Minutes of 8-24-09 Meeting of the Cold River Local Advisory Committee
Members Present
Jennifer Polcari, Fred Ernst, Michael Heidorn, Deborah Hinman, Susan Lichty, Charles Montgomery, and Sam Sutcliffe.
Members Absent
Carol Drummond, Austin Hunter, Cathy MacDonald
Public Present
Richard Morrison, Langdon
Minutes of July 23, 2009
Fred Ernst moved and Mike Heidorn seconded that the minutes of July 23, 2009 be accepted as submitted. Motion passed.
Call for New Business
(Flow Gauge update and Lake Warren Management Plan and delivery of copies of books ordered last mtg)
Treasurer’s Report – Sam Sutcliffe
A written report dated August 27, 2009 was received from the Treasurer with copies to Co-Chair Charlie Montgomery and the Secretary. The only expenditure was to reimburse Debby for the printing of the Management Plan ($360.00). Income was $3.95 in interest and $15.00 for sale of Atlas maps at the Alstead Festival. The balance as of July 31 was $7760.64.
Motion to accept the Treasurer’s report was made by Fred with second from Jen. Motion passed.
The Treasurer mentioned that the Co-chairs will need to change the signature forms at the Walpole Savings Bank from Debby’s signature to their own. This will enable a second signature on any checks that might exceed $1,000. Charlie will take care of this task.
Water Quality Monitoring –Mike Heidorn
Second of three summer collections took place on August 19. Charlie and Fred were able to assist Mike. Mike reported to change in trends.
q Elevated conductivity in Langdon remained, especially on an unnamed tributary to Little Brook in the Ram Brook/Brush Meadow Brook area.
q Crane Brook still has elevated levels as well. DES will come out later in the fall to work with the LAC and a landowner who is trying to solve a problem that may contribute to this.
q Warren Brook continues to show higher temps and turbidity since the ’05 flood.
Mike also reviewed our 9-11 AM event with the Nature Museum at the mouth of the Cold River on August 22. Fifteen people attended this very informative session. David Deen, CRWC River Steward, spoke about fish habitat and the ways of rivers to form and reform themselves and what hints to look for when trying to assess the stability of a river. “Embeddedness” was a new term for most of us that day. Mike closed the day with a talk about the geology of the area and collected a water sample, giving an opportunity to explain to attendees how the probe works and what our work has shown over the years as we have sampled a total of 75 sites (although not all done at each sampling). He explained that we test for turbidity, conductivity, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, relative flow, and, at a few sites, ecoli bacteria and metals. DES runs a quality control check and then posts our results online.
Discussion of Agenda format and order
Charlie and Debby have discussed the concept called a “Tickler File”. This would capture events and ideas that need to be reviewed at future dates and would help the committee stay on top of events and reports that need advance planning. Sue moved and Fred seconded that we adopt the Tickler File process. Motion passed. Jen will keep this file.
Jen proposed that we table the item about “conducting effective meetings” until next month, which met with approval.
Deb reported that she has nothing new to report on the Acworth land protection parcel so that item will be passed over tonight.
By Laws of May 23, 2003
Charlie explained that because our Bylaws describe “Chair and Vice-Chair” we do need to change them to allow “Co-Chairs”. Sam moved and Sue seconded that we add “or co-chairs” to Article IVA. Motion passed. Sentence will now read “The Officers of the Committee shall consist of a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson or Co-Chairs, Secretary and Treasurer.”
Article VII F states “Approved minutes shall be forwarded to the Selectmen or other appropriate board or commission for each of the waterfront towns named in Article IIIA.”
Discussion of sharing approved minutes took place. It was agreed to Sue, Jen, Mike, Debby and Charlie will send approved minutes to their town boards and/or to the website that posts town minutes.
David Deen, Mike Heidorn, Betsy Stacey Rivers Presentation of August 22
Quick follow up to include that Rose Miller of Brewery Road was present and reported that it took legal action to solve the problem of a redirected water flow over her property. However, she reminded us that the water flow still continues to carry turbid water directly to the Cold River although no longer over her own property.
