WLT Meeting Minutes 4/21/2013

WINTONBURY LAND TRUST - April 21, 2013, 52 Duncaster Road, Bloomfield  

Present:  Dale Bertoldi, Paula Jones, Vic Herson, Kevin Gough, Vikki Reski, Chip Caton, Doris Johnson

 

1.      The February 27, 2013 minutes were approved as submitted.

2.      Special Projects/Announcements.  More details were provided on agenda items a) and c) during the meeting.  New item d) was added.

a)    Dale Bertoldi and Vikki Reski attended the 2013 Connecticut Land Conservation Conference,” Can Open Space be Permanently Protected?”   They reported that workshops dealing with how laws can help or hurt land trusts were particularly educational.  In particular, as a land trust we need to be mindful of what’s   defensible in crafting conservation easement language.  We should always consider using appropriate third parties that aren’t land trusts in structuring conservation easements for projects.

b)    Farmington River Watershed Association and Simsbury Land Trust’s Dick Davis will present A Landowner Outreach and Negotiation Workshop on May 28^th, 2013 from 6:30 to 8pm at the Simsbury Library Program Room. Send RSVP to Amy Petras via email apetras@frwa.org or call at (860) 658-4442 x201

c)    New Town Manager feedback sessions with Randi Frank were conducted in the Council chambers on April 17th. An additional session will be held on May 8^th at 7 PM in Council chambers.  A link to the press release describing the session questions can be found at the Town website:  www.bloomfieldct.org.   Individuals who are unable to attend on the 8^th are invited to e-mail their personal responses to these questions to www.randifrank.com, rfrank05@snet.net.  Paula Jones will compile WLT Board member responses to these questions and submit a consolidated response to Ms. Frank on behalf of WLT.

d)    The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation is presenting “A Celebration of Barns” in Old Saybrook Friday evening, June 7^th, and Saturday, June 8^th.  Two workshop sessions will be offered on Saturday. www.cttrust.org

3.      Organizational Assessment and Strategic Plan

a)  The Board accepted the Ethics and Conflict of Interest Policy shown below.

b)  Chip Caton reported that activity will resume on the CCLC grant.

4.      Committee Reports

a)  Lisa Lane - Marc Needleman has given the title report for Lisa Lane to DEEP and NRCS for review.   That review process should take about 6 weeks so should be complete sometime in June.

b)  LaSalette Trail/Hawk Hill - After meeting with the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Chip Caton and Vikki Reski updated the Proposal on the LaSalette Trail. WLT is requesting $250,000 in a single calendar year.  Our proposal is expected to be heard by the Hartford Foundation Board at their July meeting.

c)  DEEP Trails Grant 2013 – 2014 – A proposal was submitted by the Town of Bloomfield for the Filley Park section of the LaSalette Trail. Jonathan Thiesse, Bloomfield’s Town Engineer, produced the final document. Thanks to Lois Hager, Diane Mack and Vikki Reski for doing the initial coordination and draft writing. The Town is asking for $140,000, with its match being $28,000. 

d)      Financial-

                                                              i.      Year- end 2012 account balances: The 2012 Financial exhibits were reviewed and accepted.  Vikki Reski reported that about $10,000 is left in stewardship for Stout Fields, and that the Management Plan for Stout Fields needs some revision.  

                                                            ii.      Simsbury Bank March 2013 balances: checking $1236.84; savings $16,918.29;  restricted $81,875.82.

e)  The 490 status to Stout Fields was reinstated thanks to the cooperative efforts of Town Staff, the Stout Family, Jeff Roy, Vikki Reski and Diane Mack.

f)  Events:

1.      Celebrate LaSalette Trail on April 27 1:00 to 4:00 PM.  

2.      Stewardship Maintenance on Stout Fields and Trail Maintenance on Speer Preserve May 4, 10:00 AM.

 

3.      Trails Day, June 1^st and 2^nd.  Kevin Gough and Paula Jones will lead this year’s hike at Seabury on June 2^nd, 9:30 A.M to noon.  We will hike the (easy) Wildwoods Trail, with an optional short extension to the Dike Trail.  (The photo of Tree Swallows below was recently taken by Paula near the access point to the Seabury trail system.)  The Trails Day brochure is now available online at www.ctwoodlands.org   

