Agricultural Commission agenda and minutes 10 12 11Northampton Agricultural Commission
Agenda and Minutes
Date: Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Time: 7:15 PM
Place: City Hall, 210 Main Street, Room 10, Northampton
For more information:
Wayne Feiden, FAICP, Director of Planning and Development
wfeiden@northamptonma.gov
(413)587-1265
Agenda
Introductions (new Agriculture Commission member)
Minutes of April 4, 2011
Discussion and recommendation on gating the easterly end of Dike Road by Pleasant Street
Update on the Keep Farming planning project, including agricultural economics and completed and planned surveys
Discussion of local agricultural preservation restriction program
Setting work plan for 2011-2012 Agriculture Commission
Minutes
Members present: Chairman John Omasta, Rich Jaeske, John Kelly, John Bobala, Ben James, Chip Parsons, Robert Vollinger.
John Omasta opened the meeting at 7:15 PM.
Introduction of Robert Vollinger: The board greeted Robert Vollinger, the newest board member.
Minutes of April 4, 2011: Upon motion by Richard Jaeske and second by Chip Parsons, the board voted unanimously to approve the minutes of April 4, 2011.
Dike Road: The board reviewed the proposal to block off the Pleasant Street end of Dike Road to prevent vandalism and dumping. Owen Freeman-Daniels reported that the private farm owner
reported that he had no objection. Wayne Feiden reported that the private farmer using the farmland also had no objection, which is documented in a license with the City. The Agricultural
Commission agreed that they had no objection to this closing, provided that for the 2012 growing season the closing be reversible so that if problems come up it can be removed (e.g.
a Jersey Barrier).
Keep Farming: Nola Reinhart presented the keep Farming Agricutural Economics Report. Fran Volkman suggested getting input from famers at a new Farmers’s Forum. Nola agreed to prepare
a one-page summary to use for invitations to the Farmers’ Forum and the board agreed to sponsor such a forum in January. Fran Volkman then reported on the larger project (Agricultural
Economics report, Residents survey, supermarket distributers survey, food survey
Local Agricultural Preservation Restriction Program: The commission briefly discussed the city’s local APR program and agreed that this is an issue that they should offer to discuss
with farmers at a farmers’ forum
Agriculture Commission 2012 Work Program: The commission set the following as their work program for 2012
Host a second Farmers’ Forum, tentatively in January 2012, with an opportunity for discussion of the Keep Farming process and an opportunity for farmer to ask questions and get answers
from staff and boards, including:
What help do farmers want to address recent floods (emergency services)
Roadside grading issues (DPW and BPW)
Wetlands (Conservation Commission or staff)
Keep Farming program (keep farming volunteers)
Local Agriculture Preservation Restriction Program (Planning Office)
Status of Meadows Roads (DPW)
Flood control dam status (Army Corps of Engineers, if possible)
November meeting: The Commission set 7:00 PM November 22, 2011 for their next meeting, with an agenda to include:
Plan January Farmers’ Forum
Update from Farmers Market Subcommittee
Keep Farming follow up discussions.
Memberships: The Commission discussed the free memberships offered by the Western Massachusetts Association of Agriculture Commissions and the Massachusetts Farm Bureau. Upon motion
by Richard Jaeske and second by John Kelly, the Commission voted unanimously to accept the memberships.
At 9:15 PM, upon motion by John Kelly and second by Richard Jaeske, the Commission voted unanimously to adjourn.