TOWN OF WALPOLE, NEW HAMPSHIRE

CONSERVATION COMMISSION

MARCH 3, 2025

Members Present: Nicole Adams, Wendy Grossman, France Menk, John Peska, Co-Chair (Presiding), Lewis Shelley

Alternates Present: Tom Beaudry, Paul Happ

Members Absent: Peter Palmiotto, Co-Chair

CALL TO ORDER: John called the meeting to order at 7:03 PM in the Town Hall. 

REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES

France moved to accept the February 3, 2025 minutes as written. Wendy seconded and all voted in favor. The motion carried.

PUBLIC BUSINESS

Financial Report: 

• Conservation $ 244,033.71
• Forestry $ 51,988.87
• The Hubbard Fund donated $9,731.25 that will be added to Conservation.

Correspondence:  Cheshire County Conservation’s Meet and Greet will be March 6.

NEW BUSINESS

Member Renewals: Alicia Flammia is not renewing, and she will be missed.  Peter and France have submitted letters to the Selectboard Office expressing interest in another three-year term.  Wendy moved the Commission approve Peter and France as continuing members on the Commission.  Nicole seconded.  With all present in favor, Peter and France were unanimously approved for another term.  Next month a new member will be selected to succeed Alicia.  Everyone on the Commission is asked to recruit possible Alternates. 

Commission and Property Monitoring Files: The Commission’s left cabinet is not full.  The bottom drawer of the right cabinet could be cleared to the other cabinet to make room for property monitoring records.  At some point, John and Peter need to look at historical files to determine what can be purged.  By consensus the bottom drawer will be cleared and used for property monitoring.  In the future the old files can be sorted and purged.  NHACC may be able to provide guidance on what to save and the Selectboard Office may also have guidelines.

John moved that the Commission thank Alicia Flammia and recognize her for her twelve years on the Commission, including several as Chair.  Seconded by France.  The motion passed unanimously, and the Conservation Commission thanked Alicia for her service.

Annual Goals: 

• Old Home Days: it was agreed that the Commission wants to have a booth on the Common on Saturday.  We will have a map of the conservation land in Town, and perhaps experts on the local wildlife.  The Trail Committee will also have a table next to Conservation with maps of trails.
• The tree planting will continue this year.  The Tree Committee will develop a plan for the Common and some of the streets in the village.
• There is interest in determining if some Class VI roads should be designated as Class A trails so they can be improved and maintained.  A Class A trail is a temporary status, and abutting landowners may continue to use vehicles on the trail.  The Selectboard can designate Class A trails and can also change them back to Class VI roads.

OLD BUSINESS

All agenda items will be discussed next month when the appropriate experts are available.

OTHER BUSINESS

Dam: John just received the minutes of the January meeting to determine how to proceed with the Reservoir Dam.  The project will be broken into two parts: first the culvert replacement and drainage which is critical to prevent property damage, and later the slope of the dam.

Hooper Institute Board Update: The Board meets Wednesday.  They are focusing on finding Helen Dalbeck’s successor and filling the part-time educator position.

Trail Committee:  The Rail Trail brush Hogging will need another special use permit this year as the long-term permission form is being revised and not currently available.  Walpole did not get the 2024 bond back, so it needs to be rolled over to 2025.  Brush hogging will be $450 each time for the third year, but the price may have to increase in 2026.

Help Our Trails, a town-wide trail work event, will be held on May 3rd.  This year the Trail Committee plans to focus its trail maintenance work on the Rail Trail and the Mill Pond Trail.

Conservation Commission on the Town Website: Access has been granted, and training is available so the Conservation Microsite can be updated as discussed last month.

Rest Area Work: Due to the weather this winter the April workday will have to be postponed to June.

AGENDA FOR APRIL 7, 2025

• New Commission member
• Gateway and Hooper Invasives – Alex Barrett
• Fanny Mason Logging – Alex Barrett
• Bird Study – Antioch graduate student

ADJOURNMENT: John declared the meeting adjourned at 8:17 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary

(Note:  These are unapproved Minutes. Corrections will be found in the Minutes of the April 7, 2025 Conservation Commission meeting.)

Tagged: CONSERVATION COMMISSION, Meeting Minutes