Draft CC Meeting Minutes for December 20, 2022
Members present: Bridget Kerr, Bob Fireovid, Cynthia Kelly, Dave Hobbs (temporary scribe), absent and warm on the Caribbean Sea: Mark Naud, Sue Straight (not quite as warm)
Guests: Emily Alger of South Hero Land Trust (remotely)
Molly Varner from Grand Isle Conservation District (remotely)
1) Bridget opened the meeting at 6:35 PM
2) Guest Molly, from the Grand Isle Conservation District, was introduced. She is working with the South Hero Land Trust on water quality in Keeler Bay — evaluating watershed. They have hired Fitzgerald Environmental as expert consultant on water quality improvement.
3) Added to Agenda — Additional focus of Commission on conservation of Quiet,and Serenity in addition to Beauty in Mission Statement
4) Budget: Selectboard approved small sum ($500) for us.
Itemized:
$50 Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions membership fee
$50 ” Annual Meeting Fee
$100 mileage to ”
$300 Community Values Mapping Event
5) Community Values Mapping Event:
Plan for early to mid May — Specific possible dates for Jens Hilke to consider are May 8, 9,10,11,12 or 15,17,18 — Bridget will check with Jens and the Library and pin down a date or two. A requirement is for Citizen input of specifics and this must be communicated and understood by attendees prior to the event if it is to be useful. Example from Woodbury may be helpful as it was a success (was forwarded by email to all Commission members and SHLT). Hopefully any output from this event/report can be included in the Town Plan.
6) Staggered term lengths for the initial group were agreed upon:
4 year term — Bridget, Bob
3 year term — Cynthia, Mark
2 year — Dave, Sue
7) Recruitment ; Interested people, especially younger folks, should be encouraged to join the Commission subject to Selectboard approval and appointment
8) Mission statement : members are urged to consider other town Commission mission statements provided in the VCC handbook and provided by chair; possibly add quiet, serenity, and beauty to mission statement(OK to copy one you like) — to be discussed and voted on at next meeting
9) Ethics training – State of Vermont All members are advised to take the training if they haven’t already and we wonder why this is not a requirement for other municipal officials / volunteers.
Bridget will query the State Ethics people about certificates for all who have taken the training.
10) November 29 Meeting Minutes unanimously approved
11) Next (Tues. Jan. 17 6:30 pm) and future meetings will be held in the Community Room at the Worthen Library
12) Meeting unanimously adjourned at 8:05 pm