 

4.      The Bike Tour will be on June 15^th with a rain date of June 16^th.  The same route and properties will be featured this year.  GPS coordinates of the start location will be added to the informational flyer.

g) Community Outreach: Duncaster Retirement Community – Chip Caton and Vikki Reski recently spoke at a weekly resident “chat” session about Hawk Hill and LaSalette Trail. 

h) Stewardship: Thrall: We learned that we did not receive a 2012 Ag Viability Grant, but were encouraged to re-apply this year.  Kevin Gough and Paula Jones will send a financial model of the draft Thrall Lease (with Newgate Farms) to Board members for review at our next Board meeting.

i)   Membership: Welcome Knute and Michelle Peterson, new lifetime members, and Anne Wall. Thank you to all existing members who renewed. Please mail in your membership to P.O box 734 or renew on-line.

j) Board Positions and subcommittee positions: We decided to participate in ‘Leaders on Board’, a nonprofit which links non-profits with prospective board members.   The annual fee is $100; membership benefits include 8 sessions matching prospective Board members to non-profits.

5.      Upcoming meeting dates: May16, 6:00 – 7:30 PM, June 20, 6:00 – 7:30 PM.

Recorded by Paula Jones

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CODE OF ETHICS AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY

 

The Wintonbury Land Trust adopts this Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest Policy to protect its reputation and effectiveness by providing guidance to board and staff members in making decisions about their activities and conduct that may have ethical implications or pose a conflict of interest.

DEFINITIONS

 

“Land Trust” when mentioned herein will refer to the Wintonbury Land Trust.

“Board” when mentioned herein will refer to the Land Trust board of directors.

“Director” when mentioned herein will refer to a member of the Land Trust Board.

“Staff” when mentioned herein will refer to all employees, volunteers, and contractors of the Land Trust.

I. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

 

A.  Definition:  A Conflict of Interest (referred to as “Conflict” below) is defined as any contract or other transaction between the Land Trust and

1. a Director or a member of the family of the Director or a member of a committee or family member of a committee member of the Land Trust.

2. a director of a related organization (if any), or a member of the family of a director of a related organization; or 

3. an enterprise in which the Director, or a member of the family of the Director, is a director, officer, or legal representative or has a material financial interest.

B.  Director’s Obligations:  Each Director has the following responsibilities and obligations.

1. To disclose to the Board the existence of any real or apparent Conflict.  The orientation process for new Board members will present this Code of Ethics and request disclosure of any current conflicts.

2. To abstain from discussing any issue involving their Conflict, unless requested by the Board, or committee thereof, to give information on the issue.

3. To absent themselves from Board or committee discussions on any such project or transaction involving their Conflict unless requested by the Board or committee to give information on the issue.

4. To abstain from voting on any such issue related to their Conflict.

5. If so requested by the Board, to take a temporary leave of absence from the Board, until such time as the matter giving rise to the Conflict has been resolved.

C.  Board Obligations:  If a transaction or project of the Land Trust involves a Conflict which is real or apparent, by a Director, the Board will do the following:

1.  Approve of such project or transaction only if the Board makes specific findings that

      (a.)  the project or transaction is both

             (i)  fair and benefits the Land Trust and its objectives and

             (ii) is approved with the full knowledge of the economic benefit of the Director involved

                   in the Conflict, and

      (b.)  the affected Director has not participated in the vote approving the transaction or

              project and was absent both during the related discussions and at the time of the Board

              vote on the matter.

2.  If the Board determines that the nature and magnitude of the Conflict warrants the same, the

     Board will request that the affected Director take a leave of absence from the Board.

D.  Staff Obligations:  Staff will not engage in activities which represent a material or perceived conflict of interest as affects their roles with the Land Trust.

II. CODE OF ETHICS – BOARD AND STAFF

A.  Accountability:  The Board is the legal entity for the Land Trust and is responsible for the formulation and maintenance of the Land Trust’s general policies and operational continuity.

