Agricultural Commission Minutes

• 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