Commission on Conservation & Agriculture

Chairperson Bob Daniels Commission Vice-Chair Members Brian Gartner Michael Thomas Kate Miller on Jane Brawerman Barbara Schukoske David Bauer Daniel Penney Conservation & Agriculture Alternates William Gardner William Wilson Vacant Vacant Staff James Sipperly, Environmental Planner Corinne Milardo, Administrative Assistant REGULAR MEETING Minutes DATE: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 TIME: 7:00 p.m. Meeting was held in person in Room 208, Municipal Building and via WebEx. In person attendance: Commissioners: Bob Daniels, William Gardner, Barbara Schukoske, Kate Miller, Jane Brawerman, Dan Penney WebEx Attendance: Commissioners: Brian Gartner Public: David Winkle (arrived at 7:15pm) Absent: Commissioners: Michael Thomas, David Bauer, William Wilson Staff in Attendance: James Sipperly, Environmental Planner Corinne Milardo, Administrative Assistant A. Call to Order Chairperson B. Daniels called the meeting to order at 7:09pm. B. Accept the Agenda Motion: To accept the agenda as is. Moved by B. Schukoske, seconded by B. Schukoske. Passed unanimously: 7-0. C. Public Forum None. D. Approval of Minutes February 20, 2024 Special Meeting Motion to approve the minutes as received. Moved by B. Gardner, seconded by B. Gartner. Passed: 6-0-1 (Abstained: J. Brawerman). E. Request for Comment None. F. Officers and Committee Reports 1. Chair’s Report i. Chamberlain Hill Road conditions – letter drafted to DPW If you require special accommodations for any meeting, please call the ADA Coordinator at (860) 638-4540, (voice) or (860) 638-4812 (TDD/TTY), or the Town Clerk’s Office at (860) 638-4910 at least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled meeting. Page 1 of 7 B. Daniels explained that the letter went to the Director of Public Works as well as the Public Works Commission. Corinne Milardo clarified that she gave the letter to Public Works to give to Director Holden along with some pictures. B. Daniels asked if they got any feedback. J. Sipperly answered no. B. Daniels would like to go to the Common Council with the letter and pictures. B. Gartner stated that the next step should be to go to the Public Works and Facilities Commission with the letter. D. Penney commented that the Public Works Commission does have Chamberlain Hill Road as an agenda item. D. Penney suggested waiting until next month to see how the Public Works Commission responds and then we can go to the Common Council. K. Miller suggested that the Commission reach out to Public Works and ask them for an update. ii. Membership updates – Appoint new Members to Committees B. Daniels stated that D. Penney was interested in the Ag Committee and the Open Space Acquisition and Bill Gardner was interested in the Ag Committee. Bill Wilson and David Bauer aren’t here to express their interest. David Winkle, 418 Mile Lane, joined the meeting via WebEx at 7:15pm. J. Sipperly explained that D. Winkle joins these meetings because he is passionate about protecting the Red Maple Swamp. D. Winkle is interested in what we’re doing with the Red Maple Swamp. iii. Open Space Acquisition Fund Balance J. Sipperly discussed the fund balance report that Director Kozikowski put together showing the list of acquisitions they’ve done. K. Miller reiterated to the commission that five percent of five million is eligible for management and improvements to properties. So far none of that has been used. J. Sipperly stated that they have already used six thousand dollars of open space maintenance. They bought a GPS tracker for the trails, lumber for Guida, open space signs, and plants. J. Sipperly mentioned landfill consulting services that were done under the open space maintenance. K. Miller asked for clarification on the landfill consulting services. J. Sipperly said he will look into it. B. Daniels stated that he knows there is money left over in the grants. J. Sipperly answered yes, there is ten thousand left. J. Sipperly said he and Director Kozikowski spoke about ideas to use this money and they were looking at some properties that can use some maintenance specifically a piece of property on Bow Lane. It can be used for farming however the conditions of the property is preventing Page 2 of 7 the land from being farmed. They would like to go in there and remove the invasive species and mow the field down. Another option was to give some money to farmers to clean up their land. J. Sipperly stated that was already on the list. B. Daniels suggested using some of that money for the horse rescue and a shed. B. Schukoske said that a couple of friends of hers are thinking of going into business together doing some land clearing. In the future, we should consider using them on city property. K. Miller brought up the topic of commission member term limits. A discussion ensued amongst the commission members. K. Miller made a motion for the chair and vice-chair to have conversations with other commissions about how to deal with the term limit issue. J. Brawerman seconded the motion. Passed unanimously: 7-0. 