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CC DM 09.15.26 
Town of Boscawen 
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CONSERVATION COMMISSION 
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Boscawen Municipal Complex 
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DRAFT MINUTES 
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Tuesday, September 15, 2026 
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Members: Aurel Mihai - Chair, Jeff Abbe - Vice-Chair, Gary Tillman, Betsey McNaughten, 
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Todd Flanagan, Charlie Niebling - Town Forester 
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Members Absent: Matthew Burdick, Ex-Officio  
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Staff: Tanya Decato - PCD Coordinator, Julie Heystek – PCD Assistant, Rose Fife – 
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Recording Secretary 
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Guests: Bill Bevans, Brent Cole from Granite Engineering, Ryan Cillo and Gerald Guarino - 
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Landowners 
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Regular Business:  
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• Open by Chair at 6:30 pm 
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• Roll call taken by PCD Coordinator Tanya Decato 
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Consent Agenda:  
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 Payable Manifest/Profit & Lost/Balance Sheet-General, Conservation & Forest 
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Funds 
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 Draft Minutes – 7/21/26 
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 Calendar - PCD Coordinator 
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A motion to accept the Consent Agenda as presented was made by Mr. Abbe, seconded 
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by Mr. Tillman, and passed by a unanimous vote.  
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New Business: 
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• Jonathan Christie, Project Manager – Granite Engineering 
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Brent Cole with Granite Engineering presented.  These are two properties combined to 
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create a 12.5-acre lot fronting Queen, Prospect and Chandler streets.  The property has 
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wetlands to the east and west as well as undeveloped wood land.  They will be constructing 
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a 25-unit multifamily cluster development.  It will be a private road off of Queen Street which 
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will terminate at the end of a cul-de-sac.  They are proposing visitor parking and a community 
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garden.  They will have municipal sewer and water.  The permitting phase has just begun.  
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They will need to go before Planning Boad and obtain DES permits as well.  They are looking 
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to the Conservation Commission for recommendations and a letter for the Planning Board.  
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The storm water will be handled by collecting it and treating it.  They have designed a filter 
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pond.   
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CC DM 09.15.26 
Mr. Abbe stated that the Commission’s concern would be the wetlands on the property.  This 
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lot was unbuildable 10 years ago.  Another concern would be storm water treatment during 
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construction as well as after the fact.  Ms. McNaughten asked what percentage of the 
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wetlands would be impacted?  Mr. Cole answered no wetlands would be impacted.  Mr. 
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Abbe asked if they would maintain a 25-foot wetland buffer?  Mr. Cole answered they would.  
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The wetland buffer will not be impacted.  Ms. McNaughten asked if the lot is devoid of trees   
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Mr. Cole answered it was clear cut.  Ms. McNaughten asked if they would be adding any 
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vegetation in the 25-foot buffer.  Mr. Cole answered that the 25-foot buffer has been kept 
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wooded.  Mr. Abbe asked if there were retaining walls down to the wetlands?  Mr. Cole 
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answered no.  Abbe asked about elevation.  Mr. Cole answered they would be removing 
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material to create a pad site.  Forester Niebling noted the conceptual plan showed 
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approximately 7,200 truckloads of material will be removed.  Mr. Abbe asked if the material 
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would be crushed on site or hauled out.  Mr. Cole did not know.   
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Chair Mihai stated that the final site will be much flatter.  Mr. Cole answered that it is correct.  
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Mr. Abbe asked if there would be access to Chandler or Prospect Streets.  Mr. Cole 
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answered there would not be.  Mr. Mihai asked if all the drainage will go to the little pond in 
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the southeast corner once graded.  Mr. Cole answered it would.  Mr. Tillman asked where 
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snow would be stored.  Mr. Cole answered they would push it to the side of the roadway as 
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they do on any other street. 
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Ms. McNaughten reviewed the site plan and noted there would be individual units of 2,100 
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s.f., one 1 duplex, and 3 townhouses.  Mr. Abbe asked about the common land.  Mr. Tillman 
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asked if that would be the amenity area noted in the plans.  Mr. Cole answered that it is 
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correct.  They have room for a community garden.  Mr. Tillman asked about green open 
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space.  Ms. McNaughten asked if they were going to be rentals?  Mr. Cole does not know. 
