Okay, good evening. This is the um November 19th, 2025 meeting of the Lunberg Open Space Committee and in courting according with the requirements of open meeting law. Uh this meeting is being recorded and broadcast live over Lunberg public access channel on
Facebook live and we'll be on um the YouTube channel within 24 hours the Lunberg access YouTube channel within 24 hours of the meeting. Uh we are on Zoom webinar number 287854-4906. Uh we have a quorum this evening. So I'm
going to call this meeting to order. Um thank you all for joining. I appreciate it. Uh, first order of business is to go over the minutes uh from the October 8th meeting. Um, I have >> Yes. Um, Eric, we need someone for the
minutes. >> Yeah, Eric is our Eric is our um I'm hoping he knows he's he's our clerk. >> Yeah. >> So, he's on the hook. >> Okay. All right. >> Take Yeah. Thank you. Okay. >> Um, so I've I've got a couple things
that I was going to um change a little bit from from your your minutes from the ETH, Eric. Um, let me pull that up for a second. So, um, under item number seven, which is what
we're going to be discussing again tonight, and I can I can make these changes if it's okay with the, uh, entire committee and we vote on it. Um, the second, I think it's second sentence, third sentence says, M2 Hill suggests the planning board should be notified. Uh, and it says BOSC planning
board member Tim Wilsber. Tim wasn't at our meeting. Um, so I I think what I said is I was going to go to the planning board meeting, which I did. I went a week ago Monday to the planning board meeting and presented some of these ideas. Uh, so I was going to
strike out that section of that sentence and then I was going to add a sentence on the end that said, um, and correct me if I didn't say this, but I think I did. M2 Hill discussed drafting a bylaw to be considered by the bylaw review committee and also adding a representative from the agricultural commission to replace
the vacant community member seat. Uh and those were some of the things that I was going to go discuss with the with the planning board. I I think we discussed those on the October 8th meeting. >> Yeah, >> recall discussing that. Did anybody have
anything else um to to change on on the minutes of October 8th? >> No, th those are good catch, Mike. Thank you. >> Okay. And Colleen, you're good with them. We lose Colleen.
>> Yes. I wasn't there. So >> Oh, okay. Yeah, that's true. >> It was on a Chris, Eric, and I. >> Yeah. So, I'll trust you. [laughter] >> Okay. So, um I would entertain a motion to approve the minutes as amended.
>> So, moved. >> Thank you, Anna. Second, >> second. >> Thank you. Um and we'll do a roll call. So, Colleen, >> I. >> Anna, >> I. >> Eric,
>> I. >> And the chair votes I. So, Eric, what I'll do is I'll I'll just make those changes. Um, and when I send it over to the town clerk, I'll send you a copy, too, so that you have a a copy of of the amendment. I I can send it over. I did it in track changes, so I can send over
track changes to you as well. Okay. So, thank you very much for that. Um, the next order of business is probably what's going to take up most of our time tonight. It's the draft bylaw mission statement that we started discussing last week. Can just as a recap, the the
town has a bylaw review committee, I think they're called, and they're putting together changes, potential changes to the bylaw for consideration for spring town meeting, and asked all boards and committees if they had any
proposed bylaw changes or in our case addition. So one of the things that we discussed at our last meeting is the the concept of this committee being a a formal formally recognized fully standing
committee as opposed to ad hoc. You know ad hoc means as needed and I think open space like conservation, agriculture, recreation all of them need to be standing committees. So what I went to the planning board to discuss was us
becoming a standing committee and because of that we would have to have bylaws and so and because the the planning board right now we are an ad hoc committee of the planning board. So I thought that should be our first stop is to go to the parent organization if
you will and and uh make sure that they were okay with the concept which they were um they were fine with the concept. We had some discussion about you know who who would appoint us and my idea and we can discuss this as part of this
committee is that we would remain being individual members would remain being appointed by the planning board so that we don't have to be number one elected and number two we don't necessarily have to be appointed by the select board the way the conservation commission some of
the other committees are. Um I have not discussed that with the town manager or town council or the select board. I wanted to talk about it here first and go to them with um a proposal um that includes draft bylaws, a draft mission