2. Agriculture Committee i. Vo-Ag (Ag-Lab) J. Brawerman reported that the students presented a proposal to the Superintendent and the Principal proposing the Keigwin field for the Ag Lab to farm. Next is to get the approval from the Director of Operations. The students want to set up raised beds around the field. The State Department of Education released a grant application for projects up to fifty thousand dollars. J. Brawerman requested that the Commission have a presentation from those that put together the community garden on Miller Street at a future meeting date. B. Gartner explained that a group approached the city to utilize some of the vacant properties on Miller Street to create a community garden using raised beds. It’s also a place for children to learn about the keeping of bees and chickens. J. Brawerman thinks is amazing what they’re doing there. 3. Outreach Committee i. Conservation Corner Update B. Gartner reported that he was able to find the document from Judy, an introductory article on the Conservation Commission and who the members are. They’ll do some updates and then get it out to the press. B. Gartner highlighted one of the commission’s accomplishments was preserving two hundred and seventy acres of land from the bond. J. Sipperly corrected B. Gartner and said it was two hundred and sixty acres of land that was preserved. B. Gartner shared that in early June is Connecticut Trails Day that B. Gartner has lead the trails day walk. If any commission member would like to help out, they can. K. Miller reported that the date of the Connecticut Trails Day is June 1st. 4. Open Space Management Committee Page 3 of 7  i. Wilcox Management RFP for invasive species study J. Sipperly stated that he created the RFP for Wilcox Management. It is currently under review by the Purchasing Department. J. Brawerman asked if the commission will be reviewing this document. J. Sipperly answered that after the Purchasing Department has reviewed the documents and made the changes they need to do, he will bring the RFP to the commission for review. K. Miller asked if there is another part of the RFP for the select cut. J. Sipperly answered that this is step one. K. Miller asked if this is for only the areas that are to be cut or for the entire property. J. Sipperly answered it’s for the entire property. The RFP can be modified to state certain areas on the property. ii. Open Space Priorities/Signage – 4 New Signs Proposed J. Sipperly updated the commission that we received in quotes for the signs. We’re waiting on prototypes to be made to see what they look like. J. Sipperly also stated that this is a good opportunity to display Right to Farm signs, about three feet by five feet in size. B. Daniels asked what four areas will the new signs go. J. Sipperly answered that he didn’t have the paperwork in front of him. J. Brawerman asked what kind of materials will the signs be made of. J. Sipperly answered, wood. iii. Trail Maintenance Needed J. Sipperly reported that they have money to spend on Trail maintenance. He reiterated that the commission spoke about Ravine Park. J. Brawerman commented that Ravine Park has serious issues and that maintenance may not be enough. K. Miller suggested using some of the management money to survey and restore Ravine Park. B. Gartner supports fixing up Ravine Park. B. Schukoske asked if Wesleyan University would be able to contribute funds to this project. K. Miller stated that she will see if she can get formal or informal involvement from Wesleyan. K. Miller made a motion to pursue having conversations with Director Kozikowski about using a portion of the management funds for an environmental restoration and plan of Ravine Park. B. Schukoske seconded the motion. Page 4 of 7 B. Gartner suggested approaching non-profits to see if they would be interested in contributing to this project. J. Brawerman commented that they may have to apply for grants. This will be a costly project. K. Miller modified the motion to include pursuing other sources of funding, B. Schukoske seconded the motion. Passed unanimously: 7-0. J. Brawerman suggested using some of the money on the Nature Gardens. 