7 o' 7 7 o'clock. Okay. >> Yeah, that's what I don't get. >> Good evening. Good evening. My >> place here. It's now 7 o'clock Tuesday, February 24th, 2026. calling this meeting of the challen conservation commission uh to order. My name is Carl
Bishoff. I'm the chair of the commission. We'll be following the published and posted agenda. The meeting is both in person and in uh through the zoom. In the case of the zoom not working properly, we will continue the meeting in person only. This meeting is being broadcast and
recorded by Cheria and will be available on their website and on YouTube. We have a full quorum, a full house tonight. Um, and we do have an adjustment on our agenda, but we'll get to it very quickly. So, let's um jump right into
our uh liaison report from the uh planning board. Hello, Chris. Good evening. >> Good evening, Chris Levali, chair of the planning board. Um, so last meeting we ended our um zoning uh amendment or
zoning article here, public hearings. Uh we passed all of those uh to recommendations to town uh meeting. Uh town council's re has reviewed them and uh select board I believe is signing the warrant on uh tomorrow at their meeting
uh that was postponed from Monday. Um this coming meeting is going to be a fairly short meeting. We've got uh hopefully hearing from Brian Latina for the citizens petition uh for the zoning change. We've got uh the definitive
subdivision public hearing, probably closing that out for the 191 185 Riverneck Road. Uh we will be talking about uh progress on the managed growth strategy and then also uh starting to
talk about our planning for um next town meeting uh zoning changes and regulation changes. So we'll be prioritizing those uh that meeting. That's about it. >> Questions, comments? >> Very good.
>> All right. Thanks. Thanks. I appreciate it. >> All right. And Peter, you had a few things you wanted to say about the SOASCO climate resilience study. >> Uh, yeah. >> Good evening, Peter. >> Hi. Good evening. Um,
I guess David, the conservation commission was invited and I got nominated. And I guess that's what happened to participate in a new project looking at the whole conquered river watershed which as you guys know is a 33
communities starting I don't know where it even starts Framingham all the way down through Maynard Hudson and uh by us to the uh conquered river or I'm sorry uh to the Marramac River and twothirds of our town drains into this watershed.
So the new study is a state climate grant and it the awardees is a team of the town of conquered uh the Boston regional planning agency and this uh watershed group called ORS
and they ended up inviting me on to a steering committee. So, four times a year, I have some input to the study goals and they're at the beginning where they're asking for uh feedback from the 33 member communities
on any sort of information needs or data would benefit our town programs. So, to put a finer point on it, so far they seem to be planning, it's a two-year study, so they're just at the
early stages. They seem to be focusing on flooding. Sound familiar? Um, and culverts and the idea that that the culverts are failing and they're part of the flooding problem. Um, but also a habitat question.
So, I there's plenty of stuff written down I can share. So, if anybody's interested, why don't you chat with me offline and if you have any ideas now, great. Um, I will say that I think I got invited onto the steering committee after the
first meeting because I was one of the few people on the initial call talking about things other than flooding or culverts. I was talking about what's going to happen to our habitat or invasives or you know other conservation
issues. Um but the more I think about it and I've chatted a little bit with Dave and Evan Balansky. The more I think about it is, you know, flooding and culverts actually are two of our big problems and they're a problem particularly on the culverts because they're all broken and
we don't have enough money to fix them all. So you can argue that culverts does have a huge impact on habitat because if you got, you know, a pipe up in the air, one that doesn't meet the stream crossing standards, then you're blocking habitat. So fixing that costs a lot of
money. It costs more money than, you know, so it's all sort of ties together. But uh I can share more anybody wants to you know I can send you information or we can talk offline and um so yeah >> appreciate that you're spending your
time on this. I know it's four times a year isn't crazy but it's something you know. >> Well what's interesting for the commission is I get to work with uh experts really in the field. Um, so we learn a lot. You know, when we have questions here, how, what about
this, what about that, it's good to, >> you know, like you do at MA or at the training, you get to network and so >> so, so, uh, Peter, I mean, the title is somewhat explanatory, but can you go into a little bit more detail about really what the purpose and goals and
objectives of the study are? Yeah, they want to understand what challenges all the communities are facing in meeting our meeting climate challenges. But you know that climate challenge is interesting because that means a lot of different