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Forester Niebling discussed soil and silt socks and asked if that has happened yet as had 
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been discussed at a previous meeting.  Ryan Cillo answered that it had not yet been done.  
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Ms. McNaughten asked when the property was logged.  Forester Niebling wasn’t sure.  Mr. 
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Abbe asked if Underwood Engineering would be watching over this for the town?  Mr. Cole 
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answered that they had been working with Underwood for most of a year to get information 
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on utilities, etc.  Mr. Abbe asked if Granite Engineering would be overseeing the project.  Mr. 
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Cole answered they would be.  Ms. McNaughten is concerned with the additional traffic on 
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Queen Street.  Mr. Cole answered that the traffic would be addressed at the Planning Board 
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phase.   
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Forester Niebling asked about the excavation.  Mr. Cole answered that they are not a 
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commercial gravel operation.  They typically have one company come in to remove the 
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material.  Ryan Cillo noted that some of the gravel was asked to be used in town.  They will 
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process only what they need for the project.  Mr. Abbe reiterated that the biggest concern is 
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storm water.   
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CC DM 09.15.26 
Chair Mihai asked Mr. Cole what they needed from the Commission.  Mr. Cole answered that 
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they needed a letter from the Commission to bring to the Planning Board with their 
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recommendations or acceptance.  Chair Mihai will take care of that. 
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Old Business: 
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• Town Forest Update/Discussion 
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o Abutting Lots – Chair Mihai was not sure why this was on the agenda.  Forester 
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Niebling thought perhaps it was to discuss the landlock parcels that abut the Village 
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Town Forest.  Chair Mihai noted that there is no new information. 
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o LCHIP grant for Carey Forest – Chair Mihai and Mr. Abbe completed a site visit.  Ms. 
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McNaughten also attended.  It went well.  Mr. Flanagan asked how they entered the 
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property.  Chair Mihai said they entered from the church parking lot and exited on the 
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Class VI road on Newbury Road.  It is a steep grade.   
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o Moose Plate grant for Carey Forest – Ms. McNaughten submitted the application for 
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$25,000 and it was accepted.   She believes the grant is awarded in December.  It is a 
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reimbursable grant.  She believes they have 2 years to close it out.   
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o Village Town Forest Link to BES – Mr. Abbe was to contact someone at the elementary 
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school, so he contacted Fred Regan.  Mr. Regan is supportive of linking the trails from 
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the elementary school parking lot and the trails from Ross Express.  Mr. Flanagan can 
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help if needed.  The Commission is looking for approval from the Super Intendent.  
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Chair Mihai noted that once approved it would be nice to get the school involved 
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working with the Conservation Commission.  Mr. Abbe will follow through with Fred 
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Regan and the superintendent. 
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o Walk Pond Dam – Discussion on who would take over the Walker Pond dam, the town 
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or the Conservation Commission.  Ms. McNaughten asked if the dam was part of the 
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acceptance at the town meeting.  Did the Commission agree to accept it.  Chair Mihai 
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noted that the pond is Conservation but the dam he doesn’t believe is.  Ms. 
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McNaughten discussed what would be required if the dam breached. Mr. Mihai 
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would support the Commission being part of a committee that takes care of the 
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pond, but believes people from Webster, the Precinct, someone from DPW and 
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abutters should also be involved.  Mr. Flanagan asked if they could bring this to the 
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Select Board to flag it.  Ms. McNaughten agreed.  Mr. Mihai will discuss this with Mr. 
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Burdick.  Forester Niebling questioned some of the research data.  He asked what 
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the deed said.  Does the precinct still own the dam?  Chair Mihai asked who at the 
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water precinct was still involved.  Mr. Abbe answered he believed it was Bill Murphy.  
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Chair Mihai feels they should get in touch with Bill Murphy and Matt Burdick.  Ms. 
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McNaughten asked staff if she could get a copy of the draft deed she submitted for 
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the next meeting.  Bill Bevans noted that in 2023 the Select Board spent a lot of time 
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on dam ownership, access, etc.   