Each Director must devote time and attention to the affairs of the Land Trust to ensure that all Land Trust actions, including those of Staff, are in accordance with its established bylaws.  In establishing policies or authorizing activities, the Board must ensure that no policies or activities will jeopardize the basic not-for-profit status of the Land Trust or will reflect unfavorably upon the Land Trust as an institution devoted to public service.

B.  Fiduciary Responsibility:  The Board holds the fiduciary responsibility for the Land Trust and for the protection of its assets.  These assets include, but are not necessarily limited to, land holdings, physical facilities, financial assets, and the Staff itself.

C.  Loyalty and Support:  Directors should not attempt to act in an individual capacity.  All actions should be taken as Board, committee, or subcommittee, and in conformance with the bylaws or applicable policies, procedures, and resolutions.  Directors should work for the institution as a whole and not as advocates for particular activities or committees or outside interests.

Directors should be especially careful to keep Staff informed of all items about ongoing Board needs and plans and should refrain from making administrative decisions in any event.

Staff efforts will be guided by the Land Trust mission, Board-approved strategy, committee-approved plans, bylaws, and policies.  Unless they are representing a Land Trust committee (or, in the case of the president, representing the Board), individual Board members will refrain from directing Staff efforts.

All Directors should contribute to the Land Trust in time, services, or funds as best they can, encourage others to do so, and support its goals.  The donation of goods or services by a Director, a member of a Director’s family, or an enterprise in which a Director or a member of a Director’s family has a material financial interest will not be considered a Conflict.

Directors will not offer business or professional services to the Land Trust when doing so would create a Conflict.

Confidentiality:  Directors and Staff should keep information learned during the course of Land Trust activities in confidence when the information concerns the administration and activities of the Land Trust that are not generally available to the public.

The Land Trust’s President (or Executive Director)  has the sole authority to allow disclosure of member and donor information, and may use the Board for advice and counsel in this regard.  In the special case of information pertaining to donated conservation easements and the donors’ motives and status, the President (or Executive Director) will decide its disclosure after obtaining suitable permission from the donors and base the decision on the value to the Land Trust of the disclosure.  Directors are not to discuss donor information or landowner/land project details with anyone outside of the Land Trust, except as has been disclosed to the public media at the discretion of the President (or Executive Director).

Use of Resources:  Directors and Staff will not make unauthorized use of Land Trust resources for private purposes.

Expenditure of Land Trust funds will always be in accordance with applicable laws and consistent with the terms specified by the donor of those funds.

Gifts:  Staff will not solicit or accept for personal benefit, directly or indirectly, any gift, loan, service, or anything else of substantial monetary value from any person or firm which sought, or is seeking, assistance or other contractual business, or financial relations with the Land Trust.  Meals, accommodations, and travel services provided to the Staff on official business may be accepted as long as they are clearly in support of Land Trust programs.

Property Purchase:  Staff and Directors will not purchase from the Land Trust any real estate or personal property having substantial value without prior approval of the Board.

Approved by the Wintonbury Land Trust

Paula M. Jones                                                                         April 21, 2013

Recording Secretary                                                                 Date

 

 

2013 Bloomfield Trails and Earth Day

Over one hundred celebrants gathered for family fun on April 27th at LaSalette Park.  Sack races, pottery making and oil drum painting were the activities enjoyed by eager participants.   Two guided walks involving more than 50 hikers explored the LaSalette section of a trail network that will eventually connect Filley Park in Bloomfield center to Penwood Park on Talcott Mountain.  

The event was planned and coordinated by the Wintonbury Land Trust with the Town of Bloomfield, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Auer Farm joining as co-sponsors.  Doris Johnson of DEEP commented that "this event is a great way to

celebrate natural resources in Bloomfield, connect people with nature and introduce participants to one of the most beautiful views in Bloomfield."