things. So they wrote a very detailed scope of work to get the grant. Um but that scope of work is really broad. So now they're trying to figure out exactly what information I'll give an example. One thing that we would be
thrilled to have is an updated flood map. >> I mean, for the future, rainfall, you know, but you know, that's probably, you know, too much unless the whole study goes that way. That's probably too much. >> So, so increased flooding is a
challenge. What are some of the other challenges? >> Well, this group's going to focus on culverts and flooding. >> Okay. >> The other challenge, the other challenges are everything that we deal with here. It's um o open space and and land preservation for all different
purposes. It's invasive species. >> It's the sixth mass extinction. I >> Yeah, it's loss loss of habitat. Um I think it's I think when you look at the whole wershed groundwater pollution and stuff that ends up in our drinking
water, but also our habitat that we don't really understand is an issue. Uh but that's sort of the challenge is there's a million questions and you could if you took a fresh piece of paper you could come up with about 20 answers to your questions of things we'd like to know. You know where exactly are the big
wildlife corridors where you know what happens when it rains and these storm water systems that are sized for today's rainfall. What's going to happen 10 20 years from now? Is it going to have massive you know water pollution and hurt the fish or is everything okay? I mean, there's a a zillion questions that
are probably too big for this study. So, you know, I'll I'll I'll update the commission when there's something exciting happening, but at this point, they're looking for ideas. So, if anyone's interested, just tell me. I can send you some info you
could read quickly. U but think about what sort of information we would like and certainly more information on how to manage flooding. One more quick thing, David, that came up on the the early meetings is um more help with grants. >> That was my question kind of like what type of federal money is out there as
far as grant money taken out. >> Yeah. And it's I mean federal might be, you know, the wrong time to ask about that, but let's say down the road. Uh but there's a lot of other grant money. I mean, there's all kinds of foundations that have programs that, you know, we
could partner with. And that was one of the challenges mentioned. There's just a a lot of those opportunities that take time and energy if they could be >> and there's state money. >> Yeah. >> As well. >> Yeah. Which Yeah. >> Okay. Good. >> Thank you.
>> Appreciate it. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thanks for the update. >> Regulatory hearings. Um we have a notice of intent and the applicant New England Power Company, 100 Ecuador Road has asked for a continuence to March 10th. David, as I understand it, we still have
not received the um >> the storm water peer review. Correct. And the applicants also um creating a uh design plan for the restoration plantings. Yes. Okay. >> So, uh
>> I I think the likelihood is is that the hear that the uh hearing will be closed at the next meeting. >> Good. Good. Okay. take a motion to continue this uh hearing until March 10th. >> So moved. >> Motion from Chris. Do I have a second?
Second from Mark. >> All in favor? >> I. >> I. >> All right. Motion passes. Thank you. >> Okay. Next up on our agenda. Uh we have a discussion. This is a buffer zone violation at 233 Mill Road. Uh the
representative for the property owner is here on Zoom. I presume on Zoom. >> I think both the property owner and his representative. >> Oh, good. Okay, great. >> David, do you want to start talking about this for a moment? Set it up. >> Yes. I'll I'll just give a quick
background on this. So, this was originally brought to my attention um by the building department who uh cited the owner for um a violation for not getting a permit for the retaining wall that you
can see on the plan. Apparently, uh the retaining wall was of such a size and a height so that the building code did require a permit from the building department. Uh so the um uh building
department issued uh a cease and desist and uh as asked me to get involved because um ultimately if you know if and when the permit they did issue the permit I would have to sign off on it. So, uh I um he one of the building
inspectors and I went down last fall and looked at the site and uh I did uh see wetlands. The uh there are wetlands clearly clearly within the buffer zone. um is and uh so I uh I I directed the
the owner to hire a wetland scientist to delineate the wetlands and have a surveyor put them on a plan showing the wall as well. So that's been done. You see that in front of you. Um so you you
you can see the um uh uh wall is clearly in uh the buffer zone to the wetlands actually quite close to the wetlands. Um I believe um that uh and and I'll ask
the owner and his representative to um confirm this. Uh, but I believe that there was also fill that was brought in and placed behind the wall. Certainly what it looked like um to me when I was
down there. So um uh Luis, why don't you and your representative take it from there? Can you give uh a little bit more background? >> Have they unmuted? Unmuted. Oh, hello. Yeah. Hi. Uh Louise, you need to unmute yourself. So, good evening to everyone.
