Pittsfield Conservation Commission (PCC)
April 25 2013 Meeting Minutes

Call to order: 7:00 PM by Chairman Chris Hill.

Present: Members: Chairman Chris Hill (CH), Secretary Diana Westgate (DW), Members Ted Mitchell, Carl Wallman (CW) Alternate Bill Miskoe (BMis); Absent: Paul Metcalf and Brian Mika

Meeting Minutes: The minutes of the March meeting were reviewed and accepted.

Treasurer’s Report: No change from previous month. For details, see the March meeting minutes.

Public Input: Not applicable.

Old Business
1. The Saving Special Places 2013 Conference. BM and CH attended.
2. Town Lot Walks Update. BMik and DW walked the Thompson Forest and Berry Pond areas. BMik & CH walked the area off Tan Road. Cleaning up the area would be a great Cub Scout project.
3. Mission Statement project. CH asked for ideas to contribute to the Master Plan. We will revisit this topic next month.
4. Member short term and long term goals and ideas. Some proposals were: doing a natural resource inventory, making a visit to Graylag, holding a combined meeting of the conservation groups in Pittsfield, Strafford and Barnstead and looking for small parcels of land that might be combined into larger conservation areas.

New Business
1. Thompson Forest Stone Wall Closure Plan and Town Logging Plan Update Request. George Batchelder is concerned about the landing. There may not be enough timber value left for the loggers to return. . The wall is a legal boundary They originally said they would put the wall back . CH will talk to the logger. In the future we should make retainage part of any logging contract. BMis suggested talking to Charlie Merino.
2. Emerald Ash Borer Update: Local Plan. Export of Ash firewood has been banned. CH has put information about the problem on the PCC Facebook site and town website.
3. Pittsfield Old Home Day. Suggestions are giving out magnets and pens, maps showing town conservation areas, perhaps have a slide show showing conservation properties.
4. Trails program. TM and others are currently working on this. The trail would run along the railroad bed from the Ball Field to Bow Street. It will require the cooperation of 6 property owners to complete.
5. Flowers at Catamount road. Question of which organization is responsible for their maintenance.
6. Other. By laws. TM has offered to scan them so they can be amended as needed.

Adjournment: 9:45 PM.

The next meeting will be Thursday May 30th. Submitted by: DW, Secretary