All towns · brentwood

ConCom Meeting 09/09/2026 Brentwood, NH

Video

If I may start, I've been reminded that these sessions are being recorded and to turn on your microphones and stay fairly close so that you're captured on the tape.
So those of you in the audience, hello, who are watching later, can hear us. And if anyone from the audience would like to participate, we do have a microphone here. Please come to the lectern and turn on the microphone so that everyone can hear you. Thank you.
Thank you, Rob. Let's see. We have a seat open for an alternate. Do I have a motion?
Yes.
For Chris.
Pardon?
Motion to make Chris irregular for this meeting.
Seconded by Jeff. All in favor?
Aye.
Motion carries.
Let's see.
Have you all had a chance to review the minutes?
We did look through and note some typos in various names.
Thank you.
Thank you.
It should be D-E-A, Bricker.
D-E-A, Bricker.
Actually, if we're – it's Brickner-Wood.
So, B-R-I-C-K-N, as in Nancy, E-R-W-O-O-D.
Okay.
Thanks.
Actually, the guest speakers, Cal, is coming January 13th, 2027.
I'll make motion to approve the minutes as amended.
I'll second.
All in favor?
Aye.
Aye.
No pose.
Motion carries.
Thank you.
All right.
Anybody have reimbursements?
I'm not being made aware of anything.
Oh, okay.
Next on the list.
I'll take the first one.
So, we have the prep management meeting, which the town is hosting at the rec center this coming Monday, the 14th.
That's the Piscataqua Resource Estuaries Partnership.
So, anyone's welcome to attend, I believe.
But they were looking for a spot.
They want to move it around the coastal region, and they had contacted me, and I was able to arrange a date that worked for them in the rec center.
So, we are meeting – I think the meeting is from noon to three.
And I'll take the next one, the Rockingham Conservation Commission Roundtable, which is meeting quarterly, which is the eight or nine towns in our area, and I am the temporary chair.
We are meeting September 24th at 5.30.
We're also trying to meet every other quarter in person so we get to know each other better.
This one will be at the East Kingston Library.
The main topic, if you haven't seen the agenda, which I can circulate again, is brainstorming ways to outreach and reach people.
This is right up your alley, maybe.
I did meet with Evie from Kingston, who is like a super volunteer, and we went through some of our brochures that we have and some of hers.
And the idea is to brainstorm what the different communities think they could use in their community to help with outreach and then create one brochure that basically all the towns could use with, you know, 80% generic material.
But then be easily able to substitute in like our own contact information or wetland buffers or things like that.
So very similar to that big foldout we have, but applying for a grant that would help us create the whole thing and do it in a way that we could all use it instead of us all spending money to create our own.
So that's going to kind of be our main topic of kind of brainstorming.
I did submit the draft receipts and everything to Dia Brickner-Wood, and she did get back to me.
I need to go back and revise some of the receipt numbers to see if we can make sure we get everything that we put in there.
I haven't done that yet, but we'll likely do it later this week, and I'll keep you updated.
Hopefully we can wrap that one up and be done.
But we're close.
And I forgot what the grant was for, but do we have expenditures that meet the grant between whatever volunteers?
So I need to actually have a call with her to see what we can put in because, yes, we have more volunteer hours.
I know I put in more time so I could revise it, but there were other items that came out, like in our estimate.
We estimated greater than.
We spent less than, and we used that as the match.
So I need to follow up with a call to her and get more clarification on how to balance that out,
and if we can recoup any of the additional match.
Okay.
I'm wondering if there's money left over, if it would be possible to put in expenses that
we might do for land management or a sign or something like that if we were to either have
a contract for it or quickly spend it.
Yeah.
Like I forgot what the due date is or what the time frame was for expenses.
Just some – oh, for expenses.
So –
I think there's two parts there.
I think – I'll ask first to see if we can just rework what we have to make it work.
Yeah.
I mean, if we can do that, that's fine.
Yeah.
But if it doesn't, I will definitely ask if we can do that.
I just – I know they have that other grant that serves the purpose that you're describing,
the one that we talked about last meeting.
That would be the one we haven't applied for or gotten.
Correct.
But, I mean, if we were even just to mow some trails or something or if we had $3,000 and
decided it was appropriate to go brush hog it, could we put something in?
It's all part of the project, but I don't know if it stopped when we signed the ownership.
Yeah.
I'm pretty sure it's for acquisition costs.
So I –
Okay.
You'll have to double check, but I'm pretty sure it's acquisition costs.
Okay.
Good.
Thanks.
Yeah.
I'll ask.
I was going to look back and see what hours I spent.
Yeah.
Yes.
We have Becky, Paul, and myself in there.
So that would be great.
I mean, do they actually pay for volunteer hours?
I mean, wouldn't that just be money coming to the town that they never spent?
So that's why we have to write that memo and sign it.
I don't know if you saw that attachment on what I sent.
So I did write a memo to the hours that I know we spent, and I used the language at least.
