The Walpolean

Members Present:

Alicia Flammia (Chair), Jackie Kensen, Lew Shelley, Kelli Wilson, Laura Hayes

Alternates Present:

Elaine Heleen, Gary Speed

Members Absent

John Peska (Vice Chair), Myra Mansouri, Peter Palmiotto, Duncan Watson

Others Present:

Cheryl Mayberry (Selectboard Representative), Steven Dumont (Recording Secretary), Joe & Barbara Jackson (Guests)

Call to Order: Alicia Flammia, Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM.

Seating of Alternates: As a quorum of regular members was present, no seating of Alternates was required.

Review and approve minutes – January 8, 2018. Corrections; Bryon Fletcher’s name was misspelled on page 1. Jackie made a motion to accept the minutes as corrected. Kelli seconded. With all in favor, the minutes were accepted as corrected.

Public Business:

1. Treasury: besides about $200, all the forestry and conservation account money is in the PDIP account. Copies of Trust Fund and bank statements were given to Steven for filing.

2. Correspondence:

a. An email was sent to the WCC asking for support to an anti-wildlife-trafficking bill.

b. The WCC received a copy of a letter from the Selectboard thanking William Callahan for his land donation. Alicia to follow up with Mr. Callahan about getting the property surveyed.

c. Received a letter from the Society for the Protection of NH Forests reminding the WCC that they are expecting monitoring reports for conservation easements, due 1/15/18 (Jackie has completed them and sent in).

d. Received a notice about the budget hearing on Thursday Feb 8th at the Walpole Town Hall.

e. Received a note that the WCC needs to contact the NH DES to change the address for Alicia.

f. Received a notice from the NH DES about upcoming Aquatic Resource Mitigation fund workshops.

g. Received a letter from Peter Rhodes noting that he just sent the final stumpage payment from the Watershed Town Forest to the Selectman’s office, in the amount of $765.90. He also enclosed a final invoice for his services, and noted that the new town forester should get in touch with him to transfer the large volume of maps and materials that he has.

New Business:

1. Joe and Barbara Jackson were in attendance. They own 22 acres with forest and open space, abutting the Neerie property. They are considering conservation possibilities and came to the WCC looking for more information. Lew recommended that they talk with the Monadnock Conservancy, as they hold the easement on the Neerie property. They may be interested in taking this on.

2. Appointments: John Peska, Kelli Wilson and Myra Mansouri are all up for reappointment. All would like to stay on the WCC. They need to submit a letter of interest to the town. Cheryl recommends that Alicia write to the selectboard and let them know that she approves their reappointment.

3. Garland Lumber Invoice: WCC received a notice from the tax office that there is an outstanding invoice to Garland Lumber in the amount of $6,618.52. Alicia to follow up.

Old Business:

1. Reservoir Dam: John not in attendance, Alicia has not heard back with an update.

2. Antioch University Internship: Laura has committed to doing the internship. The $2,000 stipend has been previously approved. Alicia needs to work out administrative details with Sarah Downing. Laura would like to do some work from home, and not have this be part of an official Antioch internship. Laura asked for $100 to cover the student licensing fee for the software. Jackie made a motion that the WCC fund the $100 fee. Lew seconded. With all in favor, the motion was passed. Lew would like trails info included in the easements. Laura will get started.

3. Fannie Mason Feasibility Study: Lew will walk forest and get started in late March /early April, and will bill for his services on completion.

4. Long View Forest Walk: WCC is waiting for a new date from Long View.

5. Bill Callahan Land Donation: Alicia will update WCC when she hears back on survey proposals.

6. Town Conservation Maps: Laura & Peter are working on the draft. Laura passed around her laptop with the progress so far.

Other Business:

1. Alicia would like to have a WCC outing day in the spring.

2. Trail volunteers: Lew would like to have a day in mid April for trail work, maintenance etc. Date TBD.

3. Gary Speed mentioned that a resident is having trouble with the Cold River and erosion. The WCC may be hearing from her.

4. Steven mentioned that the Charlestown Conservation Commission got copies of all Intent to Cuts, keeping them in the loop on where forestry operations are being done. This was included in their correspondence. Alicia to ask for copies from the selectboard.

5. Steven mentioned that he is interested in becoming an alternate as well as the Recording Secretary. Cheryl will look into this.

Adjournment: At 8:37 PM Jackie made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Kelli seconded. Meeting adjourned.

Next Meeting: Monday, March 5, 2018 at 7:30 PM.

Respectfully submitted; Steven Dumont, Recording Secretary

Note: These are unapproved minutes. Corrections, if any, will be found in the minutes of March 5, 2018

The picture spoke for itself but here is the text to go,with it! – Lil

WESTMORELAND, N.H. – Learn about resources available to retiring and beginning farmers at the upcoming workshop Navigating Your Farm’s Future: The Basics of Farm Transfer Planning. This event is for farmers who are transitioning out of farming and those wanting to enter the business or acquire farmland.

