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Commission signs off on herbicide and mowing contracts, authorizes treatment and equipment payments
Summary
The commission authorized a herbicide treatment contract (Oxbow Associates) for multiple conserved parcels, approved Farmer Mark Duffy’s mowing proposal for priority fields (to reset maintenance back to protocol), and voted to pay several invoices including a new trails mower; staff will coordinate timing to avoid herbicide drift and seed spread.
The Carlisle Conservation Commission authorized several operational contracts and payments to carry out summer management on conservation lands.
Staff recommended awarding a herbicide‑treatment contract for several conservation parcels to Oxbow Associates, the lowest qualified bidder familiar with the sites. The commission voted to authorize conservation administrator Megan Sullivan to sign the proposal and encumber FY26 funds so treatment can occur this summer; commissioners also asked staff to provide public notice at sites when spraying will occur.
For field mowing and edge clearing, Farmer Mark Duffy submitted the lowest responsive bid and commissioners accepted his mowing proposal for priority parcels (two mowings to reset sites this season), authorizing staff to sign the contract and encumber funds. Volunteers and staff agreed to coordinate mowing and herbicide timing to avoid spreading seed heads (for example, to treat thistles in August before a fall mow) and to require cleaning of heavy equipment between fields to limit invasive plant transport.
The commission also approved several invoices, including a survey and plot plan for Woodward Conservation Land and final payment for a new trails mower. Staff said the mower arrived and outreach on its availability for trail work will follow.
Next steps: staff will sign contracts, schedule work with vendors and post notice at treated sites; they will also encumber funds and report treatment and mowing dates to the commission and nearby residents.