Because I know we spent more than that.
I will ask her if we capture additional volunteer hours, if we can use that up to a certain amount.
Okay.
Sounds good.
It sounds like you're on it exploring.
Sounds like you don't have the hours for the initial walk and meeting, so we can, if you need more, I can.
Yeah.
I mean, all right.
I'll talk to her first.
I'll get some answers, and then if we need more, I'll follow up with both of you.
Thank you, Jeff.
Baseline report?
Yeah.
Not done yet, but I will this month.
Let the minutes reflect.
That'll partly be based on the report, but also we're going for a grant.
Yeah, we will eventually.
I will.
As well.
I will.
And based on Emma's comments about communication last meeting, I volunteered to write an article for the newsletter this month, which is due in a few days, but I have good ideas.
Outlining the general process that the town has followed for a combination of conservation, wildlife management, and recreational opportunities amongst the various town properties, there was some initial concerns, very limited, that doing anything to this current property would disturb wildlife and have a negative impact on the environment, et cetera.
So we thought getting ahead of it, saying we have a management plan by a professional for the rest of Split Rock, that we have other properties in town like off pickpocket that are unmanaged.
We have other ones like the rec center that have a combination of trails, recreational opportunities, same like behind the school, and just say we have a combination of everything.
We're taking it all into account in that we have good reasons behind what we're doing, and we're creating a plan, and that may include the rest of the fields on the property behind it, cutting it once a year, letting it grow, having some trails, giving access to the pond.
So I spoke to Robin, and she's happy to edit it, and I'm on it.
Awesome. Great work, guys.
And just on that, also mentioning the newsletter, we are going to – Robin's going to post in there that we have openings for alternates, and I asked Jillian to put it on the website as well.
Dave, I don't know if you know exactly. Do we keep that open for a certain amount of time?
That I don't know.
Okay.
I know we have one member that wants to join, so we're good.
Yeah.
I just didn't know if we needed to put like a deadline in there, like get your notices of interest or whatever we call those forms in by a certain date.
I can check.
Okay, good.
Do you want to check in?
Yeah.
Thank you.
Makes sense that there should be a cutoff date.
I just didn't know if there was a minimum, 30 days.
I was thinking, how about a month from now?
But I don't know.
Okay.
Any other new business?
Yeah.
And so just on the alternates, what Dave was just mentioning, at elections yesterday, Dave mentioned it, and Keith Levitsky was there, and he's interested in joining the commission.
I told him that there was an application process, but I think we have four alternate spots open, and then I would keep him in the loop.
He was busy tonight.
He was hoping to stop by at some point, but hopefully the meeting will be so quick.
He'll miss it.
Is there anything else for Noonie Munger?
Please come up to the microphone and turn it on.
Something you wanted to bring?
There's a portable one here if you want, or you can stand up there.
Doug Finnan.
I guess I'm a volunteer when Bruce tells me to be, and we did some work on the Munger a lot, and in doing that, we did some clearing, and also we ended up putting up a sign post.
Bruce was instrumental in putting a sign post right on one of the corners.
I don't know if you all had an opportunity to take a look at it.
If not, I've got a few pictures that you can take a look.
It's a six-by-six pressure-treated post with a light on top, which is solar lit at night, and it does have a caution sign on it currently.
My understanding, and Bruce can correct me when I'm wrong, he made mention that Rob and he had spoke about doing a sign in relationship to –
okay, I may be misspeaking, and I apologize, but a sign that was –
I have a writing mark.
Okay.
And the conservation committee would be instrumental in giving us the verbiage to have that sign made, and we would put it up.
You just made mention about a grant and the possibility of having that cost covered.
Some of these expenses that have incurred on this lot have come out of private funds, and if there was an opportunity to use grant money to do this, I think that would be a good idea.
But as far as the verbiage on the sign, I'm not one you want to ask.
I'm not articulate, and my spelling is horrible.
So with that, I'm going to introduce Bruce.
I know he's got a couple of things to say about it.
Mr. Stevens.
I could have given you a hard time, Rob, but I texted you.
We texted back a couple of times, probably six months ago, about a sign.
My memory is only three months, Bruce.
Yeah.
A few of us got to work going back – well, it was last August or September, and we cut some brush, you know, trying to discern where some of the bond markers were that Northam survey picked up and confirmed.
And just on that subject, where that was a retracement – I don't know if that's the official word or not, but where that was a retracement, Northam never – you know, they wouldn't record something like that.
They wouldn't record a plan that they didn't entirely verify all the bond markers on.
Even though they did find substantially most of them, and everybody's, you know, in agreement that we know where all those bond markers are.
But because this retracement survey was never recorded and can't be recorded, I know they've given a copy to the town.
I mean, you guys – it would be very important, I think, you know, before too many years go by, if we could somehow secure a copy of that Northam retracement here in the town office.
Because I can just imagine a number of years down the road, board members change, issues come up with the butters, and it would be nice to be able to go right to a file and pick out that retracement.
