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Agriculture Commission Agenda and Minutes February 6 2013Northampton Agricultural Commission Agenda and Minutes 6:00 PM Wednesday February 6, 2013 210 Main Street (City Hall) Room 10, Northampton Agenda Approval of Agriculture Commission Minutes of January 2, 2013 and January 19, 2013 Farmers Forum Follow up on January Agricultural Forum Vandalism issues Meadows roads maintenance, parking by water standpipe, and related issues Set March meeting Other issues not anticipated when agenda written Minutes Members present: Vice Chair Rich Jaescke, John Bobala, Bob Vollinger, Chip Parsons, and John Kelly. Staff present: Wayne Feiden Rich Jaescke opened the meeting at 6:00 PM. Approval of Agriculture Commission Minutes of January 2, 2013 Upon motion by John Kelly and second by John Bobala, the Commission voted unanimously to approve the minutes. Follow up on January Agricultural Forum The Commission reviewed the agricultural forum and the success at attracting vendors, presenters, and farmers. Bob Vollinger read from comment cards indicating that participates found the forum useful and supported the idea of an annual forum. Some expressed interest in more pre-forum outreach and at least one thought the formal presentations should be shorter. Staff offered to send thank you notes to vendors and presenters if Rich Jaescke can send a list of who was there and their contact. The Commission discussed doing a forum again next year and wants to pursue: Outreach to Pete Westover, consultant to MAAC and MDAR and to Dick Ward, president of the MAAC, to get his thoughts and see if next year this can be part of a MAAC regional meeting. Outreach to Phil Korman, CISA to get his thoughts and help. Outreach to the Amherst Agricultural Commission to get their thoughts and possibly co-sponsorship. Vandalism issues The Commission discussed with Ben Perrault, Mountain View Farms, and Mary Shanley-Koeber and Steven Walker, MassAudubon, the vandalism that Mr. Perrault has had to his crops from vehicles driving through his fields and options to reduce that kind of damage. After a discussion, the Commission asked if we could invite Sgt Victor Caputo of the Northampton Police Department to one of their next two meetings to explore opportunities to address this problem. Meadows roads maintenance, parking by water standpipe, and related issues Wayne Feiden reported that DPW will draft a no parking by the standpipe ordinance and take it to the Transportation and Parking Commission, which is the next step in the process. Other issues not anticipated when agenda written Keep Farming reports that they completed restaurant interviews and expect that section of the plan to be ready shortly. The Commission reviewed staff request for a recommendation on the renewal of a farm license at Mineral Hills Conservation Area, currently with Henry Parsons. The Commission recommended: Maintaining licenses with existing farmers when possible to allow long term planning and operations continuity for the farmers. Specifically, recommended approval with Henry Parsons who is farming responsively and sustainably and may not have the problems that some farmers have presented to the city not honoring their license terms. Require as a condition of the license that the fields be brush-hogged to the limits of the historical fields so we don’t have them shrink each year. Require as a condition of the license that if the farmer leaves the land they leave a cover crop behind. Set March meeting The Commission set their next meeting for 7:00 PM on Wednesday March 6, 2013. That meeting will include: Early planning for a possible January 2014 Farmers Forum More discussion on enforcement issues, if a police representative is available to attend. Upon motion by Rich Jaescke and second by Chip Parsons, the Commission voted unanimously to adjourn at 7:05 PM.