10/16/2025 CC Minutes

Bethlehem Conservation Commission

Bethlehem Public Library

Oct. 16, 2025

Minutes by Chris Jensen

 

Attendees: Cheryl Jensen, Joanne Jones, KP Petersen, Wendy Aldrich Jordan, Rachelle Lyons. Chris Jensen (alternate)

Guest: Margaret Gale

 

The meeting began at 5:05 p.m.

 

Ms. Jensen appointed Mr. Jensen as a voting member.

 

Minutes of September 18, 2025

Ms. Petersen made a motion to approve the minutes. It was seconded by Ms. Jones and passed unanimously.

 

Treasurer’s Report

Ms. Jones said the appropriations (checking) account has $68.67 and the savings account has $14,481 and 54 cents. It was noted that as previously decided, $1,500 of the money in the savings account will be used to pay noise-pollution expert Les Blomberg.

 

Ms. Jones made a motion to transfer the $68.67 cents into the savings account. It was seconded by Ms. Petersen and unanimously passed.

 

Proposed Budget

Ms. Jensen recommended asking the select board for the same amount as last year: $1,120. Ms. Jensen made a motion to propose that amount. It was seconded by Ms. Jordan and passed unanimously.

 

Priorities for the Coming Year

There was a discussion about where to focus the commission’s limited human and financial resources, given the huge amount of work done in the last two years. Items discussed included the town forest, roadside clean-up, ground-water extraction and pollution of aquafers.

 

Ms. Jordan said she would be happy to work on adopt-a-spot. Mr. Jensen said he would provide her with the information handed over to him from Vivian Winterhoff, who started the effort.

 

Annual Report

Several commission members agreed to write short items about BCC actions during the previous year. Mr. Jensen offered to assemble them for the town report.

 

Project Updates

Ms. Jensen noted that on Oct. 22^nd the planning board would be holding a public hearing on the proposed site-plan, noise amendments.

 

Communications Plan

There was a discussion about making sure voters understand the proposed, commercial-industrial noise ordinance. Possibilities included letters-to-the-editor as well as news on Facebook, including “Our Town News: Bethlehem, N.H.”

 

Collaboration with other Conservation Commissions

Ms. Lyons said she would lead the effort to share information and resources with other conservation commissions. Ideally, the meeting would be in January, possibly at The Rocks.

 

HB 639

Ms. Jensen updated the commission on what’s happening with the crypto-mining bill in Concord.

 

Adjournment

Ms. Jensen made a motion to adjourn. It was seconded by Ms. Petersen and unanimously approved. The time was 6:35 p.m.

 

The next meeting is November 20^th at the public library.