Because in addition to retracing it, they did establish a couple markers on the southwest corner that weren't in the right place.
I mean, they weren't up by a lot, but they were up by three or four or five feet.
So just to have the town in some capacity, either the land use office or the select board office, take a D-sized copy of that.
And I'd be happy to take that to Staples if you have that copy and make several copies so the board could have one and everybody would know just what's going on there.
The reason we put – Doug and I put up the 6 by 6 by 12 foot tall post was that the Brentwood resident had run over, I alleged maliciously, twice the 7 foot tall steel sign that Doug and I had put up following the survey work being done.
So we decided if we put up something that was substantial as a 6 by 6 that stands 12 feet in the air that no one would ever, you know, hopefully lose track of that lot corner.
And the pin that Northam verified sits within a couple of inches of the post that we put up.
The post – I think we put in eight bags of concrete there to cement that in.
So it's rugged, it's there.
Another subject I'll talk about just a little bit later.
I was down on the Hague Road mowing around some of the fields there today.
You know, Brentwood resident stopped me and said, hey, can I walk on this land?
Can I walk on the Hague Road?
Where do I park?
And we know we have a nice kiosk there on the split route trail next to the Perea's house.
And people park there, but in inclement weather, whether it's icy or it's snowy, where there's more than a couple of cars, especially in inclement weather, people park on that curve of the street.
So it really isn't a super safe place to park.
And there is plenty of room where that big signpost is on the Hague Road to park there.
So we thought if we had a – if you guys come up with some language for a sign, we'll pay for the sign and install it.
I mean, not some fancy wooden sign, but something like New England Barricade would make an Epping – they're state signmakers.
And they're, you know, it could be three foot by four foot, whatever you guys decide.
Just to note, Tate, that there could be parking there, because especially over the next year's time with the reconstruction of the Dennett house, there's just so much activity going on.
There'll be vehicles there, and there'll be dirt and material moved around.
I think some people think it's just a private driveway, you know, and it's not.
But just beyond that signpost, there's plenty of room to park there.
There is a lot of overgrowth of vines and brush and whatnot.
And I would – I've been engaging Brian Dennett to go around the Hague Fields and cut off all the overhanging branches.
The ones that Bob Magnuson told you guys that he couldn't mow next to the edge of the field because of the branches hung over.
So back about a month ago, that work was completed, and I could have him come down, and I would donate what time it took him to take that area just to the northwest of that signpost and just push that back about 50 feet.
Brian – he's a big grinder on it in an excavator – so he can make some space there to park, and it just seems like it would be a natural, safe area for people to park.
Maybe it would encourage more use of the old Hague Road and then access to the fields if people kind of understood what was going on.
You know, you could even have a sign or a picture of the sign in the Brentwood newsletter, and I think people would start to use it.
But again, there's been so much activity there with the demolition of the old house and the site work that's being done now.
I think people are just apprehensive to even walk up there.
As we go in, can you please use a microphone?
As we were installing that signpost, there were a number of people who were utilizing that pathway, and it's just an excellent opportunity, I think, for us.
If we can guide the residents and the more use we get out of it, it will establish itself as a path, I think, overall.
So I would encourage the board to really take a hard look at it and at least give Bruce the language that could be used for this type of sign, and maybe put it into the newsletter.
I think that would be a great opportunity as well.
Well, great.
Thank you both for all your efforts and volunteer work and donations towards this project.
As you may have heard, we are working actively on a management plan for including that area into our split rock trail system.
So I don't think we're prepared to make any commitments now for a sign where parking is or to push anything back until we've looked at what we want to do with the project, where trails may lead from.
Are we going to cut the whole thing?
We are looking – Heather is working on that plan to update our management plan we have for the other parcels, the 70 acres, to include this in that.
And then potentially this grant that's been mentioned would include the funds potentially for some of that land.
It's like a separate grant, but –
Separate from the one you're looking at doing now?
One is for the management plan and one would be to do – implement some of the work.
Okay.
So, yeah.
So, again, we have talked about all that.
There's obviously a natural parking area there already from where some of the residents have been parking and using it.
So that is all in the works.
We just aren't quite there yet.
Yes.
That was the other part I wanted to speak about.
I heard you talk about a management plan.
I think a management plan is great.
So, on the open field land, you know, north of them under parcel, you know, the brush and the invasives are just growing there.
I can't believe – I mowed 100% of that – those open fields last fall, about the 1st of September.
And I was up there today driving a tractor through bases of weeds.
I couldn't even walk, you know, walk through that stuff.
So my intent is now that Ryan Martin has cleared around the circumference of the field, all the overhanging branches,
and I've taken my loader and pushed all the debris back away from the edge of the field.
And I plan to go around both of those fields, four or five swaths around both the upper and lower field, you know, here in the next week, you know,
just to keep that stuff from overtaking it.
And I think this year, I mean, personally, being an old farmer, I figure that if I mow it as the – you know,
who was the person that joined us for a walk there about a year and a half ago, and he suggested –
That tar.
