MINUTES OF JANUARY 6, 2000

[approved 2/3/00]

Present: Robert Boisselle, William Dailey, Paul Locke, Peter Mortimer, Nancy Naslas

1. Minutes
   It was voted to accept the minutes of December 2, 1999 as amended.

2. Invoices
   Invoices included the Secretary's invoice of $55; miscellaneous mailing for certified mail - under $10; approximate totaling $65 - 70 for this quarter. It was voted to pay these bills.

3. Budget Report
   Year to date budget report: in advertising we have approximately $300; printing - $185; conservation maintenance - $3,493; special services $3,834; office supplies - $218; books and periodicals - $1,000. Bills payable in 1998 account $8,500, which is basically the part of the State Grant we received approximately 2 years ago. This account was geared for the signs at the number of trails, and also a wooden rail along Swains Pond - however, the bids came in higher than what we have. For fiscal year 1999 we have approx. $244.

4. Correspondence
   MACC 200 Annual Meeting MACC 2000 Annual Meeting - Saturday, March 4 at the Holy Cross College in Worcester to include workshops, training programs and exhibits. Paul Locke will be an Instructor on "Websites in the Internet" at this meeting.

5. Aquatic Control Technology
   Treatment of Ponds/2000 Recommendations for upcoming treatment of the ponds was submitted by Aquatic Control Technology and dated 10/21/99:

   • Ell Pond - with the extent of the submersed weed growth seen in 1999, a herbicide treatment in 2000 is likely to be necessary. We also recommend continue monitoring of the waterlilies and emerging plants which have increased their presence significantly over the past seven years. Microscopic and filamentous algae may also become problematic and we recommend budgeting for at least two algaecide treatments in the coming year.

   • Towners Pond Although Towners Pond still looks significantly better than before the mechanical Hydro-Raking and chemical treatment, it has become seemingly difficult to maintain control of the waterlilies with "spot" treatment. We therefore recommend treatment of the entire pond with a Sonar (Fluridone) herbicide in May of 2000. Sonar is a broad-spectrum, systemic herbicide that will provide excellent control of the water- lilies and the submersed vegetation that had previously been treated separately. This new approach is somewhat more costly, but should provide better results and may even provide longer term control in the unlikely event that any follow-up treatments are needed after the Sonar treatment next year, they would be performed at no additional cost.

   • Swains Pond Was last treated with the Sonar herbicide in 1997 for control of fanwort and coontail. The pond was inspected twice this year and for the first time since 1997 significant amounts of the fanwort were observed. The re-infestation was inspected twice this year and for the first time since 1997 significant amounts of the fanwort were observed. The re-infestation has reached high enough levels that we are recommending a Sonar treatment in May of 2000. If additional funding is available, we also recommend some mechanical removal of the emerging water willow and cattails, which are encroaching on the east side of the pond away from the road.

   Ell Pond's treatment is estimated for $3,600 (basically the initial fee is $2,500, if follow-up is necessary it will be $1100); Towners Pond approximately $6,000 for Sonar treatment; and Swains Pond is Sonar treatment and mechanical Hydro-Raking about $9,950.

   A hearing will be announced for February 3 to discuss the treatment of the ponds. We will invite Dominic Meringolo, Bioengineer, and Gerald Smith, Aquatic Biologist to represent Aquatic Control Technology.

6. Trails
   Bob Boisselle encouraged members of the committee to visit a trail and come back and tell us if repairs are needed. We can direct any Boy Scouts that are looking for a project to the repair needs; the committee members can spend a Saturday or Sunday fixing the trail and coordinating with DPW for supplies; or we can hire out to a contractor. If there is money left over, Bob would like to spruce up the Flagg Acres entranceway and have the DPW drop a load of sand in the hole which always collects water. Another spring project would be to replace the missing 6 or 7 boards at the recently repaired bridge at Towners Pond.

It was voted to adjourn at 7:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy Pritchard Commission Secretary