TOWN OF WALPOLE, NEW HAMPSHIRE

CONSERVATION COMMISSION

NOVEMBER 4, 2024

Members Present:  Wendy Grossman, France Menk, Peter Palmiotto (Presiding), Lewis Shelley

Alternates Present:  Nicole Adams, Paul Happ

Selectboard Present:  Steve Dalessio

Members Absent:  Alicia Flammia, John Peska, Tom Beaudry

Visitors Present:  Members of the Monadnock Climbers Association: JC Woodward, Rob Koning, and Jeff Archibald; Katherine Kopij and Rose Bolio

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

Seating of Alternatives:  Because only four members were present, Nicole Adams was seated.

REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES

No changes were requested.  France moved to accept the September 9, 2024 and the October 7, 2024 minutes as written. Lew seconded and all voted in favor. The minutes were accepted. 

PUBLIC BUSINESS

Report from co-Chair:  John could not attend.

Financial Report:  Conservation N/A

Forestry N/A

Mason Forest Expendable (9/30/2024) $527,162.08

Mason Forest Nonexpendable (9/30/2024) $23,151.85 

Correspondence:  NHACC membership invoice for $250; invoice to reimburse Kelli Wilson for the website domain and hosting for $220.90.

NEW BUSINESS

OLD BUSINESS

Climbing Group – North Walpole Property: The Monadnock Climbers Association, who first came to the commission in May, returned to share more information on their ideas for Fall Mountain climbing areas.  The discussion furthered the understanding of their ideas as they shared a draft management plan.  Peter will provide suggestions and questions on areas that need attention based on questions and comments made during the discussion.  Katherine also will confer with the N. Walpole commissioners.  

Rest Area Shelter – Roof Bid, Pressure Washing, Paint/Stain:  Two bids were received.  After discussing both bids, Lew moved that we go with Long’s Roofing for a new metal roof as described in the quote for a price not to exceed $7,500.  France seconded.  Lew will generate a purchase order with funds to come from the Fanny Mason Fund account and get it to Rich.  A $200 deposit is required, half will be due when work starts, and the remaining balance due when the work is complete.  The work will be done in cold weather and will be completed on each shelter once it is started. 

The pressure washing and painting or staining will have to wait until next year – it is getting too cold now.

Workday at the shelters, November 16^th at 9:30 AM, will focus on cleaning up around the buildings to provide access for the roofers.  Lew and Peter will do some preliminary work the day before.

Fanny Mason Harvesting – Update:  Alex Barrett (Longview Forest) is working on a contract with Chris Ricci.  It should be harvested either this winter or next summer. France moved approval to pay an invoice for $4425 for marking trees for harvest.  The money will come from the Fanny Mason Fund because that is where the harvest income will go.  Wendy seconded.  The motion was accepted unanimously.

Invasives Treatments:  We have a quote for the second treatment of invasives at the Gateway: the treatment area is 3.66 acres, and it would be treated during the 2025 growing season at a cost of $2520. Nicole and Lew know other companies who also treat invasives who could be asked for a bid on the Gateway invasives.  There was a discussion of the value of treating invasives, and whether once you start with one company it is critical to continue treatment with them. Questions on the effectiveness of the first treatment arose and a few commission members will assess and Peter will follow up with Longview

We also received an estimate for treating invasives in the Hooper Forest.  Nicole will take it to the Hooper Board which meets November 6^th. 

Property Monitoring – Follow Up:   From the recent NHACC conference, Wendy learned we should be monitoring all the property we own and all property with town-held conservation easements.  It is important to follow up on all violations.  This year, Wendy will monitor the Ballam farm, Beatrice Graves easement, and a portion of Mill Pond.  For next year we need to plan and carry out more complete monitoring.

OTHER BUSINESS

Dam Updates:  Steve got the drawings for Reservoir Dam just before the meeting.  He will get a copy to John.  We will now be getting biweekly updates from Fuss and O’Neill.  The project is on schedule to be complete during 2025.  The requirements changed during the project so rather than preparing for twice the 100-year flood, we now need to prepare for the 1,000-year flood.

John is still trying to find someone to mow around the Knapp Cranberry Bog dam.  

Hooper Institute Board Update:  The Board meets November 6^th.

Trail Committee:  The Committee is doing routine maintenance.  Lew put up new signs at River Road Rail Trail parking area. The Mill Pond inspection walk was canceled due to rain.  Rail Trail maintenance on November 23^rd will focus on ditches, culverts, and getting ready for winter.  There will be a Happy Trails Party open to the public at the Town Hall on December 11^th at 7:00 pm.  It will be informative and fun with the goals of publicizing Walpole trails, attracting new members and trail workers, and soliciting public input.  France is working on a lending library for winter gear: It must be easy, centrally located and it must operate with no staff. 

New Commissioner:  Peter nominated Nicole Adams to be a Conservation Commissioner.  Nicole accepted the nomination. All were in favor.  Nicole will get a letter to Sarah Downing by noon tomorrow so it can be voted on at the next Selectboard meeting on November 6^th.

North Walpole Request:   There is an area between the North Walpole Park and the railroad tracks that the North Walpole Commissioners are asking for advice on how to maintain.  The Park belongs to Walpole, but research is needed to determine whether this area belongs to Walpole or the railroad.

New Alternate:  Katherine Kopij would like to be an Alternate.  Steve asked if she is permitted to be a North Walpole Commissioner and on the Conservation Committee.  That needs to be determined before proceeding with a new member.

Adjournment:  Wendy moved to adjourn.  Lew seconded.  Peter declared the meeting adjourned at 8:47 PM. 

Respectfully submitted,

Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary

(Note:  These are unapproved Minutes. Corrections will be found in the Minutes of the December 2, 2024 Conservation Commission meeting.)