statement and draft goals. So um I I talked to the um planning board about that idea. I also talked to the planning board about the idea of um changing our membership a little bit by adding someone from the agricultural commission. That's a to to me I think to
us um agricultural lands are a very important part of our open space in Lunenburgg and um so I I talked to the uh planning board about that. Um they were in favor of it. They just wanted to make sure
that we weren't, you know, just just having representation from boards. We wouldn't be we right now we have uh four community members and three board members and it would would just kind of reverse. we'd have four uh members from boards and commissions and three community members. We have a vacancy
right now, so it's not booting anybody off the the open space committee. Um so I after after getting a rather positive feedback from the planning board, I went ahead and I sent um Jen Duffy, the chair
of of the agricultural commission, uh an email just asking her what what she thought about that idea. would would they have uh someone who could serve as a representative? I've not heard back yet. Um but that's that's something I I think we started to talk about last
time. Um I'll stop there and let's talk about those two concepts first and then I can show you I I think I sent out emails. I can show you what I've drafted and with Anna's help I made a few changes. Anna, I can show you what I drafted for the mission statement, the
goals, and for the draft bylaw. Yeah, I mean I'll I'll start because I tend to do that. Um I um I agree with you. I think I saw I watched your meeting with uh with the planning board. They had they were fully supported in support of this change. I think my um
Adam Bernie even said you um finally you guys you know expect this to happen a while ago. Um I think there is a need and there is a place. I agree with the change in membership because I think we will be getting um all the open space
um representatives are going to be here. We'll have someone from conservation, someone from parks, someone from u um agriculture uh committee. So I think that's really great. Um and you'll still have the planning board member. So I
think it's a really good combination of of people to sit down and especially when one of the goals of most space open space committees and ours too is to maintain that open space uh handbook the
open space plan. Um so having representatives of these multiple committees does allow does makes it for a really good combination of um of you know different perspectives of open space. So no this is good.
>> Okay. Colleen, what are your thoughts on this? >> I agree. I think it makes sense to add somebody from the agricultural commission and as like you said if if we have a vacancy in the community members then it's right nobody's getting booted
it's not you know like so still three community members seems to be plenty I think. >> Okay. And you like the idea of us being a full standing committee? >> Oh definitely. Yep. >> Okay. And as far as if we'd be
appointed, the members would be appointed by the planning board, but they would probably be chosen by the individual the other committees and then just be appointed like basically accepted by the correct. Yeah, correct.
>> How like capital planning works I think. >> Yeah, >> that's how conservation works I think too. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And I think the um the community members, you know, the planning board, which is an elected body, they would be appointing the community members,
>> right? >> So, >> and yeah, I like that it's the planning board too, Mike, versus the select board. >> Okay, Eric, any any feedback on this? Um, no, I'm just kind of catching up. I
mean, I definitely I think right, we've had a bunch of experiences primarily with the the chapter withdrawals where us not being notified is has been a problem and as I understand it, this this could help kind of uh resolve that.
So, I think it's a it's a great idea. >> Okay. Yeah, I think and that's a good point. I think this will help. Um, I'm I'm haven't done it yet. But I need to get into our general bylaws and see where it specifies who gets noticed when
something comes out a chapter and and not only add our own bylaw but add us to that list so that we become automatically notified by the bylaw of of properties coming out of chapter. >> Yep.
>> And Anna, if you know if you know where that is in the bylaw, great. Otherwise, I'll go poke around and try to find it. I I I'll find it. Let me do that. I enjoy Call me crazy. I do enjoy reading those bylaws. >> Okay. >> Um I'll find it.
>> If you enjoy reading bylaws, that maybe that's the next thing we'll do is we'll talk about our bylaws and mission statement. How's that? >> So, let's do the let's do the um find it for you for a second.
