Council appoints Emily Hoffman to Cow Pasture Stewardship Committee; committee details land acquisition and grant work

The Barre City Council voted Jan. 28 to appoint Emily Hoffman to the Cow Pasture Stewardship Committee and approved the committee’s existing charge and mission statement.

Hoffman, a 2021 city resident who works in marketing for Vermont Flannel Company, told the council she is a frequent pasture user and would bring communications and graphic design experience to the volunteer committee. The council approved her appointment by voice vote; she will serve on the committee as a member.

Nut graf: The committee detailed ongoing work funded by an IRSA grant and other sources that have already produced land purchases and on‑the‑ground improvements. Council approval of the committee charge formalizes the group’s 2017 mission and recognizes grant‑driven projects completed under staff and volunteer oversight.

What the committee reported Committee members reported that the IRSA grant (application submitted in 2021) enabled land acquisition that secured the property used today for the pasture’s primary parking lot and trail access. Recent accomplishments from the committee’s update included: - Construction of a new foot trail and pedestrian bridge crossing a stream on the Cow Pasture property. - Trail improvements and reopening of an emergency access route from Route 14; the city’s public works staff replaced a nonfunctional gate and restored the roadbed to ensure emergency access. - Purchase of trail‑maintenance tools and new kiosk signs and wayfinding maps for multiple trailheads. - Formation of two advisory working groups: an invasive‑species advisory group and an access & conservation advisory group. Both groups report to the committee and bring public volunteers into project work.

Committee members also told the council they found a small portion of the public access trail crosses private land. The committee has prepared a landowner agreement and submitted it to the city attorney for review, and members expressed hope the city will finalize the agreement soon.

Appointment and charge Emily Hoffman said she had originally applied in September 2023 but the application was not processed; she re‑applied recently and the council moved to appoint her at the Jan. 28 meeting. Councilors also voted to adopt the Cow Pasture Stewardship Committee mission and vision statements (the committee reviewed the 2017 text and recommended no substantive changes).

Context and next steps Committee members thanked the council and public works staff for support during the IRSA grant work; the grant provided funding for design, trail work and land acquisition and remains active for one more year. The committee will deliver further updates to the council as remaining grant tasks (trail assessment, signage installation, and invasive species work) proceed.

Ending: Council members commended the committee’s volunteer work and asked staff to coordinate the outstanding landowner agreement and plans for upcoming trail signage and maintenance events.