Town of Walpole, New Hampshire

Conservation Commission Minutes

June 2, 2025

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

Members Present: Nicole Adams, Wendy Grossman, Paul Happ, Peter Palmiotto (Co-chair), John Peska (Co-chair & Presider), Carolyn Vose (Selectboard)

Alternates Present: Tom Beaudry

Members Absent: France Menk, Lewis Shelley

Visitors Present: Kara Dexter, Hale Morrell, Nick Tsichlis

Call to Order: John called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall. 

Seating of Alternatives: No Alternates were needed for this meeting.

Review and Approval of Minutes

After a discussion of the process of creating, publishing and storing minutes, Peter moved that the word “Minutes” be added to the title, and the notice that these are draft minutes be moved from the end to the top of the minutes.  Nicole seconded and the motion carried unanimously.  (See above.)

There is one correction to the 5/5/2025 minutes: the bird walk to be led by Chris Liazos will be at 9:00 am on Saturday, June 28th, i.e. before the Old Home Days Parade, not after as the minutes said.  Paul moved to accept the May 5, 2025 minutes as amended. John seconded and the motion carried unanimously. 

Public Business

Financial Report: 

• Conservation $280,663.74 (as of 5/13/2025)
• Forestry $52,368.91

It was noticed that the budget vs. actual report seems to have too high an actual figure for trail maintenance.  John will follow up with Rich Kreissle.

Correspondence: The Commission received the Selectboard approval for Paul to serve as Commissioner. There is a postcard from NH Lakes for a meeting on June 5th.  We received thanks from Becky Pearson, winner of the winter trail contest, for her prize which she looks forward to using as she hikes around Town.

The Commission also received a letter from Hale Morrell stating that she would like to serve as an Alternate on the Conservation Commission.  Peter moved to approve Hale as an Alternate.  Paul seconded and the motion was approved unanimously.  Hale is recommended to the Selectboard. 

New Business

None

Old Business

Forest for the Birds Contract: Nicole reported that the Hooper Board approved the study and agreed to pay half the cost.  They also requested that a Conservation member be point person – Peter volunteered to continue. Chris Liazos contacted Monadnock Conservancy about the two study points on their land.  There is no problem continuing to use the two points, but they cannot help pay for the study.  As a result, Chris took the two study points out of the cost to Walpole, but the sites will still be monitored and included in the final report.  The cost to the Conservation Commission and to Hooper Institute will be $572 each.

Gateway Invasives: The contract was amended to state that treatments will be done after June 30th as agreed to in email conversations.  The contract has been signed.

Old Home Days Planning: Not everything for Conservation is in the current published schedule, but it will be in a printed update and all electronic versions of the schedule.  Fish and Game has been asked to be at the Conservation table.  There will also be a chart of invasives.  The invasives chart will be posted at Recycling after Old Home Days to help people recognize any invasives so they can be burned instead of composted.  The bird walk in town will be on Saturday at 9:00.  The Trail Committee will be at the Gateway on Sunday for a 7:00 AM bird walk and 10:00 AM River Ramble on the new trail.  The Trail Committee table on Saturday will have maps of Walpole trails available.  Wendy will send an update to the Walpolean after the Trail Committee meets this month. 

Trail Committee

Updates: The Trail Committee would like to have a tablecloth with the Committee’s name for Old Home Days.  The cost for the tablecloth and the printing is $150.  Since it would only be used a couple times a year, the Commission doesn’t feel it is a good use of tax dollars.  Several less expensive ideas were suggested. 

HOT (Help our Trails) Day had fewer people this year, but they accomplished a lot.  Seventeen people broke into four groups.  Three groups worked on the Rail Trail and the other group worked at Mill Pond removing a downed tree and leveling the path.  The new tools (two pulaskis and a rogue hoe) arrived in time and were helpful, and the cost ($225.49) was significantly less than the amount approved.  

Green Mountain Club looked at the Academy Ravine.  It is very steep, and it is not a good idea to put a trail there.  There could be a rim trail, but it is all private property.  Concern was expressed about some of the trees down in the Ravine and damage that could be caused if one gives way and causes flooding.

Rail Trail Brush Hog: The hay at the Gateway is looking good.  The Town has insurance information for brush hogging the Rail Trail.  The latest version of the contract from the State just arrived and is awaiting Selectboard approval.

Other Business

Dam Updates: no report

Hooper Institute Board Update: The Bird Count approval was already discussed.  The Board meets Tuesday.

Fanny Mason: Kara reported there is a lot of standing water which means lots of wet trash.  However, there is less litter since Fance put up the signs.  It is not clear whether the signs or wet weather are responsible.  The north-bound rest area is particularly bad with standing water in the path to the shelter and deeper standing water beside the walk.  This area is always a problem, not just this year.  There was a discussion of unmowed grass, standing water and needing a new path to the shelter.  It was decided additional information and estimates are needed in order to develop a plan to correct the issues.

Next Meeting July 7, 2025 – Agenda

• North-bound rest area:  unmowed grass, standing water and the path to the shelter.

Adjournment:  John declared the meeting adjourned at 8:23 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary

Tagged: CONSERVATION COMMISSION, Meeting Minutes