Designated River Signs – Sue
Sue spoke with Laura Weit and our signs will be coming soon. They are singled sided so two are needed at each site, one on each side of the road. DOT will look at the sites in Walpole and Lempster. Supplies (posts) need to be picked up in Concord (Fred will handle this). Mike asked about signs on the new Alstead bridge once it is finished. We are in agreement to pay for another set. Deb moved and Fred seconded that we purchase signs for the Alstead site not to exceed $130. Motion passed.
Management Plan – Charlie
Additional distribution accomplished since last meeting includes:
q Mike to Alstead CC and Planning Board. Question was asked if we have prioritized the actions, which we have not.
q Deb to Acworth CC
q Charlie to Walpole Planning Board.
q Jen to Langdon Planning Board where they received an enthusiastic reception. Others present would also like copies. Discussion on how to handle this. Feelings of the LAC seemed to be that the building inspector should have a copy of his own.
Programs for Future Presentations
Sue would like us to meet in Lempster sometime soon to walk the Keyes Hollow Road some Saturday morning at 9am.
Mike wants to talk about a winter water monitoring series.
Storage of CRLAC Materials
Debby will keep all CRLAC materials at her house for the time being, including all of the binders from 1996 – 2008.
Stream Crossing Rules
Jen will write a letter to DES and send us a copy.
Testing Days and Sites
To be determined later says Mike.
Trout, Pools, and Rocks –Fred Ernst
Fred is glad to have a better sense of the whole river after working on the water quality monitoring for the entire day last week. He has contacted Sean Sweeney, John Magee, Jim MacCartney to learn more about what was done after the flood and what is needed for improved fish habitat. We know that the work done after the flood was of huge time pressure to get the banks stabilized. In Warren Brook at least, the gorge is deeper now and with greater slope. Sean Sweeney has sent his contract to Alstead for restoration work of the section below Cooper Hill. His work will also assess the whole of Warren Brook and design restoration plans for the rest of the sections below Cooper Hill. The Town of Alstead is ready to sign the contract at this point.
Fred has done a lot of research on this important topic and will keep members updated via email as he learns more.
Website-Jen
Jen and Karen Winterholer have made progress but snags keep appearing. Jen will see it through to solution before hiring Karen to take the project on
As new chair, Charlie stated that he does not want mail and notices and other papers to be brought to our meetings and take up undue meeting time unless they have first been announced via email so members can assess if they might be interested (or not) in spending time on such items. Charlie and Jen will send emails to members of all phone calls, emails and mail received between meetings from members and others. It was suggested that perhaps these workshop fliers and other news of interest could be brought up each meeting under “New Business”, thus not take time away from items needing more attention during the meeting but not preclude sudden finds of interest on day of meeting. There was no voting on these matters but the chair asked that members think of how we might conduct our business most effectively at our monthly meetings.
New Business-members
q Mike is pleased to report that the Stream Gauge has not been forgotten. He met with US Geological Survey team, DES, Alstead CC and Bruce Bellows of the Historical Society to discuss how and where to install the new gauging stating. It can be built on the downstream side of the bridge to accommodate a covered walking bridge that is yet to be built and still have flow and other educational information available at a kiosk and/or bulletin board.
q Mike reports that the Lake Warren Association will meet in East Alstead on Saturday September 5 at 9AM for their Annual Labor Day meeting. The Monadnock Conservancy staff will present important information about natural resource mapping and water quality protection and voluntary land protection information. Also, Mike, Kate Morgan and David Deen will present their proposal to prepare a Lake Management Plan for the Association!
q Debby brought copies to those who ordered them of the newly published book, Where the Great River Rises that we received from the Joint Rivers Commission.
q Notice has been received that Local Advisory Committees are now required to comment on all Shoreland Protection wetland applications from applicants along the river. Conservation Commissions have been removed from this obligation, which makes LAC comment more important that ever.
q Sue handed out materials from the Forest Society about a hike on Silver Mountain in Lempster on September 26. A large land protection project is underway there. Successful fund raising will protect 1750 acres.
q Sam has been reappointed as an Alstead rep to the LAC.
Richard Morrison will talk with Mike at a later date about some water quality issues of interest to him.