Environmental Action Committee and Agriculture Commission Meeting: February 10, 2025
7:00 pm Senior and Community Center and Virtual
206 Worcester Rd, Princeton 01541
Published on: October 01, 2025 at 6:07am
Last modified: October 01, 2025 at 6:07am
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REQUESTED BY: Corey Burnham-Howard, EAC Chair
“The listings of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair 48 hours before said meeting, which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.”
LIST OF TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED
- Public Comment Period
- Review and Approve Minutes December 9, 2024 and January 13, 2025
- EAC Membership Updates
- Updates on Ongoing EAC Actions/Initiatives/Liaison work: Green Communities; MVP; HMP; PFAS Information Sharing; Communications; Public Safety Building Committee; Master Plan Steering Committee; Waste & Recycling Committee; Housing Production Plan Implementation Committee
- EAP Updates
- 2024-2025 Campaign and Activities
- Winter
o Raptor and Rodenticides Event- recap
o Winterfest – plan
o 2d Annual Night Sky Fest (KK & SS) – plan
o Green News Brief – Night Sky Awareness; Night Sky Friendly Lighting (CBH & CG)
- Create EAC Calendar of Events
- EAC Annual Report to Town (Due 2/28)
- Agendas for Next meetings – EAP updates; EAC Monthly Meeting
EAC Updates for Review and Discussion at EAC February 2025 Meeting:
Green Communities (CBH)
No new updates to report.
MVP (CBH)
Hillary King of EEA met with Sherry Patch and CMRPC representative Marc Granato on February 6 to provide feedback on the Princeton’s submitted MVP grant Expression of Interest (for development of a fire management plan for Mount Wachusett). She hopes to have more information on the MPV 2.0 application for a climate resiliency outreach campaign soon.
PFAS Information Sharing (FI)
No updates reported.
Communications/Newsletter/Website (CBH) (CG)
Updates still need to be made to the webpage. CG and CBH to schedule time to work on this.
CG and CBH to write Dark Skies Green News Brief for release soon. Central Mass is still in Critical Drought; should we revise/resend GNBulletin soon?
Public Safety Building Committee (CG)
Will meet virtually 2/19 to discuss electrical/mechanical plans with C&B, the design firm creating plans.
Master Plan Steering Committee (MPSC) (CG)
The committee has disbanded. A new, tangentially related effort, called Community Heart & Soul, is being initiated by the Town Administrator along with Karen Rossow (CG believes) and Ann Neuburg, to foster increased trust in and involvement by the community in municipal affairs. Since CG was appointed as a liaison to the Master Plan Steering Committee, she has chosen not to be a part of Community Heart & Soul, but has made it clear that she would be happy to serve as MPSC liaison for the EAC when Phase II actually begins.
Waste and Recycling Working Group (CG)
Regional hauler effort appears to have stalled for the moment due to sudden unresponsiveness from Rutland, which was to provide the key billing component. Next steps unclear.
Open Space Committee / Nature Walks (FI) (CBH)
No new updates. Walks will take place in the spring.
Housing Implementation Committee (RB)
No new updates to report.
Earth Month Working Group (CG) (CBH)
The Earth Month Working Group will meet on February 20 to begin planning the 6th annual townwide cleanup. CG to attend. CBH attendance is tentative.
PMLD
No updates.
OTHER
2d Annual Night Sky Fest
EAC will host its 2d Annual Night Sky Fest on March 1, 2025 with attendance by Aldrich Astronomical Society. KK confirmed that Aldrich Astronomical Society will be participating. Set-up time is 5:30p.
Winter Fest 2025
The EAC will need to staff a table at this event on March 1, 2025
- Meeting called to order 7:06pm
- Members present: Corey Burnham-Howard (CBH,) Claire Golding (CG,) Kaitlin Kohberger (KK,) Starr O’Malley (SO,) Mark Horeanopolous (MH,) Ed Katebi (EK,) Forrest Iwanik (FI)
- Advisory Board Liaison Gerry Pellegrini (GP) present
- Discussed scheduling for upcoming EAC/Environmental Action Plan (EAP) revision meetings:
o EAC meetings to remain on Mondays, next one is 3/10/25 at 7pm.
o EAP meetings will be Thursdays, next one is 2/27 at 7pm.
- Membership Updates:
o FI moved to elect CG as Vice-Chair following GP’s departure from the EAC. CBH seconded, unanimous approval.
- Raptor/Rodenticide Event:
o Event went well. FI to discuss the topic in the spring pesticide GNB coverage.
- Winterfest/Night Sky Celebration:
o Setup will begin at 5:30pm and the event will run from 6:30-8:30pm. CBH volunteered to acquire an insulated drink carafe from the church, CG is on smore duty, and FI will bring the heat (solo stove.)
o CBH moved to appropriate funds not to exceed $400 toward compensating the Aldrich Astronomical Society for their participation in the event. CG seconded, unanimous approval.
o GNB on night sky awareness to be released in the coming weeks.
- EAC Calendar of Events:
o May 4th designated as the date for our spring textile collection event. CG will reach out to Helpsy to coordinate collection. Advertisements to be placed at Winterfest and in Redemption Rock News, Town News, and other usual outlets.
- Thomas Prince School Library:
o EAC will submit environmentally themed books for us to donate as a committee to the library. In October 2024, the EAC voted to allot up to $125 for purchase of books to donate to TPS Library. How much potential additional money to allot will be discussed in a future meeting.
- Minutes Review:
o 12/9 CG approved as written, KK seconded, unanimous approval.
o 1/13 FI approved as amended, CBH seconded, unanimous approval.
o 1/15 Raptor event CBH approved as amended, SO seconded, unanimous approval.
o 2/3 EAP meeting FI approved as amended, CBH seconded, unanimous approval.
- 2024 EAC Annual Report
o Any corrections/additions must be to CBH by 2/14.
- Compiled Updates:
o CBH and CG to resend the GNB bulletin on drought.
o Open Space Committee is looking for new ideas for spring nature walks or leaders.
- FI moved to adjourn at 8:27pm, CBH seconded, unanimous approval.
*Documents referenced in meeting: EAC 2024-25 Activities, EAC Agenda 2/10/25, EAC Meeting Minutes (12/9/24, 1/13/25, 1/15/25, 2/3/25), EAC Compiled Updates for February (see attached)