The Eightmile River
Wild & Scenic Study Committee
Meeting Minutes – May 22, 2006, East
Haddam Grange
Present:
Linda Schroeder, Parker Lord, Roger Dill, David Bingham, Randy Dill, John
Rozum, Linda Bireley, Anthony Irving, Gloria Fogarty, Nathan Frohling, Susan
Merrow, Damon Hearne, Ralph Lewis.
- Acceptance of April 24, 2006 Meeting Minutes –
Unanimous
- The next meeting of the Study Committee will be
June 26th, 5pm in Salem.
- Anthony Irving welcomed the new potential members
of the Eightmile River Wild and Scenic Coordinating Committee (ERWSCC) who
were sitting in on the last of the Study Committee meetings and outlined
briefly what they had signed up for. He explained that this first meeting
was not the “official” first ERWSCC meeting but rather a time for the new
committee members to familiarize themselves with the group and the process.
Damon Hearne then reviewed the general timeline, process and status of the
switch from the Study Committee to the Coordinating Committee.
- Nathan Frohling and Anthony Irving introduced the
issue of funding (and lack thereof) for the coordinating committee. After
some discussion of the background of the funding shortage and discussion
of options for seeking funding, Nathan asked for volunteers to participate
in organizing and seeking contributions form private sources. The following
people offered to participate in this effort: Sue Merrow, Linda Shroeder,
Nathan Frohling, Anthony Irving, Parker Lord and Ralph Lewis. Damon Hearne
will provide support for the group by drafting a case statement for the
following meeting and will also coordinate foundation grant seeking efforts
as time allows. Damon Hearne presented a draft budget for the remainder
of the year which included several options for the use of his time and contract
hours. Several ideas were discussed regarding contacts with local foundations
(specifically Southeast Connecticut Community Foundation, Middlesex Community
Foundation, Essex Savings Bank and the Bingham Family Trust) as well as
potential funding from local land trusts (not the best option at this point).
It was also suggested that the fund seeking process be split into groups
by topic (ie outreach and education needs, land use commission work, monitoring
and research etc) or perhaps be grouped by town.
- Damon Hearne reported that the Study Report was
being sent to Washington DC
for review and that Simmons office would be coordinating with NPS to establish
a date for introducing the study bill.
- Damon Hearne presented a draft of the Watershed
Management Plan design document and noted that it should be going to the
presses by the following meeting.
- Damon Hearne and David Bingham reported on their
review of the “Whisperwinds Estates” subdivision in Colchester
that is within the watershed. They reported that the application for the
development was incomplete and or relatively poor design and that both Jim
Ventres from the Town of East Haddam and Damon Hearne would be writing letters of comment
to the Colchester land use officials.
- Anthony Irving and Damon Hearne briefly reported
on the status of the basin study funding that was not passed during the
state assembly budget process.
- David Bingham discussed a problematic stone/aggregate
quarry in Salem that has been operating
under a cease and desist order and is allegedly polluting the surrounding
wetlands with fine silt. Damon Hearne suggested that he join David in a
brief field visit and then review the matter with Jamie Fosburgh at NPS
to see if there could be any help from the status of the Study Area under
the Wild and Scenic legislation.
Submitted D. Hearne
June 26, 2006