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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-10-29 Town of Dryden Conservation Board Tuesday, 29 October 2013 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Dryden Town Hall 93 East Main Street Dryden, NY 13053 1. Call to order (7:00 p.m.) – C. Smith Present: Charlie Smith, Bard Prentiss, Bob Beck, Jeremy Sherman, Nancy Munkenbeck, Milo Richmond, Craig Schutt, Rick Ryan Excused Absent: Steve Bissen Ex officio: Anna Belcher (Planning Department), Jane Nicholson (Planning Department), Mary Anna Sumner (Town Supervisor) Liaison: Linda Lavine (Town Board) 2. Completion of Record of Attendance by Members Record of attendance was passed around amongst the board members. 3. Review and approval of minutes from 24 September 2013 Meeting Smith commented that Nancy Munkenbeck’s absence was excused. Craig made the motion to accept the minutes. Beck seconded the motion. All in favor. 4. Citizens’ privilege (5 minutes, or less, per person, please) Smith reports that Shickel was incorrect in making the assertion that the board had changed the rules at the last meeting. Rules and procedures are as they are on the website. Any changes they would make would have to be approved by the Town Board. His consensus, without a vote, was that several meetings ago the board agreed to have a citizens privilege. If it’s executed reasonably by those who wish to have something to say, then that’s fine. It can be a tactic that will delay and disrupt a meeting and the board usually has a full agenda for business. 5. Additions to agenda? Smith had input from a few board members prior to the meeting. No additional additions. 6. Reports and Update (briefly, 3-5 minutes, please) a. Town Board – Mary Anna Sumner, Linda Lavine Sumner commented on the changes in the Planning Department. Sumner explained that Dan Kwasnowski back lawed a SEQR document. There will be a public hearing on the CEAs on November 21st at 7 o’clock. There will be a public hearing on the budget on November 7th. Sumner reported that the Planning Department Director position may be eliminated. Sherman expressed that he feels that the public has a right to know exactly what is going on and not just one side of any issue. Prentiss commented those who are afraid of fracking have a right to voice their opinion. Lavine commented that the motive for cutting the Planning Department Director position is because the Town Board is taking the other side’s argument into consideration, which is, the Town should not be spending down its reserves as rapidly. It seemed like a good moment to pause and examine things. It’s about taking seriously the question the republicans have thrown up about whether they are spending down. This seemed like a logical moment to decide what the planning functions are and how much are we not taking advantage of the expertise of the people on the board for solving some of the problems that they instead hand over to professionals. Nicholson commented that there is a difference in what they can ask the committees to do and what they rely on professional staff to do. Ryan expressed his concern about losing Dan because he was the biggest liason/advocate to the Town Board and to the public. With the CEAs that are being resent for the Open Space Plan, he feels that they need that advocate. Schutt commented that a group of people did a survey of the rest of the towns in the county and we have a very over bloated planning department. Lavine felt that there are meetings that need to be attended, but they don’t need to send professionals because there are a lot of informed people who can pass the information both ways. Munkenbeck commented that along with gaining information, there is the benefit of networking for professionals attending meetings. b. Town Planning Board – David Weinstein No report. c. Tompkins County EMC – Steve Bissen No report. d. Town Board Agricultural Advisory Committee – C. Schutt Schutt reported that all the members attended as well as Steve Stelick and Jane Nicholson. Amrit Singh, from The Indian Milk & Honey Corporation, spoke at the meeting about the yogurt company. Schutt said the committee talked about the grant application for farmland protection. They did discuss a little bit about the Open Space Plan. e. Other Town Boards and Commissions – Jane Nicholson No report. 7. Old business a. Expirations of terms for four Board Members (Bissen, Munkenbeck, Schutt, and Sherman) Smith reminded the appropriate members that there terms do expire at the end of the calendar year and if they wish to continue then they will have to fill out a new form. The deadline is the 8th of November and the board will review them on the 12th of November. b. Review of Guidelines for accepting gifts of open space Smith asked Bob and Bard to start working on melding the four documents that relate to guidelines for accepting and acquiring Open Space for the Town. 8. New business a. Report on Deer Management Forum – Linda Lavine, Mary Anna Sumner Sumner commented that there was lunch time roundtable at Cornell Plantations where they talked about the impact of deer on the community and whether or not there is a need to manage deer. Her personal concern is the damage the deer do in the woodland. Some of Cornell’s projects are related to connecting hunters with landowners who need additional deer control. Cornell has an “earn a buck” program where hunters can sign up to hunt on Cornell’s property. Lavine commented on the deer control in Lansing and that it might be something to look into. b. Sign for Water Garden at Campbell Meadow – Jane Nicholson Nicholson explained that she talked to Jack and found that there is money in the budget for the signs for the Water Garden at Campbell Meadow. Nicholson asked the board members if anyone would like to help her with the sign. Smith, Bard and Beck all offered to help. c. Discussion of the concept of open space d. Draft Outline for Open Space Plan – Jane Nicholson Town of Dryden Draft Open Space Plan was handed out amongst the board. They disused the contents page and what needs to go into the Open Space Plan. e. Discussion of relative roles of Conservation Board and Town Planning Department Staff Richmond commented that the Town Board needs to facilitate and help bring all the other boards together. Nicholson felt that having the Town Boards support is critical Smith commented that the Town Board needs to make it as clear as they can that the Planning Department has your support and that they do interact with them. He felt that Town Board need show their intent through action rather than through words. The Town Board needs to make it very clear that this is not Jane’s initiative; it’s something the board is asking Jane to do. 9. Adjourn (9:50 p.m.) Munkenbeck motioned to adjourn the meeting. Prentiss seconded the motion. All in favor.