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Mr. Abbe reported on Weir Road Town Forest.  That has been an ATV that goes around the 
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gate to enter the forest daily.  He has put rocks and a sign showing the uses of the trail and 
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that ATV use is not allowed.  Mr. Abbe also noted that Katie Shaw has not yet started the 
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signage for the new trail.   
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CC DM 09.15.26 
 
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After years of using his own chainsaw for Commission work, Mr. Abbe purchased a very 
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inexpensive ($82.00) chainsaw and is asking the commission to reimbursement him.  This 
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would be for trail use.  Chair Mihai is okay with reimbursing him.  Forester Niebling suggested 
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looking at an electric saw that anyone can use.  It might be more expensive.  Chair Mihai 
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suggested they look at their policies and procedures.  A motion that after 17 years of utilizing 
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his own personal chain saw for trail use, the Board reimburse Mr. Abbe $82.00 for the new 
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trail chain saw.  The motion was seconded by Mr. Flanagan and passed by a unanimous vote.  
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Chair Mihai suggested the Commission research purchasing an electric saw that would 
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become the Commission’s property.  
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Mr. Abbe noted that there was a big turnout at Cruise Night and thought the Commission 
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should have a booth at next year’s event. 
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• Reminder meeting every other month – Chair Mihai reminded the Commission. 
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• Vote on Rules of Procedure to be 10 days instead of 14 days – Chair Mihai reported to the 
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Commission that Ms. Easler noticed they are allowed to notice the meetings in 10 days 
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vs. 14 days.   
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• Forester Niebling wanted to discuss the memo that was in their packet regarding 
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donated time.  Memo is dated 9.15.26.  Chair Mihai was good with the contents of the 
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memo.  Chair Mihai will find the date that the Commission accepted the donation noted 
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in the memo and get back to him. 
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New Business: 
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• Public Hearing for the purpose of receiving public comment on the proposed use of 
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conservation funds to pay for an independent appraisal to determine market value 
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of 70 acres of land located at Map 83, Lots 46 and 47, owned by Parnassus, LLC of 
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1921 Belford Court, Maitland FL  32751 . 
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Public hearing opened at 7:40 p.m.   
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Bill Bevans, 416 High Street spoke.  He is curious what this request is for.  He knows that 
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the property is 2 back lots and owned by someone in FL.  He’s curious why the 
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Commission is spending the money to do an appraisal.  Chair Mihai answered that a few 
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years ago there was discussion about selling this property to the town for Conservation.  
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The lot is in both Concord and Boscawen.  The asking price was big, and no further 
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discussion was had.  Recently the owners reached out and are interested in selling again.  
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They do not have a price yet.  The Commission needs to know the fair market price.  An 
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appraisal is needed.  Forester Niebling gave the history.  Mr. Bevens is happy with that 
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and believes the Commission should move forward.  He also believes that the appraisal 
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cost should come off the purchase price.  Chair Mihai noted that the quote to appraise 
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the entire lot is $4,000.  Ms. McNaughten suggested collaborating with Concord, as part 
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of the property is in Concord and possibly co-own the property with Concord.  Chair 
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Mihai believes the quote of $4,000 is reasonable.  The Commission can discuss it with 
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CC DM 09.15.26 
Concord later.  The ballpark figure for the entire parcel is 1.2 million.  Forester Niebling 
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noted the owner was asking for much more last time.  Bill Bevans feels the price is 
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reasonable as it is for 2 lots in this town and should forward with it.  Mr. Abbe noted that 
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wildlife value alone is worth preserving.  A motion to disperse $4,000 for the appraisal 
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was made by Ms. McNaughten, seconded by Mr. Flanagan, and passed by a 4-1 vote with 
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Mr. Tillman in opposition.   
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• 2027 Budget Numbers for October – Mr. Tillman does not want an increase.  Chair Mihai 
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believes they have $500 in the budget right now.  A motion to keep the budget at $500 
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was made by Mr. Tillman, seconded by Chair Mihai and passed by a unanimous vote.  
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A motion to adjourn at 8 pm was made by Mr. Tillman, seconded by Chair Mihai and passed 
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by a unanimous vote.   
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Next Meeting:  
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November 17, 2026 @ 6:30 p.m. 
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Respectfully submitted by  
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Rose Fife, Recording Secretary 
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