My name is Charlie Yamamoto. Um I'm a project manager with Alon Properties. Uh Louise works has been working with us for about a decade as our electrician. Um so, just to uh give the story on this, he uh bought the house and started
doing a lot of work on it and taking permits um on his own without hiring um a company for it. And when he decided to do a retaining wall, um he was unaware that it needed a permit. Um he didn't
know the laws and the codes. Um so it wasn't something that he did knowingly. Um right. And then as soon as he got the uh cease and the cease order, he contacted me and said that he had done something um that was not according to
town and if I could help. So, I started talking to the building inspector and um I explained to him that a couple things there were done um incorrectly and what would be the best way for us to
remedy the situation. So, he asked me to do an asbuilt of the wall of what's there now. Um and as said before to hire um the wetlands to um engineer it to see
everything where it was and also a storm water management plan which we have um hired the engineers for it. We are waiting for them to um do that. Unfortunately, this was all done about a week before Christmas. So be um it was a
little hard to get anybody on the field and anybody that would do the work quickly. So right now uh our situation is we're trying to do to remedy the situation and see what uh the building department would like us to do in order to set this
right. The plan that you have now is the retaining wall as is now. Um most of it is about 4 ft. Uh it's there's a very like a 10% of the wall that goes about half a foot over four feet
and pretty much um I'm waiting for the storm water management to be done which is the last thing that the building department has asked to see uh what you guys would prefer for us to do in this situation.
>> Okay. So uh uh thank you Charlie. So >> thank you. >> There there are a number of issues here. I I would say you know first and foremost is that uh the wall and um some
of the associated work is within the 25 foot no disturb setback from the wetlands. Um, you know, for for this for this to be approved, obviously the the commission would um need to grant a
waiver for for the wall and uh the field. Um, and I think as the commission well knows at this point, you know, there has to be really good reasons to grant waiverss for work in the no disturb setback. Um, you know, not
certainly not obvious to me. um what uh what those might be. Um so so uh Tarly, what what what is your client's you know ultimate intention? Why why why is this work being done?
>> Um my my idea was I had a dream to to to put a pool. I was in a process to hire like a pool company in order to to to install a pool in in
the property. So the idea would be uh do the retaining wall in order to to uh to level uh you know the the backyard.
And the guy I was told that we we could use, you know, all of the loom that uh when we dig for the pool in order to to back fill uh the terrain. So that was the the the
idea, you know, to to to put the pool and then make uh the the lot a little bit more leveled. >> Mhm. Okay. >> Um well, so I I think the bottom line is
is that you commission needs to decide uh how to address this situation. you know, the way the way it's been done in the past, I don't and I don't see it doing any differently is that the commission issued enforcement orders to require
that um the uh the area be uh the work be undone and the area restored to back to back to what it was originally. Um in in this case it would be to remove the wall and restore you know whatever whatever vegetation um was there
originally. Um then then above and beyond that there's the the issue about the remainder of the buffer zone um and and that work and and how should that be handled administratively? Is that is that um an additional enforcement order?
