open this meeting. It is 7 o'clock Tuesday, November 25th, uh at the South Town Hall for the uh South Open Space Management and Planning Committee. Um
this is a inerson and hybrid or this is a hybrid meeting both in person and over Zoom. Um we're going to do a roll call. Connor Flurry, >> Phil Price, >> Martha Kaine.
>> Okay. Public comments. No, no one has public comments. >> Is there anybody? Can we tell if there's anybody would they show up on? >> Yeah, >> I believe so. >> Yeah, >> I believe you would know if there was someone else involved in the meeting. >> Yeah, it says participants in one, which is just us. So, no one's over Zoom. No
one's here in town hall. >> Imagine that. >> Approve meeting minutes. We haven't done a meeting yet, so we don't have meeting minutes. Uh, first order of business and new business is just a meet and greet. I know we kind of did that last time a
little bit, but I guess we can kind of readress that. Um, you guys want to go first? >> I'm Phil Price. I live at 353 North Luma Street in Southwick. um volunteered to be a member of the committee here to see if we get involved with the town a
little bit and see what we can do to improve some of the areas. >> What's your background, Phil? It >> I'm a software engineer. >> Yeah. Yeah. Gotcha. >> And I'm Mark McCain and um I too volunteered when I saw in the newspaper
the plea, please volunteer for the open space committee. Um, I have a background in park management. Um, I'm retired now, but did all of my, uh, career in environmental education and park management in North Carolina
>> and just moved to Southwick in November of 2022. So, I've not been here long. >> So, >> but you're originally from the area, right? >> Yes, I'm originally from Westfield. Was was raised in Westfield. >> Yeah. Yeah. and um and then did my
undergraduate work here in Massachusetts, went to Wisconsin for my graduate studies and then moved to North Carolina which where I spent 42 years >> doing environmental ed and park management for the state park system and
for um the city of Raleigh municipal uh park. >> Where did you attend college? >> H >> where did you attend college? >> Where? >> Yeah. Um I was um a research assistant for an ornithologist at Framingham State
College. >> Ornithologist was >> uh birds bird >> and um so Frammingham State College actually very small school but it offered a wildlife biology degree >> and it's very unusual for an
undergraduate to be able to do research. And so I got hooked up with this this one professor who was studying um birds that get caught in oil slicks, seabirds. Um and so did primarily work with with oil birds and um
>> is that a big like is that a is that a ongoing issue where they actually need to spend? >> Oh yeah. Yeah. But there's a lot now there's a lot of um uh what I want to say coastal rehab people you know up and
down the coasts east coast and and west coast who when there ever there's an oil spill they are um cleaning birds but back in the uh early 70s 1970s
it we were just starting to understand how to clean the birds what to do and what detergents to use and which ones might totally strip all the oil off the bird's feathers so that we have to wait for the birds keep them in captivity
until they shed molt all their feathers >> um which you know wasn't good. So now they've developed much better techniques >> using you've probably seen the commercials for hello >> hi >> for Don detergent
and so they we often have used dawn detergent which is gentler but yet gets the oil off the feathers. We're doing meet and greet and he was asking Connor was asking me questions about where I went to school. So, so anyway, so that's that's what I
was doing as an undergraduate at Framingham State College. And so that's why I went there instead of UMass Ammerst, which is the really the big wildlife place. >> And then I went to uh Wisconsin, got a a graduate assistantship there to
do my work in uh conservation and environmental education. And so I was there for 5 years, which was really, really cool. but decided it was cold there. >> Did you Did you Were you involved in that um spill in the couple years ago? I don't know when it was. Probably 15
years ago in the Gulf of Mexico there. >> No, I didn't. I read about that. Yeah. Where the oil well leaked and yeah, there were just thousands of of sea animals, birds, as well as mammals that were killed >> with that. Um but yes, the ones that
washed up that you know, you do triage and that they could save they they were there were a lot of different um probably the New Orleans Zoo and diff different agencies like that have rehab volunteers and so forth that that do
that work. But it really is um um I guess I would say a tragedy, you know, when you have a big oil spill like that >> in terms of what it does to marine life. >> So, >> are you here for the meeting
>> as an observer? >> Are you our leazison? I know >> I am not believe. >> Yeah. Somebody is supposed to be our I read that in the handbook that somebody's supposed to be our leazison. Let's see. Page 21. It says here,
"Blazone was select born and that we're supposed to have one." So, >> I'm not sure who that is yet. >> Okay. All right. That's fine. We just thought maybe >> this is your first meeting, right? >> Yeah. This is our Awesome. >> Okay. So, now you get to go.
>> I'm Connor Flurry. I uh I own a business in town, excavation business. Been in business for eight years, going nine years now. Um, we're on the same West Road in town, right across from TJ's Bark Mulch. Um,
yeah, it's not much going on with me. >> But you, but you like nature and open space. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm outdoorsman. Yeah. I like to ride dirt bikes. That's my big pastime when I have time. Go take the dogs on a hike and, you know, hunt when
I can, if I can. Um, yeah. It's I love being outside. What we say? Well, we figured if you were on this committee, you must right >> must love to do that. >> Right. Right. >> Well, that's great.
>> And you're practically my neighbor, Phil. Well, you know. Yeah. >> Couple down the road. >> Yeah. >> He's on North Lumis. I'm on South Lumis. >> We got the Lumises covered. >> Got the Lumises covered. Got the west end of town covered. >> You're on the east side. We're on the west side. So, all right. There we go.
>> Yeah. Yeah. All right. Next order of business is to elect a chairman. >> I don't know how we want to go about doing that. >> Does somebody have to make a motion? How does this work officially? >> Um, yeah, I believe someone has to make
a motion. >> Can we discuss first? Sure. And can I say I I would rather not be the chairperson. >> I kind of get that you were looking for the position. >> Yeah. Yeah. cuz I was Yeah, I've been kind of handling everything to this point.
>> Yeah, that's fine. >> So, I I make a motion that Connor Flity is our >> flity, excuse me. >> Flurry. Flurry. >> Snow flurry. >> Like a snow flurry. >> Guess I should have gotten your name right before I All right. I I made
Connor to be the uh chairman. >> And I second that emotion. A motion. That's a song. Sorry. >> Um perfect. All right. Then our next order of business is to elect a vice chairman. >> Well, I'm looking at the the duties here
and um it looks like there are three officers. I'm looking on page 12 of the Southwick um what's the title? Southwick town of Southwick boards, commissions, and committees handbook. And on page 12, it gives your duties, uh, Connor, and
then it says something, vice chair person, and then it says secretary or clerk. Um and but it also says under vice chairperson that um
acts for the chair but can do other duties as necessary or assigned which may include recording the meeting andor facilitating remote meetings, providing regular activity blah blah blah. And then the secretary or clerk
supposedly transcri uh takes and transcribes the meeting's minutes blah blah blah. >> So who is going to handle our minutes by the way? >> Um how are we going to >> I talked to Sabrina about um Renee doing it? I think she's like their um for lack
of a better term secretary. Okay. Um, but I don't think that we're we are able to do that because there was some email back and forth last week with someone in town and they basically said we're responsible for our own minutes. So, okay.
