Mansfield Parks Advisory Committee

Minutes of June 6, 2007

Present: Ethan Avery, Juliana Barrett, Sue Harrington, Tom Harrington, Jean Haskell, Jennifer Kaufmann, Michele Kolomyjec, Penny Potter, David Silsbee, Kedron Silsbee

The minutes from the March 7 meeting were approved.

Elections will be held at the August PAC meeting to determine a chairperson and secretary for 2007-08.

The John wedding party requested one time permission for parking at the Eagleville Garden site.  They will mow the site if necessary.  This was approved by the Committee.

PAC membership: Ethan will decide if he will join PAC as the EO Smith Student Liaison. Penny Potter will join PAC. 

PAC reports:

Dunhamtown – Ethan had comments on the trail and improvements that could be made.  The Harringtons and JK will try to get out to the site with Ethan.

Merrow Meadow  - Plan completed by Harringtons

Sawmill Brook Preserve – Silsbees to do

Park Updates:

Mt. Hope Park – Harringtons visited 3 times in the spring.  Beaver problem is taken care of; stream run-off from pond – may need to put in boards for stream crossing; grass trail needs mowing; Jean H. sent in comments

FOMP: Need to recruit new members; Sue H. is doing monthly walks for Joshua’s Trust through a grant – we could work with Joshua’s Trust to coordinate and complement walks, look for grant money and publicize FOMP events in local papers.  PAC is supportive of working cooperatively with Joshua’s Trust.

NAV: There were 4 work days this spring that were pretty well attended by UConn students, but they are not available in June; JH had Girl Scout troop working at Mt. Hope.

PAC Projects:

Sub-division trail monitoring – at a standstill; JK trying to monitor and is working with town engineers to get info into a GIS

Walking Weekend – 5 walks were held in Mansfield/Ashford

IPANE – no updates

Nature Center – after school science programs well attended; SH to look into a Scouting Badge program for the fall; still exploring support

Management Plan Needs:

            School House Brook Park revision – Silsbees to update

Torrey Property – Hay and plastic being left onsite; Letters to be sent to abutters; One neighbor upset re trailhead on Holly Drive; Need to put trail in – JK to talk with Land Management Committee; Field visit planned for May

Dunhamtown Forest – need to add Sibley to management plan; EA to work on plan.

Staff reports:

River Park-Plains Rd. off Rt 32 – canoe launch/parking area planned with 18 spaces; JK waiting to hear from DEP

WHIP update – moving along with 2007 tasks

Budget – no parks improvement funded; did leave 5K in Parks budget for FOMP, NAV and publicity

PAC supports using some of this Parks budget, not to exceed $1000, to hire summer employee to work on town parks.  Motion was seconded and unanimously approved.

Dorwort Property – need to reappraise for DEP (approx 60 acres on Mulberry and Wormwood Hill Rds.)

The meeting was adjourned at 9:07 pm.