Halifax Conversation Commission
Regular Meeting, Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 6:30 PM
Remote Participation ONLY
DRAFT MINUTES
Attendees: Stephan Chait (Chair; SC), Lesley Pollitt (Treasurer; LP), Mary Horne (Member; MH), Dov Towler (Member; DT), Laurel Copeland (Clerk; LC), Linda Huebner (guest, LH), Francisco Cabas (guest, FC)
CALL TO ORDER at 6:32 pm
CHANGES AND/OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA – None.
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES – Regular Meeting Minutes of Feb. 22, 2024, were approved with minor edits.
NEW BUSINESS
Election of Chair, Clerk, and Treasurer as required by Title 24, Chapter 118, section 4505. Stephan Chait elected as Chair, Laurel Copeland elected as Clerk, Lesley Pollitt elected as Treasurer unanimously.
Meeting Day and Time – 4th Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm confirmed. Open meeting laws will change again in July when remote-only option expires. Options include meeting at the Town Office with the large screen run by Stephan. Have an in-person meeting in August with remote option for housebound persons. May and June will remain remote only.
Potential Policy for Protection of Culverts – when beavers block a culvert (and perhaps flood a road), it is typically cheaper to install a flow-control device. The policy would present that when a conflict arises is to figure out whether a flow-control device would work. A grant obtained by Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center has funds to pay for a device at the beaver pond at Jacksonville Stage Road & Amidon Road.
Legislative Process for Passing Acts into Law – SC sent an illustration of the process. LC might be able to put it in the newsletter.
May Meeting – Marie Caduto presentation on Water Quality Plan for Deerfield River Watershed – draft plan for Basin 12.
OLD BUSINESS
Advocating for Prohibition of Hound Hunting & Trapping –
Update on H.323: the bill is still sitting in committee.
Act Relating to the Management of Fish & Wildlife –
Update on S.258: bill has passed the Senate and moved to the House committee. We could take the letter we sent to the Senate and send it to the House after editing. LH commented that we can call the Sargent at Arms and leave a message for Rep. Tristan Roberts requesting that he support S.258. ((802) 828-2228 sgtatarms@leg.state.vt.us)
OTHER BUSINESS – None.
HEARING OF VISITORS – LH commented that Jamaica is seeking volunteers to prep and plant pollinators. The triangle at Whitneyville Road & Brook Road is her land. It could become a mini-pollinator haven rather than continue to have Wayne mow it (past 21 plus years). One can put town signs on private land if the town mows it. FC is doing a pollinator project with NRCS; let’s think about several areas in town where pollinator plantings can be installed and mowing schedule can be set to promote pollinator-friendly plants. FC will connect LH to NRCS.
ADJOURNMENT at 7:12 pm.