Well, I mean, is should be part of this enforcement order? Is it is it a second enforcement order that uh has has its own requirements? Um, one, you know, one of which could be uh the filing of a not
an RDA or a notice of intent for uh for the pool. Um, but I I don't I don't see how the commission, you know, could could really justify leave leaving um
the wall uh and the area within 25 ft of the wetlands uh disturbed the way it is. >> Okay. >> Um >> yeah, go ahead. So I have uh worked with this type of situation before, not in a in the case
of something being built. Um but um we did uh 3 years back um acquire a special permit in Newton with a very similar um situation. Um, and they the way that it was settled
there was they actually allowed us to to build something a little closer than usual, but we had to hire an aubberist and a study was done in what native plants were supposed to be there. Um, at
the time when we acquired the property, there was a bunch of invasive species there and we did a work where we removed all the invasive species and we were given um a list by an environmentalist of what type of plants and flowers uh
and how many of them were needed in the area of the wetlands. And we were also um responsible for maintaining those um plants, making sure that they all survived within a 2-year period. Last
year that actually got extended to three. Um I So I just wanted to throw that out there that um I've seen this beamed out this way. Maybe if you guys were in accordance that it could be done as well
as here. Um the area where we worked this was 3 years ago and the wetlands there um a couple of plants did need to be replaced a few uh believe in within a 2-year period but um right now um all of
them are surviving and it did not do any harm to the wetlands. So, it was just an idea that I was thinking uh if maybe we could get a study done the same way in this in this case. >> Okay. >> To avoid um rem u removing or replacing
the wall. >> Thank you for letting us know what you have done in the past. Um let me ask the rest of the commission what your thoughts are. Um John, do you have uh do you have some thoughts? Let's just go around. Well,
we try to stick to that 50 foot mark. Okay. >> Mhm. >> We bent things in the past. So, I don't know if it's a way to square this off. I don't know. What do you think, Dave? I
mean, looking at it, is there a way to >> Let's go around. Yeah. >> I I I'll I'll just respond. I I I think that first and foremost, you need a reason to justify the waiver for working in the 25 foot no disturb if if they had
done things in the right order and applied to the commission before they built it. >> I think that's what the question the commission would have. >> Why why do you need to go that close to the wetlands for the work you're proposing to do? >> All right. Okay. Yep.
>> Okay. Uh, anything else, John? >> No, no, I want to listen. >> Yep. >> Uh, can you just explain what the wall is exactly? Is it big blocks or is it small blocks or how's the retaining wall constructed?
>> It's a Yeah, >> the the small blocks >> one by nine. What are the sauna tubes behind it for? You've got sauna tubes
behind the wall. Yeah, the the the contractor, he convinced me to to put the senate tubes uh to to make it easier if I decide to put a fence in the future, but they
they're for nothing. >> They're not part of the wall. They're just for defense on top of the wall. >> Not on top of the wall because the wall uh are blocks. >> Yeah. >> Those pre-made blocks. Yeah. >> They're behind of the wall.
>> So behind the wall you'd have a fence. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um, well, I mean, it could act they could move it out of the 25 foot without a big I mean, it'd be
a job, but it wouldn't be crazy to ask them to do it. So, I could kind of lean towards getting out of the 25 foot and restoring that area. >> Okay. Unless there's a good reason or a not to, but I can't see one.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah, that's what I got. Go 25. >> Yeah. Um, look looking at conservation review this. Yeah, that should be it should be out of 25 ft. Uh, you bring a material in. Did you say material was brought
into the site? >> No, not yet. We were going to to back field, you know, the the back of the wall with the the >> pool. This >> the pool.
>> Okay. When we did this, I'm not going to get in great detail. I I don't want to see anything brought into that area within 25 ft. >> Yeah. No, there's nothing there. No. >> Yeah. Uh I Is this Is this wall legal? I mean, it's right against the property line.
That >> that was I mean building apartment. >> It's a building apartment. I know. Right. Right. >> My next door neighbor has the garage, you know, in the uh right in the, you know, >> on the line
>> almost on my property. You know, he has a shed, you know, in the wetlands as well. And nobody said nothing about that. >> Okay. I I guess what we want to do is get this back to where it was, replicated what'sever required. Okay, Chris.
>> No, I mean I think what I'm hearing is, you know, mistakes were made. Um, I think we have to correct the mistakes, remedy what went wrong, and, um, I think the commission will need a restoration plan to restore things back to the way they should be, and I think we need to look closely at the restoration plan,
but I echo my colleagues that that 25 foot no disturb zone is really very, very sensitive to us. Um but yeah, I think we've got to come up with a have the um applicant here come up with a restoration plan to rectify things and
uh and fix the problems. >> Okay, all >> same Peter. >> Uh yeah, 25 foot is important. Um we also have a 50 foot no build we ought to talk about. >> Yep.