Hosted by the Monadnock Conservancy, Land For Good, and the Cheshire County Conservation District, this workshop will be held at Stuart & John’s Sugar House Restaurant, 31 Route 63, Westmoreland, N.H., on Tuesday, March 20, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (snow date: March 21). The event is free, but registration is required. The workshop includes a full pancake breakfast for lunch.

Participants will learn the basics of planning a farm transfer, including financial and legal considerations, resources for finding a new farmer or securing land, and conservation options for farms. An attorney experienced with estate planning will be available to answer legal questions.

Reserve your spot by March 16 by registering online at https://tinyurl.com/y7h8cjae or by contacting Stacy Cibula at 603-357-0600, ext. 106, or Stacy@MonadnockConservancy.org.

The Monadnock Conservancy, founded in 1989, is the only land trust dedicated exclusively to the 35 towns in the Monadnock region of southwestern New Hampshire. Its mission is to work with communities and landowners to conserve the natural resources, wild and working lands, rural character and scenic beauty of the region. Based in Keene, N.H., the Conservancy is an accredited organization that has protected over 20,000 acres of forest, farmland, shoreline, wetlands, wildlife habitat and recreation trails in the region. For more information, visit http://www.MonadnockConservancy.org or call 603-357-0600.

The Cheshire County Conservation District promotes the conservation and responsible use of our natural and agricultural resources for the people of Cheshire County by providing technical, financial, and educational assistance. Our goal is to encourage the stewardship of healthy soils, productive ecologically sound farms, diverse wildlife, productive sustai

Getting ready to file for Social Security?

Not sure of the next step?

Wondering how to receive maximum SS income?

Josh Houle, Wealth Manager at Monadnock Capital Group, is NSSA certified to counsel and guide you on the best way to claim Social Security (SS) benefits in order to optimize lifetime SS income. Join us for an important SS workshop with Josh on Tuesday, March 13, at 6:30 pm at the Walpole Town Library. Light refreshments will be served.

If you are unable to attend this local event, Josh will also be hosting additional SS workshops at the Keene Country Club for the following dates:

Wednesday, March 14 at Noon

Wesnesday, March 14 at 6:00 pm

Thursday, March 15 at Noon

You can find out more about Josh and Monadnock Capital Group at www.monadnockcapitalgroup.com or www.facebook.com/monadnockcapgroup

Steward Partners Global Advisory LLC and Monadnock Capital Group maintain a separate professional business relationship with, and our registered professionals offer securities through, Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC. Raymond James is not affiliated with NSSA.

Yes, just a tad over a week away for the annual Town Meeting issue. There are no contests in the elections for offices, and the budget is essentially level funded from last year. But there is lots of good news I am reporting on about the financial health of our town, and the great job your elected officials are doing. This issue will be read and discussed.

And, there should be room for your news and advertisements also. The majority of submitters recently have been great in getting their submissions in early. It makes our job easier in producing a great publication for you. So, plan now, and please get your submission for the March Clarion to me as soon as possible, and definitely no later than the 20th.

Thank you, yours, Ray Boas – Publisher

Three leading journalists in our region will explore the challenges facing journalism in “As a Matter of Fact: Journalism Under Threat”, a discussion to be held at the Walpole town hall on Wednesday, February 28, at 7 pm.

The panelists include Paul Miller, executive editor of the Keene Sentinel; Kristen Nevious, Director of the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication at Franklin Pierce University; and Nancy West, publisher of InDepthNH.org, our state’s on-line center for public interest journalism.

The three will explore the threats that journalism faces; the ways in which reporters at legitimate news organizations work to verify their information; the pernicious concept of “fake news”; and how social media is challenging our concepts of news and perhaps even of truth itself.

A discussion with the audience will follow.

If February 28’s weather cancels the event, it will be held on Thursday, March 1, at 7 pm at the Walpole town hall.

This event is sponsored by the Fall Mountain Alliance, a forum for informed community engagement.

For more details, call 603-445-2200 or e-mail bdaviss@comcast.net.

Meghan Hughes forwarded the notes from Lucy Webber’s talk on Having a Say in the State. – Lil

Having a Say in the State

In light of increased interest in New Hampshire legislation, Representative Lucy M. Weber spoke to a gathering of constituents at the Walpole Town Library, February 10th, about participation in the process. She focused on how legislation works, how to track bills and legislators, and how to have input.

