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TAUNTON RIVER WILD AND SCENIC RIVER STUDY COMMITTEE MINUTES
FOR MEETING OF 8/14/02
Meeting Location: SRPEDD Offices, Taunton
Chairman Jim Ross called the meeting to order at 7:15 PM. Committee members in attendance:
Kitty Doherty, Bridgewater; Francis Pereira, Bill Taylor, Middleboro; Ray Brierly, Jim Ross, Raynham; Aria Brissette, Taunton; Joan Pierce, Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife; Bill Napolitano, SRPEDD; Mary Joan Bull, SRPEDD; Scott MacFaden, Wildlands Trust.
Review of Agenda Items
1 (2) Town Updates: On behalf of Bridgewater, Kitty Doherty reported
that the Natural Resources Trust of Bridgewater presented conceptual designs
for six municipally-owned parks to the Conservation Commission. The designs
were prepared in partnership with the Conway School of Design, and were well-received
by almost all who examined them. A stewardship meeting was also held for the
town-owned Titicut Conservation Area along the Taunton River. This meeting attracted
the attention of abutters and local cable access TV, thereby ensuring a wider
audience for a discussion involving the management of important conservation
land along the Taunton. And, although it is too early yet to divulge details,
work continues toward the completion of a conservation restriction on the state
prison lands in Bridgewater, which include extensive Taunton River frontage.
2 Bill Napolitano reported on behalf of Middleboro and related that
the June 27th canoe trip on the Nemasket River was a success. The trip garnered
good press coverage, and attendees included Senator Marc Pacheco.
3 Jim Ross spoke for Raynham, and reported that he had appeared
twice in recent weeks before Raynham Board of Selectmen, initially to present
a plan for restoring habitat around Johnson's Pond with Bob Davis and subsequently
to provide the Board with an update on the Wild and Scenic Study effort to date.
The selectmen indicated that they will support a Wild and Scenic study for the
lower Taunton River.
4 Bill Napolitano also reported on behalf of Taunton, and mentioned
that he and the National Park Service had toured much of the lower Taunton River
in anticipation of a potential Wild and Scenic study for that stretch of the
river.
5 (4) By unanimous consent, Chairman Ross moved ahead to Agenda
Item #4, and asked Joan Pierce to put into context the desire expressed by many
committee members to revisit several of the votes taken at the June committee
meeting. The votes in question asked for up to $25,000 to fund a Recreational
Access Study, and for $8,000 to help fund a Tributary Study Strategy, to be
used as a matching grant in conjunction with funds from the Taunton River Watershed
Basin Team.
6 In the interval since the June meeting, several committee members
had second thoughts about voting on proposals involving the potential expenditure
of thousands of study dollars, particularly in view of the fact that these proposals
had been presented to the Committee with no opportunity for anything other than
a cursory review. Joan expounded on this point in further detail, highlighting
the need for the committee to establish criteria to use for evaluating proposals
that seek to utilize study funds. She also suggested that the committee refrain
from considering any proposals for funding until elements of the study work
plan are in place.
7 Committee members articulated several other concerns regarding
this topic, including a belief that all funding proposals must be in accord
with the committee's core mission and that the committee should proceed with
great caution when evaluating funding proposals.
8 At this point, Joan Pierce made a motion to rescind the two votes
taken at the June 12th meeting because committee members did not have enough
information to make an informed vote, and because the so-called Wild and Scenic
Executive Committee and the National Park Service did not have an opportunity
to evaluate the proposals in question. Joan's motion made no commentary, implied
or otherwise, on the merits of the proposals, and left open the option of reconsidering
these proposals in the future. The motion, seconded by Scott MacFaden, was approved
unanimously.
Review of Wild and Scenic Brochure
9 Extensive discussion ensued on the latest draft of the Wild and
Scenic Brochure. Concerns expressed by Committee members included apprehensions
about the grainy quality of several of the photos in the brochure, and comments
about errors in the text. Several members, however, expressed a desire to move
forward ASAP with the brochure, and indicated the need to begin distributing
it within the five-community study area.
10 Following the discussion, it was agreed that the least desirable
photos will be changed, that the text will be revised where committee members
had requested, and that the revised brochure will be mailed to all committee
members, hopefully prior to the next committee meeting. 2500 copies of the final,
approved brochure will be printed and available for distribution.
(4)(d) Discussion of Work Plan Items
11 It was agreed that Items 5 and 6 on the Proposed Work Plan should
be deleted now, with the understanding that they can be reconsidered later.
12 Joan P. articulated the importance of viewing the work plan in
its entirety, and not simply focusing on the upcoming year. Jim R. emphasized
the need for a more detailed draft work plan.
Review of Non-Agenda Items Discussed
13 As the meeting moved toward its conclusion, the following items
received mention:
14 · What's in a name? The so-called Executive Committee, comprised
of the full committee's Chairman, Vice-Chairwoman, and Secretary, will meet
on August 30th at SRPEDD (since changed to Friday, September 6th) at 9 AM to
discuss the next meeting's agenda. Bill N. will have available a draft summary
of Year One's accomplishments, including maps. Exec. Com. members are expected
to come to this meeting with ideas on establishing criteria for evaluating funding
proposals coming before the full committee. It should be noted that some have
raised questions about the purpose and very name of the Exec. Com., which will
likely receive a new title soon.
15 · Policy on Press Releases: Committee member Pat Rogers issued
a press release following the now-rescinded vote in June to announce that Wild
and Scenic Study monies would be used to fund a Recreational Access Study. In
the interest of maintaining a clear and consistent policy going forward, henceforth
only Bill N. shall be authorized to issue press releases on behalf of the full
committee.
16 · Joan P. requested a budget depicting Bill N.'s and Maisy McDarby's
availability for the next study year.
17 · Ray B. requested that the committee consider the value of creating
a Power Point presentation describing the Wild and Scenic study effort that
committee members could use as an outreach tool in their communities.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM.
Submitted by Scott MacFaden, Wild and Scenic Study Committee Secretary