>> We kind of skipped over that. Um, and um, I do like the idea of restoration andor mitigation, but one of the challenges is, you know, we don't we don't allow fences in the buffer zone unless they have a critter passage underneath it in
the regulations. So, just keep in mind a big big wall blocks one thing we're here to protect, which is wildlife that travels between the wetlands and upland. And I know it's a yard and I know it's a busy street. So, I mean, you can we can think about that. Um, but it does seem
important. And I guess the last thing I would say is if you look at the town water resource map, this is actually connected to some pretty important waterways in town. So, it's not an isolated I was hoping it would be an isolated wetland.
>> Um, but it is connected. >> So, >> okay. Um, >> yeah. What I'm going to suggest is they come back with a plot plan of where the pool's going to be.
Okay. In the yard and we can look at the 25 foot from there and go with it. You know what I mean? They're going to have to come back because they're going to work within 100 ft. >> Yeah. Anyways,
>> I think what you're saying is kind of where I was going, which is I think if your ultimate goal is to have a pool in there. >> You're going to have to come back with a plan. >> Come back with a plan that shows the pool >> and run that through the building inspector, run that through David and that process.
That being said, at a minimum, I what I'm hearing is restoration of everything in the 25 and likely 50 foot is also um is, you know, if that can be worked in with the bigger plan, that might that
might be okay. But if you can't even do the bigger plan, then you're going to end up with I think just the restoration. Well, well, and maybe this would be an incentive to to the owner, but if he can keep if he can keep the pool
um and everything necessary for the construction of the pool outside the 50 foot buffer zone, that's an exemption under the regulations. So, he doesn't even have to see the commission for that. >> Okay. >> But, you know, I I'd need to see a plan.
I mean, if if if if they say, "Well, the the retaining wall is needed for the pool." Um, you know, that that can that could probably go along with the exemption if if if he says, "Well, you know, the retaining, you know, I want the retaining wall for some other
reason. Even if it's, you know, more than 50 feet away, but it's still in 100 foot bubber zone." Maybe that's an RTA. Um, but I but that I think that might be the the best way to go, you know, all around. Um,
>> yeah. So, does that make sense, Tylie? And and the applicant uh or the owner? >> Yeah. So, um we can uh prepare a proposed plans for a pool um within the 50 buffer zone. And if we could
>> without um I think you want to be outside the 50 foot >> with Yeah, without sorry. And um if we could uh get permission from you to maybe redo the wall um outside of the 25
ft zone, I think that would be the best uh possible outcome for Louise. >> Well, I uh the the wall is a build and the inside the 50 is a no build. >> So that's where it's going to be very difficult. You need a waiver there. So I
I we're not ready. We're not at all prepared to say that here. >> Just just just just though to try and be um sort of you know objective about this and you know apply the regulations correctly. You know it's not clear to me
anyway if if um the no build setback pertains to a retaining wall because it's not not really a permanent structure like a house or >> is a definition of what a building is. So it wouldn't meet the definition of a building. I mean, that's that's not to
say that the commission would automatically allow it if it if it was between 25 and 50 ft. It may it may need a lot of review, but I don't I don't think it's automatically uh disallowed um due with the no build setback.
>> I without being I'm not an engineer on soils, but putting a pool in where this retaining wall is in all the soils, there's there's a lot of load going there. Yeah, >> this is not a simple
I'm just I'm not in the building inspection department, but that's that part's going to be a challenge right there. >> We got to see the plan. >> So, >> Mhm. >> So, I think what I'm hearing is um come back with a full plan, but in the meantime know that we're going to be asking for
at a minimum the 25- foot uh no disturbed to be uh repaired and and restored. So, I think the do thing to do is to issue an enforcement order. Y >> um and uh I can I can put in the the detailed requirements
um for the enforcement order. But yeah, it's going it's going to be remove the wall uh outside uh at least outside the 25 foot no disturb. I I think it's a little bit of a risk if you leave it
with uh within the the 50- foot setback. Um, so I'll I'll leave that up to you. Um, or or or or or the commission could say right now. >> No, I I don't I don't want to do that now. >> Okay. So, so, uh, so that that'd be one
part of it is remove the wall, uh, from the 25 foot, uh, no disturb setback, um, and restore the, uh, the area that's been disturbed within the 25 foot no setback, which is I think probably almost all of it, uh, back to its
original condition. >> Okay. >> So, so remove the wall or relocate it. >> I would >> important distinction. >> Yep. Yeah, that's a good point. So, I would I would say the safest thing to do is to remove it and and not and not relocate it. Um, unless um you know, I
would say uh for John's suggestion, you you you you could come back, I guess, with a plan showing the pool, but I think from the commission's perspective, the highest priority is, you know, get the get the um 25 foot no disturb um
