Village of South Conservancy Commission met Nov. 21.
Here is the minutes provided by the commission:
CALL TO ORDER
Commissioner Bodkin called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
• Commissioners present:
Diane Bodkin, Navraaz Basati, Corinne Chrystall, Aga Razvi
Guest: Dustin Wire
APPROVAL OF AUGUST 2019 MINUTES:
Motion made by Commissioner Basati, seconded by Commissioner Chrystall.
Motion approved.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Chair Bodkin announced her upcoming absence in January 2020. The January meeting will be canceled. She stated the importance of ensuring a meeting in December in order to finalize the commission’s wishes for inclusion in the 2020-2021 Budget.
Commissioners agreed to meet December 10, 2019. Bodkin will notify the village of the date.
Bodkin reviewed the notes from last month’s workshop. She gave updates on the award-winning organizations in the Scarecrow Event. She agreed with the Mayor regarding inviting organizations and businesses to promote their services and products in their scarecrow scene.
Dustin Wire recommended doing the next burn as a full two-day burn in March about $4000. Bodkin and Wire will try to create a map overlay of past burn areas.
Bodkin announced a new butterfly garden in the Conservancy to be maintained by the South Barrington Garden Club. The garden is in a prominent place on the South side of Bridges Drive. The club will be doing an experiment in non-toxic weed killing with cardboard weighted down with mulch and leaves.
Bodkin announced the need to rewire the tree tags on the “Tree Walk” trees in the small arboretum. Some of the branches have outgrown the wires and are being constricted. Bodkin and her husband plan to cut the wire and rewire with a new wire. Commissioner Razvi agreed to help with the project on a warmer day. Nancy Munao would like to help also.
Bodkin announced the Eagle Scout candidate has accepted the project of building floating Islands for his Eagle Scout project. The Village received word from the Army Corps of Engineers that no permit is needed, as there is no fill or rock to be added that would impede the flow of the water. Bodkin asked Commissioner Razvi if he would be the liaison from the Conservancy to work with the Scout. Razvi agreed to follow the scout through the project. The scout is
awaiting a formal letter from Mayor McCombie giving approval for the concept of the floating island project. He will research the project through the winter and create the project in time for nesting cranes in early March.
Bodkin reported on the beaver damage in the southwest part of the Conservancy. The dammed up stream is now 4’ high and 50’ wide and blocking the culvert pipe. Mike Moreland has secured the help of a company to trap the animals. Wire stated he has some chicken wire he has saved and will bring to the area to wrap around the tree trunks to protect from beavers. Commissioner Chrystall added that she has some wire she can donate as well.
Commissioner Basati reported information about Rose School’s request for help from the Conservancy with several of the gardens around the school building. The PTO President
is hoping the Conservancy would be able to donate some plants from the Conservancy, and possibly some funds for more plants, and some volunteers to help plan and plant. The school budget will not have funds for this project. Commissioners agreed only a few wildflowers and plants can be transplanted. They agreed to try raising some plants from seeds gathered on the Conservancy grounds. They will also ask the Barrington High School horticulture classes to help. Commissioners will raise some plants from seed as well.
Basati also announced she would like to start planning for the Healing Garden in the east side of the Showcase Garden, after receiving her Horticulture Therapy Certification. Bodkin reminded the commissioners that the Conservancy still has $1000 in the account from last year’s donation from the Garden club, earmarked for plants in this garden. Dustin Wire reported he sprayed the cattails, sprayed the buckthorn in the Healing Garden area, and cut down the broken limb on the middle pathway. He plans to mow the buckthorn area and states it should be ready for planting after the mowing. Basati has been tasked with creating a rough sketch of her vision for the area, as requested by the Mayor. Wire also stated he would cut down a strip of cattails in front of the viewing platform for visitors to see water fowl on the pond.
Basati announced a new “Feast Club” she is promoting for members to support the local farmers by contributing to a dinner made from in- season produce. Money from the dinners will go to supporting underprivileged persons and a special school in the area. Basati added more information can be obtained from the website: www.growgatherandgive.org The first meal
will be December 29 sponsored by Smart Farm.
Dustin Wire announced all of the Sedge Meadow is currently flooded, but the first plot is doing well without overwhelming invasives. He had sprayed this plot with herbicide friendly to sedges. The other two plots were possibly planted too far apart and opportunistic plants have overwhelmed them. Wire states he may be able to spray enough to get the sedges there under control. He added that the crescent area on the east side still needs to be completed.
AGENDA : BUDGET 2020-2021 Survey: What would you like your Conservancy to be?
I. MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT
A. Ron DiMonte does the main grounds maintenance, and the Village negotiates that contract. There are other areas where the Conservancy would like his help, making the Scarecrow Trail presentable, especially at time of the Fall Event. DiMonte also has a history of spraying the mound in the years before the Commissioners took it on as an ongoing project with native plantings. Commissioners would like a contract with him to spray the northeast side of the entrance mound, as there is strong network of invasives deep under the surface that would need repeated treatments.
ACTION: Add to budget: Expense for Scarecrow Trail clean-up and mound spraying
ACTION: Commissioners Bodkin and Chrystall state they will no longer do the heavy Physical work that is required to keep the gardens presentable. They would like to add an expense of 16 hours for a maintenance person to do weeding, deadheading heavy transferring of plants and stone every other week from mid- March to September, 6 months 96 hrs, at $20/hr = $1920
B. Burn: Applied Ecological Services has done the past two burns with good service. Commissioners request the same company, as it is familiar with the intricacies of the many areas of the Conservancy grounds. With ecologist’s recommendation consensus is to have a two day full burn in March 2021.
ACTION: Add $4000 to the budget for full controlled burn
C. ADA Ramp Landing: ADA requirements state the ramp landing must be level and at a minimum 5’ square.
ACTION: Commissioner Bodkin would like to add cost of ? bags of limestone and gravel to create an approvable dense surface, instead of cement.
II. CAPITAL PROJECT ACCOUNT
A. Healing Garden currently has $1000 from donations for plants. ACTION: Will need about $500 more for landscaping labor and stone.
B. Entrance Mound. Landscaper would like to donate services to create a serpentine stone stream for erosion control on east side.
ACTION: Stone, mulch, tilling and truck rental: $400
C. Beaver Damage is expected to be yearly. Hopefully, regular observation will catch in time.
ACTION: Cost of trapping and excavation: $1000
III. COMMITTEE PROGRAM ACCOUNT
A. Rose School PTO has requested help with planting gardens around school.
ACTION: Some plants will be obtained from Conservancy; others bought: $400.
B. Tree replacement for Arbor Day.
ACTION: Yearly about $500 including tree, transport, and planting
IV. MISSION STATEMENT
Razvi: To preserve and develop biodiversity of plant, insect and animal life for the recreational, and peaceful enjoyment of the unique natural areas of South Barrington residents and to serve as an outdoor educational laboratory for students.
Barrington Area Conservation Trust: To preserve our community’s rare and exceptional open spaces for current and future generations.
Conservation Foundation: To improve the health of our communities by preserving and restoring natural areas and open spaces, protecting rivers and watersheds, and promoting stewardship of our environment.
Citizens for Conservation: Saving living spaces for living things through protection, restoring, and Stewardship of land, and conservation of natural resources and education.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion was made by Basati, seconded by Razvi, to adjourn the meeting at 8:30 pm.
https://southbarrington.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2019.11-21-min-cc.pdf
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