That tar.
You know, every other year mowing the whole thing, and then in the off year, you can do your paths or once I do the circumference of the fields.
So I'd really like to take a walk this fall or hopefully in the next couple weeks with the commission just so you can see how much change occurs there in a matter of one growing season.
Yeah, I think actually what he said is to cut each field on alternate years.
Well, okay, right.
So you'd always have one – but yes, I guess that would mean it would grow for two seasons.
Right, because as far as like birds and deer and whatnot, as soon as spring comes, you automatically get a couple feet of growth.
So even if you were to cut – but I don't have the energy to cut both fields one year in the same year.
So I'll cut one one year, one the next year.
Yeah, so I think, you know, from Matt's thing, we were – you did identify a lot of the invasives, and Bob Magnuson was cutting the fields for us, and we were paying his costs, I think, every year doing the pass.
Oh, what Bob was doing.
And we had paid someone to brush hog the whole field, right?
Because Bob just cuts a path through the fields.
I thought someone was brush hogging the whole field.
Well, I did that last year and the year before.
But I mean, it takes quite a lot of time.
And is that what we were looking to get paid for also, or was the grant to maintain the fields there also?
Yes, but Bruce did so much work there last year that we decided that going after that parcel – because there's a cap on the amount of money in that grant – that we would save it,
because it's like a town cap, that we would save it for the new work that would need to be done on the –
I think now that we've got the major brush areas cut around the sides of the fields, the mowing wouldn't be horrendously expensive.
And I mean, I just have – and I don't have any right to tell you guys what to do, but personal interest being a farmer and having haid those fields for a long time,
I'm interested in keeping some example of open field land available to townspeople.
We have plenty of acreage and forested land that's protected and owned by the town or through easements.
But I think it's important, and that's probably about the only place I can think of to maintain some diverse options.
Yeah, I think that's our goal.
Again, I thought we had a plan to cut the fields already, but maybe I'm mistaking.
I thought Bob was cutting it.
No, I mean, Bob does cut – he went up this spring probably in May, the end of May.
He cut around the circumference of the field, you know, a swath four or five feet wide.
I mean, a couple of trails through the middle, but I see that the pathway from where you cross the bridge on Little River,
and you're heading east toward the hay fields there, you know, over the course of the last three months, that's grown up.
And I think people are reluctant because of some damn many ticks in there to walk there.
It really needs to be cut – the walking paths need to be cut a couple times during the year.
I mean, we do rely on our trails committee for that.
I know I was out with Chris with Weed Whackers and other things for a few hours.
I think Bob was there as well, maybe.
But there was somebody else there.
Jeff.
Oh, Jeff was there, right, not this Jeff.
But it is a lot of work.
So, yes, it does grow quite quickly.
I mean, it's a lot more than anybody's going to cut with a Weed Whacker.
I mean, I put a week into it last time.
Well, I mean, not the fields, but the paths.
Well, but even the paths, it's just not rash.
I mean, that's why I want you guys to walk them with me, but I'd like to show you.
Can you use a brush hog on that sort of thing, like behind a tractor?
Well, yeah, like a –
We will get through those trails and it's not too rocky, rooty.
Well, it's rough, but it will go through.
You know, if you have a 40-horse tractor and you've got a five-foot wide –
But you just have to keep – yeah, okay, we don't have to discuss the details.
Right, but here's the detail.
So you're in charge of our management stuff.
Where do you want to tie this conversation up?
Here's where I'd like to finish, saying I think I have a four.
We've got a great guy that lives just up the street from the Split Rock Trail, Brian Martin,
and he does conservation mowing for a number of area towns, and he has the right equipment.
It's good-sized equipment, and it works well, and I think that probably for about $4,000 a year,
maybe $4,500 a year, you could take care of the mowing on that parcel.
We don't have money for that?
We would need –
Well, no, no, listen to me.
I still have a floor, all right?
So if you guys come up with that plan –
Well, let's stop the floor.
What, is there a time limit?
No.
When I sit down, that's the time limit.
If the second hand gets back to the 12, it's done.
So what I want to say is that if you guys – if we kind of get this thing going
and come up with a plan, I'll contribute $2,000 a year for as long as I live
to pay as long as you guys pay the other half, and we get somebody that's competent,
but we need to go in there and devise some specs about what we want to do
and then follow through with that, and I'll make that commitment.
Thank you, Bruce.
That's a very, very generous commitment.
How long do you expect to wait?
Exactly.
Keep on walking, Bruce.
Can we get an endowment contribution?
Can you get rid of the EV bike and get back to the regular bike?
Thank you, though.
In all seriousness, we appreciate it.
I'm sorry.
I just get frustrated.
Yeah.
I mean, what we're trying – we're trying to get the money to do it so that since we don't
have the budget and there's strict limits on changing our budgets that we're trying to access funds
that are available.
Also, I know that – and I can help you if it's a second.