restored. um you know that's the highest priority and going to need a commission is going to need to see a plan for that before it approves any other plans. >> Yeah, that's our jurisdiction. >> Yeah. >> Right. Okay. >> Um would you be okay if we uh come back
with a plot plan with a proposed pool and a proposed relocation of the wall outside of the 25 ft and we can go from there. And if you think it's too close, we can um you know redo the proposed plans cuz we're obviously we're not
going to do anything um until you know uh a a permission has been issued. So I'm totally I completely agree with you guys with the restoration of within the 25 ft. That makes complete sense. But would that be okay to to um come back
with a proposed plan for the pool with a relocation of the wall outside of the 25 and you can look at it and decide upon that? >> Um yeah, you you can certainly do that, but you know, >> would that be an NOI at this? >> Uh maybe um but the commission isn't
going to make a decision on that until uh it approves the restoration plan and maybe even that the restoration is already started. You you can certainly make that >> good faith effort. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> But but it is safe to advise the
applicant that >> if he was completely if the pool was completely out of the 50 foot >> and the retaining wall >> and the retain and the other work we discussed, you're probably in good shape here. >> Yep. Yep. >> Great shape. >> Yeah. I don't know if there's room for
that, but that's but that's Yeah. >> Depends on how big the pool is. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Mark, >> about 6 8 months ago, I think it was, maybe a little longer, there was a there was something similar to this on Smith Street, and we wouldn't let the
applicant do anything else in the property until he removed everything that was in violation. >> Yeah. I >> I think that ought to be done first. >> Yeah. >> Get everything out of it. Nothing gets done other than getting everything out of 25 foot and maybe a little bit more.
No machines in there. Nothing. >> Yeah. >> Do it all by hand. >> Yeah. That's that's so we need to see a plan an infor you know the which would meet the >> David will write up the the enforcement order. >> So let me make a motion then. All right.
Make a motion then that we issue that the commission issues an enforcement order. All right. The enforcement order is going to have will require a restoration plan and we're going to have a condition that the wall part of that is going to be that wall is going to be
removed from the current site and and be proposed to be outside of that 25- foot no disturb zone. >> Right. And that furthermore, um, you know, we need to make sure that whole area, the 25 foot area is restored
back to, um, the condition it was before any work was done. >> And, and to Mark's point, we need a a work sequence for the removal of the wall. >> That that further disturbance. Yeah. >> I don't want to see any machines in there. >> Okay. >> Yeah. We have a condition basically that there be a work uh sequence listed and
we don't want any machinery in that area. >> You don't think what? >> The wall isn't built yet, right? Yes, it is. >> Yeah. >> Oh, it is built. >> Oh, yeah. >> It's got a picture of it. >> Yeah. >> Oh, >> yeah. >> And and and and Chris, back to your
point, restore the 25- ft zone. Can we define the word restore? >> Back to its original condition. >> Yeah, I think that's what I said. Back to its original condition. >> So, so a little bit your consultant's going to your wetland consultant's going to need to do a little bit of historical
research. um which I think is certainly possible to go back and look at uh aerial photos prior to the um this work being done and see was you know what was it like? Was it was it forested? Was it
lawn? Was it uh you know shrubs? So it's it's it's going to have to be you know like an inind restoration >> or just propose some wetland plantings like the project that was mentioned in Newton. Yeah. >> Well, but if it was forested, I mean, if
there were like 10 trees out there, don't you want those restored? >> Good point. Good point. Yeah. >> Okay. >> We we didn't remove any trees. >> Okay. >> Good to hear. Good. That makes it easier. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Well, I um >> but but to David's point, the wetland
expert should do a little historical Yeah. research. >> Whatever whatever restoration plan you propose is going to have to be justified with evidence, you know. Yeah, but they know that they know how to do that. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. Do
>> I have a motion? Do we have We need a second. I >> have a motion from Chris. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second from Bill. >> Further discussion. All in favor? >> I. >> Motion passes unanimous. All right. So, I think you understand um what needs to be done. You can certainly connect with
David um to get more detail, but David will >> Yeah. Yeah. So, so you'll you'll have to wait until I get you the the um completed uh enforcement order. Um I'll try and do that by the end of this week. I'm not I'm really busy tomorrow and I'm
not going to be here on Thursday. So, I'll just I'll just get to it as soon as I can. >> Okay. >> Thank you for very much for working with us. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Thank you for the help, guys. I appreciate the the everything there. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. Have a good evening.
