Mansfield Parks Advisory Committee
Minutes for December 7, 2005
Members present: Sue Craig Harrington, Tom Harrington, Jean Haskell, Jennifer Kaufman, David Silsbee, Kedron Silsbee. Excused: Jacqulyn Perfetto.
I. The meeting was called to order by chairperson Sue Harrington, at 7:30 pm. D. Silsbee moved and Haskell seconded that the minutes of 9-7-05 be accepted. The motions passed.
II. Continuing Business
A. PAC member recruitment continues with invitations to Tom Harrington and Julianna Barrett. Official letters will follow. Jennifer handed out a new members list, along with a winter PAC schedule.
B. PAC reports:
1. Management plan reviews: Sue talked about Dunhamtown, Mt. Hope, and Merrow and will submit written reviews later. David submitted written reviews for McGregor, Coney, and Schoolhouse Brook, suggesting boundaries still are not marked at McGregor and invasives control would be good issues to tackle at Coney and Schoolhouse. Sue and Tom volunteered to start an IPANE project at Schoolhouse Brook Park. Kedron submitted written reviews for Fifty-Foot, Shelter Falls, and Torrey, suggesting boundary markings are needed at all three, and Torrey needs a management plan before making any new trails. Jennifer will locate the Torrey plan draft for Kedron to help with. Staff will use the reviews to compile management schedules for 2006.
2. A Nature Center meeting is scheduled for Thursday January 19, 2006. Invitations will go out to educators and others the first week in January. Jean suggested including local nature center visits in the next FOMP programming schedule.
C. Parks Staff Reports
1. Natural Areas Volunteers: Jean is calling for steward site reports in January, which will also be used to compile the 2006 management schedules. A year end volunteer report records 453 hours of workday service in 2005. Volunteer recognition will be held before the March 1 meeting. PAC voted on the 2006 Sam Dodd NAV award recipient.
2. Environmental Education. Jean met with MMS Roots and Shoots after school club to encourage them to make an interpretive trail at Schoolhouse Brook Park. Sue reported on the successful fall FOMP event schedule, and Walking Weekend hikes. The winter event schedule is busier than it has ever been before, with 7 programs.
3. Development, J. Kaufman.
a. Grants: Work continues on the Online Trail and Plains Road projects with Kristin Schwab. The Commonfields grant application has been unofficially accepted. Grant ideas for 2006 include Phase II for Plains Rd., the shrub nursery for Q-S, and WHIP.
b. Projects: the Mt. Hope footbridge is finished. Troop 56 is interested in more projects at Mt. Hope or Schoolhouse Brook.
c. Acquisitions: none. Wishes include preserving Moss Sanctuary and adding on to Sawmill Brook Preserve. Professional surveys are proceeding on some of Sawmill Brook’s boundaries.
d. Budget: sheet included. DPW work request review sheet shows 190 hours of natural areas management work, with a request completion of less than half.
e. Publicity: a MCC parks display near the front stairwell is planned, including an update of the P&R brochure. Nature/Parks theme will become part of the MCC revolving arts display.
4. Outstanding management plans.
a. Sawmill Brook, Crane Hill, and Wolf Rock Access will go for Council approval 12-12.
b. Plains Road.
c. Larkins and Morneau parcels need to be added to Schoolhouse Brook Park.
d. OSPC and staff are to do White Cedar Swamp, Dunhamtown update, and Torrey.
D. Non-PAC reports. No comments.
III. Correspondence. Jennifer reported about Jacqulyn Perfetto’s bluebird house project plans, to erect 3 houses each at Merrow and Mt. Hope, with 2 using an experimental roof type. D. Silsbee moved and Haskell seconded to approve Perfetto’s project. The motion passed.
IV. D. Silsbee moved and Haskell seconded that the meeting be adjourned at 9:11 pm. The motion passed. Next meeting is March 1, 2006, with the NAV volunteer reception at 7:00 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean Haskell
December 17, 2005