 

Register Now 2013 Bike Tour

Download Brochure with Bike Route and Map:  WLT Bike Tour 2013 Brochure
Registration is $10 and opens at 9:30 AM. The ride begins at 10:00 AM. Refreshments will be served at 12:30 (additional fee).
For more information please call 860-242-2526.
Click here for directions to the Farmington River Park.
Save Time and register now online! @www.wintonburylandtrust.org

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Contact Us

Meeting agenda May 16, 2013

52 Duncaster Road, 6:00-7:30

1.    Minutes Approval 4/21/2013

2.    Special Projects/Announcements

a)       FRWA and Simsbury Land Trust, Dick Davis will present A Landowner Outreach and Negotiation Workshop on May 28^th, 2013 from 6:30 to 8pm at the Simsbury Library Program Room. Send RSVP to Amy Petras via email apetras@frwa.org or call at (860) 658-4442 x201

b)       FREE GuideStar Webinar: Financial Analysis in Action, date: May 30, 2013, Time: 3 p.m. ET

c)       CT Trust's website for Celebration of Barns June 7 and 8 at Historic Bushnell Farm in Old Saybrook: gala, barn tours and classes.  http://www.cttrust.org/

3.    Committee Reports

a)       Stewardship:

1.       Thrall: Farm Lease and worksheet discussion.

2.       Stout Fields: Stewardship baseline on Stout Fields done on May 7 and Trail

3.       Maintenance on Speer Preserve May 11, 10:00.

b)       Acquisitions:

1.       Lisa Lane-Marc Needleman updating title report for Lisa Lane from DEEP comments.

2.       LaSalette Trail/Hawk Hill:

3.       1772 Northeast Farm Preservation grant written for Hawk Hill.

4.        Hartford Foundation expected to review the Proposal on the LaSalette Trail in July meeting.

c)       Grants:

1.       DEEP Trails Grant 2013 - 2014 grant round was submitted.

2.       CTNAAP due May 30 in Bloomfield, Windsor ?.

d)       Financial- submitted request for extension for 2012 taxes.

e)       Events:

1.       Celebrate LaSalette Trail on April 27 1:00 to 4:00 wonderful success with over 100 people.

2.       Trails Day, June 2 at Seabury with Paula and Kevin leading this year’s hike.

3.       Bike Tour on June 15 with a rain date June 16. Printing of flyers and registration open online.

f)        Community Outreach: Diana Hughes and Wendy Wolcott working on newsletter

g)       Membership: Welcome Walter Klein, Flo Grieb, William Newman. Thank you to all existing members who renewed. Please mail in your membership to P.O box 734 or renew on-line.

4.       Organizational Assessment and Strategic Plan

a)        Conflict of Interest:  board needs to sign individual copies

b)        CCLC grant update.

5.    Board Positions and subcommittee positions: ‘Leaders on Board’ discussion. Next meeting Dates: June 20, 6:00, July 28, 7:00.

Adjourn

Agenda, April 21, 2013

1.    Minutes Approval 2/27/2013

Canada Lily- Capewell Greene, Paula Jones

2.    Special Projects/Announcements

a)       2013 Connecticut Land Conservation Conference,"Can Open Space be Permanently Protected?", Dale Bertoldi and Vikki Reski attended.

b)       FRWA and Simsbury Land Trust, Dick Davis will present A Landowner Outreach and Negotiation Workshop on May 28^th, 2013 from 6:30 to 8pm at the Simsbury Library Program Room. Send RSVP to Amy Petras via email apetras@frwa.org or call at (860) 658-4442 x201

c)       New Town Manager feedback sessions with Randi Frank were in the Council chambers on April 17 at 10:30 AM, 2 PM or 4 PM. www.randifrank.com, rfrank05@snet.net, 203-284-3707

3.    Organizational Assessment and Strategic Plan

a)        Conflict of Interest Draft  (board see attached) Paula Jones and Diane Mack

b)        CCLC grant update.