>> You too, too. Okay. Uh let's see. Next up is just the um just nothing on continual business. On the sheet here, land management. So, conservation site updates. Um
Peter Thanksgiving forest. We had fun out there that day last week. Wasn't that fun on uh >> I don't know. I don't I don't I don't think I did any work. >> It's a good story if you guys haven't heard it. Um really Carl, you and Jeff and to some extent Dave Sperry organized
a team to install four uh wood duck houses in the pond at Thanksgiving Forest. It's the Russell Mill Pond. And it was it was kind of neat because there were three members of the land trust that owned the shoreline where we were
putting the the houses and Kong had you and I Carl. Um >> and Bill Dowling was there to help out neighbors and >> Ken Dues was there from land trust. We had three from land trust >> Becky >> and uh Jeff our land steward. Thank you
again Jeff if you're listening. Did a marvelous job. He built these wood duck houses uh using some recycled or some lumber that was identified at Warren Pole that Becky Warren thought her >> father grandfather had maybe not milled
on the site. It wasn't clear but it's definitely was old lumber recovered. Um, and they were put in with critter guards to keep, you know, raccoons from stealing the eggs and just putting cameras on some of them. And, uh,
see how it goes. >> Hatch some wood ducks. >> If you don't know what wood ducks look like, they're beautiful. And go find a picture. They're really one of my favorite ducks or birds. >> But they make an absolutely crazy noise. >> But they're very shy. >> It's not loud though. They're very shy.
>> Oh, I think it's loud. >> Oh, okay. It sound It sounds um >> How's the fisher cat house going? >> The Well, it's not up in the tree yet. >> Oh, no. There's two of them. There's one. >> Yeah. One's still not up, but the one that's up, there's a fisher that has
been poking her nose in there and she's gone in. >> Did you see the video? >> Yeah. >> Beautiful clear footage. Yeah. >> Yeah. It's pretty cool. >> So, the Do they nest? >> Yeah. Yeah, they And this is the time February is when they nest. February, March. So, you're putting another box up.
>> There's two point. One's up and one's on the ground, right? >> Yeah. The weather the weather didn't get us didn't help us on the second one. >> Yeah, it's good. >> Yeah. But, but but but it's interesting, Bill, because obviously these critters find hollow spots and trees and whatnot normally
>> and that land has all been changed a lot. So, the question is that we don't have the answer to, but the question is, do they need a little extra help? and fissurers are in considered in decline in the northeast for a variety of reasons including our favorite the
rodenticide poisoning thing but you know I don't think the biologists are really sure exactly why so we know that there's a a broad need to support some of these critters so here we are and I don't think there is a duck hunting season in
Chelert so I'll just mention that because there is in some loces. >> Anything else? Uh, Peter on Thanksgiving. >> I'm sorry. Yeah. Uh, nothing else I have on the the the Thanksgiving itself. Yeah.
>> Ali, anything at >> more snow? >> Lime Quar. Yeah, >> there's people out there though. They're walking dogs and all that, but >> nothing crazy going on. >> Good. Chris, >> no. Crooked Springs looking nice, but yeah, lots of snow. Yeah, >> there was a few people sledding today
out at Redwing. >> Nice. >> Nice. >> Good. Good, >> Bill. >> Yeah. Uh, cool. They uh they're still doing a lot of work out there, the volunteers. The uh they had a uh a
sledding day. people go out there on their own, but they had a specific day where they had sledding and they had uh nice >> they had quite a good amount of people showed up for that. It was on Facebook and had a lot of people out there actually filled up the parking lot
>> good >> more or less. >> Um but that was very successful. They're planning on something possibly with the vernal pool uh to go uh discuss how that works and and uh what that's all about.