Uh I thought I had it opened up. Bear with me for a second. There we go. Okay. So, I'm going to share. Hopefully, this is the mission statement that I'm sharing from this little tiny icon.
So, I'm going to share what what I've drafted as a mission as the mission statement. And Anna, I took the information that you sent me from the other communities and read through it and pulled a few ideas and concepts out. I didn't I didn't make wholesale changes
to this structure. And >> no, you had a beautiful structure. >> And as we go through, you can tell me if I missed something or in some cases, I thought maybe I added something I shouldn't have. So, you'll see what I did here. So, this is the um the proposed uh let's do the mission
statement first. Um and this will just kind of go on the website. Uh to preserve Lunberg's rural and agricultural character for current residents and future generations. Added that through the permanent protection of undeveloped land, wetlands, and surface water bodies. Agricultural and forest
lands. Added that scenic viewscapes took out historic sites because that's really not our hunt. um and recreation areas as opposed to recreation land. So, it can be land or water. So, I'm I tweaked I tweaked it a little bit. And what I'd
like to try to do tonight is to get at least a good solid draft voted on so that I can now then take it to the town manager, um therefore the select board and maybe to to the to town council, too. Um, and the mission statement is
not as critical as the bylaws, but they're going to want to see everything. So, let's let's tackle the mission statement first. Um, what what did I miss? What what else do we need to say in here? We're trying to keep it short and sweet, but what else do I need to say?
So on the one thing um especially that we wanted to be notified about um you know chap land coming after coming out of chapter
>> that's under the goals that's the next thing. >> Okay sorry >> you want to do that first want to go through that first so that we can we can do them together. We should I I Oh. Oh, you were just talking about the top part. Sorry. >> Correct. Just the top part. >> Yeah. No, I think that top part is
really good. >> So, this is just our, you know, our our our vision, >> right? >> For what for what this committee does? >> Yep. No, I think in my opinion that's really good, simple, and to the point.
>> Okay. >> I I agree. I think it's great. I think it covers what it needs to cover but is is concise. >> Okay, cool. Um, let's move on to goals because you
started talking about that. So, I had the the first number of bullet items were in the draft that I sent you all before. Uh, but I added that last bullet. Advise a town on land acquisition, open space protection by assessing town's right of first refusal
of land coming out of chapter and evaluate any surplus land or tax default properties, which I think it was before any of you were on, but we went through I was on with Brandon and others before. We went through that process once before where the town treasurer presented us
with with a with a list of properties that might become available uh because of taxings. um and and we may wind up in that position to have to review that again. So, I made sure we added that in that surplus land or tax default properties.
Um so, you can read the bullets. I don't I don't need to read them all to you. Um again, am I are does this capture our goals or are we am I missing something in our goals?
No, I think that's also to the point, concise, clear. Um, and you added the one bullet point that I thought we I would hope you would make a stronger statement about
it. >> Yeah, I saw that in in some of the material you sent me and and the wording I thought was was pretty good. I forget whether it was Plymouth or who it was, but um because I I took a lot of this um from Medway. I was familiar with their
open space um goals and bylaws. And then I looked at the other I think you sent me four or five others, >> right? >> And I looked at I looked at those to see if we needed to add anything in here. >> Yeah. No, I I think that's really good. >> Okay.
How about you other guys? any any other goals or am I missing something or do we have we captured what we're supposed to be doing? >> I think it looks good and I want to thank Anna. I read through those other ones, too. Like you really do like to read bylaws and such because that was an
impressive [laughter] list you sent. But it was interesting to see, you know, I think this is really good. I think it, you know, encompasses I think everything. Um um Mike, do you think we should say advise
uh select board on land acquisition or you want to leave it more open to advise town? >> Um no, we can we can say advise the town through the select board or something like that. >> Okay.
