Minutes for the Regular Meeting of the

Walpole Conservation Commission

January 9, 2017

Present:  John Peska, Lew Shelley, Alicia Flammia, Jackie Kensen (arrived after start of meeting); Alternate Members: Gary Speed, Myra Mansouri, Peter Palmiotto; Whit Aldrich (Selectboard Representative), Elaine Heleen, alt (acting as secretary)

Not Present:  Tom Beaudry (Chair); Kelli Wilson, Duncan Watson

Call To Order:  Mr. Peska, Vice-Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:31 PM.

Seating of Alternates:  Mr. Palmiotto, Mr. Speed & Ms. Mansouri were seated to achieve quorum.

Review and Approve Minutes: Mr. Shelley moved to accept the Minutes of the December 5, 2016 meeting as presented.  Mr. Speed seconded the motion.  With all in favor, the minutes were approved.

PUBLIC SESSION:

Report from Chair:

Treasury / Budget:  The Conservation Commission Savings Account at 11/30/16 has a balance of $88,466.24. The Forestry Fund is $33,625.16. A deposit of $5,425.33 was made on 11/17 and $6,574.85 was made on 11/28.  This money will be going to the Water Company.

Correspondence:

• Comprehensive Environmental Incorporated letter about their partnership with NHDOT for the project to improve @3 miles of NH Route 12 from North Walpole to just north of the NH 12A overpass. The Department’s project website: http://www.nh.gov/dot/projects/walpole14747/index.htm

NEW BUSINESS:

• Peggy Pschirrer reports on the future possible donation of the Westberg Estate property (Map 20 Lot 65 & 66) to the town. This is the Central Plating Co property and as a brownfield is eligible for Federal funds. SWRPC in partnership with Branson Engineering did Phase II and Phase I assessments in 2015 under the impression that they had someone willing to purchase the property. This fell through but SWRPC voted at their 1/3/17 meeting to begin to clean up the property.  New requirements were added such as the test for PFCs. Lot 65 had a wastewater treatment plant for the Plating Co. and is highly contaminated with nickel, chromium, arsenic and others, therefore the soil will have to be removed. Updated tests will be done and a remediation plan will be subject to state and federal approval. Only after it is cleaned up and declared free of liability will the Selectboard move forward with the process designated in RSA 41-14B (as approved at the 2002 Town Meeting). Part of that process will be to get approval by the Conservation Commission and the Planning Board, but that is some time in the future. In October, the Selectboard will apply for 2 grants of $200,000 for each piece of property with the Town being liable for 20% of each of the grants.  Pschirrer already has pledges towards part of that 20%. After the cleanup and donation process is complete, the properties will probably be turned into parking lots as that is what is needed. Mrs. Pschirrer will return with an update and will ask at that time for a letter of support to go with the grant application.
• Walpole Town Forests Management Plan ideas can draw from the Walpole Conservation Plan of 2006 which will be made available to the Conservation Members for review.

OLD BUSINESS:

• Town Forester: Six applications for Town Forester have come in and will need to be reviewed. Mr. Palmiotto provided a list and map of Town Owned Conservation Land. Mr. Palmiotto moved  to call a special meeting on 1/23/17 @7:30pm to review the applications with notices to be posted one week prior.  Mansouri seconded the motion.  With all in favor, the proposal was approved.

OTHER BUSINESS:

• Andy Toefler would like to go through the Conservation Files to create a database of Conservation Lands including date of acquisition, easement language and terms of protection. He was told to go through the Selectboard and that he must be supervised when going through the files.
• Members whose terms are expiring include Tom Beaudry, Lew Shelley and Elaine Heleen. Beaudry will be stepping down.  Mr. Shelley will decide by next meeting.  Ms. Heleen would like to continue on the Commission.  This will be discussed at the next meeting.

Next Meeting:  The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 6, 2017 at 7:30 PM.

ADJOURNMENT: Mr. Speed moved to adjourn this meeting.  Mr. Palmiotto seconded.  With all members in favor, the meeting was adjourned at 8:47 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Elaine Heleen, Acting Recording Secretary