>> Uh something educational, >> pardon me, >> something educational. >> Yes. Okay. >> Yep. Yep. Uh, and then last weekend or this past weekend, right before the snow, there was I think there was eight people out there uh near the vernal pool
area pulling invasives out of the trees and getting they're trying to get as much stuff as they can so we can burn in the spring. We have a burn pile for the invasives and junk. So, uh, they're trying to get it ready because the town's going to come out with a water
truck uh, so that we can burn it. So, lots going on. Good. Yeah. >> Hey. Hey, Bill. >> Yes. >> Um, I I'll tell you. I don't know who else to tell. Uh, I was thinking of a really cool event on that Vernal pool. If you time it right, that's the
question. You can hear the wood frogs. >> Yeah. >> Uh, I call it quacking. And I realized once I figured out what the heck they were, that my whole life I had been hearing a wood frogs, right? Making that sound a little bit like a malard quacking. Yep.
>> I realized my whole life I heard it here and there and just assumed it was a duck and it wasn't. It was these hardcore vernal pool species. That would make a good little >> Yeah. >> coffee event or something. >> If you get close, they stop quacking right away. >> Right. But you you there's a a distance thing. >> You have to sit still and listen.
>> They may be a bit delayed this year. >> Yeah. It might be might be May or June now. >> Right. Right. >> But no, lots lots of good things going on. >> John, anything at Festival? >> H snowman melted. Don't >> in the middle of the pond. It's gone. >> Now there's going to be a new one.
>> Oh, I don't Yeah, the amount of snow we got. I don't know. >> Cool. All right. I don't I don't have anything at Cranberry Bog or Wright or Warren Paul. As far as I know, everything is good. I haven't been out there in a while, but plus anyone knows anything, but seems good. >> Oh, can I just ask that we put on the
agenda just the Oakill, the uh >> the Beaver Dam. >> Beaver Dam. Yep. Just so we stay on top of that once the weather gets better. >> Okay, >> John, you might be interested. You probably know this from a kid. The mill pond Carl brought a fishing ice fishing
augur to, you know, get these boats for the end. >> I'm practicing for Maine. >> Yeah. So, you know, and but he had good practice because you had a double layer of ice. You ought to describe. I thought that was >> Yeah, that was interesting. you you get through the top layer and which is a foot >> and then there's like maybe a few inches of water and then there's another layer
of ice on the bottom in the in the muck. >> So So the main the main ice on top was a foot but it was suspended which makes sense because the water is draining out of the thing and not much water's coming in. So that's the the safety question. And a foot of ice, I think, is probably
fine if there's space underneath it, unless you're walking around, you get to a spot where, you know, so it was interesting to see that. >> All right, that's it. Anything else? Uh, I don't see anything else on our agenda. Uh, we don't have any meeting minutes
right now. I know Vivian is all over it, but we'll get them. >> I thought I sent the ones from the first week of January, but apparently I didn't. So, you'll have them tomorrow. >> Okay. All right. We'll we'll get it. So, uh, I will say, um, March 10th, um,
before our meeting, uh, David and I will be attending a civics chumps civics academy, uh, presentation. Um, this is a the town is doing this to help folks in town understand parts of
the government here in town. And we'll talk about conservation for about 15 minutes and then Mr. Lavali will talk about uh, the planning board. And then there's a couple more, but then David and I will come over here and come to the meeting at at 7. So anyway, it's uh
we got a little uh slide presentation to talk about what conservation is and how it fits in. So >> feel free to attend. >> Feel free to attend. Yeah. >> Where is that? >> Well, actually they want you to sign up for that. So >> Oh, that's right. >> Is that in this building or >> No, I think it's in the police >> the the police room. Yeah.
>> In their training room or something like that. So >> it's that what six or eight week formal civics >> training course. >> Did did you already do yours? >> Yeah. Town clerk office was the first night. >> Yeah. Okay. Okay.
>> Any tr any say any troublemakers? >> Did you do a skit >> other than me? No. >> You didn't do a skit? >> No. >> Oh. >> All right. I'll take a motion to adjurnn. >> Move to adjurnn. >> Motion from Chris. All in favor?
>> I. Thank you very much.