>> Or advise us. I mean technically I guess we are supposed to be advising the select board, right? >> Yeah. because they're ultimately they are the decision makers. >> All right, let's do that. I'll change that. Okay,
this might become one of the most clear and concise bylaws that we have in our books. >> [clears throat] >> Wait to see the bylaw. >> I saw it. >> All right. Um before we move on to the bylaw,
um I think it'd be okay if we take a vote on these two items and see if if the committee, you know, agrees with the wording of these items thus far and and empowers me to go forward with this to town manager and town council.
>> All right. I'll make a motion that we approve the uh the mission statement and goals >> for the open space as set in this document and ask Mike, our chair, to present this proposal to town manager
and town council. >> I'll second that. >> Thank you. Let's let's do a roll vote again. Um Colleen, >> hi. >> Anna, hi. Eric >> I >> and the chair votes I. All right. Thank
you. So, we'll we'll move forward with that. Um, you know, we're trying to try to get this stuff done by the beginning of December so we can actually get to the um by review committee in a timely fashion. So, I appreciate it.
All right. Um, you should be seeing the draft of the bylaw at this point on your screen. And so this is kind of the the nuts and bolts of how we're made and who puts us together and that kind of stuff. So the
first section is who, you know, who constitutes the open space committee. We're >> Mike, I'm still seeing the the previous documents. >> Oh, are you? I'm sorry. You know what? Probably I always do that. I'm looking at it on
my screen. Let's try this. >> There we go. >> Got it now. Okay. >> Sorry about that. So, the first section of of some bylaws and this one, this draft in particular is just who makes up the open space committee. What is the
membership of the o open space committee? And so, this is just what we discussed before. where we have the same the same membership except um I've gone ahead and added one member of agricultural and reduced community to four to three from four
um second part is who appoints us and how are the terms set up and I went ahead and and we we don't really deal with terms very often on this committee um but in a good bylaw you generally
have what what the term terms are for the for the seats. And I did make a point in here that these positions are not term limited. So people can serve, you know, as Brandon did, for a really long time if they if they are willing to give their time on the open space
committee. So um the planning board will will designate um you know two staggered terms. um majority of the first members, so four of the seven um will be appointed for a two-year
term. The other three will be a one-year term. We'll just write down who's who. And then after that, it's you serve two years. Um third part is just what what makes a good member. Um I didn't put in someone
who has the time to do such things but that's that's implied. So um consist of individuals experience, training or dedicated interest in open space preservation, land planning, conservation, real estate, mapping,
fundraising, communications. Um so we kind of covered a broad swath of the talents um that we need to have on this committee. I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna mention something that I really appreciate about this and I don't know if you copy and
paste some from somewhere. I really appreciate it having dedicated interest in the open space because um you know it really there are a lot of people like I don't have any of the other trainings but I very passionate about it you know
people's quality of life. Um, so I appreciate having that added because I think that can be a differentiator on how someone serves and their passion and dedication to a cause. >> And if I remember correctly, I'm I'm going to give accreditation to Midway.
Uh, because I think I think that was a direct crib from from the the draft bylaw that uh Bridget gave me down at Medway. >> There you go. So, you know, um what is it about the
sincerest sincerest form of flattery, you know? >> Yeah. >> Right. Short of plagiarism, it's it's okay. Um what are our duties? And so, the open space committee is going to have the following responsibilities. um assist
the planning board and other town board committees and departments um as they may request assistance with regard to review of applications for land development permits for the goal of securing open space areas for the community. Now I I I did name the
planning board. Um we don't have to specifically name the planning board. just came to mind that they're they're one of the first ones that see development plans uh even sometimes even before conservation that that that could potentially include open space,
>> right? >> Um B is to serve as an information source and advocate for the acquisition of land for conservation, open space, agricultural, recreation and related purposes and make recommendations for purchase to the select board. So that I did have the select board in here. Um,
it's funny I changed it here, but I didn't change it in the other one. >> Yeah. >> Uh, C is update and implement the open space and recreation plan, which we've done and are doing. Um, D, maintain a publicly owned open