>> Someone's going to have to summarize what we've had going. >> Yeah. >> Well, I volunteer to be the secretary if that will be helpful. >> As in you will take minutes. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, I guess that makes me vice chair. Is that how this is going to go?
>> Well, I Well, I guess so, but no, I >> Yeah, >> somebody needs to make a motion. >> A motion to um elect uh Phil Price as uh vice chairman for the South Open Space Management and Planning Committee?
Anybody like to second a motion? >> Second that a motion. A motion. >> All righty. Phil Price is the chairman. >> Okay. >> Vice Chairman. There we go. >> Chair person. >> All right. Now we have um
>> And what about the secretary? >> Do we do we want to elect We should We should do that. >> Yeah. >> I don't know if we should elect me or not, but >> let's go ahead. I make a motion that Martha Kaine be the secretary or clerk
for the open space committee. >> I second that motion. And that way, you know, if they do assign us somebody, I I I'll happily give the task to that person. >> I'm happy to share if that's >> I'm also happy to to help. >> Yeah.
>> And take notes. >> Is it Kane with a K? Is it KN? >> Yes. The Irish Kane. K A N E. I think we have a John Kane, don't we? Um or C A I N. >> Yeah. He's on the water commission, I think. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, that can get
confusing. >> Yeah. Yeah. That's why I asked. >> Yeah, I'm the I'm with the My father was the Holy Canes and I don't even know if I'm related to the Westfield Canes even though I grew up in Westfield, but it is the Irish K A
Canes. Okay. Second um thing on the agenda is to read and review Robert's rules of orders. You probably won't read this whole thing, but we'll at least review it. >> So, this is basically like the um rules of like a meeting, how to how to conduct
yourselves and such um vocabulary words and I'm on the first page here. And then we have um tips in uh procedure here. And then
chart >> review this or >> I I have read this as part of this other >> included. So I have read it as well behind that. >> What's E in in >> Okay. I just want to at least give it to
you guys. everyone knows. >> Excellent. >> Because I think it's something important to have. >> Okay. Next order of business is to discuss meeting frequencies and meeting times. Um I didn't know what you guys
what you guys thoughts were on um days and times and stuff like that. So I just figured we should all discuss it instead of one person deciding everything. >> My schedule is reasonably flexible. It sounded like you had more commitments than than us in terms of
>> Mondays and Tuesday nights >> are better for you or busy for me? >> No, those are the ones that are busy for me. Um, >> okay. >> The first Monday and the last Monday, I already have Zoom meetings with other groups. And on Tuesday,
the first Tuesday and the third Tuesday, and it's all at 7 o'clock, the same time frame as this. >> Um, and what are your thoughts? Um, I talked to Sabrina about this a couple weeks ago and what I kind of bounced off of her was doing our meetings close to
the conservation meetings. That way if they need anything from us or vice versa, it's kind of a quick turnaround as far as communication or just deciding things or or whatever. When you say close, you mean like simultaneously like the same time or like the next day or >> physically time like obviously not the
same day, but like if we did it like the following week or like the following Monday or the next Tuesday or something. I think that would probably be cuz that way it's whatever issues at that point occur at their meeting. It's kind of fresh in everyone's head where we can deal with it and talk about it if they need anything from us. >> And we're looking to probably do I mean
it seems like all the other committees are kind of like every other week, every two weeks we would do a meeting. Is that for a frequency? Yeah, I mean with the holidays and stuff, I don't think we'll get two in probably before the end of the year, right? >> Um that's kind of what Sabrina has suggested was start with two and maybe
we can dial it back. Um I think two might be a little much right off the rip, but we can give it a try and you know, we can do what we want. >> Right. I mean, if we have a short one or something, it it's not inconvenient for me. I don't know. >> Right. Right. Yeah. I just know my busy season gets going, it's kind of hard for me to find time sometimes. So, you know,
maybe we'll we'll have to figure >> that as we go. But um >> you said you had first and third Tuesdays already, >> right? >> What do we think about second and fourth Tuesdays for this? >> Second and fourth >> second Tuesday of the month and fourth Tuesday of the month. >> Is that what this is? Is the second
Tuesday calendar? >> No, it must be like third Tuesday. >> So why don't >> this kind of an oddball meeting is right? >> Yeah, cuz we had >> Would you have normally had something this evening Martha being the third Tuesday? Oh. >> Uh, today is No, today's the fourth
Tuesday. >> It's the fourth Tuesday. >> That don't have anything. >> No, it's the last Tuesday of the month. >> It is. >> Wow. >> Next Monday is December 1st. >> Remind me. >> Yeah. Crazy. >> Shopping days till Christmas.
>> I My bank account is gone. >> Yeah, we could do Tuesdays or >> we want to start with 2nd and fourth. So that would put us for the month of December looking at like the 9th and the 23rd. >> Yeah. I mean I don't I don't I would be
surprised if you're able to get a 23rd date because I think they probably shut down town hall for that. I know they take like the week off of Christmas. I'll have to >> Oh, they me too. >> You know, but you know, and and continuing on then, you know, that would make you January 13th and 27th, something like that. Yeah. I mean that
that sounds like >> we're kind of at the mercy too of whatever they have booked for um rooms at the time too. So, if we have to push things around, um I guess maybe we'll come up. That'll be our our primary goal is second and fourth Tuesdays. But then if if we bump into something where they
have conflicting whatever and we can't get a room, what do we want to do for maybe like a second a secondary um plan Mondays or Wednesdays or what do you >> I don't to me. >> Wednesdays are good with me.
