WORK SESSION
Members Present: Dennis
Minsky, Elaine Anderson, Lynne Martin
and David Hale.
Members Absent: Dieter Groll.
Others Present: Brian Carlson (Conservation Agent) and Ellen C. Battaglini (Recording Secretary) and Jack
McMahon (observer).
Open Space Committee:
Celine Gandolfo and Steve Milkewicz.
Co-Chair
Dennis Minsky called the Work Session to order at
SHANK
PAINTER POND WILDLIFE SANCTUARY PROJECT:
Brian
Carlson handed out a Timeline and Action Plan for the Conservation Land
Management Project at Shank Painter Pond Wildlife Sanctuary and a Shank Painter
Project Budget. These were compiled by Amber Stonik. Also handed out were Ron
Robillard’s plan, a picture of the proposed bike rack and several estimates for
soil costs (from S&J Exco, Inc., Cape Cod Aggregates and Nickerson) and Irene
Seipt’s planting and soil plan for the project.
SHANK
PAINTER PROJECT BUDGET: There were several pricing scenarios presented for the items in the
project that need to be constructed, including the railing, the benches, the
split rail fence and the bike rack The scenarios presented the prices of these
items using different materials, ACQ and Trex, and were priced accordingly.
Also shown were the prices for ABC, weed fabric, loam and plant mix. The
Commission and Open Space discussed the scenarios.
BENCHES,
RAILING, BIKE RACK and SPLIT RAIL: The Commission and Open Space determined
that using Trex for the railing, the benches and the bike rack would be the
most expensive scenario and would leave the least amount of money for the
plantings, the cost of which were not included in the budget. After much
discussion, the Commission decided to use Trex for the benches and the railing.
That cost would be $2,687.00. The bike rack and split rail fence would be made
out of ACQ. The Commission and Open Space also decided to purchase the weed
fabric for $45.57.
PARKING
LOT: The Commission and Open Space discussed this issue and decided that they
would need one more load of ABC for the parking lot. This is the amount of ABC that
Ray Duarte, from DPW, had suggested when he made a site visit. The amount of
one load of ABC is $450.00.
SIGNS:
There will be two large introductory signs, one each at the Route 6 entrance
and the Ship’s Way entrance. There will be two interpretive signs, one on the
deck and one in the open area off the trail, and a sign recognizing the Patrick
family, who were previous owners of the property. All signs should be kept well
away from the highway. The Commission and Open Space then discussed what the signage
should look like. It was decided that Open Space will work on ideas and submit
designs for signage.
SOIL:
Irene Seipt has researched the soil issue. She found a place in Yarmouth that
takes leaf and yard waste, cooks it to kill the weed seeds, composts it for two
or three years and then sells it. She thinks that is the ideal soil to mix with
the sand onsite to create a good environment for both the new plantings and
what is already growing there. According to her, with sandy loam comes weed
seeds and that is problematic for this site. She can get the
SOIL
REMOVAL: If the Commission and Open Space did decide to remove soil at the
site, as has been discussed at great length at previous Commission hearings, Irene’s
calculation would be that about 15 yards of soil would need to be removed.
However, she thinks that better use could be made of the time and labor of
Americorps volunteers than in removing 15 yards of the existing soil. She
thinks that the weed seeds may have been killed by the Round Up that was used last
year at the site. She believes that the removal of evening primrose is still an
issue for Conservation and Open Space to work out. It can be hand-pulled if
necessary. Irene will consult with Amber about her estimates of the quantity of
soil needed for the site.
PLANTINGS:
Irene recommends planting bearberry interspersed with native grasses (little
bluestem and hair grass), interspersed with bayberry bushes along the pathway. This
scheme of plantings is native, needs little soil and is low maintenance. It’s what
grows along the bike path. For the
clearings, she recommends beach plum, planted in groups. She calculates that about
1,000 bearberry plants, which she has found for about $1.50 per plant, will be
needed to line the trail. Irene’s research for the cost of these plantings was:
Bearberry:
$1,500.00.
Bluestem:
$500.00.
Hair grass:
This can be grown from seed.
Low
bush Blueberry: $6.50 per plant.
Sweet
Fern: $53.00 per tray with 32 plants per tray. She would like 2 trays for the
site.
Irene
has a place to store the plantings until they go into the ground. She will try
to come up with a more definite range for the cost of the plantings. She
estimates $3,500.00 for a fairly accurate working figure. She needs to move
quickly on purchasing some of the plantings, including the blueberry and sweet
fern, because at this time of year everyone is preparing for planting season.
She
would also love to see some shad trees and maybe an oak tree out there, if possible,
and if the Commission and Open Space can find the money.
Lynne Martin moved to approve the purchase and use of
Trex for the railing and the benches, ACQ for any other item that needed to be
construced, including the bike rack and the split rail fence and the purchase
of weed fabric, Elaine Anderson seconded and it was so voted unanimously.
Dennis Minsky moved to approve the purchase of one load
of ABC for $450.00 for the parking lot and for the trail extension, Lynne
Martin seconded and it was so voted unanimously.
Dennis Minsky moved to leave the existing soil onsite, to
be integrated into the open areas in the manner described by Irene Seipt, and
to purchase 30 yards of leaf and yard waste compost from Yarmouth for $900.00, Elaine
Anderson seconded and it was so voted unanimously.
Dennis Minsky moved to approve the amount of $350.00 for
the purchase of low bush Blueberry plants and Sweet Fern plants by Irene Seipt,
David Hale seconded and it was so voted unanimously.
Celine
stated that the Conservation Trust would like to contribute money to the
purchase of the plantings for the site.
ADJOURNMENT: Dennis Minsky moved
to adjourn the Work Session at
These minutes were approved by a vote of the Conservation Commission at their meeting on ___________________, 2008.
Respectfully submitted,
Ellen C. Battaglini
Approved by ________________________________ on _____________, 2008
Dennis Minsky and Elaine Anderson, Co-Chairs