space inventory. Now, this is this is a lift that we haven't really accomplished, but I thought it would be good to have a few things in here that give us direction for future actions. And that would be one of the things for direction
for future action. >> Um E is work with the residents, departments, boards, blah blah blah. Um to further preservation of open space and so um implicit in that is you know grants and things like that. I didn't specifically call out grant writing or
anything as a duty. Uh but that's implied in e um encourage philanthropy and private effort efforts to preserve open space which we've done um in the past. We've had um individuals that that were developing properties that had back
property that was adjacent to our trail system and they put that in conservation so that they could connect trails. I mean so we get that on occasion which is great. >> Right. And then G, develop community education programs and communication tools regarding the value and use of
open space areas. This is another one of those aspirational things. We haven't done it yet. One thing that I'll share with the committee eventually is um Medway put together this really cool uh brochure um with GIS maps on it showing where the
open space parses are, where the trails are. Um even shows where school properties and other town properties are. Um, it's something we could do ultimately through GIS, but they produced this really nice handout brochure for the for the residents to to
show them where their open space is and why it's important. >> Cool. >> Um, so again, G is is more aspirational. We haven't done that yet. um we will choose our own officers and adopt our own rules of procedure regarding functioning and operation and
compliance with mass open meeting law which is exactly what we do right now. Um and in in performing its work will be guided by the Lunberg master plan and the Lunberg open space and recreation plan those two documents. So
>> sorry. >> Yeah, go for it. Why did you feel that listing the master plan um was important? >> Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the master plan had open space elements in it.
Um, they do, but I I don't know if you recall when we were they asked us questions, we told them to refer to the to our open space recreation plan. It feels I'm I'm thinking of like a cir circular
>> Oh, yeah. Okay. >> Do you think we just should be guided by the open space and recreation plan? I I mean I I'm I'm I'm think one thing of the other. I I think I I was thinking of circular
information. When they came to us, >> we said what we do and we are guided by open space and recreation plan. >> Yeah. No, it's a good point and and our you know it could be this could be redundant. Um,
we capture in our open space and recreation plan all different kinds of open spaces and recreational properties. >> Right. >> Right. >> Right. >> So, we don't have to have the master plan in here. So, I'm going to go ahead and
>> it I mean, I'm not suggesting I It was a a uh intellectual discussion. I'm not necessarily >> No, I hear you. I'm going to go ahead and strike it because I I think you're right. I think it's we're we need to be guided by the plan that, you know, we create and the town adopts and that's
the open space and recreation plan. >> Can I offer a potential counterargument? >> Yeah. >> Yep. >> That's what I'm looking for. >> Yeah. Yeah. And kind of just in the in the interest of of debate, right, because this is the time to debate these
things. Could you say that while there's there's competing demands for the town's land and and the uses of it and open space is one of those uses, but it's in the context of, you know, it's in the context of other uses. So, our work
would still be guided by considering other potential uses of any given piece of land. >> Yeah, that that's that's fair. And you know, Eric, I'm thinking actually of the the open land that we have um around
Wham. And I think that's when we first learned about you um and um and we discussed that that land how that land and I remember having a conversation with Mic Ray at some point I don't know
when and he said um you know we can't make everything open space because we might want to we may need to use this land for something else in the future. Um but yeah no I I think that's a good point as well.
where I guess it's what I understood your point to be is where there's open space there might be other uses for the land and and we need to be aware of the you know if the master plan calls out some of those use from those available
lands that are not necessarily um you know open space designated yeah >> I've been talked into doing that leaving it. [clears throat] >> Yeah, >> I don't think it hurts to leave it.
>> I don't I don't either. It was >> I don't think so either. >> Yeah, it was it was a you know, again, >> I think if nothing else, it shows that we're thinking about all of this in a a wide perspective and a right a complete
perspective. >> That's that's very good. Yeah, good. Thank you. Um, I haven't read a lot of bylaws, Anna, the way you probably have. >> Well, I mostly have read Lindbergs. Um, and you know, and then I get curious
about what other people, other towns do. I I think this was very neat, very tight, very to the point. Um, I'm in no way a expert. I I know Adam Bernie read it and he was quite impressed by it when he went you went there.
