Monday, January 19, 2026

Alternate member bylaw wording

Approved together with items 8 and 9: the revised wording was accepted as a draft, with the change to the alternate section. All in favor.

The commission looked at a shortened draft of its bylaw section on alternate members. The chair said the shorter text came from running the longer wording through a writing tool. A member said the short version seemed to miss some important points. A commissioner suggested wording that says a seated alternate has full voting authority, may take part in discussion, and counts toward the quorum (the number of members needed to hold a vote), but does not exercise other powers. Another member said the opening line, that the chair may seat an alternate, seemed out of order. The chair said the format can be settled when the final version is done.

Select Board liaison bylaw wording

Approved together with items 7 and 9: the revised wording was accepted as a draft, keeping "may" in the participation line. All in favor.

The commission reviewed its bylaw section on the Select Board liaison, the Select Board member who sits with the commission. The chair had changed the original wording from the liaison "may" attend meetings to "shall" attend. A commissioner said "shall" would not allow the liaison to be absent. Members said they want the liaison to attend but that the Select Board can act if a liaison does not. The chair said the arguments had convinced her that "may" is fine, so the original wording stays.

Draft bylaw terms approved for later use

Motion to accept the revised wording as a draft, with "other" added in the alternate section and "may" kept in the participation section, passed. All in favor.

The chair moved to approve the revised wording for the alternate member and Select Board liaison sections for possible later use in the bylaws. Members said this accepts a draft and does not change the bylaws yet. The drafts will go in a "next phase" folder on the shared drive. The chair will make the changes and send them to a member to place in the right spot. A member said he sent out the updated bylaws on 12/16, the ones voted on 12/15. He will save Word and PDF copies in the guidance documents folder and add the three new sections to a work-in-progress copy.

Comment on Epping transfer station expansion

Passed a motion to draft a letter expressing concerns, with details to be worked out, and to approve a member as proxy. The member will draft the letter after the call. All in favor.

Neighboring towns contacted the commission about an expansion of a transfer station in Epping, run by Resource Waste Services, which handles construction and demolition waste near Route 27. The company applied to the state Department of Environmental Services (DES) in July 2024 for a municipal solid waste permit. A member said the site is already within a quarter mile of the Piscassic River, and Newfields is downstream. The Anderson easement draws water from the river for a farm. Members raised concerns about water quality, airborne material, groundwater, litter, truck traffic and a possible request to accept PCBs (a toxic chemical). A call on the application was set for the next day at 1:30 PM, and comments were due Thursday. The chair said an extension of the comment period can be requested. The letter would ask for more time, for best practices to protect resources, and for monitoring.

Choosing the next bylaw sections

Members talked about which sections to work on next. A commissioner said a section of RSA 36-A (the state law on conservation commissions) was updated and needs to be reflected in the bylaws, and a section on the treasurer's duties needs to be added. A member said about 40% of a list of suggested topics is already done and another 30% is in progress. Members discussed moving items such as a code of conduct, mission statement and site visit protocols into separate guideline documents. One member said the bylaws would be longer than most in the state. A commissioner said to keep the bylaws short and tied to the laws they cite. A member will pare the list down into what belongs in bylaws and what belongs in separate documents. The chair said time will be set aside at the next meeting and asked if town counsel could review the bylaws before adoption. A member said the work could be finished by the March meeting.

Secretary duties and distributing materials

A member said RSA 36-A does not mention officers but lets a commission appoint clerks or subcommittees. She proposed bylaw wording that the secretary posts meeting notices, notifies members of special meetings, records notes when there is no recording secretary, oversees minutes, posts and distributes minutes to town officials, and handles incoming and outgoing correspondence. The chair would draft outgoing letters. The chair said materials must be distributed but the bylaws should not say how, since methods change. A commissioner said the how belongs in a separate document and that tasks should not be limited to the secretary. The member will email her wording so it can be reviewed in writing.