[NOTE: These minutes are made available to the public prior to Conservation Commission acceptance.]

Town of Wethersfield Conservation Commission Minutes - September 14th, 2005

Meeting was presided by Ingrid Boelhouwer who called the meeting to order at 7:05

In attendance: Bob Pulford, Ingrid Boelhouwer, Jim Shoemaker, Eugene Grayson, Ralph Moyer

1. Comments from the public

   Michael di Cioccio addresses the commission to share his ideas on alternative energy use in the town of Wethersfield. Installing solar panels to generate hot water or electricity could defray higher energy costs to public schools or town. Longer discussion follows.

2. Approval of Minutes - July 13th, 2005

   postponed, because most attendees of that meeting were not present

3. Election of Chairperson and Secretary

   The committee elected Jim Shoemaker president and Christoph Geiss vice president, Rebecca Zaliznock was elected secretary (in absentia)

4. Communications
   1. Planning and Zoning Commission: no communications
   2. Other communications

      CT Association of Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commission (CACIWC) schedules a public hearing on tree clearing operations on Connecticut River dike system. Association also wants to build gravel access road on river side of dike and conduct repairs on concrete structures B. Pulford will attend hearing. The Connecticut River Watershed Council invites to its 9th annual watershed cleanup on October 1st, 2005.

5. Reports and Updates
   1. Matthew Forrest - not present
   2. Kathy Bagley (update presented by Ingrid Boelhouwer)

      town received grant from state, and bike path construction is ready to go also received $1200.00 for signage, since Rocky Hill is very interested in bike path through meadows, the commission decides to begin signage operations in the meadows

   3. Open Space Inventory

      C. Geiss reports that all properties listed in the Open Space Inventory have been visited and described and the data are ready to be put into GIS format. C.G. contacted Bill Holler, the towns GIS administrator, who will build the GIS framework

   4. Heritage Way: Status of grants and planning

      see report by K,. Bagley

   5. Discussion of Open Space

      Town is in negotiations with farm owners (unnamed) to preseve open space in Wethersfield.

   6. setting of meeting time

      the new meeting time for the commission will be 7:15 PM

The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 PM.

Respectfully submitted

Christoph Geiss