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Natural Resources Advisory Committee
The purpose of the committee shall be to serve as an advisory body to the Town Council on issues related to the protection and enhancement of the community's natural resource base.
Membership
The committee shall consist of seven members appointed by the Town Council for their interest in and concern for the Town of Windham, all of whom shall be residents or property owners of the Town. Membership shall be derived from a wide spectrum of interests and stakeholder groups; knowledge of environmental issues is helpful, but not required. Appointments shall be made for staggered three-year terms.
The committee shall elect a Chair and Vice-Chair annually, as its first regular meeting or as soon as possible thereafter, from within its membership. In addition to the seven voting members appointed by the Town Council, a Town Councilor shall serve on the Committee as a non-voting member.
Members
| Committee Member | Term Expiration |
|---|---|
| Brett Jones, Councilor | Council Term |
| Dennis Brown (Chair) | 2024 |
| Erica Bell-Watkins | 2025 |
| Phil Spiller | 2024 |
| Nikki Becker | 2025 |
| Austin Coco | 2025 |
| Mark Kinner | 2026 |
| Raeann Haggard | 2026 |
Meetings and Procedures:
The committee shall elect a Chair from its membership, as indicated above. The Chair shall have the authority to convene meetings of the Committee, which shall be conducted in accordance with Maine's "Freedom of Access" law (1 MRSA), with due notice to the members. The committee shall adopt, subject to the review and approval of the Town Council, such other reasonable rules of procedures as may be necessary for the efficient conduct of its business while allowing for public input, accountability, and due process; however, the committee shall not have the authority to conduct public hearings.
Meeting Agendas
- November 6, 2023 - Joint Meeting w/ PRAC
- October 18, 2023
- August 16, 2023
- June 21, 2023
- May 30, 2023
- April 19, 2023
- March 22, 2023
- February 15, 2023
- December 21, 2022
- November 16, 2022
- October 19, 2022
- August 17, 2022
- June 15, 2022
- April 20, 2022
- March 16, 2022
- February 23, 2022
- January 26, 2022
- December 15, 2021
- October 20, 2021
- September 29, 2021
- August 4, 2021
- June 23, 2021
- April 21, 2021
- March 17, 2021
- March 4, 2021
- February 24, 2021
- January 20, 2021
- October 7, 2020
- May 6, 2020
- April 15, 2020
- February 20, 2020
- January 22, 2020
- November 20, 2019
- October 3, 2019
- August 8, 2019
- June 19, 2019
- May 1, 2019
- April 10, 2019
- February 20, 2019
- January 30, 2019
- October 24, 2018
Meeting Notes
- October 18, 2023
- August 16, 2023
- June 21, 2023
- May 30, 2023
- April 19, 2023
- March 22, 2023
- February 15, 2023
- December 21, 2022
- November 16, 2022
- October 19, 2022
- August, 17, 2022
- June 15, 2022
- April 20, 2022
- March 16, 2022
- February 23, 2022
- January 26, 2022
- December 15, 2021
- October 20, 2021
- September 29, 2021
- August 4, 2021
- June 23, 2021
- April 21, 2021
- March 17, 2021
- March 4, 2021
- February 24, 2021
- January 20, 2021
- October 7, 2020
- May 6, 2020
- April 15, 2020
- February 20, 2020
- January 22, 2020
- November 20, 2019
- October 3, 2019
- October 8, 2019
- June 19, 2019
- May 1, 2019
- March 10, 2019
- February 20, 2019
- January 30, 2019
- October 24, 2018
Committee Policies
Watershed Protection Grant Program
The purpose of the Watershed Protection Grant program is to provide small grants for volunteer and educational organizations to complete projects within the Town that promote community-based efforts to protect and restore diverse natural resources.
Preference will be shown towards projects within priority watersheds as well as projects that promote the sharing of equipment, knowledge, and other resources with other non-profit groups in Town.
The Town appropriates watercraft excise tax funds to finance the grant program.
2024 Grant Timeline
| Grant Milestone | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Grant Application Window Opens | Monday, February 26 | Start of business |
| Grant Application Window Closes | Friday, March 29 | End of business |
| Applicant Interviews | TBD | TBD |
2023 Submissions
| Collins Pond Improvement Association |
| Little Sebago Lake Association |
| Presumpscot Regional Land Trust |
2022 Final Reports
| Collins Pond Improvement Association | Presumpscot Regional Land Trust |
| Little Sebago Lake Association - Milfoil Removal | Little Sebago Lake - Hopkins Dam |
Charge
At the direction of the Council, it shall be the responsibility of the committee to:
- Identify problems, recommend solutions, and propose policy goals for consideration by the Town Council which will preserve, protect and enhance the community's natural resources.
- Update the Town Council on the status of the community's natural resources and identify short-term and long-term threats.
- Assist with the investigation of current and/or potential threats to the community's natural resources.
- Comment on proposed ordinances or ordinance amendments regarding their consistency with the preservation, protection, and enhancement of the community's natural resources.
- Establish and maintain an index of open space areas within the Town for the purpose of obtaining information related to the proper protection, development, or use of those open areas.
- Collaborate with the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee to make recommendations to the Town Council to:
- Acquire land by purchase, gift, foreclosure, condemnation, and/or conservation easement.
- Allocate Open Space Impact Fee funds for the acquisition of land or conservation easement by the Town or a qualified association which has as its principal purpose the conservation or preservation of land in essentially its natural condition.
- Offer input and recommendations to the Town Council regarding any proposed development of Town-owned property or any significant proposed changes in the use of Town-owned property.
- Educate the public on short-term and long-term threats to the community's natural resources.
- Collaborate with other Town Committees to implement the Open Space Master Plan and natural resource or conservation-related goals in other Town planning documents, such as the Comprehensive Plan, and report implementation progress of the Open Space Master Plan to the Town Council and community at large.
- Meet with Town Council on a regular basis, or as needed, regarding its activities.
Contact Information
Committee Members do not have regular office hours. Questions and requests for information should be directed to Gretchen Anderson, Town Environmental and Sustainability Coordinator.