5. Open Space Acquisition Committee i. 470 Chamberlain Road ii. Country Club Road site iii. Pameacha Pond location iv. Miner Street, Map-Lot: 06-0057 v. Saybrook Road Forest Land J. Sipperly explained that Director Kozikowski considered these properties. They decided that three properties that should be on the first tier, one property on the second tier, two properties on the third tier, and two more properties that was decided was too soon to consider. Director Kozikowski will pursue the first tier three properties by talking to properties and getting appraisals. J. Sipperly stated that this is the first step. G. Old Business 1. Trail Guide Kate Miller’s files updating and reprinting and Contract J. Sipperly stated that Gary Middleton, Assistant City Planner, will be walking trails that K. Miller put together that need to be assessed. G. Middleton also has the trail guide. Once G. Middleton walks the trails with the GPS, they’ll make updates to the trail guide. K. Miller requested that her name be taken off this agenda item. H. New Business 1. Fairweather Farms Lease Agreement, Long Hill Road B. Daniels asked if there were changes in the language from the input that Kate and Jane made from last meeting. J. Sipperly answered that Director Kozikowski took into consideration the input that Kate and Jane had made. K. Miller asked if this has changed from the lease agreement we’ve seen previously. J. Sipperly answered that Fairweather Farms was the only bidder on the Long Hill Road property. K. Miller expressed her concerns in regards to birds that have certain breeding seasons. J. Sipperly explained that Fairweather Farms will decide what to plant there. Is he going to hay it, plant pumpkins? B. Daniels commented that the new language may not be in this lease. Page 5 of 7 J. Sipperly pointed out on page three of the lease agreement some of the language that was added, which included best practices language suggested by the commission. The city attorney agreed to this language. B. Schukoske made a motion to endorse the language, B. Gardner seconded the motion. Passed unanimously: 7-0. 2. Acceptance of Miner Street Property (see map) J. Sipperly explained that this is a piece of property that a constituent would like to give to the City. The property next to this piece is already owned by the City so it makes sense to accept this. K. Miller asked what the land consists of. J. Sipperly answered woods. K. Miller requested that the guidelines for accepting donations of property ownership or development rights be referred to. Motion to endorse the Miner Street property. Moved by B. Schukoske, seconded by B. Gardner. Passed unanimously: 7-0. 3. Endorsement of State Conservation Easement, Majestic Oaks, South Main Street – RT 17 J. Sipperly explained this is eighty-three acres of land. Director Kozikowski wants the commission to endorse the conservation easement language that was drafted by DEEP and City attorneys. Motion to endorse the easement language. Moved by B. Gardner, seconded by B. Schukoske. Passed unanimously: 7-0. 4. Member Forum K. Miller informed the commission that she is going to take a class of twenty-five students out to one of our properties. We can choose where to send them. K. Miller suggested bringing the students to the Wilcox property and remove invasive species. B. Daniels offered the commission members to assist with this event. K. Miller stated that she will send out an invite to the commission members. J. Brawerman informed the commission that Jane Harris let J. Brawerman know that the Urban Forestry Commission’s desire to have tree plantings for Ellen and Sheila. J. Harris suggested plantings at the Middletown Nature Garden. J. Brawerman asked about the palettes in the wetlands on Randolph Road. J. Sipperly explained that he contacted the owner and told him that the palettes need to be removed from the wetlands. J. Brawerman expressed her concerns about Wesleyan University putting in an artificial turf. J. Sipperly informed J. Brawerman that Wesleyan University has an application in front of the Wetlands Agency that is still pending. Page 6 of 7 David Winkle asked where the Red Maple Swamp easement is. J. Sipperly explained that they hired a surveyor to survey the land. Once they have a map, they will submit it to the Common Council for permanent protection. 5. Adjournment Motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:26 pm. Moved by B. Schukoske, seconded by B. Gartner. Passed unanimously: 7-0. Page 7 of 7