TOWN OF WALPOLE, NEW HAMPSHIRE
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
OCTOBER 7, 2024

Members Present: Alicia Flammia, Wendy Grossman, France Menk, Peter Palmiotto, Lewis Shelley

Alternates Present: Nicole Adams, Tom Beaudry

Selectboard Present:  Steve Dalessio

Members Absent: John Peska

Alternates Absent: Paul Happ

Visitors Present: Katherine Kopji, North Walpole Village Commissioner

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

Seating of Alternates: no Alternates needed

In Memory of Marcia Galloway: Marcia served on the Conservation Commission for many years and was Chair.  Each member who served with Marcia shared their memories.  By consensus, the Conservation Committee recommends that Marcia be recognized in the Town Report.

Review and Approval of Minutes 

Tabled to the next meeting.

Public Business

Report from co-Chair: A copy of the RSA book has been requested for the meeting room downstairs.  Paul Happ has been approved as an Alternate.

Financial Report: no report

Correspondence:   

• Ryan Owens is leaving the Monadnock Conservancy to run the New England Forestry Foundation.  He will continue to live in Walpole.
• NH Association of Conservation Commissions Annual Meeting:  Saturday November 2^nd at Pembroke Academy. Keynote: “Something Wild” Stories; A Peek Behind the Microphone with Thoughts on NH’s Natural Heritage.  Presenters are Dave Anderson, Senior Director of Education for the Society of the Protection of NH Forests, and Chris Martin, Senior Biologist with NH Audubon.  The Commission can reimburse cost.
• Cheshire County Conservation District’s 8^th Annual Conservation Commission Potluck is Tuesday, November 19^th at Stonewall Farm in Keene. There will be a presentation on turtle conservation in NH and a roundtable discussion. The Commission can reimburse cost.

New Business

Britton Farm – CCCD Cooperator of the Year Award: The Britton Farm will be recognized at the Annual Celebration of the Cheshire County Conservation District on October 10^th.

Knapp Cranberry Bog Dam – Wetland Permit: John will continue to work on the Knapp Cranberry Bog Dam.  The issue is that there are lots of requirements because it will now be necessary to go into the water.  This dam is rated as a low hazard.  Because of the problems finding a contractor, this will probably not be done immediately.  Steve Dalessio is also following this project.

Fanny Mason Rest Area – Issues and Updates, Parking, Cleaning Shelters:  

• Kara’s invoice included a list of the trash she has removed.  There was a camper parked for a number of days recently.  The police were notified.  We need “no overnight parking” signs.
• Additional signs are needed.  France will check with other places to ask what they have for signs.  The signs need to be consistent, and some of the issues should be eliminated when some dead trees are taken down, the disintegrating steps are removed, etc.  Signs might go on the shelter in a kiosk – a consistent sign plan is needed.  
• Questions:  should we claim them as Walpole’s rest area?  do we want to shut down rest areas?   we put a fence up on the west – want one on the east too?
• Today Lew sent out the RFQ’s for roofing the shelters.
• Lew will schedule a November workday.  That is a popular hunting area.

NHACC Grants for Interns:  Applications are due October 11^th.  The grants are for 15 hours per week for three months in the spring.  By consensus, if Peter has the time to submit an application, perhaps to do a wetlands inventory, that is good with the Commission.  Peter will check to be sure this grant is not just for towns in need. 

Old Business

Property Monitoring:   A monitoring request from LCIP was received but the location was not specified.  Wendy offered to be the Commission’s contact for property monitoring and will inform LCHP to change the contact information from Alicia to Wendy.

Trail Committee:  The meetings and minutes are on the Town website.   The invoice for the second brush hogging will be paid Friday.  They are starting to look at Academy Ravine to look at options – brainstorming now.  Note:  Mad Brook is a state name stream, so there are a lot of state rules that apply to any management activities of named streams.  There are a lot of fallen trees that could block the culvert again and cause serious flooding. The Mill Pond trails will be inspected Sunday.  They are planning an in-person public meeting this fall.  There will be an autumn maintenance day for the Rail Trail.  They are considering creating a program for lending outdoor gear for winter.

Fanny Mason Harvesting: no update

Reservoir Dam Updates:  There will be a design review in a couple weeks with DES – Steve, John, and Mark Houghton will attend.  Someone to fix the kink in the culvert has been found.  Mill Pond Dam repairs will probably be coming soon because that is identified as a high-risk dam.

Hooper Institute Board:  Nicole reported they continue to discuss bike trails in the Hooper Forest.  She created a map to help them understand the existing trails.  They discussed invasives information from Alex Barrett.  They might pay for the next treatment, since they have money from the harvest. Renovations are moving ahead with work planned for this winter.

Walpole Street Trees – Common Tree Replacement/Planting:  Donations covered the costs of trees planted on the Common, so the Commission will not need to draw from its funds for them.  The committee will get together and develop a plan for going forward. Old stumps presented a problem in the planting location.  With the use of a chainsaw, and moving the expanding a hole slightly the trees were planted with good spacing.  The plan is to have another planting next year. The fund for the monument maintenance needs to be reviewed to see if there is money that could be used for trees.

Other Business

• Peter will follow up with Alex Barrett regarding quotes for invasives treatments and the Fanny Mason harvest.
• The Commission would like to see someone from North Walpole join the commission.  Katherine Kopji is willing to come if her schedule permits.  She will talk to the other Village Commissioners and provide a prioritized list of needs for North Walpole next month.  

Adjournment:  Peter declared the meeting adjourned at 8:24 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary

(Note:  These are unapproved Minutes. Corrections will be found in the Minutes of the November 4, 2024 Conservation Commission meeting.)