>> Wednesdays are fine. Yeah. >> Okay. cuz you're >> second and fourth Tuesdays and Wednesdays as a as a rain date, so to speak. >> Right. Right. Or could we do second Mondays cuz your first Mondays, right? Could we
do second Mondays? I think that would probably be sent. >> But but then but you can't do a fourth Monday. So on the >> Yeah. >> So like I mean if you want to alternate between Mondays and Tuesdays as well, >> right? We could do that. >> I mean I I don't know. So we could do our our primary will be second and
fourth Tuesdays and then secondary will be um first and third Mondays. >> I can't do the first >> Oh. Oh, I have it here. Yeah, first and third. So be second and fourth Mondays. >> No,
I can't do the fourth Monday. >> That's why I came on Wednesday. I Mondays. >> Yeah. Yeah, >> I can do the the second and third Mondays, but that again that's going to >> conflict. All right, let's do the Wednesdays then. You're right. >> Okay, >> so that's going to be first and third
Wednesdays. >> I was thinking it was going to be second and fourth again, but I'm I'm >> you know, if you had to bump it one day out for reason. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Of course, that's not going to help you around the holidays because right that took it from the 23rd to the 20th and >> Yeah. I just don't know if like when it
gets busy with meetings if they like book I don't know how the booking of the rooms goes but let's let's start with that and we can adjust it later. So we'll do second and fourth to Wednesdays. >> I mean I am fairly flexible I think you know you having the restriction of having to get downtown and get the
meeting announcement the notice out and all those kinds of things more burden on you for in terms of the flexibility >> thing. Yeah. Yeah. Um, actually speaking of that with the meeting minute approvals and stuff, we can um I can write those up. I can we
can either alternate on submitting them to the town or we can elect our secretary to do them. I mean, whatever. Do you is that something you want to do or do you want me to do them or you want to? >> I'm just being honest. >> I said I'm just I said not really. I'm
just being honest. >> I mean, how timely and what how does that work? How time does it have to be? >> How is it supposed to within 48 hours of the meeting? >> Prior to the meeting. Yeah. Okay. >> So, I guess I I can do it and then if I can't, maybe we can discuss. >> How late and how late are offices open
and things like that? >> They're open from 8:30 to 4, which is what kind of sit >> don't Yeah. Right. I generally don't hit back to town till at least 4:30 on a week day. >> Yeah. Yeah. Because I'm usually gone before they open and then home when they close. >> So, you're saying you have to actually
come here to post? >> Yes. Yes. the this agenda right here. This isn't the one, but they stamp it and then they they post it outside the clerk's office in two places and I believe another spot in town hall and then they post it online. >> So, there's no way you could send an
email and say >> you have any input, Mr. Mland. >> I don't I know it's been a while since I posted an agenda, but I'm pretty sure you could email it. >> Oh, >> and then they can print it and clock it and then post it. Oh,
>> we can double check that. And >> who's your appointing authority is the select board, right? So you guys are an ad hoc advisory committee to the select board, right? >> We don't know. That's conservation. I kind of thought we reported to conservation or we're off of conservation. >> Okay. >> The select board, too.
>> Yeah, it was part. Yeah, but I think it was You're right. It is a conservation >> because there's some confusion on that and Sabrina checked and she said that we were an ad hoc of conservation, not so >> we can double check that. Yeah. Yeah. Either way. an ad hoc or a subcommittee. So I think
>> well it's by it's not a statutory board right there's no law that creates this subcommittee I think so it's that's why it's ad hoc >> okay >> it's advisory to >> okay >> the commission at law either the commissioner or the select board
>> email makes it a hello >> I'm pretty sure we'll double check that >> yeah if we could yeah that would be way easier >> and the same thing for minutes right so you can you usually bring your meetings your minutes back to the meeting by email pick beforehand people can submit their changes back if they have any you
know substantive changes then you vote on them in your next meeting. >> Okay. >> So we can have an email amongst ourselves to say add in addend whatever to the minutes. >> Usually it's back to the person who sent them up. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Great. I I have a lot more flexibility
on Thursdays and Fridays like so if you need to play down here but like Monday through Wednesday I'll never make it back here during office hours but Thursdays Fridays I've got a lot more flexibility. I can >> pop in an office down here if need be. Okay. >> Yeah. I mean, if we can email it, that would make it take that right off the table. >> Gotcha.
>> Okay. So, we got that situated. Um >> or or just so Sabrina could clock it in for you if you're a subcommittee of the >> her please clock this in. I'm pretty sure you should be able to I'll double check. I just haven't done it because we
always have a secretary or administrative people in in the select board office that they walk it down there and clock it in, but >> I don't see why they couldn't and then have her email you back that been clocked in and posted, right? >> Okay. Wonderful.
>> Okay. Discuss open space supply needs. So, um, like folders, paper. I mean, what do you I know you mentioned before you needed some, um, you want some paper or >> No, I I was asking Sabrina last time about that cuz I had forgotten. I had a
bunch of notebook paper. I just forgotten to put it in my notebook. Yeah. >> And so, I thought if I wanted to take some notes for us, >> right? >> You know, I didn't have anything to write on, >> but I'm I'm fine with have my own supplies that way. >> Okay. When I read that in the in the
agenda, I thought, hm, you know, it's really hard to know what supplies we'll need if we don't know what we're to to do, you know, what our doing is. So, it seems like we we might wait until we know more about >> Yeah. what we need
>> and then request and and um maybe conservation has some supplies. I guess where my mind was that when I was writing that was um since I've been on Open Space for the last two two or three months prior to you guys, I was kind of in and out of like going over what needs
to get done with Sabrina for certain things. And a there's a I don't want to say large amount of work, but there's quite a bit of work upstairs in the um land management meeting room. I don't know if you guys have been there before. Um, but there's
cabinets that are there against the wall and a large part of those are open space stuff from the past. So that's kind of what I was thinking when I wrote that was like, you know, we need to organize that at some point. So >> what what is that stuff? Is it is it
notebooks of or just supplies? >> Oh, for the the stuff upstairs. Yeah. >> Oh, it's just cuz open space was a thing prior to this. So it's all the previous open space um >> all the information they gathered when they did that survey when they wrote the
previous open space report what all >> yeah the open space reports from 2003 the 85 the >> stuff on the property and open uh the open space properties I mean there's a ton of stuff in there and I just looked
through it real quick and it was yeah I mean >> it sounds like we need to go through that but I don't see how we could do that in a public meeting, right? >> Right. Um, you know, because we'd need to to have it open to Zoom and I don't know. Well, you know, >> Right. Well, >> I don't know about that. Maybe we could
up there. Maybe they've got a Zoom and people can watch us go through stuff. >> I think it's kind of more of a do it on our own time kind of thing. It's not like a anything we have to make the public aware of. It's just a matter of organizing and um really just kind of grabbing the bearings of where
>> other open space meetings have gone and you know discussions. >> I've seen some stuff on the web. They have some of the meeting minutes on the web that I've looked at and some of the old agendas. >> Yeah. Yeah. There's town maps of uh of
open space. I mean there's just >> Yeah. There's probably a whole host of information >> like you know that isn't the the Sophanoski or however you pronounce that >> um you know there's just a little bit on the web >> that I found about it but maybe
>> and that's a good resource so that we can find out well >> why did they allow horses there or you know when did they do the invasive species or the invasive plant removals and where you know things like that that we might in the future want to know.