>> Yeah. And I'll get Adam Costa to read it, you know, and he he may tell me it has to say this or has to say that, you know, >> he will do that because he's a lawyer and he needs to prove his point his worth. >> Yes.
>> Um so yeah, I I really like this. Um, yeah. And I'll I'll dig the information on where the notifications are listed in our bylaw. >> Yeah. Because we'll want to recommend to the um bylaw committee that that gets changed.
>> Yeah. It would need >> not that we need to add it here, but it needs to get changed in the parent area. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I I mean if no one has anything else, I'll make a motion that we approve the draft as presented and modified in
this document and request our chair Mike to bring it to town manager and discuss with uh town council and circulate it um and present it to the bylaw review committee.
>> I'll second that. >> Okay, thank you. Uh, we'll take a roll call vote. Colleen, >> I. >> Anna, >> hi. >> Eric, >> I And the chair votes I. Thank you. Okay, we can we'll move forward with
this. That's great. And I'm sure it's going to undergo additional revisions. So, if there's something else comes up in your mind, let me know. You know, it's not going to go through all these other committees without being tweaked further. Oh, definitely not. Yeah.
>> No. >> So, >> everybody loves to word smmith, >> which is a good thing. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um, >> what's that? >> That's why we don't need your sweat too much. [laughter] >> It's a draft, you know, and that's
that's all I presented as is a draft. So, okay. Um, on to number four. Reports from other boards. Do we have anything from Planning's not here any and conservation's not here. Anything from recreation?
>> Um, we haven't had a meeting. We were supposed to meet tonight and pushed it off to December because we didn't have anything on the agenda. So, >> okay. >> There's really no news at this moment. >> Okay. >> Um,
technically, oh, no. Technically, I'm a I'm a community >> community member. >> Yeah. Yeah, that's right. >> But do you have something from one of the boards? >> No, I think I I was in, you know, on the uh economic development committee
or Wait, wait, how am I Oh, no. I am there. I'm your representative there. Never mind. I'm losing track of the how the arrows go. >> Yeah. Which way? Yeah. >> Which way I go? Yeah. No, no, no. They they did the open the meet and greet
last month and it went well and they they seem to be um you know they they are they're excited about doing this and um and Josie is the new chair and um she's so yeah not not much going on
there but um >> okay um I don't have any other items that have come up in the meantime. I don't know whether everybody anybody else had anything open space-wise that come up. I know we had town meeting last night. Nothing came up there, right? >> No,
not related to open space. No, other than the playground. Other than the playground. >> Yeah, exactly. Other than the playground. >> Um, we don't have anybody else on, so I'm assuming there are no citizen comments.
Let me take a look. All right, we did have somebody earlier. >> Yeah, we have Glenn. >> Glenn is here. >> Yeah, >> Glenn, why don't you on mute? >> Hello there. >> Hello. How are you? >> Good. How you doing?
>> Good. What's happening? >> Not a lot. Not a lot. Nothing. Nothing to report from the the select board. I just uh appreciate each of you volunteering your time and expertise. Okay, great. Like you you I'm sure you've heard all the way along, I'm
going to be going to talk to town manager and then ultimately select board about some of these ideas, but I want to run it through the manager and the town council first. Yeah. >> Yep. >> Okay, cool. Um I don't think we have any other
citizens on, so there's no other citizen comments. Um our next meeting is December 10th. Um, unless I go away and forget like I did last time. Um, our meeting is December 10th and then January 14th. January 14th already,
2026. Um, does anybody have anything else before we adjourn? >> No. >> No. Okay. I'd entertain a motion for adjournment. >> So moved. >> Second.
>> A second. Thank you, Colleen. All right. Um, Colleen, you vote. I >> I thought you were gonna say no. Anna, >> I >> Eric. I And the chair votes I. Thank you
all very much for coming. I appreciate it. >> Thank you. Have a good night. >> Yeah. See you in December. >> Yeah.