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r <br />O <br />1u c <br />, <br />s3'- )NCO RT' <br />Town of Reading <br />Meeting Minutes <br />Board - Committee - Commission - Council: <br />Town Forest Committee Meeting At Mattera Cabin <br />Date: 2013 -11 -05 Time: 7 PM <br />Building: Location: <br />Address: <br />Purpose: Town Forest Use -- Including Refinement of Camping Regulations <br />Attendees: Members - Present: <br />tZECEIVEU <br />rover+ CLERK <br />r,nIsG, MASS. <br />im ,IAN 21 A It. 36 <br />Mike DeBrigard, Jennifer Driscoll, Tom Gardiner, Kurt Habel, Farrukh Najmi, <br />Terry Selle, Kendall Stackhouse, Bill Sullivan, Rick Wetzler <br />Members - Not Present: <br />Others Present: <br />Presenters identified below; approximately 18 dog- owners <br />Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Rick Wetzler <br />Topics of Discussion: <br />1. Grace Strohman was introduced while distributing copies of her "Getting to Know <br />Your Backyard" booklet (in which RTF is profiled among Reading's other preserved <br />sites). She received highly favorable comments by committee members and <br />enthusiastic applause from the committee and guests. <br />2. Also well- regarded was Doug's presentation on RTF user frequency by type, for <br />September and October 2013. His research, as summarized in the charts he <br />circulated, addressed the disparity between actual visitors he interviewed at RTF <br />and respondents to the town -wide, Fall 2012 survey (some of whom rarely or never <br />visited RTF). Chief conclusions are: <br />e 86% of users arrived via Grove St, the rest via Wood End; <br />e Entrance rate averaged 6.8 people /hr; <br />e 91% of users were dog - walkers; <br />e Groups ranged in size from 3 -16 people. <br />3. With a majority of attendants being dog owners, discussion focused on associated <br />management issues, including: <br />e The importance of self - policing and over - riding respect observed among dog <br />walkers. <br />Since inception of Reading's 1974 leash law, dog licensing has provided a useful <br />census. Presently the Town has over 2000 licensed dogs. <br />Regarding the proposed draft regulation regarding dogs — <br />o Leashed tend to be more uncontrollable than unleashed; <br />o Given explicit focus on canine regulation by Town by -laws, RTF's <br />jurisdiction on the issue was questioned. <br />Page i i <br />2013 -09 -03 <br />