>> Yeah, that would be my first stop would be up there looking for something >> to go up there and look. >> I mean, it be it would be really uh a cool thing to get that scanned in and have it all like on a hard drive or something somewhere labeled and you know, but obviously that would take
>> I don't even know how many hours, hundreds of hours to do. But right, >> I guess if any of you guys are ever bored, feel free to come by and you know, >> well, you know, that that's going to be >> I mean, can we just come by and go up there and access that information? >> Yeah, I mean, I would stop at Sabrina's,
let her know what you're doing, and she'll show you where they are and everything, but >> would we like to schedule one hour where all three of us are here? Kind of just, not that we're going to get through it all in an hour, but we can all say, "Okay, this is what's here. You know, this probably is not pertinent anymore. This somebody needs to go through this.
we need to, you know, kind of come up with a game plan on how to tackle all that as opposed to each person kind of coming in there at random and maybe duplicating effort or work and all those kinds of things. >> Yeah. Yeah. Um, yeah, I can definitely see maybe scheduling a meeting in that
room. That way it's we're we're meeting in that room and we the stuff's there. Sure. >> And I don't see why we can't go through it during the meeting. Um, >> yeah. >> Okay. Yeah, it would be very good to know. >> I I started to somewhere here I started
to kind of go through them and organize them by cabinet and just kind of do like a table of cont maybe maybe just even an inventory as a first pass and right >> we can prioritize from that. >> Yeah, that's called the land management room or >> hearing room or just land that's the
land >> land management room. >> Okay. So the plan is that that when you schedule a meeting that maybe >> in the next meeting or two schedule a meeting up there >> at some point whenever we can get I know >> there >> I get the impression it's a sought after
group so >> for right yeah at least we'll have a better idea of what's there >> right yeah >> and then you know if we do need somebody to digitize or to do something if
there's equipment here to be able to do that and if the problem is lack of bodies, you know, lack of staff, paid staff, then, you know, >> I could probably come in and do some of that. >> Let's see what we're doing. >> We can figure out what we
>> know, we may not be that that interested in. I mean, the old meeting minutes are, you know, might be interesting. I've read a few of them that are on the web, but if there is no way to index them or whatever, you know, that might be
>> I've not read any of the meetings, but I know you read the open space plan and I have as well. You had a chance to read space. It's it's a river. It's >> But u yeah and it's fairly long. Um, but yeah, I mean I've gotten through the NIC, you know, so the conservation
committee provided us with this on this and one of those was prepare a new open space plan. Now I don't know >> um, you know, when, where, what, you know, is that a one-year goal, a three-year goal? Is that they think we're going to
have that out in six months? I I I don't know. We probably need a little clarification on that. >> Yeah, I do know. I was told that heard us. I do know I was told that there is I believe a time stamp on that because there's certain >> like we're supposed to have one done every 10 years or something to that effect.
>> Five. I'll have to check on that but I know they were saying there's like a time stamp on it because there's certain grants conservation can get with an open space committee with a valid um open space plan. Gotcha. >> So I think the last one was done in 18
or something and we're we're due to do it I think in the next year or two here. So that's kind of something >> kind of like a 10 year frame, you know, by 28. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Fair enough. >> I'll look back on emails, but >> Right. And and the thing is if we're
doing surveys or open space has very few direct responsibilities in that plan for things. But it seems to me that it is the body that collects from everybody else and coordinates and puts that plan
together. Um, so it's going to take time to either we need to do another survey or to get all that information back from there's what community preservation and the lake management committees and I mean there's all these different
committees that are you know have different agricultural commission that have different responsibilities in that plan if you look at it right >> so um if a plan is due which you'll find out when you asked Lena if the plan is
due in in 2027 or something. Well, >> by cracking, we better get cracking. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Because we might have to work with others to do surveys. >> And I know I know one of the suggestions too was to hold a public meeting for public comments.
>> Might be more than absolutely. >> Yeah, it might be more. Yeah. Who knows what we're going to run into. So >> yeah, there's there's going there's a lot of leg work I think um till we get to the point where we can start putting putting something together. Um one
person that had already asked me who had read the open space plan, he said, "I would like to see a report on the next plan of what was actually accomplished." You know, the objectives that are listed in that plan. um what was accomplished
or maybe there was some objectives that whoever was responsible for that decided that's not such a good idea anymore so we don't you know that kind of thing some kind of feedback and um I don't know enough about I've got to
read more on how to do an open space plan but it seems like there's going to be quite a bit of leg work so if it's due in 2027 then yeah that may be something and I think as you saw
the possible open space committee priorities that conservation commission gave us that list it is number four prepare a new open space plan is according to conservation commission that's our fourth priority
the first priority was hold a meeting and organize which we're doing now the second was become familiar with open space and conservation property ities and the third review the latest open space plan and the fourth prepare a new open space plan. So,
>> so you know >> that was listed high on their list. >> Well, when yeah Norm Norm created this with conservation and all these conservation members with the intent of circulating around and kind of getting what everybody's priority was and um everybody else just said like I think they're all priority aish um and and
left it at that. So, you know, Norm's got his prioritization on here. >> Oh, okay. >> And and so and looking at written across the top there, a C is a priority is a one. So, he's actually got the open space plan as to to Norm for his two
cents on this is that it is a lower priority item. Um but right, we don't have input from anybody else and so on. You don't want to obviously base it all off of one person's decision. >> Okay. makes you feel like there's not
>> I I lost what he means by these things. >> So this is a sample as he he was trying to gift everybody else and then >> yeah they're going to how >> this is Norm. So Norm did his he was kind of expecting else to fill this grid in also and then we could average or total the results there in that final
column. Um and then again he's saying >> but what is the three the two and >> an A is a three a B is a two and a C is a one. So he's okay. >> So that's his it's >> that is his lowest priority. This is his highest priority. >> Okay. >> That's how I am interpretating interpret
interpret. >> Yeah. I didn't I didn't I didn't realize that cuz I I thought you know >> what they said was oh that looks that looks like a good priority order to me is what everybody's saying. >> Yeah. Right. They said they all look like gays to me and and something to that effect. So
>> we we could probably use that. I mean >> Mhm. >> Why don't why don't why don't we why don't we discuss right now what we think like of this list we think just us three is priority >> which will shift us to open space to do >> I think I think the answer to the
question of is when is the next open space plan needed by will probably help us prioritize that mean if it's if we've got a couple years then it's not a burning priority if it's six eight months out then then it's number one priority >> um >> you know and then there's some very open-ended items on here. Protect
aquatic ecosystems. That's uh a little vague. Um and I'm not quite sure what exactly I I am empowered to do to protect. Yeah. You know, so I think we're going to have to look at this a little bit >> holistically for a while. And >> I had read I think it was just a a very
general open space kind of thing by the state of Massachusetts. One of the things was protecting aquatic ecosystems, but that kind of transitioned into protecting groundwater, which was that was like like you said, it was like very like >> right you wanted to go clean out storm
drains or >> talk to the town about using less salt or you know, right? I'm not really sure. committees that are very involved with that, you know, already like the lake management committee, a lot of our protecting aquatic ecosystems, you know, focuses on the ponds,
>> you know, I mean, and and and so kind of in general, these are all uh they need some flesh on them and to figure out what exactly what it is we're trying to accomplish. And you know the master plan action items that then were on the second page of this is uh you know continue acquisition and promotion of
wildlife corridor blah blah blah blah blah. Um the status protocols for communicating and working with local land trusts that >> yeah I guess I don't know where to even take the first bite of this apple. >> And kind of kind of coming up what Martha said, you know, you said a few
times that there's a lot of other committees that that we rely on. Now I'm looking at this and it says Graby, Connecticut. So like what now? What about Connecticut? Do we have to involve them with the global space plan and and stuff like that? I mean think I think
that's something we should find out too. >> Um okay. Yeah, I see what you're saying. Promote promotion of the wildlife corridor spanning Southwick's borders with Graanby, Connecticut. So, um, >> because Kangaman's on Southfield,
>> I don't think it's in Grand Southwick and wasn't there. >> No. Yeah, I think it's Southfield. >> Yeah, I think they're they're talking about that, you know, that where the borders of the different towns are, >> right?