You're saying – if you need that, you don't have the money, you need to use it to leverage.
I don't have the money, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money, you don't have the money to do it.
I don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it, you don't have the money to do it.
I think that's what you're seeing and what we're talking about, then I will move forward with the grant applications and hopefully we can make some stuff happen.
No, that's great, thank you, seriously, we appreciate everything.
Do you still have my contact information?
No.
Yeah, I can give you his phone.
Rob's going to give me his phone.
And he's got townbstevens@brentwoodnh.gov.
Thank you guys.
All right, I'm going to member updates.
Open space, we were going to try to, I have reached out to Rankin, Weber, to see if they would be willing to do October.
Okay.
Because I don't think we could put it together.
Thank you guys, appreciate it.
Thank you.
Yeah, thank you.
Thank you.
We need, because we need some time to invite you to.
Mm-hmm.
Yep, and it will need to go in the newsletter.
Well, that would be September 15th deadline.
No.
Yes and no.
We're doing an invitation?
Yeah.
Is that what we're, that's what we're talking about?
Yeah.
So I don't know if we need a newsletter.
Okay.
We'll see, we could discuss that, but in the past we've reached out to people with certain types of properties and things.
Mm-hmm.
Yep.
Yep.
I think it's just carving for time.
Yeah.
I mean, if we can get the date, then we can figure out where to go from there, I think would be important, but I think that would be a good thing to kind of allow everyone to, you know, reach out to anyone that's expressed interest in the past and try and continue the conversations we're having.
Yep.
I can give a quick update on SLI.
We got the last bits of information together and, and submitted the grant.
It's due Friday.
So we've got the initial grant date.
It's been reviewed.
We had one thing we had to add, which she took care of today.
So that will be submitted for, I think it was $20,000.
So we're hopeful in that and we're working on one other grant that has a rolling period.
So once she finished this one up, she was moving on to that one.
Great.
Any update on the Swayze property?
Yeah, we went with them.
We are moving forward with providing additional grant language for them to provide comments on.
We're back to, we've got to agree on grant language, not grant, sorry.
Easement.
Easement language.
Yes.
Wrong word.
Before we can really even move forward.
So that's where we're at right now.
Okay.
Just on open space, I did discuss last week with the selectmen that we planned to introduce
a Warren article to extend the open space bond at the March voting meetings.
Well, we have the delivery will be in January, probably with the new SBQ.
Yeah.
Don't know what the proper word is anymore because it's not being presented.
Warren's aren't presenting at a town meeting.
They're being presented at the elections where you vote.
Deliberative session.
But that's not where the voting is.
No, but you'll be presenting it then and then you're going to go to voting in March.
Yeah.
So at the March voting.
For that period.
Whatever process is.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Now there's no money involved and this is adding years to it, correct?
Correct.
Correct.
Okay.
All right.
Anybody else have updates?
Events.
We've got a lot.
We've already got something scheduled for next month.
Yeah, we have November and January we have set up already.
I'm sorry, not October.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then I just echo Rob September 24th.
We have that Rockingham round table.
I'll be there.
Cool.
So thank you.
That's excellent.
Appreciate it.
Several moving parts.
I don't know.
This isn't events anymore.
This is technology.
Does that work?
Yes.
Just events.
Whatever I'm working on.
Does that work?
All right.
So something that came to light last meeting.
Michelle is leaving.
So I did meet up with her and she's working on getting all of her saved documents over so
that we can get those uploaded.
We went through a list.
So she's currently working on that.
We talked about the grant update.
So I have some work to get back to deal with, but hopefully we can just take care of it with some fixes.
I'll keep you guys in the loop on that.
And then Rob, I know you messaged with Jillian a little bit on website access.
Yes.
So I haven't talked to Jillian yet about this at all.
Do you know if she completed?
Okay.
Website access, meaning who can go in and update it?
Correct.
I thought you said they're coming back with policy.
Dave, I don't know if you're working on a policy for website access.
No.
Whatever email came back kind of after the meeting.
I don't remember the details, but something like we're working on a policy, I recall.
And I'll get back to you.
She could update.
Have you ever had access to the website?
Has anyone?
Okay.
I'm just curious if it's the same login information as.
Yeah.
In the interim, should I be sending the minutes to get posted to her?
Yeah.
She's been very helpful.
She updated the members and everything for me.
Quickly.
Yeah.
It was no problem.
I just sent her an email.
Okay.
All right.
So the next couple of weeks, I'll make contact with her just about website access and just
being able to or learning how we can edit it ourselves and add videos and whatnot.
I'll follow up on that piece.
And then I think that's it on my list.
Oh.
Yeah.
The map.
Rob brought in the map.
Uh, Rob prime, uh, updated our conservation map.
Um, so the date has been updated, but there are still several plots that have to be added.
And, uh, Rob Wolfchuck passed along what those properties are, but we do want to get any other comments together in one email to get over to Rob so he can just fix it in one effort.
And, uh, then we can print this one out.
