Agricultural Commission Minutes

Town of Bolton Agricultural Commission

Meeting Minutes

Date:  21 February, 2012

AGRICULTURAL COMMISSION

www.boltonag.com

63 Main Street

978 779-2297 or 779-3308

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

Richard Pelletier            779-5521               email@nashobawinery.com                        Term Exp 6/30/2013

Eric Schartner                779-0212               schartnerfarm@verizon.net                        Term Exp 6/30/2013

Robyn Roberts               875-2273               wolfrunfarm@comcast.net                         Term Exp 6/30/2014

A meeting of the Bolton Agricultural Commission was held on 21 February, 2012 at Town Hall. The meeting was called to order at 7:38 pm.  Commission members in attendance: Betsy Taylor-Kennedy, Barbara Parente, Richard Pelletier, Robyn Roberts.  Absent: Eric Schartner

The January 2012 minutes were approved and submitted.

Reports from liaisons to Town Boards/Commissions

• Board of Health (Roberts)   No Report
• Planning Board (Schartner)  Absent
• Board of Selectmen (Parente):   No Report
• Conservation Commission (Pelletier):  No Report
• Conservation Trust (Taylor-Kennedy):   The Town has received a grant of $96K from the State Division of Conservation Resources toward the purchase of the Weatherbee property.

Complaints/Requests for Site Visits

• Coolidge/Kashuba:   No formal complaint letter has been received yet.

Appointments

• None

New Business

• Annual Report:   Barbara prepared and submitted the AgCom’s Annual Report to the town.
• The Neighborhood:  Barbara attended a planning meeting for a new BATCO TV program initiated by Bolton Local.  Called “The Neighborhood,” it could be a good venue for promoting Ag businesses.

Old Business

1. Membership Farm Bureau Federation:  Robyn still has not received any information regarding the status of our membership.

1. Spring Agricultural Sale:  Possible dates are April 1 or the last weekend in April.  Barbara has contacted all of last year’s participants.  Possibility to extend invitation to Berlin Ag businesses.

1. Annual Farmers Meeting:  Rich reported that Bolton Spring Farms cannot host the event; it may be held at the Winery. Rich will contact Brad Mitchell  to be that speaker and put together a date and an agenda for the meeting. 

1. Emergency Management:  Robyn and Sue plan to meet in the Spring.

1. Wayfinding Grant: Rich will contact the Town Planner about the status of the signs.

1. AgCom Website:  Rich reported that he has obtained administrative access to the website from Joe Kovacs.  Barbara has some agricultural themed photos left over from the brochure that she will share.  The Commission approved reimbursement to Joe Kovacs for three years of website hosting.

Future Meetings/Events

• Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 7:30 pm at Town Hall
• Bolton Farmers’ Meeting:  TBD
• Spring Ag Sale:   TBD
• Taste of Bolton:  TBD 2012

The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 pm.