Conservation Commission

City of Laconia Conservation Commission Wednesday, June 19th, 2024 - 6:00 PM City Hall in the Armand A. Bolduc City Council Chamber Draft Minutes 6/19/2024 - Minutes 1. CALL TO ORDER D. Anson called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. 2. ROLL CALL The following members were present: Dean Anson, Deb Williams, Robert Harrington, Mike Foote, Rick Ball 3. SALUTE TO THE FLAG D. Anson led the Commission in the salute to the flag. 4. RECORDING SECRETARY Greyson Draper, Conservation Technician 5. STAFF IN ATTENDANCE Tyler Carmichael, Assistant Planner 6. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS M. Foote motions to accept minutes. R. Ball seconds. Unanimous. 6.I. Minutes 7. NEW HAMPSHIRE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES APPLICATIONS 8. OLD BUSINESS 8.I. Gale Ave. Drawings & Specifications R. Ball shares that the Parks Commission met about Gale Ave. on Monday 6/17. Dean shares that there is a meeting tomorrow 6/20, between Parks & Recreation, DPW, Cindy O‘Connell (Winnisquam Watershed Network- Gale, Ave Project Manager), and Conservation Committee that he will attend, R. Ball will also attend. Wetlands permit is required from DES for the City of Laconia to move rocks around. R. Ball and D. Anson explain that the plan is to just move rocks at Gale Ave., no sand will be added. They would like a small retaining wall on the shoreline to be added to the plans. As of now, the current plans for Gale Ave provided by Winnisquam Watershed Network have inconsistent specifications, D. Anson sites the use of calcium chloride as an example. D. Anson has issues with current plan such as discharge. The current plan indicates taking down the natural vegetation and digging a trench the length of the park may mean cutting roots of existing trees. D. Williams notes that the current plans appear to be backwards or flipped. Con Com would like Winnisquam Watershed Network to redesign the Gale. Ave plans. 8.II. WOW Trail Pollinator Garden D. Willams reminds Con Com of last year’s plan to install five signs along the WOW trail. D. Williams will follow up about the signs needed.  Network to redesign the Gale. Ave plans. 8.II. WOW Trail Pollinator Garden D. Willams reminds Con Com of last year’s plan to install five signs along the WOW trail. D. Williams will follow up about the signs needed. 8.III. Belknap Mill Kids In The Park July 10th, 9-11 AM D. Williams Announces the need for volunteers. D. Williams, R. Ball. D. Anson. And R. Harrington will volunteer for 7/10. 8.IV. Sampling Of The Paugus Bay Tributaries And Lake Opechee Tributaries Discussion of new blooms of cyanobacteria around Lake Winnipesaukee. D. Anson will be testing Opechee and Paugus Bay tributaries. G. Draper will join D. Anson for sampling tributaries on next outing. The next sampling outing is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday 6/25. 9. NEW BUSINESS 9.I. Cyanobacteria M. Foote will invite Ben at the Laconia Water Dept. to come to the next Con Com meeting to discuss the City of Laconia’s plan for handling cyanobacteria and if they are capable of testing for or identifying cyanobacteria around the lakes. D. Williams inquires if the City of Laconia would be able to get a drone to help with identifying cyanobacteria around the lakes. D. Williams shares that utilizing drones is the best practice in identifying cyanobacteria in water. T. Carmichael suggests looking into the borrowing of drones belonging to the Laconia Police Dept. and the Laconia Fire Dept. The laws about flying drones in such close proximity the Laconia Airport are unknown. 9.II. FB Environmental Grant Idea There are potential grant opportunities for Con Com in collaboration with FB Environmental and the Lake Winnipesaukee Association. Lake Waukewan has a mitigation fund. D. Anson asks T. Carmichael to follow up with Rob Mora, the City of Laconia Planning Director, about setting aside from the Conservation Fund (~ $1,800) and what can Conservation money (~ $200,000) be used for. Now, there is a cap of $200,000 for Conservation money. D. Anson proposes that Con Com work to get Laconia City Council to remove the $200,000 cap. D. Anson proposes that Con Com ask FB Environmental to share an outline of what they did for Lake Waukewan to use as a guide for Laconia lakes. 10. LIAISON, SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS, AND UPCOMING EVENTS T. Carmichael summarizes the Lakes Region Planning Commission’s recent meeting. Con Com discusses the State School, its water challenges, and potential plans for it. Con Com discusses performance zoning and its parameters. D. Williams brings attention to a residence on Route 11B who appears to not be in compliance with the constraints on doing work in the wetland buffer. T. Carmichael will follow up on the property. Con Com expresses concern about plans for 51 Elm St. T. Carmichael will review files to see if anything has been approved for the site. 11. OTHER BUSINESS Milfoil Treatment in Paugus Bay: Herbicide is more cost effective than D.A.S.H. (diver-assisted suction harvesting). Herbicide will be applied at Paugus Bay in Moulton Cove, Pickerell Cove, and Langley Cove. T. Carmichael will follow up with Amy Smagula (NH DES Limnologist) about verifying the locations of where she wants to do the Milfoil treatments in Paugus Bay and when she will begin work. Milfoil Treatment in Lake Opechee: Lake Opechee has water violet, an invasive weed, in addition to milfoil. Amy Smagula will do an herbicide test for water violet in Lake Opechee for free. Lake Hosts: Still looking for hosts at Lake Opechee and Lake Winnisquam. There are 3 candidates currently being considered. The pay rate at Lake Opechee may increase to $18/hr. D. Williams shares that trolling fishermen have been leaving Lake Winnisquam with Spiny Water fleas on their equipment.  Milfoil Treatment in Lake Opechee: Lake Opechee has water violet, an invasive weed, in addition to milfoil. Amy Smagula will do an herbicide test for water violet in Lake Opechee for free. Lake Hosts: Still looking for hosts at Lake Opechee and Lake Winnisquam. There are 3 candidates currently being considered. The pay rate at Lake Opechee may increase to $18/hr. D. Williams shares that trolling fishermen have been leaving Lake Winnisquam with Spiny Water fleas on their equipment. 11.I. FY24 Vote Vote to have city council transfer remaining FY24 funds over to FY25 budget to be used for the Black Brook Study. D. Anson explains that after discussion with Rob Mora, Con Com has `$1,800 remaining in the FY24 budget. If Con Com wants the remaining FY24 balance to transfer into the FY25 budget, they must vote to do so. R. Ball motions to roll the remaining FY24 balance from FY24 to FY25. M. Foote seconds the motion. Unanimous. The net Con Com meeting will be 7/3. 12. STAFF REPORT 13. ADJOURNMENT R. Ball motions to adjourn. D. Anson Seconds the motion. Unanimous.