HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-03-16 ad Hoc Open Space and Recreation Planning Task Force MinutesAd Hoc Open Space Committee
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Minutes
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March 16, 2000
Meeting convened at 7:35. Present were ad hoc committee members Camille Anthony, Ron
Boucher, Nancy Eaton, Kim Honetschlager, Gladys Montgomery Jones, Catherine Martin and
Rick Schubert. Also present was Reading conservation administrator, Karen DeFrancesco.
The committee continued its work to develop the Open Space Plan and Report.
About 700 completed survey forms have been returned, compared with 354 total returned when
the Open Space Committee last surveyed the community. Questionnaire distribution this time was
at the polls, Town Hall and the library, so the sample is more focused on voters, compared with
last time, when distribution through the newspaper, Town Hall and library went to a broader
sample. Karen will also contact the newspapers to ask them to run the questionnaire. It was
decided to use Excel to tabulate and record results, with different spreadsheets to represent
different demographic groups. In total, there are 1034 cells of data. Cathy will work up a
spreadsheet layout, and she, Kim and Ron will do data entry. Nancy will enter comments.
Gladys noted that Patrice Todesco has samples of open space plans from other communities and
will get them.
Kim will follow-up with RMLD and other entities, such as GIS and the Assessor's Office, to
acquire maps for the maps she is doing for the report.
It was decided to hold a public meeting to take public input on open space use and planning on
the evening of Thursday, April 6. This will be the committee's next meeting.
It was also decided to do site visits to ascertain needs, including handicapped access, for Section
5 of the report.
Nancy noted that ConsCom is looking into flooding issues, and that a statewide program called
BioDiversity Days in which 100 towns will participate will take place June 9-11 with the goal of
getting more people `out into nature'.
Kim noted that the Ipswich River Watershed Association is applying to Reading's Celebration
Trust for funds.
Gladys said that she would contact REI and Tasc to investigate volunteers and contributions from
those companies.
With the next meeting set for April 6, the meeting was adjourned at 9:22.
Respectfully submitted,
Gladys Montgome& Jones