Sandown - Other Town Board's News
Sandown Conservation Commission Unhappy with NHDES and Budget Committee Interviews Candidates
By Penny Williams 6-22-20
The Sandown Conservation Commission met on Thursday June 11 and the commission discussed violations that had been reported to NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) and which NHDES did not take any action on.
The violations reported included:
* 19 Pillsbury Road, Sandown: Tax Map 25, Lot 59 – A complaint was made alleging construction of an ATV/OHRV trail in a jurisdictional wetland. It was determined no violations have occurred within a jurisdictional area.
* 33 Cross Road, Sandown: Tax Map 19, Lot 24-2-2 – A complaint was made alleging unauthorized impacts within a jurisdictional wetland. In summary: If the impacted area was a beaver dam, work was performed without landowner permission, or if the impacted area was not a beaver dam, work was performed without a wetland permit from NHDES. Notice was sent to help avoidance of similar violations. NHDES will take no further enforcement action.
* Montana Drive, Sandown: Tax Map 14, Lot 19-51 – A complaint was made about a wetland violation occurring as a result of removing beaver dams. The review has found no conclusive evidence of violations and NHDES has determined no further action is required.
The commission was not happy that NHDES had taken no action regarding any of the issues. It was decided to follow up with a request for further clarification from NHDES and an explanation as to why no action was taken.
There was a brief discussion about the 48 condominium project, Hoytford Hills off of Ferguson Lane. This project was originally proposed in 2009 and test pits were dug then and the property flagged. The present proposal is not required to reflag the property but Conservation suggested reflagging be done. The commission is following the drainage issues and the commission's Soil Scientist Bruce Gilday will review the drainage proposal.
The commission discussed an estimate for metal roofing from Advanced Metal Roofing for the Red Barn. The commission also discussed the placement of an operational cupola on the roof to provide ventilation. A Scout, Justin Silver, is interested in this for an Eagle Scout project. Some of the commission were satisfied with this bid but after a discussion Chair Brian Butler agreed to try and get a couple additional bids with a view to getting this done in the fall.
The commission discussed trails and adding new signs with trail lengths. It was noted damage is being done to the Morrison property by bikes crossing over from Danville and there is damage on the Ross property as well. Signs don't do much and it is hoped if violators are seen the police will be called. Signs allow enforcement by police and Fish and Game.
The Sandown Budget Committee met Wednesday, June 17, and interviewed the two applicants to fill the single seat vacancy on the committee, Steve Brown and Dave Solomon. The same questions were posed to both candidates.
Brown made the point he felt he would fit in with members of the committee and he has many years of budget committee experience. Solomon made the point that while his viewpoint is often different he feels it important that all views and opinions be heard and considered and he is able and willing to ask the hard questions. In the end in non-public the board discussed the two and emerged and announced they had decided to appoint Steve Brown to fill the vacant Budget Committee seat.
The committee discussed and confirmed the new meeting schedule where they will meet less often but hold longer meetings. They also confirmed that they were trying to schedule the bigger budgets earlier. They also voted to do a Budget Committee Forum again this year and set the date for the forum as Wednesday, September 30.