So, um, we have these, we can look at this, but do you want to send it the digital version
out to the team?
And we can ask that everyone just give us input.
Yeah, that sounds great.
I mean, the three properties I noted that are missing are the three most recent, the fuller
property, um, which is over here.
There we go.
The little one next to these two, um, adding the Nuni Munger property, which is down here,
which is now going to be part of Split Rock.
And then very minor is, um, the small one that Bruce Stevens just donated three acres, which
is kind of along the bottom border here.
It's parts by Peabody drive, the one, the big nine or six or whichever way you're looking
at it.
Um, we do have one, at least one question is what do we want to show on our conservation
land map?
So for instance, the big parcels along North road of the county are not actually conserved
as we just witnessed with the courthouse being built on one of those.
So that's a decision for us.
Um, we also have town properties such as part of the split rock, which doesn't have an actual
conservation easement.
We do show it as green.
It's being used as such, but even, um, he was mentioning that properties with deed restrictions
have been, um, loosely interpreted by towns as time has changed as to what or what couldn't
be there and what the purposes were for.
So the question is, which we don't necessarily have to decide tonight is what do we feel we
want to show for conservation lands?
I mean, there's pros and cons to both showing more looks great showing more also tells people
we have a lot in which case, you know, three of these big parcels on North road or not technically
have any sort of protection, except that the county owns them.
I'd like to, if we could call out those county owned ones by some, even if it's green with
hatch or something that just indicates that they're government land or something.
Yeah, I agree.
I think it would be great to be able to show what is town owned, but doesn't have a easement,
a conservation easement, uh, versus what is actually conserved with an easement.
And I do think we should use a different color for those or, you know, hatching makes sense for
the, for, but we can avoid yellow and red, just use green, blue, maybe another cool color.
So what's the third spot over here?
You got these two here.
What's the other one?
Isn't this the county?
This is the lad pasture.
Yep.
This.
I think that's up with the courthouse is now that piece.
Yeah.
Is it this?
That's my, no, that's ours.
That's my in-laws.
Oh.
That's ours here.
That's.
What are, was it one of these?
One's the county farm.
The giant green one is the wetland mitigation area, right?
Okay.
Okay.
So this one is yours?
Yep.
And this one?
That's over in Scrabble.
That used to be, that's a piece on Scrabble.
Which is whose?
I think who the name was.
No, somebody's bought it, but it's-
Is it over the, is it on that one?
Oh, no, we don't have the name.
Oh, that was Austin.
Austin, yes.
Oh, okay.
Gotcha.
Yes.
Yep.
Okay.
So just those two.
Sorry.
I think the federal one with the wetlands is protected.
I mean, that was mitigation from the expansion of 101.
So I do think that has fairly strong protection from that.
Um, so I don't know.
I mean, there's some sort of restriction on it.
We don't know the technical.
Yep.
Aspect of it.
Um, again, I don't know if like our list, list, uh, lease of, um, properties and that
we know which ones have actual easements versus like just town owned or, or maybe we can get
off.
We'll have to look and see if it has that designation.
Yeah.
I mean, I think the pickpocket road town owned property, the big one that's along, um, Dudley
Brook is an actual easement behind the school.
Is that an easement?
So I don't know.
I don't know all the town ones offhand.
I think the rec center has an actual easement.
Um, that would be ours over here, right?
The what?
This would be the rec center here.
Yeah.
On the border.
Mm-hmm.
And then Wood, Woodman farm.
That's a farm trust.
Yep.
Not an easement.
Oh, really?
I believe so.
So it gets more complicated.
I don't know if it's recorded in granite like that.
Um, but maybe we could ask Rob if you want to send him an email.
Just say, Hey, we like your idea.
Yeah.
Does granite already have different layers for government, um, owned versus actual easements?
Can I ask if we send this, uh, figure out the email.
Can everyone get back to us by next Friday?
Just with any comments or, and then, you know, if I don't get any, I'll just assume we're good to go.
And we'll, we'll move forward.
Mm-hmm.
All right.
The next Friday.
And so basically if you see something missing, basically, and I, I think we did, I thought we did go through and submit the granite.
I don't know that it was ever submitted.
I think somebody was running on it.
That was.
Gotcha.
Yeah.
So you have the three properties, which, um, I don't know what information he needs for those.
Okay.
Okay.
He has what info he needs.
How we can access information.
Anything else, Jeff?
No.
That's it.
We can, I think.
I know you attended a meeting since the last meeting that we had in Exeter.
Pickpocket dam.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I did give an update at the last week.
It's a select board meeting as well.
Jeff and I attended the, um, update in Exeter on the pickpocket dam removal.
The highlights of it, I think are that the New Hampshire DES wetland permitting process is going to probably carry on through the fall of next year.
So the earliest that, um, the construction would occur would probably be in 20, 28.
Um, we'll have opportunity from the town to submit comments to DES on the wetland permit.
