Minutes of 2/24/05 Meeting

The Sunapee Area Watershed Coalition

Minutes of 2/24/05 Meeting

Sunapee Area Watershed Coalition (SAWC)

Meeting Summary – February 26, 2005

1. Introductory remarks by Robert Wood of Lake Sunapee Protective Association
(LSPA) and Vicky Boundy of Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning
Commission (UVLSRPC), and review of last meeting minutes

2. As attendees introduced themselves, they remarked on their concerns:

lack of follow-up on building in towns after plans are approved by planning boards
water quality in general
communications in general
sustainable growth
benefits and burdens of watershed planning
growth in general; the hope that what we achieve locally, in a small way helps
globally
In Springfield, selectpersons not officially assigning a rep to SAWC

3. Some discussion about having another press release regarding the funding that has been
granted from NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES), for the following:
UVLSRPC, LSPA and Colby-Sawyer College – field station study (all three grants total
nearly $90,000).

4. There are new buildout numbers for Springfield. SAWC may need to show what we
can do for them; perhaps getting former selectmen engaged would help and/or having
Springfield citizens call in to selectpersons’ office to ask if the town is involved.

5. Discussion regarding codifying meeting minutes; UCLSRPC will send meeting minutes
to the town reps.

6. Discussion about importance of communication; Ken Lawson thought that a website
would be helpful in communicating the coalitions’s mission and activities, and offered to be
a resource. Steve Landrigan also had interest in a website; Bill Thomas mentioned that the
CSC graphic art students would also be a good resource.

7. Re: communication – thoughts about the need to get back to the towns’ selectpersons
with SAWC’s goals. Re: publicity, Charlie Forsberg of Sutton Con Com gave examples of
that town’s issues and discussion and its subsequent publicity. There were also comments
on how most issues for the towns relate back to their impact on the school system, i.e.
new housing, etc.

Mission Statement and Goals

1. Major concerns around buildout and the increase in population pressure

i. This results in the need for increased domestic water supply

ii. Increase in sewage disposal, erosion and surface runoff

iii. It all ties into the watershed, and perhaps serves as a basis for SAWC’s structure

2. Other mission statement components:

i. Evaluation and protection of water quality and watershed

ii. Keep the mission broad

iii. Community involvement, multi-town, district-wide, perhaps list the towns involved

iv. Awareness, serve as a forum and be a resource to the communities

v. Be proactive, not reactive

vi. Educate the communities

vii. Provide information, encourage advocacy

viii. Other ideas: “sustainability”, “maintain”, “improve”

ix. Keep area for future generations, “I’d like to see my feet”

The statement should make it clear that the mission is not for lakes only, but for all water
resources in the area.

Terry Dancy, Steve Landrigan, Bill Thomas and Jack Sheehan agreed to draft a mission
statement for the April 7th meeting.

Discussion on SAWC’s structure: we need to define what committees are
needed, i.e. water quality, communications, etc.
Communications Committee is needed for getting the word out. It was noted that
there are many venues upcoming in the spring, and getting the word out soon is
important. However, there was some warranted concern about communicating
ahead of determining goals, and fundamental planning.
A newsletter was part of the grant proposal (Aimee Ayers of LSPA); it would be
planned around the May/June timeframe. A small committee is welcomed to help.
This led to a discussion of the many communications outlets available, from press
releases, to websites, including a SAWC website, as well as pages on the UV
and LSPA, and other existing websites. S. Levine described the League of
Women Voters’ previous work regarding involving other organizations to get the
word out to new members of the community, through realtors, etc.

Joanie Hoenig, Aimee Ayers, Ken Lawson, Bill Thomas and June Ficter will meet
to discuss a strategy plan for communicatins, including press release and website
plan.

DES will present, on March 22 in the afternoon in New London, a detailed
technical view of the 26 parametric data on the SAWC area, including GIS maps.
A summary of this data will be presented at the next SAWC meeting April 7th.
This will help set the stage for SAWC’s goal planning.
The SAWC meetings will be held on the 1st Thursday of every month.
Also, it was offered that at each SAWC meeting, a member organization could
give a 5 – minute presentation on that organizations’s issues, accomplishments, etc.

SAWC: The link between land use and water quality