>> Um, yeah. I don't know where we would find out how involved they have to be. Well, you know, when they you say wildlife corridor, um, you know, that that definition would be important, you know, you know, are
they talking about I mean, it would be weird for a critter to follow the border of South Connecticut. Yeah. Yeah. I mean wildlife when you're talking about a wildlife corridor it's usually >> they come down streams you know and you
know or follow brooks and creeks and >> you know and the open space plan made a couple references a couple of times to kind of the east and west borders of the town you know the draon sodom mountain being the west borders and I forget the the mountains to the eastern border over to to Westfield and whatnot or awam
>> and and I kind of get the feeling that that's what they were referring to as the corridors you know these kind of two mountain ranges define the east and west borders of town. >> Yeah. Or the lands that would serve as wildlife corridors. Obviously, if there are a lot of neighborhoods and
developments right along that town line, that's not really going to be a wildlife corridor for for critters. >> Um so, so I mean, kind of back to this list of possible activities, you know, like I said, a lot of this is kind of quite open and vague to my mind. um you
know um become familiar with the open space properties. You've made it down to the Saffronowski property. I've not been down there in several years. I could probably do one of those and get up to the honeypot and a few of those. I mean, I think we're all probably reasonably familiar.
>> Wear your blaze orange and honey cuz that's >> clean season. Correct. >> Just be careful or go on Sunday. >> Um you know, review open space plan. I think that's something achievable or you know we we at least understand what's done there and like I
said Mark and I have read it and you're pecking your way through it. >> Yeah. >> Um >> manage and maintain open space areas. I don't know about managing necessarily but you know I think Martha's done something very good already in your first kind of preliminary twist down there.
>> Explain that is a huge task, >> right? You know >> first you know manage you really need a management plan. you need to find out like with the Sophenowski preserve if I were going to draft a plan let's say a management plan
for that place I would need to get there would need to be public hearing public meeting like this I would need to find out you know who had been maintaining and managing the property I would need to go up to the uh land management hearing room or whatever and look
through the files and and find out who made the decision that these are going to be horse trails versus mountain bike trail versus some other kind of trail. Um I I need to find out a lot of information. >> So I think getting back to like what who
determined what was horse trails, what was bike trails, I recently took a class for open space stuff. I mean, this was two weeks ago, and from my understanding is that basically any open space land is is open to
>> these recreational activities, camping, hunting, horse trails. So, basically, all open space property, you can do all those things on there. >> Uh, well, I'm not sure about that because, for example, you mentioned
hunting and the Sofanowski preserve clearly says no hunting. And it does have um you know uh a sign that explains to the horseback users you know horses must stay on designated
trails and must always have a bridal on you know so I think I understand what you're saying in a broad thing but I think probably the towns or whoever manages these properties has the authority to be able to say
>> pick and choose >> you Yeah, this this area um can be for for um dirt bikes, you know. Um maybe there's no endangered species there. There's no sensitive uh we're not worried about erosion, whatever. You
know, this area over here could be used for, you know, bird watching. I mean, quieter kind of things. >> So, I I >> Yeah, I'm not sure. They didn't go in the depth of like what what properties met certain activities, but I know they
said it was pretty basically like >> you can each town can >> allow this and I guess at that point maybe it's up to uh higher authority to to maybe not put something on there. >> Yeah, that's what we would need to find out in order to be be play a role in
maintaining and managing. We would need to find out what those what that is. Um otherwise we could be upsetting people. We could be doing the wrong thing. But but you know in your preliminary tour there you know you you
made reference to a number of birdhouses that were either inadequate in disrepair the wrong place long type those kinds of things >> you know I mean right you know are we looking to go out and >> grab some weed eaters and cloppers and
go out and clear an area and revive some tables sink a few screws and new pieces of lumber and that kind of thing and build some birdhouses. Is that what we're looking to do or are we looking to do something on a on a much higher level? I guess and I guess I don't even know
>> yeah what our mission is or >> what our authority is to to to do something >> three people you know we wouldn't be trying to manage and maintain the three of us. um we would be looking for volunteers to help and so maybe you know
we would be putting out advertisements in the newspaper or something people who can who would be wanting to be what they do with Graanby Land Trust is they have a steward over each of their properties and then they have other volunteers that work with the
steward and these are all volunteer not paid people but it's very clear and and the people that manage the Graanby Land Trust, you know, can go to the stewards and and you know, so that way they're involving everybody.
