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Commission approves small sign/bench purchases, accepts Kiwanis donation for Heads Pond access design and hires Stantec; updates on Pinnacle Park, Clay Pond and
Summary
At the meeting the commission approved modest expenditures for Pinnacle Park signs and bench reinforcement, accepted a Kiwanis donation for Heads Pond trail engineering and hired Stantec for design without issuing an RFP, and discussed stewardship and Riverwalk issues including beaver management and enforcement of a no‑bike easement.
The Conservation Commission handled several stewardship and operations items under “other business.”
Pinnacle Park and Keep It Native: The commission heard a report that Keep It Native completed extensive clearing and brush removal at Pinnacle Park and recommended volunteers help install interpretive signs. The commission authorized up to $100 to purchase 8‑foot posts and rebar (if the town cannot supply materials) to secure new signs and approved volunteers’ installation plans scheduled for a volunteer day (date provided in packet).
Heads Pond access (trail for all): The commission discussed a plan to make the Heads Pond Trail entrance more accessible. Engineers estimated that meeting ADA guidance for slopes and rest platforms would require an approximately 200‑foot ramp with rest pads (an S‑shaped alignment), and that making the entrance more accessible now would reduce future retrofit costs. Kiwanis offered to fund engineering and construction support: the commission accepted a $2,100 donation from Kiwanis for engineering and voted to hire Stantec to perform survey and engineering work without issuing a formal RFP for the small design contract. The commission noted construction would later be put out to bid via RFP.
Clay Pond stewardship and Moosewood estimate: The commission discussed a stewardship‑plan gap for the Clay Pond‑3 property that was not included in the town’s earlier stewardship plan. The commission asked Moosewood Ecological (the firm that prepared the earlier plan) to provide an estimate for adding the parcel to the stewardship plan.
Riverwalk matters: The commission reviewed notes from a site walk at the Riverwalk. Items flagged for follow up include clearing a culvert suspected to be blocked (possible beaver dam), reinforcing boundaries and property markers in areas of apparent encroachment, putting bollards and signage at the Allentown end to comply with LCHIP easement conditions forbidding wheeled vehicles on the trail (bicycles included), and planning for cyclical mowing of grassland habitat to preserve bird breeding habitat.
Votes and actions summarized here: - Approve up to $100 for sign posts and rebar for Pinnacle Park signage (passed). - Accept $2,100 donation from Kiwanis for Heads Pond engineering (passed). - Hire Stantec to provide engineering/survey design for Heads Pond access without an RFP for the small contract (motion passed; vote recorded with one nay and one abstention).
