Brentwood Town’s Conservation Commission voted Jan. 14 to authorize up to $500 from its events line to support Earth Day and spring cleanup activities, including supplies and light hospitality for volunteers.

The motion, offered by Speaker 1 and seconded by Speaker 7, passed by voice vote after members discussed logistics such as bag distribution, gloves and providing coffee and donuts for participants. "To spend up to $500 for the Earth Day cleanup events out of our events line," Speaker 1 said when moving the item; Speaker 7 seconded the motion.

The money is intended for modest event costs; members emphasized that volunteers and partner groups — including Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, local schools and the rec center — will handle most of the labor. Speaker 4 described past logistics: the commission staffed a table at the rec center, handed out bags and gloves, and later took photos of volunteers and a community tally of collected bags.

Commissioners also prioritized outreach and volunteer recruitment. Speaker 2 reported a landowner on Veil Road East who said they were interested in joining easement-monitoring efforts, and the group discussed offering a monitoring-volunteer training session with UNH Cooperative Extension. "We could reach out to property owners with easements to replicate the successful walk we had last year," Speaker 1 said, describing a prior program that drew interest.

Members asked that the event and volunteer opportunities be featured in the commission’s March newsletter and agreed to staff an informational table so residents can learn about the commission’s work. Plans for a coordinated April community gathering (April 17) and a regional New Hampshire land conference (April 10) were also discussed as outreach opportunities.

What happens next: The commission’s outreach leads will finalize event dates, advertise via social channels and the March newsletter, and return with more logistical details at a future meeting.