South Windsor Agriculture, Arts & Nature Center

SOUTH WINDSOR AGRICULTURE, ARTS & NATURE CENTER COMMITTEE

 

TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR

 

Minutes                                                         Page 1                                  September 10, 2014

 

 

Madden Room – South Windsor Town Hall

 

1.    Call Meeting to Order

 

The meeting was called to order at 5:33 p.m.

 

2.      Roll Call

 

Members Present:       Mayor Saud Anwar, Town Council

                                       Pat Botteron, Open Space Task Force

                                       Stephanie Dexter, Planning & Zoning Commission

                                       Mary Etter, Director of S. W. Public Library

                                       Jeff Folger, Senior Environmental Planner

                                       Katie Graham, Park & Recreation Commission

                                       Ryan Kane, Assistant Director of Park & Recreation Dept.

                                       Michele Lipe, Director of Planning

                                       Virginia Macro, Historic District Commission

                                       John Mitchell, Economic Development Commission

                                       Councilor Andrew Paterna, Town Council

                                       Tim Shepard, South Windsor Land Trust

                                       Councilor Jan Snyder, Town Council

                                       Betty Warren, IWA/CC

 

Members Absent:       Councilor Tom Delnicki, Town Council

                                       Ray Favreau, Director of Parks & Recreation

                                       Sandy Jeski, SWALPAC

                                       Councilor Liz Pendleton, Town Council

                                     

3.      Approval of Minutes

 

Councilor Snyder made a motion to approve the August 13, 2014 minutes.  Ms. Lipe seconded the motion.  The minutes passed with John Mitchell and Mary Etter abstaining.

 

4.      Public Input

 

None

 

5.      Discussion Item

 

A.       Review of Completed Community Farm Visits

 

Strong Family Farm – Vernon (Exhibit A)
Wind Hill Community Farm – East Glastonbury (Exhibit B)
Massaro Community Farm – Woodbridge (Exhibit C)
Starr Street – Big Farm – New Haven (Exhibit D)

 

Ms. Etter informed the Committee that she had spoken to a member of the Priest family to see if there are any special plantings on the property.  At this point they do not know about any special plantings but would look for any information that might help the Committee.

 

Councilor Paterna told the Committee that he had put a request into UConn to have someone come down and look at the plants on the property.

 

Mr. Folger handed out a memo from David Starr who is the President of the Garden Club, as shown in attached Exhibit E.  Mr. Starr suggested to the Committee what to clear so that members of the Garden Club could go to the property to determine which landscaping at the Priest property is unique and should not be cleared.

 

Mr. Folger also told the Committee that he and Sherry McGann who works in the Town Health Department went to the Priest property and located the septic system.  According to Town Hall records, the septic system was repaired in 1990.  It is felt by both Jeff and Sherry that the septic system should be evaluated which costs approximately $285.00

 

Councilor Snyder made a motion to have the septic system evaluated on the Priest property.  Katie Graham seconded the motion; and it was approved, unanimously.

 

Mr. Folger explained that the well on the property is believed to be under the back porch.  At this time, water is not available on the property and would require to be hooked up to city water because if a property is 200’ from a hook up it is required to do so if not residential use.  The Town could apply for a waiver but there needs to be a hardship that is not financial.

 

Councilor Snyder made a motion to have the Town seek a waiver to enable the Town to use a well on the property.  Mayor Anwar seconded the motion; and it was approved, unanimously.

 

B.       Volunteer Bank

 

Councilor Snyder stated that the Community Foundation has not met yet and would not have anything to discuss until after the Community Foundation meets.

 

C.      Clearing Brush

 

Committee members discussed the clearing of the property and felt that this item should be discussed with the Parks Department.  Mr. Shepard felt that the south field should be brush hogged and stated that he and Jeff would work on this.

 

6.      New Business

 

Committee members discussed Grant Writing classes.  Councilor Paterna said he would contact MCC to see if any type of Grant Writing classes are available.  Ms Warren added that Michele Lipe and Jeff Folger have been very successful in writing grants.

 

Committee members then discussed the ability to utilize the existing light to get into the Priest Farm property.  Mr. Folger explained that the Town Engineer estimated it would cost a lot to move the utility poles, but did put a request in to see how much it would cost.

 

7.      Next Meeting Date

 

The next meeting is scheduled for October 8, 2014 at 5:30 p.m. in the South Windsor Library Board Room.

 

8.      Adjournment

 

At 7:00 p.m. the meeting was adjourned.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

___________________________

Deborah W. Reid

Council Clerk