Journey from Concept to Law

The New Hampshire General Court — the House and Senate of the state legislature — runs a legislative session from January to May or June. Rep. Weber said ideas for bills are submitted in November, with draft attorneys putting them in proper format. Each bill goes to at least one committee where it gets a public hearing; is studied and revised, if indicated; and is voted on by the entire body. Some bills then repeat the process in a second committee–the Finance Committee if the bill spends money, the Ways and Means Committee if it impacts revenue, the Criminal Justice Committee if it has a penalty, and so on. Bills that pass in either the House or the Senate go on to the opposite body and go through the same process. A conference committee works to resolve differences. It then goes to a vote before both bodies. If it passes with a majority vote in each body, it goes to the governor for approval or veto. (A two-thirds vote in both bodies can override a veto.)

Tracking Bills and Legislators

To find a bill, go to the New Hampshire General Court website. If you know the bill number, you can go to Quick Bill Search. If you don’t know the bill number, go to Advanced Bill search and type in keywords of the bill title. Or you can go to standing committees (in the Senate, in the House) to search for it there. Once you’ve found the bill number and have put that in to Quick Bill Search, it will give you the text, legislative history (docket), and status of the bill.

To find your legislator and track their votes, go to the New Hampshire General Court website, and then to the House of Representatives and Senate Roster. Once you’ve clicked on their name, you can find how they voted and what bills they’ve sponsored.

For more detailed information on navigating the New Hampshire General Court website, Rep. Weber compiled this tutorial.

Having Input

To have input, Rep. Weber noted you have the most impact if you are a New Hampshire resident and are from the same district as the representative you are writing. Additionally, if you have a perspective people haven’t considered, that can carry weight. Testifying about the personal impact of proposed legislation at a public hearing can also be influential.

To write your legislator, simply click on their email address in their description. Legislators don’t have staff, so be aware of that when writing them. If you don’t get a response, Rep. Weber said, then write again. Sometimes periodic swells of emails can drown out yours.

To write committee members who are considering a bill you care about, click on the email address in the committee description and one email will go to all committee members.

Asked how people are to know of bills that might affect them, Rep. Weber said that legislators write op-eds on legislation they’re concerned about. She also credited lobbyists with tracking such legislation, pointing out possible impacts, and informing their interest groups about them (via newsletters, websites, blogs, Facebook pages, or Twitter accounts).

Rep. Weber said New Hampshire is unlike most other legislatures in that all bills have public hearings, a vote in committee, and a vote by the full House or Senate.

The event was sponsored by the Fall Mountain Alliance and the Walpole Town Library and moderated by Sara Kagle.

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Nordic Ski Race at Fall Mountain High School

Wednesday, February 14th, 2018 at 3:00 pm

The Ski Teams at Fall Mountain High School and the Fall Mountain Nordic Ski Team Booster Club invite you to come watch “The Cow Suits Ski”. As the end of the ski season begins to approach these young athletes are looking forward to skiing a HOME MEET. They have been working hard all season and they are still looking forward to several big meets in New Hampshire, within the next week.

Please come out for this great event. The High School Boys race will begin at 3:00pm, followed by the High School Girls at about 330, finally the Middle School race will commence at about 4:00 O’Clock.

Thanks to all of our supporters and donors these kids would not be able to do this without you!

Hooper Trustees:  Peggy Pschirrer (Chair); Steven Dalessio; Cheryl Mayberry

CALL TO ORDER:  Mrs. Pschirrer called this Hooper Trustees meeting to order at 8:12 PM.

HOOPER TRUSTEES MINUTES:

HOOPER TRUSTEES MEETING – January 25, 2018:  Mr. Dalessio moved to accept the Minutes of the Hooper Trustees Meeting of January 25, 2018, as submitted.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the Minutes were approved.

NON-PUBLIC HOOPER TRUSTEES SESSION – January 25, 2018:  Mr. Dalessio moved to accept the Minutes of the Non-Public Hooper Trustees Session of January 25, 2018.  These Minutes will remain sealed.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the Minutes were approved.

HOOPER MANSION:  Last Friday the Highway Department came to sand/salt as the entire area around the Mansion which was icy. Mrs. Pschirrer worked with the owner and two other men from the Brattleboro Auction House who filled an enormous trailer with miscellaneous items.  Mr. Kevin Healy continues to work cleaning out miscellaneous items; he took two loads to the Recycling Center.  Tomorrow the floors will be cleaned.

NON-PUBLIC HOOPER TRUSTEES SESSION:

Ms. Mayberry moved to enter into a Non-Public Hooper Trustees Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II to discuss (d) Acquisition, Sale or Lease of Real or Personal Property.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved at 8:17 PM.

The regular Hooper Trustees meeting resumed at 8:23 PM.  

Ms. Mayberry moved that the Minutes of the Hooper Trustees Non-Public Session of February 1, 2018, be sealed.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

ADJOURNMENT:

Mr. Dalessio moved to adjourn this Hooper Trustees meeting.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the meeting was adjourned at 8:24 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden, Recording Secretary