>> Sure. Keeping everybody in the loop and um and people know better, you know, well, this property, this field over here is has been leased to a farmer and it's going to be h so don't put your bird boxes out there because, you know,
they're going to be haying in the middle of the summer. at what they do. Um, so everybody kind of knows that stuff, but right now it looks to me like people are doing some things out of the goodness of their heart, like somebody is mowing at
the Senoski Preserve, mowing those fields, and it looks like it's a regular type of a thing, many times a year. >> Part of what I had to do before you guys was I actually had to find a contractor to mow that cuz they didn't have anyone that was mowing it, I guess. apparently from what I was told the guy like gave
him an astronomical price and they're like that's not going to happen for week bi-weekly long. So, uh Joe Lebertie with Lakes Lakeside Landscaping is doing the weekly mowing over there um because it obviously needs to be maintained >> weekly mowing of those fields weekly. >> No, not Oh, are you talking about the
fields up top? >> Yeah, the big field. >> Oh, so where the community garden is what he mows. I don't know about the back. I don't think he does the back. >> He is mowing that and and building the town. Yes. in some fashion. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The conservation approved it and they dealt with all that already. >> Okay. So, that that's the kind of stuff
that we really need to understand and to find out to research. >> Um, >> do we want to kind of look into this steward kind of a thing? if we can try to start finding stewards. I mean, so if someone is doing something over to that property already, obviously that would be something that you'd like to try to
find out who it is and and then say, "Hey, would you like to and and again, I mean, I don't know what we are authorized to do or or not, you know, and and if you name someone, listen, we're going to make you steward of this property and we'll want you to kind of >> take on this much as much as you can or, you know, ask for volunteers and we'll
help you organize an event and get bodies out here and this kind of thing." I mean, is that something we can do? When you say somebody's a steward, are you conveying any type of authority? If you have some type of issue later on, I I I don't know the ins and outs of any. >> I would ask the conservation commission,
you know, about that before we would do anything. >> Sure. Volunteers or whatever. >> I know one of the open space properties, I can't remember the um the exact street, but it's off of um I think North Longard. It's in a
subdivision and it's a big um like island where it's a bunch of open space and then it's actually in the back too. So I mean something like you're saying a steward would be nice someone that lives in the neighborhood and they say you know at least report to us like you know it's there's invasive species or you know it needs to be mowed or something.
I think that would probably be more eyes on the property the better. >> Yeah. You know agreed. Right. you know, if right if you could find someone to for each one of these properties just to report in and so yeah, I took a walk out there with my dog last week and that would be great. >> Yeah. Like one of the like when we did
the pole replacements, I showed up there pretty early and the lady was like, "Oh, you remember the town?" She's like, "Can you come look at this for me?" She's like, "One of the I guess one of the neighbors like m little trails through it and she's like, "Yeah, everyone in the neighbor kind of walks through them." She's like, "There's a huge thing of poison ivy like right off the trail."
So stuff like that would be good to know because obviously needs to be handled. holding one can poison ivy. So yeah, I think that >> you know there is a form on the website for the conservation commission where if you go to an open space area, you can
report you know well the trails there's a big tree down on trail such and so or you know um um I looked at that and um I didn't you know all the little notes that I made on the Senowski preserve I didn't do that but they do have a
procedure for doing that because I assume that if I did that, they'd just send it back to us. >> But but those are all things that go along with managing and maintaining open space areas. What does the conservation
commission see our role is in that, >> right? >> And maybe maybe we ought to go to see if that conservation commission would put us on their agenda for a meeting. >> Yeah. perform a a letter or something to them and and ask them a whole bunch of
questions. >> Yeah. And and have them um help us with these priorities cuz otherwise we're we're sort of like a dog chasing its tail, you know. >> And then in the meantime, I think, you know, like I said, we can all pick another path through the open space
plan. we can try to get out and get around to a couple of these properties and then if we can schedule some time upstairs and have an initial inventory of what materials are there and what we think's important at least that's a starting point. >> So you guys um you want to meet with the
conservation and go over what our duties are or is that kind of what we previously touched on? >> Yeah, I think so. >> Yeah. You know, I mean maybe maybe I mean there there's a lot of very large items here and and very vague. you know, I like pick the top two and tell us what
we ought to be digging into or or something direction, >> right? You know, and and let us get some traction on one or two and then when we feel like we've got the upper hand on something, then if you want to throw us the third one or something like that, right? >> I think I think as we get more because
we need obviously two more members to or committee members to, you know, make a full seat. I think you know if we get those other two that'll help >> too with you know with whatever their experience is but also separating the workload and you know kind of uh divide and conquer with it.
>> So they're still trying to to get us more members. >> Yeah, there's I from what I understand I think there's postings in the paper and stuff still. Okay. I think they're selectively trying. So >> I know on the website you know >> Yeah. >> So I guess I would propose how about we
try to shoot for the next meeting if we can get upstairs and inventory that. And in the meantime, how about we start circulating amongst the three of us a document of points of clarification or questions we've got for the conservation
committee. Once we've kind of got that in some staple form, okay, >> you can talk to Sabrina and then get try to get us some time with the conservation committee where we can kind of >> get our thoughts together on a document >> because right I mean we have we have
lots of questions I guess. >> Yeah, we we need we need direction. We're in an adopt committee of of the conservation commission um and we need direction from them. >> Yeah. and to find out if we what what we
do have authority for or not, >> you know. So, right question number one open space plan, >> right? >> And and you know, like I said, in the meantime, we can at least figure out what materials we've got upstairs. >> Yeah. >> And while we formulate all the questions we'd like to ask the conservation
committee and then right authority seems to be a word that's kind of going around a lot today. I think that would be a good question too is what kind of authority, >> you know, >> you know, even something as simple as a tree across the trail. Can I go take a chainsaw, go out there and clear that? Is that okay?
>> Well, I asked myself that today. I could bring my hands so I know where there's a a tree down across the trail at at the Senoski Preserve. But do I can I do that? >> Right. I mean, yeah, we can put some questions around the
stewards thing for the conservation committee and see if they think that's a good idea and a decent approach and then try to get some direction that way. The people that hosted that class had said that they weren't people that hosted like out towards Boston and they
had said that they had so much open space stuff going on like bike trails and stuff like that and they they had these rules of what you can cannot do like like you were saying certain trails for horses and bikes. Um, so they actually had a park ranger that um they had brought in. I don't know if they
paid him. He was volunteer, but um >> so I think the stewards thing is probably >> um probably doable. >> That's what I'm getting at. >> And and then right who defines what the land uses are foricular area, >> right? Someone needs to re reinforce
that to some extent I would imagine. You know, I mean that's not up to the police department. That's not that. >> I mean, you go to a state park and they have the trail head and they have little logos, you know, hiking and you can have your pets, those kinds of things. And then they got the slash through all the things you shouldn't be doing on that. But >> most parks, you know, state and national
have very detailed management plans for their parks. >> Um, and so I'm used to dealing with that. So whenever I had a question, I would go to my management plan for this particular park and see, you know, what was laid out there. I mean, I guess we have to be kind of realistic about it,
too. You know, I mean, number one, to get to that level, I think we got to start small and and work our way up. >> And then, >> you know, reading the open space plan, they did this survey and, >> you know, what what what activities did people actually engage in and and how
much of that? So, I guess we kind of got to get a feel for I I guess I'm getting at the percentage of people that said they were out hiking and using those lands for some of those activities was low. I mean it they're not high volume areas. So I mean do people in town
already feel that they're okay or adequate as as they are? You know they're not looking for maybe much more than getting the trails clear a little bit and a decent parking spot and a trash can and and and we're good. And you know people you know the horse activity. I mean, I guess if there's barns and or stalls
there right in the back of that property, that's probably what they've been doing for quite some time and are accustomed to and so on. So, I don't know. I guess we got to figure out who's using it for what right now and are people happy or unhappy? >> You know, what would it take to
encourage people to use that land more and those kinds of things. Um, and so when you get deeper into that open space plan, like I said, you'll see the results of that survey that the previous open space committee did and you know the your highest percentage things were like usage of the lake.