The biggest concerns that have been raised are around the newly exposed land that will occur due to the lowering of the impoundment and how that's going to be, um, dealt with by the project people in terms of seeding and mitigation.
Um, and then what sort of follow up will occur with that, which didn't seem, um, to be definitive at that time.
The other thing, which doesn't involve us, but does involve the town, which I communicated to the select board is that the route of the trucking is to be determined.
It was originally going to go over pickpocket.
Now it's planning to go up crossroad.
And so I just suggest that when the time is right, the select boards make sure and communicate that Brentwood wants to be included in any bonding or money that's set aside for restorative work of the roadways or the bridge.
Um, it was also pointed out that we do have one dry hydrant below, um, the falls up there on railroad West.
Um, just below, um, just below, uh, breeze park, little park free that's set up there.
So I did communicate that and send a map of its location to the engineer in Exeter to have them include that in their planning.
So, um, that's at least on their agenda.
And I think that's about it.
They're still working on finalizing the plan and there'll be plenty of opportunity for, um, more public input and town input as the permitting process goes through.
Yeah.
Thanks for a reminder.
Yeah.
It was good.
Those are the items.
I wrote down.
Covered it.
See, within three months, I can remember.
This is, I think an older list, but this has a designation of conservation easement, fee ownership, agricultural preservation restriction, or development set aside.
Those are like cluster developments.
So, and I believe this was from RCCD.
So this is something that they can actually generate.
Yeah.
Access.
And you can easily.
Right.
So that.
I was putting together all, our list of all the easements were protected in some manner or fashion.
This is where I go.
A lot of those.
Okay.
This is.
Right.
Yeah.
So I'll just, I mean, once I hear back from everyone, I can follow up with an email to Rob and
just say, here are our thoughts.
We like your idea.
What would the process be?
We need anything from us.
See what he says.
Okay.
Sounds good.
Welcome.
Okay.
I'm going to pass this around to anybody who is interested in signing up for easement monitoring.
You can put your name down.
Can we put other people's names down?
Not mine.
Nice try, Rob.
Thanks.
Yeah.
That'll be really helpful.
So that when I send out letters notifying landowners that the easement monitoring will happen soon, I always ask them if they're interested in accompanying
the person who's going to monitor and so that way I'll be able to direct you to whoever is on the list for monitoring that site.
To actually contact them directly.
Once you get it around, I can look again and help you out.
See if there's any others.
Yeah.
These are due December 31st, please.
Pick an easy one, Rob.
Put it in my backyard.
Okay.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Purse them.
Yeah.
Okay.
I've done that one a lot.
Okay.
I love doing that one.
I'll do it with me.
I'll do it with you, I mean.
These are due December.
End of December.
I'll do it with me.
I'll do it with you, I mean.
These are due December.
End of December.
End of December.
You know, if the poison ivy die and ticks go back.
Leaves fall.
You see stuff.
That's December 20th.
Go out and see the black cat and the bear out there.
Do they be coming out?
You want to do some walking?
I don't know.
You want to do some walking?
I don't know.
I don't know.
You want to see the black cat and the bear out there.
You want to see the black cat and the bear out there.
You want to see the black cat and the bear out there.
You want to see the black cat and the bear out there.
Do they be coming out?
You want to do some walking?
I don't know.
You want to do some walking?
I don't know.
Do you want to do a Peabody Drive one?
Do you want to do a Peabody Drive one?
Oh.
Ooh.
That one would be dope.
I didn't know what you were talking about when you said it.
I didn't know what you were talking about when you said it.
Okay.
On other land management, I did create a map.
This is regarding the encroachment of the Windy Brook.
I created a map showing the alternate locations for relocating the canvas canopy garage as well
as well as the play structure, and I emailed that to the landowner today.
So I'll wait for her input regarding which area, when we met and discussed it, which one she would prefer.
Have you had any communication with her directly?
Like did she get back to you from--
Yes.
I met her on site.
Oh.
Okay.
Gotcha.
I didn't realize it.
Yes.
Good.
And we actually discussed possible locations, and so that's what I've put on the map.
Sorry.
I missed that.
No problem.
Chocolate got my ears.
So once I do hear back from her, I'll be reaching out to you guys.
Also, I've asked her if anybody in that neighborhood might be willing to help out.
I know also Bob Monteguerri did offer to help out as well.
So I will reach out to him and just coordinate a date that works for everybody or most everybody.
I don't think there's anything else on my list.
I can't say--I'm going to wrap this up in four minutes and 15 seconds.
I did attend a meeting for the budget.
The town is now requiring all the committees to input their own budgets with notes and other
stuff, which then will have a process of being kind of then approved and showing a chain
of who it's went through, whether it was approved by the select board or modified, the budget committee
approved or modified, and like everything going on, they're pushing all the work down to the
lower levels to the workers.
I hope it's saving you a lot of money, Dave.
Saving the town, I mean, not you.
Well, there's no money left anyway, so that's all right.
It's all for free.
