Royalston Open Space Committee
Minutes
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Meeting Date: February 9, 2006
Members Present: Aaron
Ellison, Beth Gospodarek, Kim MacPhee, Christine Beckert Long,
Others present: Vyto Andreulinas
Chair:
Aaron Ellison
Clerk: Christine Beckert Long
The meeting convened at 7:30 p.m. at town hall.
Minutes: The committee unanimously approved the minutes of January 12, 2005.
Open
Spaces:
(1) The committee reviewed the list of properties to be seized for back taxes
on February 13, 2006, and agreed to write to the tax collector, asking that
these properties not be sold until their conservation value can be further
evaluated. The committee will also try to determine the status of Toney Rd.,
most of which has been discontinued, according to Vyto, and along which are
several back taxes properties that at minimum offer connectivity to other
protected lands.
(2) Aaron will talk to the Select Board about the possibility of designating
a percentage of tax title sales for open space acquisition.
(3) Beth discussed the possibility of the committee's supporting a proposal
to use Bullock Field as a winter skating area. The committee also discussed
a proposal to develop a formal swimming area at Tully Lake. No decisions were
made on either proposal.
(4) The committee agreed to change a few of its open space evaluation criteria
codes: B1 = Biomap core parcel, B2 = Biomap supporting parcel; W1 = Living
Waters parcel, W2 = Living Waters supporting parcel, W3 = Other wetlands.
Town
issues: Vyto described an application from Royalston, Petersham and Athol
for a Community Development Block Grant, for housing assistance to individuals.
This application requires a report on development strategies in each town,
including how the town is pursuing its open space goals. Aaron will prepare
that section for Royalston.
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.