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RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

January 17, 2006


PRESENT: Russ Martin, John Hoy, Caroline Sinclair, Alicia Harding and Kelly Profenno, Staff Person.

The meeting was brought to order at 7:15 p.m.

We have two new members – Al Thompson and Robert Weaver. Kelly sent an agenda to them along with copies of minutes of the last couple of meetings.

The Conservation Commission is also meeting tonight at the Town Hall and would like to have us meet with them for about 15 minutes to discuss trails.

Our meeting is to discuss consultants. Russ apologized that he did not get the list of consultant websites out to members until yesterday, which was not enough time for members to check them out.

Conservation Commission is ready for us. Caroline Kurrus, Chair of Conservation, introduced herself and the other members. They had a guest tonight, Kathy Bither, from Freeport Conservation Land Trust.

Russ Martin spoke about past few years – the many discussions about trails but never anything really done. We did a needs assessment survey for Pownal Road field and it identified that more fields were needed, along with trails. The cross country running team really has no place for running trails – this could be a possible place for them.

Richard Bowen from the Conservation Commission asked if we easily had 5 kilometers with Hedgehog and our property combined. Recreation Committee answered that is was not necessarily easy to get that.

Kathy Bither from the Freeport Conservation Land Trust spoke. Their mission is to preserve, protect and connect. She had a map of Freeport and surrounding towns and spoke about properties and the big picture of connecting Hedgehog to Bradbury Mountain to Brunswick. Her committee just finished their second strategic planning meeting and the top priority on the list is signs.

The Conservation Commission made a suggestion: form a committee between Conservation Commission, Recreation Committee and Conservation Land Trust Commission - possibly just do it within existing meetings. The Conservation Land Trust meetings 7:30 to 8:30 am at Isabella’s Thursdays. Maybe 1 or 2 members could go – not as an official trail committee.

Discussion was held. We will just keep talking at this point. Richard Bowen spoke about the parking at Hedgehog Mountain Road. He, John Hoy and Al Presgraves have met and Al came up with 2 options. John Hoy explained where parking might go, number of spaces, etc. Richard and John agreed on the option with a way in and a way out, and it could be expanded. Town wants to put in parking for safety reasons, and it is on their dime.
Everyone thanked the Committees for meeting together – we went back to respective meetings.

The Recreation Meeting started again at 8:12 p.m.

Next month’s meeting will coincide with the Town Council workshop. We need to be able to tell them where we are going. Let’s look at the info we have, talk amongst ourselves and call consultants to see if they are interested. If they are interested, we will ask them to send us brochures and a rate schedule. Then, based on the info we have – we need to decide if we want to speak to them further. We should choose 3 or so to interview.

Kelly will email the needs assessment survey to Russ for the Town Council workshop.

John recommended that we have a meeting before the workshop on February 14. That will give the members time to look at consultant websites.

At the next meeting, we will also put together a wish list. It was suggested that the entrance area to the field also be made to look nicer – more inviting.

Russ will speak with Mike Bouchard and see who he suggests for consultants.

Next meeting will be Thursday, February 2, 2006 at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall. This meeting will be to prepare for the Town Council workshop – to discuss what we have done and where we are going and to also discuss consultants – where we are in that process.

Meeting adjourned at 8:53 p.m.