4.    Committee Reports- come with report prepared

a)       Acquisitions: Lisa Lane-Marc Needleman has given title report for Lisa Lane to DEEP and NRCS for review.

b)        LaSalette Trail/Hawk Hill-1172 Northeast Farm Preservation grant written for Hawk Hill, $50,000 was submitted.  Notifications are on later than May10th. After meeting with the Hartford Foundation Chip and Vikki have updated the Proposal on the LaSalette Trail. It is expected t be heard by the board at the July meeting.

c)       Open Space: DEEP Trails Grant 2013 - 2014 grant round was submitted by the Town of Bloomfield for Filley Park section of the LaSalette Trail. Jonathan Thiesse, the Town Engineer produced the final document. Thanks to Lois Hager, Diane Mack and Vikki Reski for doing the initial coordination and writing. The deadline was March 29, 2013.

d)       Financial- end 2012 account balances: Financial subcommittee met on Thursday February 28. See attached financial documents for board review and comment. Kevin Gough has started the financial documents for use in the 2012 990 taxes based on the 2012 summary.

e)       The 490 status to Stout Fields was reinstated thanks to the cooperative efforts of Town Staff, the Stout Family, Jeff Roy, Vikki Reski and Diane Mack.

f)        Events:

1.       Celebrate LaSalette Trail on April 27 1:00 to 4:00. Subcommittee meeting on the 22^th at 2:30

2.       Stewardship Maintenance on Stout Fields and Trail Maintenance on Speer Preserve May 4, 10:00.

3.       Trails Day, June 1 through the 3. Paula and Kevin will lead this year’s hike at Seabury.

4.       Bike Tour on June 15 with a rain date June 16.

g)       Community Outreach: Duncaster Retirement Community

h)       Stewardship: Thrall: Clearing grant status. Viability Grant status. Farm Lease status.

i)         Membership: Welcome Knute and Michelle Peterson, lifetime, and Anne Wall. Thank you to all existing members who renewed. Please mail in your membership to P.O box 734 or renew on-line.

j)         Board Positions and subcommittee positions: See attached ‘Leaders on Board’, a nonprofit which links non-profits with prospective board members.

1. Additional members,  community outreach

5.    Next meeting Dates: May19, 7:00, June 29, 7:00.

Adjourn

February 27, 2013 Meeting Minutes

WINTONBURY LAND TRUST February 27, 2013, 52 Duncaster Road, Bloomfield  

Present:  Aimee Petras, Dale Bertoldi, Paula Jones, Vic Herson, Kevin Gough, Vikki Reski, Chip Caton, Doris Johnson

1.      Guest Aimee Petras presented us with a Bloomfield map that had been generated by modifying an existing map from the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild & Scenic (W&S) Study.  Aimee works for the Farmington River Watershed Association (FRWA), and also serves as the Education and Outreach Subcommittee Chair for the W&S Study.  FRWA wants to work with Land Trusts in a useful way for the Trusts and Towns that will further some of the objectives of the W&S Study Management Plan.  Aimee offered us the opportunity to serve as “guinea pigs” in a project designed to provide Land Trusts and Towns interactive maps that will highlight valuable resources within towns, and also those resources that cross town lines.  We will use the W&S map that Aimee presented as the starting point to produce a customized map suited to our needs.  We agreed that the immediate next step would be to determine exactly how the base map was generated, including which specific conservation values were included and what weights were assigned to those values.  Vikki offered to be the point person for WLT working with Aimee.  Paula asked to be included in any meetings as well, given her dual roles on the WLT Board and on the W&S Management Plan Subcommittee.

2.      The January 20, 2013 minutes were approved as submitted.

3.      Special Projects/Announcements – there were no new announcements.

4.      Organizational Assessment and Strategic Plan

a) Anti-Discrimination and anti-Harassment Policy – The policy submitted by Chip Caton, as amended by Paula Jones, was adopted.  The amendment consisted of adding “vendors/consultants/contractors” wherever the words “employees” and “volunteers” occur in the policy.  (See below)

b) Hannah Roditi has written and submitted a grant proposal to Cigna for a $10,000 education grant for trail walks. Chip Caton and Vikki Reski assisted Hannah.

c) The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving (HFPG) Grant proposal for $250,000 will be finalized on February 28^th.  The HFPG Board meets quarterly, so the proposal should be considered no later than the June meeting.