I do have questions when new million-dollar houses are being sold and we're getting all
this new revenue.
Where is all that new revenue going if we have a level fund budget?
I'm seeing it yet.
Okay.
Time for another discussion for another day.
So based on this list for monitoring, I will also send out last year's Microsoft Word document
to the individuals signed up so that they can-
It fits in the folder.
You just can go to it.
Everyone should be able to access so you don't have to send it out.
All right?
Thank you, Elise, for sending it out.
Sorry.
I just mean from anyone else, if anyone uploaded their documents.
They're documents.
Yeah.
No.
We're trying here.
Not uploaded my documents.
No.
I know some are up there.
I wasn't trying to call it out.
Wait, from a year ago?
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Some are up there.
Some are up there.
Some are in there.
Mm-hmm.
Yep.
And then we can save them this year and we'll be there for years to come so everyone can just
reuse.
Elise has a busy September ahead of her.
I do.
I might be calling you, Jeff.
Yes.
It's perfectly fine.
If you have them.
I have no idea what I'm doing.
I'll show you.
It's easy.
Okay.
Where's Becky?
Okay.
So I'm going to retract that last part that I just said.
And I'm going to be uploading so you will be able to access the document that you signed
up for in easement monitoring.
It'll be great.
It'll work.
Can we or have we put in?
Okay.
So the other thing is that once they're uploaded, I would appreciate an email.
In other words, when you do the monitoring and do the revision of the document, just send me an email because then I will, I have a list that I go through to send it to the necessary entities.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So, I mean, we do need to make sure we prioritize what you probably do somehow that the ones that require the executory interest.
See the ones in red?
No, I didn't.
Oh, I didn't look on that side.
Yeah.
So those are the ones that have the deadline.
Gotcha.
I was going to say, I know we've advertised in like to look for other people interested to volunteer either in the newsletter.
Yep.
So like.
Yeah.
That'd be a good thing to.
Maybe you want to ask Robin if she wants to put a little blurb in for, it would be the October, October one that comes out.
I don't know if they skipped one.
I'll reach out to Robin.
And I also did reach out to the gal, Paula Collins, who offered to also do some monitoring.
So if you get, we'll go with people who want to do it with, you know, get trained or walk, walk some of them with people.
That's what I'm going to do with Paula.
I'm happy to do that.
On the first one.
And you could do it too.
Okay.
Great.
Thank you.
Motion to adjourn.
Oh, Jeff.
Got 20 seconds.
Make it happen.
15.
Next meeting is October 14th.
Put it on your calendars.
I won't be there on the 14th.
Next month.
I'll be in Germany.
So super fun.
Awesome.
Just a reminder.
Here's the admin.
Setup.
Click into my files.
Here are all of our folders.
Let's go here.
And we'll add a new folder for 2016.
2026.
2026.
And that's what I'm at.
Maybe I need chocolate.
And we'll split it up by location.
So that we don't just have a million.
Can I make a suggestion?
Sure.
I like it.
I agree with you.
Can we have it by easement and then have the years in it?
You know what I mean?
So have a folder of the year and then.
No.
Have the folder by the easement.
So.
Yeah.
The town forest property.
And then by year under that.
Do you.
So each.
You don't even need it by year.
But you just.
If the title just says 2024 easement monitoring.
Right.
But.
Because ultimately we'd have the baseline in there.
Like everything for that easement will be in there.
So I would rather see it by easement.
And then we'll mimic the folder.
Basically.
The hard copy folder.
That doesn't exist anymore.
But.
That would be much easier because if you are going out to monitor.
You might look at the last year or two to see.
If there was anything in the past that was noted.
That you want to make sure is still being properly done.
Yep.
Thank you.
That list is in the admin folder Jeff.
Yes.
Thanks.
How do we want to.
We want to call it by parcel name.
Is that the easiest thing.
So.
Yeah.
Magnuson.
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
I think corresponding to her list would be what we would.
Mm-hmm.
Oh.
I can't do that.
There we go.
Okay.
Yeah.
I think corresponding to her list would be what we would.
Mm-hmm.
Oh.
I can't do that.
There we go.
Okay.
Yeah.
I think corresponding to her list would be what we would.
Mm-hmm.
Oh.
I can't do that.
There we go.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
And I think instead of under monetary reports, it would just be easements, something like generic
and then like Heather said, ideally all of the information and communication regarding
that easement would all fall within.
Somewhere.
Those were all scanned.
I know no one knows where it is.
I've asked.
I've got it.
I've asked, I've got it.
I've asked, um, Selt who did it for us.
If they would have it.
Still.
But.
For sure.
So should the town, who actually owns the files, but we don't.
Um.
All right.
You can.
Okay.
I'll collaborate with you on that.
Sounds good.
You can do that.
It should be.
Once you get all the folders made, it should be really easy.
All right.
Motion to adjourn.
Second.
Second.
It should be really easy.
All right.
Motion to adjourn.
Second.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
they get $22,000 with taxes.