>> I see. I remember a couple >> but you know when when you got into hiking and bird watching you were you were in low percentage numbers of that. So I mean we've got to be in tune to what people actually do or use those properties for and what they want. Okay. And there was just a small percentage of people that live in Southwick that
actually certif was was low. It's like voting or anything else, right? You don't get a lot of >> That's right. >> You don't you don't get 50% of the people by a long shot. I think maybe something on social media would be a help too to kind of um
>> advertise a different demographic of of people, >> you know, young folk that are on social media. Oh, that's cool. Do it real quick. >> You're right. People even know that some of this stuff is there. >> You need to make it easy for people, too. Because I, you know, owning a business, I found that if you don't really put in front of people, they're
not going to they're not going to go on their own time and do it. You make it easy. Oh, okay. And they you know what I mean that you have a thing right >> so what did we decide to do as far as the um questions for the conservation
commission? Do we feel like we have >> uh how about uh I can start an email and and send it out or or any one of us and and we'll just kind of keep circulating it around a couple three times until we feel like we've got a reasonable list of questions and then once we think we have
enough to look like we've got our act together a little bit to go before the conservation committee, we'll schedule some time with them. >> Okay. >> And that wouldn't be against the public u meetings law, right? I know we're not supposed to to deliberate, but I guess that's not really deliberating. That's
just asking >> if you wouldn't mind chiming in on that one. So, we've all we've we've all, you know, we've all read our open meeting law and guidelines and what kind of slippery slope, right? So, >> yeah, sure. Yeah. Right. So, >> anytime get together, it's a meeting. So, just like the select board, right?
You have to be careful. So, what I would suggest is that one person act as a point person to collect those points. like send me a list of stuff you want to cover with the conservation commission. I will compile the list and bring it to a meeting with the conservation
deliberating and but within the spirit of the open meeting law right that's the trick right so >> okay >> right if we kept circulating it then it's like oh I don't >> it is and it is >> then then gota >> de facto it's a deliberation you know I don't think we should do this I think we should do this well what you just want
to do right >> I get and and >> your intentions are good here right you're not looking to subvert anything obviously you're learning your way and and and figure out how to go. You know, feel free to reach out to myself or anyone else in in the in town hall for
>> advice with that just so that you don't, you know, put yourself in a in a in a spot. But, you know, usually what happens is even, you know, minutes is one thing, right? And scheduling, if you're trying to schedule a meeting, you can deliberate all you want on email, right? Oh, I can't make Tuesday. Can we
meet Wednesday? That's not deliberation. That's scheduling, right? Right. That's that's totally okay to go back and forth on email. But if you find yourself going back and forth with someone on email, >> take a look at that and think about it for a second and say, you know, >> what am I do? Yeah. What am I doing?
Right. But if you're saying, hey, we're going to meet with we want to meet with conservation, which by the way, I think is an excellent idea. I didn't want to chime in on your meeting, but >> you you absolutely should. Right. And and kind of get direction and and purpose and clarification, you know, whatever those things are. And
>> you know, Connor or any one of you should be the point person and everyone should just submit a list of things and you're going to find that there's a lot of commonality and I'm I'm willing to wager >> that you send 10 things in the you know three of them are going to be the same on all of your lists, right? as you can
hear it from the theme here. >> And then, you know, schedule time with the conservation commission and meet with them, >> right? You know, their next meeting, I think, is Monday. So, probably their next meeting after that. >> Um because I think they posted because of the holiday, they might have posted it already for Monday. >> Mh.
>> Because we've got uh Thursday and Friday, town hall's closed. Weekends never count. So, >> they probably posted for their Monday meeting already. Um, but it would be, you know, it would be excellent advice to go and just sit with them and say, you know, what are you looking to
accomplish here? What how can we help? What can we do? >> That sounds good. >> Yeah, sounds good. >> Who wants to be point? You want to be point? >> Yeah, I can do point. >> Okay. So, Martha and I will both send you. I'm I'm going to keep mine short
and sweet, you know, like because Right. If we go in there with a 30 item agenda Well, right. you know, what are we trying to accomplish? Give me my top two or three marching things and let's go try to make some headway on that and and go kind of a thing is >> okay
>> is right. I mean that's it's an overwhelming list. We got to we got to pick something and try to get some traction and like I said then once we get our feet beneath us we'll >> see if we can take on the next one. >> Yeah, I like that idea. That's a good idea. >> Okay. >> Okay, let's do that. >> So
>> So we'll send that to you. I'll I'll shoot you an email in the next day or two and right and then we'll try to get our next meeting upstairs maybe if we can and we'll inventory what we got up there and
we'll see what comes after that. Okay. So, we're going to plan moving forward. >> All right. Anything else? >> Now, if we can't, it sounds like we won't be able to get on the Conservation Commission meeting for December,
right? Because they've already probably already posted everything. Yeah. >> So, um I was just thinking >> if our next meeting which >> maybe >> we're hoping we're hoping our next meeting >> spot for us for the first meeting in January.
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. But for our next meeting of would that be December 9th? I know uh Connor has to check you know for meeting rooms and all of that but that would be the second
>> second Tuesday would be December 9th >> would be December 9th do this all again >> so um I'm just thinking you know if we rather than spinning our wheels again and again you know it seems like we need direction >> well I mean if I was thinking if we
could get the next meeting upstairs and start going through what the previous open stakes was and inventory that and whatnot. I mean, >> yes, >> no matter no matter what no matter what, we can make some progress on that. >> Are we almost better off maybe doing the inventory first and then come up with our questions because maybe a lot of our questions will be answered
>> or or maybe we'll revise maybe we'll get revised. >> We'll have that on. We'll have that. >> I I I think that the number one question to be answered because like I said, it's going to drive all the priorities is is when's the next open space plan due? Like I said, if we got a couple two, three year window, okay, we can still go
up there and inventory that for our next meeting just to stay productive while we wait to get in front of the conservation board. Um, but if they come back and say like, we need one of those in like eight months, then then we know what our number one priority is.
