SFSC Meeting Minutes

March 23, 2021

Time: 6:00-7:30pm

Date: 3/23/2021

Location: ZOOM  https://u32.zoom.us/j/85487588549?pwd=SXI0RzBFRzNxdDd5QUpOY1pBUnB4QT09#success

ID: 85487588549

Phone call-in: 1-346-248-7799

Facilitator: Brett Engstrom

Present: Jenny Warshow, Patrick Pfeifer, Michael Sabourin, Ellen Cooke, Brett Engstrom, Nancy Everhart

CC: Ed Jalbert

Public: Bradley Materick

Public Comment: Bradley is a forest neighbor and interested in helping in the forest with a skillset in GIS, Naturalist, etc. Welcome Bradley.

Agenda adjustment (s): None

February minutes: Approved

Welcome new members: Nancy Everhart and Patrick Pfeiffer

Rich Phillips has resigned in the interim between Feb and March meeting.

Protocol for running meetings:

 Brett explained how the committee decided to change the model of running meetings from identifying a Chair, etc to a volunteer, rotating facilitator model who is responsible for creating the agenda. Ellen is the secretary in residence who is responsible for taking minutes, and uploading minutes and agenda to the town website.

Major decisions regarding budget, and members are under the purview of the selectboard. Patrick asked for clarification on what this committee was responsible for. Brett clarified the process.

Trail updates: Ed took care of the blowdown on the Molasses trail. “What a mess.” The committee discussed closing the lot in mud season. The discussion led us to monitoring the lot to see if a closure is needed. The Fox Paw Tracking group meets the first Sat. of each month at the Jake Martin Rd parking lot. 

The committee decided to shut the gates on the Thompson Rd. Nancy volunteered to contact Johnny Schmidt, VAST trail groomer for this section of trail,informing him that the gate will be closed. Ed volunteered to lock the gates.

The committee decided that it makes sense to have a designated email for the Forest Committee. The facilitator for each month can monitor the email suggestions, concerns and trail issues. Ellen will contact Bobbi regarding the email address. 

Jenny is updating and printing the maps.  

Management plan revisions – One goal is to make this plan more concise.  Moving forward, Patrick suggested a 3 step process; 1 person do a first round review,look and flag sections for edit, etc, the 2nd round, split up sections that need work from the first round and , final read through looks for tone,consistency. Patrick and Nancy have agreed to review the plan and make suggestions for the next meeting.

April Meeting:

Facilitator: Partick

Agenda: Ongoing mngmt plan updates

               Mgmt of the old field areas

               No cut policy to sequester carbon