Agricultural Commission Minutes
Meeting date:
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
- Town of Bolton Agricultural Commission
- Meeting Minutes
- Date: 19 January 2010
- AGRICULTURAL COMMISSION
- www.boltonag.com
- 63 Main Street
- 978 779-2297 or 779-3308
- Joe Kovacs 779-6979 joseph.kovacs@comcast.net Term Exp 6/30/2010
- Ken Nicewicz 779-6423 nicewicz@nre.umass.edu Term Exp 6/30/2010
- Sue Storbeck 779-6020 slstorbeck@comcast.net Term Exp 6/30/2011
- Barbara Parente 779-6303 bparente@comcast.net Term Exp 6/30/2012
- Betsy Taylor-Kennedy 779-5213 betsy@taylor-kennedy.com Term Exp 6/30/2012
- A meeting of the Bolton Agricultural Commission was held on January 19, 2010 at Town Hall. The meeting was called to
- order at 7:30 pm. Commission members in attendance: Joe Kovacs, Ken Nicewicz, Barbara Parente, and Betsy Taylor-
- Kennedy. Sue Storbeck was absent. Guests included Rona Balco, Teresa Sauer and Ada Woolston from the Bolton
- Community Garden Committee, and developers Greg Roy and Bob Kiley, Houghton Farm subdivision.
- The December meeting minutes were read by members and accepted.
- Reports from liaisons to Town Boards/Commissions:
- Conservation Commission – Barbara – met with Carol Gumbart (Cons. Comm). Houghton Farm developer intends to
- preserve 5.31 acres near Sugar Road entrance, only a small portion is usable field. May put in homeowners association
- documents that land be kept as scenic vista, hay field, or used for crops. If want to put land back into production, will need
- permission from the Cons. Comm since land out of production more than five years.
- -- Commission members looked at the Houghton Farm development maps in anticipation of an 8:00 meeting with the
- developers to discuss a plan to reserve some space as productive land.
- Working Session:
- o Members of the Bolton Community Garden Committee (BCG) indicated an interest in starting a manure operation
- on the Coolidge land, to improve the community garden soil, and asked for Agricultural Commission support and
- involvement. Indicated they already have support from the Bolton Conservation Trust. Ken recommended talking
- to the neighbors, getting them involved. Action item: Joe will talk to Sue as a possible AgComm member to
- become active in the project.
- o 8:00 meeting with Greg Roy and Bob Kiley, representing Houghton Farm development. Developers indicated a
- homeowners association would be formed and could preserve the meadow/field. AgComm asked to consider
- allowing the use of the space for production, such as community gardens for the residents; developers indicated
- this could be done. AgComm asked about the trail system. There will be a parking area for open space access,
- but it doesn’t connect directly to the trails.
- o Discussed with BCG committee raised garden beds going in at the school (between Emerson and Sawyer
- schools), as an after-school program, in an effort to get better local food within the school. Joe said the AgComm
- might be able to help financially. BCG said they might sell seeds as a fund-raiser.
- o AgComm members agreed to hold one session with commercial farmers, at the March meeting, and to plan the
- agenda at the February meeting.
- Current business:
- 1. Annual Report: Ken moved and Barbara seconded a motion for Joe to update the 2009 report and send a draft to
- members.
- 2. Holiday Sale/Agriculture surveys: Barbara reported that 12 surveys have been returned; Barbara will tally the
- results for the next meeting.
- 3. Conflict of Interest Law Training – Barbara completed her training. Four members now trained. Ken must complete
- the training by the extended April deadline.
- 4. Joe distributed copies of the Open Space Plan with additions he had added from the AgComm. Three members --
- Joe, Betsy and Barbara -- had attended the Open Space meeting chaired by the Cons. Comm and offered input.
- New Business
- 1. Joe distributed cards reminding members of the Annual Statewide Massachusetts Agricultural Commissions’
- Conference at Worcester State College on Saturday, March 20 and suggested at least one member attend.
- 2. Joe and Betsy agreed to attend the rescheduled dog-alpaca hearing.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:14