>> Okay. So, our number one kind of point moving forward here is just finding out when the when >> is the open space dead. and what our role is in that. I think what do they see us doing? >> Do they see us leading those public
hearings um >> or doing another big survey or >> writing the survey or working with others to do the survey? Um will the other committees and commissions if we ask them we say we're
the open space we need to know what you did these past five years on objective 2.51 or whatever it is >> and they go who in the world are those open space people >> right >> and why are they asking us this
so when the plan is due and what our role specific role is in that. >> There was a lot of stuff too I think that was done by contractors you know some of the charts and maps and different things. >> I mean they had a great deal of data and
statistics and taken from census the last census feral information and some of that kind of stuff. Yeah, spent a lot of time. Martha, when you say what is our role, do you mean are you talking are you referring to what is our role in the open space plan or what is our role in open space? Okay, that's
>> what is our role in in revising, renewing, redoing whatever the open space um are. It sounded to me from looking at the current one that the open space
committee was the body that did that. >> I mean, look at that previous plan, too. There were close to a dozen people on that. there were a lot of people >> but they had the authority to do that you know were given the authority to do that so that >> when they went to another committee to
ask for help for a public hearing or whatever you know >> we're going to clarify when the next open space plan is like I said I think that gives us >> and I think we should find out too how much conservation piggybacks on that plan are they in it at all are they are they involved with I you know
>> right >> right what is our role in in doing that do they see that you know they're just reviewing things or you know we're but we're the main writers of it or I don't know
>> because there's a lot of stuff if you look at the objectives um Connor in that plan there's a lot of other committees involved the lake management committee the agricultural commission you know working farms and all this other stuff you know there's a lot of
current boards and commissions that are involved in those objectives. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because they're all coincide with each other. So, yeah. >> Yeah. We we're all working together on this stuff, >> right? Right. So, we might need some future plan or some future meetings even
with those committees, you know, if they're going to communicate with us >> possibly or the conservation commission, you know, may >> can be the middle person >> you know, ask them or tell them what's happening. I don't know. >> Yeah, >> I don't know how it works. >> Yeah, we'll find out.
>> We're all kind of learning together, right? >> We're finding out how town government works. >> It's sort of like what they say. You don't want to know how your sausage is made. >> Chicken nuggets. >> Seen how you seen how those are made.
>> Yes. >> Um Yeah. So, >> everybody all set? >> You got a plan? >> Yep. Yep. >> Yep. So the plan, let me make sure that I know the plan is independently we are sending you Connor
some questions for the conservation commission. >> My thoughts on what we'd like clarification. >> Conor is going to look at that and and he's going to schedule a meeting, see when they can get us on the agenda and and he'll >> boil it down. >> Take that Yeah.
they'll craft it in some way so that it makes sense in front of them. Keep it short and sweet and right. >> Um and and so that that will be a tremendous help for us. Probably won't happen till January. >> And if you can ping Sabrina and see if maybe she knows anything about when an
open space plan is due. Like I said, I think that gives us some clarity on a few things and uh see if we can schedule a next meeting upstairs. And we're thinking December 9th for a next meeting. >> Yeah. And if you can't get it there, you know, um I was just thinking I don't
mind going up at another time like during the day when when the offices are opened and stuff and start to look at some of that stuff >> if you can do something on a Thursday or Friday. I can probably coordinate sometime also so that we might be able to set eyes on it or something as well.
So, right, let us know how you do scheduling on 129 and if you're unsuccessful getting upstairs, we'll >> because I think that would be helpful. I think you had mentioned that to to do that before we meet with the conservation commission just so we have some idea
>> a good baseline of >> what wonderful things that have been done in the past. >> And so for our agenda for the 129, we'll either be being there and creating the inventory or if Martha and I can get some time to go up there, we can review that materials in that meeting. Mhm. Okay. All right. And we'll have to touch
on Martha's report too of the stuff of the um Stefani property as well at some point. That was that was a lot of information too that I think covers its own. >> Well, yeah. Again, the way I looked at that, it was just something that I could
have put it on that form. The conservation commission says that anytime you're out at a property and you want you see something that needs fixing, put it on this form and send it to us, you know. But I thought, "No, I won't do that." >> Yeah. We got to kind of get the lay of
the land. But >> yeah. Yeah. So I You don't have to discuss that. You know what I looked at? I just wanted you to see how I was looking through my park manager eyes. >> Well, I think we should. I mean, it's a good thing to address in the spring. So, I think at some point I mean went
through the effort to come up with it. It definitely is is a good baseline. So, it's >> something that needs to be touched on. >> Yeah. and how we want to do that. I I don't know or where that would be in the priorities. Um you know, maybe working on the plan. The conservation commission
will tell us where you're working on the plan, but you're also, >> you know, we need you to help us manage. This is our first priority property for you to manage. We really need a trail around Goose Pond or whatever it is.
>> Um then we'll know. So the Sopanoski property may not even be a concern for them. you know, it's just something that that I saw and I I did interview. It was interesting. I interviewed there was a group from Connecticut um that were hikers. They were their
hiking poles. They're out there, you know. So, I stopped and talked to them for a while. How are you enjoying it? Oh, it's okay. It's our first time out here. We hike all over the place. We're a hiking group. So, um you know, we went we tried to find that unmarked trail and
you know, that non-marked trail or whatever. It was kind of you know, interesting. we finally made our way. So, so I heard some comments like that. So, that was interesting, >> you know, to me. Um, but again, that may not be a priority for us according to
conservation commission, >> but that's the kind of stuff that rings my bells. You know, if I were to be a volunteer, I'd love to be out there, you know, helping with the bluebird box or, you know, cutting cutting away the multiflloral rose on a trail so nobody gets torn up from that stuff.
um you know, helping to uh relaze the trails as they need to. I love doing that stuff. >> Yeah. Yeah. From my understanding, I'm pretty sure you're right on queue with that. I'm pretty sure that's kind of falls underneath us and reading to do that and and doing it. So,
>> um yeah. Okay. Cool. You all set? >> I guess so. I What time is it? >> I make a motion. We adjourn the meeting. I second the motion. >> I third the motion.
>> We're going to close the meeting at >> 809.