Regular Meeting, Thursday, August 24, 2023, at 6:30 PM
Remote Participation ONLY
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MINUTES
Attendees: Stephan Chait (Chair; SC), Dov Towler (Member; DT), Laurel Copeland (Clerk; LC), Linda Huebner (guest, LH), Francisco Cabas (guest, FC).
CALL TO ORDER at 6:34 pm
CHANGES AND/OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA – None.
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES
Regular Meeting Minutes of July 27, 2023 were approved with minor corrections (change “mass” to “mast”).
NEW BUSINESS
Halifax Hazard Mitigation Plan. Internal town review is ongoing now. Comments are due to Paul Blaise or Mike McConnell at Windham Regional Commission by September 14th. Hazards include invasive species EAB because it poses a risk to people & property from ash trees falling on roadways, etc. Paul Blaise our emergency management coordinator will coordinate comments to Michael Mconnell. LC summarized the plan the Tree Warden Sue Kelly outlined: continue to remove ash trees from town rights-of-way with annual funding and ask property owners to pay to have their ash trees removed, commenting that the plan sounds good.
OLD BUSINESS
Flyers on Invasive Plants in Halifax
The six flyers have been set out at the Halifax Café (Thu & Sat 10-1)—people read them and take them. BEEC tabled at Firemen’s Auction and Clam Bake (July 1 & August 5).
Letter to State Representative Roberts
Hearing nothing from Tristan Roberts, SC followed up and asked him to attend a Conservation Commission meeting to describe the legislative process; Tristan Roberts will attend on Oct 26.
BEEC Project “Beavers in Halifax and Westminster VT” – The 7/29 Beaver Bonanza talk at the Halifax Community Hall was well attended (30 people).
LC heard back from Patty Dow: we can borrow town mic in the future.
Next event is Denise Burchsted talk scheduled for September 16 or 23 at 1:00 at the Hall with a mic. [Later confirmed as Sept. 23]
Skip Lisle demo & discussion will occur after that as well as the road foreman discussion.
FC asked if BEEC can collect feedback from attendees? There was no registration so there is no ability to follow up. Could have sign-up sheet at next event. LC suggested handing out a 1-page survey at the Burchsted event and collecting it as people left at the end.
OTHER BUSINESS – None.
HEARING OF VISITORS –
FC asked about follow-up on comments on hazard mitigation plan. Do other towns look at non-weather hazards such as housing? LC commented on Windham County homelessness task force work & current risks to people arising from the end of the motel programs and transition into winter.
LH mentioned Mike Bald who works removing invasive plants in Vermont. FC noted that NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) has some funds for management of invasive plants; ask FC to connect.
ADJOURNMENT at 7:07 pm.