Minutes
Members Present
Jennifer Polcari, Fred Ernst, Deborah Hinman, Charles Montgomery, Carol Drummond, and Sam Sutcliffe.
Members Absent
Austin Hunter, Cathy MacDonald, Michael Heidorn, Susan Lichty
Public Present
Richard Morrison
Introduction to those who have not met Richard before. He plans to seek an appointment from the town of Langdon to be a representative on the LAC. Cathy will get him the paperwork. Richard is a fisherman and is retired from the world of electronics.
Minutes of August 2009
A correction to the number of acres in the Silver Mountain easement was made (1,750 acres not 3,000).
Carol Drummond moved and Sam Sutcliffe seconded that the minutes of August 26, 2009 be accepted as amended. Motion passed.
Call for New Business
Treasurer’s Report – Sam Sutcliffe
A written report dated 9/24/09 was received from the Treasurer with signed copies to Co-Chair Montgomery and the Secretary. The balance as of August 1, 2009 was $7764.60. See attached report.
The Treasurer and Co-chair (CM) have completed the paperwork at the Savings Bank of Walpole to change the signature forms at the Walpole Savings Bank. The Cold River LAC requires that two of its officers always must sign any checks that exceed $1,000.
A brief discussion about keeping “official records” resulted in a plan for Deb Hinman to continue to keep annual binders with records of each meeting that include the draft and approved minutes, Treasurer’s Reports, and copies of other information that comes before the meeting. She has all the meeting records since the start of “Friends of the Cold River” in 1996 and the transition to an official Local Advisory Committee in 2000 and will continue to maintain this collection.
Management Plan Distribution Update
q Jen and Mike Heidorn met with the Langdon Planning Board last night. Mike presented his slide show and talk about watershed and water quality protection. He was able to show how use of the Management Plan can help towns in these goals. There was also one Selectman present. Jen felt the evening was very well received.
Water Quality Monitoring –Sam Sutcliffe in Mike’s absence
Sam and Mike visited the dairy farm (Bascom and Kimball) as a follow up to Mike’s efforts to help them track the water quality situation. They were given a tour of the facility. The manure pit was designed by NRCS years ago. The bottom is concrete; liquids are spread on hay fields; solids go on cornfields. A drain in the barnyard may be where the problems are originating. DES has taken samples and will let us know soon what they find. Things are still under discussion but it feels good to be able to help a local farm come up with solutions.
Mike sent an email with other information:
q Next water quality monitoring will be on 10/6, 10/7 or 10/8. He will let us know.
q Lake Warren Association Annual Meeting was held on 9/5/09 at the church in East Alstead. Mike and David Deen and Kate Morgan presented information about developing a lake management plan.
q The new gauging station is up, below the new bridge in Alstead not above. Kiosk on library lawn.
q He has met with a local landowner regarding a private well issue.
By-Laws
Tonight is the second meeting to read and consider our proposed by-law changes regarding “co-chairs”. On a motion from Charlie to Fred, the by-laws were amended unanimously. Debby will update them and indicate the 9-24-09-amendment date. Article IVA will now read, “The Officers of the Committee shall consist of a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson or Co-Chairs, Secretary and Treasurer.”
Charlie and Debby each reported that their towns have websites on which our minutes are posted.
Designated River Signs
Sue and Mike were absent tonight but word was sent that the Alstead application for a sign on the new bridge has been re-sent to DES and Sue will follow the project until it is completed.
Land Protection
Deb reported that she would renew her efforts to make contact with a landowner on the river regarding the land protection issue. She will also contact DES about the logistics of an LAC owning land.
Stream Crossing Rules
Jen will review existing rules and send us a draft of her proposed letter to DES.
Trout, Pools, and Rocks –Fred Ernst
A. Cold River Materials has not contacted anyone about repairs to the dam that creates their impoundment for cleaning gravel. They must be getting enough water impounded to withdraw what they need?
B. Was post-flood Warren Brook work sustainable? The stream is now 7 feet below the floodplain and it used to be 2 feet. Sean Sweeney has been hired to assess the NRCS work done on this brook.
C. Sean Sweeney is also doing work in the Griffin Hill area. Fred will invite him to our October LAC meeting. Mike will remain in contact with Sean during the work. ean is also doing some work on the Chase Mill in East Alstead.
D. Web site --
Jen and Karen Winterholer are making progress. We mentioned how much work Anne Sutcliffe put into the website effort when she was volunteering her time and we appreciate her work all over again. Also, we realize how very little most of us LAC members know about websites and computers!
Carol motioned that we adjourn and we did.
Meeting adjourned at 8:45PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Debby Hinman
Secretary