hat and tee shirt, along with a membership.

16.  ATV Policy – DCR has a policy that states that any activity that harms the resource is not allowed.  In August

        Jennifer Pettit organized a meeting at the town hall with members from the Conservation Commission,

       Environmental Police, Fish and Wildlife and the Chief of Police in Townsend.  They discussed joint

        enforcement with the local police.  FOWB can help with the donation of money for patrols at $170 per

        session.  Sharon Jordan of Lunenburg also wrote a letter outlining the laws for the abutters to state land. 

        We are welcome to use the letter and distribute it in Townsend.  We would need to spend a bit of time

        gathering the names and addresses of abutters to the land.  It was also suggested that we post the land at

        common trail heads.  Bruce has some signage we can use and the group decided it would be a good use of

        our time.   Signage first, followed by letters and possible a newspaper article to inform and educate the

        public.

17.  Trail Committee - The Friends trail cleanup was a success.  We used a lead based paint and Emily asked if we

        could use lead-free paint instead.  Bruce confirmed that it would not be an issue.

18.  Fund Raising – We need suggestions for other fund raising activities.  Emily is willing to research other local

        grants monies available and suggests perhaps a yard sale or flea market.  Deborah suggested Earth Day as

        the proper venue for such an activity.  The DCR has funds available in a conservation trust for use by park

        programs.  Ed is willing to fill out the appropriate paperwork to make it happen.  We will revisit this idea.  A

        silent auction at the annual meeting was suggested as well as seeking donations from local businesses. 

19.  FOWB Winter Carnival – Should we have one this year?  There is a question of insurance costs and special

        use permits.  Ed will check to see we are able to do without insurance as it may not be worth the effort if we

        have to pay for liability insurance.

20.  Emily met with Senator Flanagan.  She agreed to research the liability issue with DCR.  She sent a letter

        DCR commissioner to ask that DCR’s procedures support what was intended in the liability legislation and

        eliminate the need for Friends groups to purchase liability insurance.

21.  Squannacook River – The River is blocked by deadfall in many places along the river.  There was a walk

        scheduled and Russ Cohen will schedule another walk calling for help to clear the waterways.

22.  Expanded Bottle Bill – Tabled for more information.

23. October 15 – Training session for Volunteer Safety in Waltham – October 22nd – Friends Network Conference

       – Emily will attend and asked if other want to join her.

24.  DCR Forest News – It was a good summer with the campgrounds being sold out most weekends.  Not much

         trouble during the season and the water quality was good most of the year.  There were a couple of weeks

         in August with high bacteria counts – particularly after a hard rain.  Fall staffing is light through Columbus

         Day and they’ll be focused on the Loop Road washouts and the fire break in TSF.  There will be a controlled

         burn also scheduled in TSF off of Route 13.

25.  Other News – Squanacook Rail Trail News and Mass Trials moving together?  Sussie has EMS club days

        discount cards and proof of membership if anyone is interested.

 

Next Meeting October 13th at the Willard Brook Headquarters.