HomeMy WebLinkAbout200--3-20Nantucket Agricultural Commission
Minutes of the Meeting of
The Commission Members
March 20,2009-04-23
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Members present: Cormac Collier, Andrea Marcavitch, Karen Aleence, Ray Pweq:!�
Heather Leisher Coffin o
Members absent: John Barrtlet, Steve Slosak n C=
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I. Appointments:
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Karen Alence nominated for Chair and voted as Chair unanimously.
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Heather Leisher Coffin nominated for Secretary and voted as Sec*r3&3
unanimously. ;K
U. Discussion about potential objectives of Commission
• Right to farm act discussed as possible first directive of commission.
Members agreed to read the models of the right to farm act to
determine if this should be an act that the commission should adopt.
• Providing information about land options for new growers, including
exploring land bank properties that might be possible options for
farming parcels
• Compiling an inventory of 61 -A properties
• Identifying realistic food sources to promote
• Identifying farmers' needs and concerns — it was decided that the first
step in identifying the needs of the farmers would be to compile a list
of farmers and individuals involved in agriculture, along with the
products that they provide
• Identifying what laws are already in place to protect backyard farmers
III. Action Items
• Cormac volunteered to explore what town by -laws are in place to help
farmers
• Karen offered to organize a compilation of existing farmers
• Karen suggested that commission meets one a month; following
meeting for April to be announced by email
• Heather offered to talk to Sustainable Nantucket about how the
commission could help with upcoming community garden project
• Andrea offered to inform Board of Selectman about first meeting of
commission
The meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m.