5.      Committee Reports

a) Acquisitions:  The Lisa Lane appraisal should be done by February 28^th.  Chip Caton will pick up the report and deliver a copy to the NRCS office.

b) Open Space: DEEP Trails Grant 2013 - 2014 grant round (submission deadline: March 29, 2013).  A proposal has been written for the Filley Park section of the LaSalette Trail in cooperation with the Town Of Bloomfield. The Town Engineer will be adding his detail to the grant proposal during the first two weeks in March.

c) Financial- end 2012 account balances: Checking $7,719.84; general savings $18,474.08 and restricted savings of $83,301.41. We also have two new Life Members, Robert and Lucille Morrisse. The Financial Subcommittee will meet on Thursday February 28, at 2:00. 

d)     The Stout Fields parcel has been returned to 490 status.

e) Upcoming Events:

§         Wintonbury Land Trust Wine and Dine- Fall 2013, 80-90 people at 10 host homes- (chair Patrick Sullivan)

§         Celebrate LaSalette Trail on April 27 1:00 to 4:00.  Doris Johnson and the other members of the planning subcommittee have arranged for a variety of educational, fun programs.

§         LaSalette Ski Hill Trail Maintenance March 30, 10 A.M.

§         Bike Tour on Saturday, June 22.

f)  Community Outreach:  We should partner with the Duncaster Retirement Community Trails Committee on Trails events. 

g) Stewardship: Thrall Farm – Our Farmland Restoration Grant application was approved.  WLT jointly applied with Newgate Farms for this grant, which will match 50% of funds/in-kind services, to a maximum match of $20,000.  Major activities covered by the grant are land clearing, application of soil amendments, and installation of two wells.   We are actively working on the Farm Lease, with an initial draft to UCONN advisors for suggestions.

6.      Upcoming Meeting Dates: March 24, 7:00 PM, April 21, 7:00 PM.

Adjourn

 

Recorded by Paula Jones

 

Wintonbury Land Trust

Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policies

 

The Wintonbury Land Trust (WLT) is committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which employees and volunteers continually show that they respect and value the attitudes, attributes, feelings and opinions of each other and anyone with whom they come in contact on behalf of the organization.  WLT strives to provide working conditions for its employees and volunteers that are free from all forms of improper discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment.  The word “employee” as used in the policies below is defined as paid staff and any hired vendor, consultant, or contractor.

 

Anti-Discrimination Policy

WLT will not discriminate and will take affirmative measures to ensure against discrimination in employment or volunteer activities, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee, volunteer, or job applicant on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, past or present history of mental disorder, mental retardation, learning disability or physical disability. 

Anti-Harassment Policy

WLT is committed in all areas to providing a work and volunteer environment that is free from harassment. Harassment based upon an individual’s sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, sexual orientation or any other legally protected characteristics will not be tolerated. All employees and volunteers, including supervisors and other management personnel, are expected and required to abide by this policy. No person will be adversely affected in employment with the organization as a result of bringing complaints of unlawful harassment. 

 

Sexual Harassment: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute harassment when (1) submission to or rejection of such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or volunteer activity; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for decisions about employment, promotion, transfer, election for training, performance evaluations, benefits, or other terms and conditions of employment or volunteer activity; or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment or substantially interferes with an employee’s or volunteer’s work performance.

 

Reporting Harassment

If an employee or volunteer feels that he or she has been harassed on the basis of his or her sex, race, national origin, ethnic background, age, sexual orientation or any other legally protected characteristic he or she should immediately report the matter to his or her supervisor. If the supervisor is not available, or if the employee or volunteer feels it would be unproductive to inform that person, the employee or volunteer should immediately contact that supervisor’s superior. Once the matter has been reported it will be promptly investigated and any necessary corrective action will be taken where appropriate. All complaints of unlawful harassment will be handled in as discreet and confidential a manner as is possible under the circumstances.

 

Disciplinary Measures for Harassment

Any employee engaging in improper harassing behavior will be subject to disciplinary action, including the possible termination of employment. Any volunteer engaging in improper harassing behavior will be required to terminate activities on behalf of the organization.

 

Celebrate Bloomfield's Trails- April 27