Mansfield Parks Advisory Committee 

Minutes for April 6, 2005

Members present:    Sue Craig, David Silsbee, Jean Haskell, Jaqulyn Perfetto, Jennifer Kaufman.

I.  The meeting was called to order by chairperson Sue Craig, at 7:59 pm.  The minutes of 3-2-05 were accepted.

II.  Continuing Business

A. PAC member recruitment continues.

B.  PAC reports:

1. Management.    Eagleville Preserve management schedule  was reviewed and approved.   Review of Schoolhouse Brook Park management plan will continue in June.  The Old Spring Hill Field portion was approved.

2. Flooding at Merrow Meadow and trees down at Shelter Falls will be addressed with staff Work Requests.

3. Silsbee moved and Perfetto seconded that the Plains Road property be named Stillwater Park.  The motion passed.

C. Parks Staff Reports

1. Natural Areas Volunteers, J. Haskell.

a. The volunteer reception of April 6 was well received, with 24 in attendance.  Sam Dodd was the first recipient of the annual service award.

b. Spring workdays continue in April at OSHF, and in May at Mt. Hope Park.

c. The summer workday schedule is set, including butterfly monitoring training July 14, followed by counting July 16.

2. Friends of Mansfield Parks, S. Craig.

a. Sue is receiving responses from her inquiries about local nature centers.  After school programming has increased attendance.

b. Spring env. ed. programs are going well.  The summer schedule will include an insects program in August, besides the Thursday exercise treks. 

c. The family activity guide will be produced in-house, without a Q-S grant proposal.

d. Walking Weekend suggestions included Aquatic study at Mt. Hope and a walk along the Willimantic River.

3. Development, J. Kaufman.

a. Work continues on the Online Trail and Plains Road projects with Kristin Schwab.

b. Charlotte Pyle is helping us with submitting WHIP grant proposals.

c. No new acquisitions to report.

d. Al Cyr will read the joint comm. open space acquisition bond referendum proposal at the public hearing April 11.  Kaufman continues negotiations for a separate Parks budget. 

III.  Other parks-related Town business.

A. Craig moved and Silsbee seconded that PAC supports the comments of the Conservation Committee’s minutes of Feb. 16, 2005 regarding PZC File# 1113-2, Wild Rose Estates II.  PAC suggests that the PZC encourage the developer to buffer the cedar swamp, and endow any open space connection to Dunhamtown Forest. The motion passed.

B. Haskell suggested that staff could set up a program to work with developers doing NAV plant rescue work on any land to be developed, removing seed or transplanting native plants to preserved areas. 

IV.  Future Agendas.  June 1, Schoolhouse Brook Park land management plan,  Walking Weekend hikes. 

Respectfully submitted,

Jean Haskell,  PAC secretary

April 10, 2005