Agriculture Commission Agenda and Minutes April 23 2012Northampton Agricultural Commission
7:00 PM Monday April 23, 2012
Main Street (City Hall) Room 10
Members present: Vice Chair Rich Jaescke, John Bobala, Robert Vollinger, Chip Parsons, and (arriving at 7:15 PM) Ben James.
Vice Chair Rich Jaescke opened the meeting at 7:05 PM.
Approval of Agriculture Commission Minutes of March 22, 2012
Upon motion by Rich Jaeske and second by Chip Parsons, the Commission voted unanimously to approve the minutes of March 22, 2012
Advance planning for winter 2013 multi-town agriculture commission meeting
The Commission reviewed email responses to the idea of a multi-town forum. Amherst is interested, Hatfield would like to know more, and Pete Westover, a MDAR contractor, questioned
whether this overlaps with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources sponsored state-wide forum.
The Commission agreed to write letters to regional agricultural commission members without known email addresses and to follow up with Pete Westover to see if MDAR would help coordinate
this meeting.
Recommendation on renewed local agriculture preservation restriction program
The Commission agreed by unanimous consent to support an application for a new CPA funded local agriculture preservation restriction.
Follow up discussion on Keep Farming next steps
The Commission suggested at the October Commission meeting exploring
A summary on all the data collected to date by the Keep Farming program
A better understanding of what is next in the Keep Farming effort
If the Keep Farming volunteers are willing to take a lead role in organizing a regional agriculture commission forum.
How the Keep Farming volunteers can assist on future projects.
Plan for Fall 2012 Agriculture Commission meetings
The Commission set Wednesday October 3, 2012 at 7:00 PM as their next meeting. They set three agenda items:
Developing a joint understanding of next steps in the Keep Farming program (see above)
Plan a possible February regional Agriculture Commission forum
Follow up and monitor DPW’s new effort to better maintain public roads in the meadows.
Upon motion by Rich Jaeske and second by Chip Parsons, the Commission voted unanimously at adjourn at 8:05 PM.
For more information:
Wayne Feiden, FAICP
Director of Planning and Development
wfeiden@northamptonma.gov
(413)587-1265