MINUTES

1. Approval of Agenda and Minutes of Last Meeting (November 7, 2007)

Agenda and minutes approved.

1. Update on Projects

2.1 Rock Garden Initiative

Myra, Shirley and Ross visited the site on November 8 and placed tags on plants so they can easily be identified in the spring. Myra will do an update on the project for our upcoming newsletter.

2.2 Green Living Initiative

The project is completed and copies of the quarterly and final reports have been provided to the town. Cathy has prepared a brief summary for our newsletter.

Once the final report is approved by Environment Canada, we will receive the hold-back and then be in a position to repay the salary dollars to the town.

2.3 Trails at the Gully/Gazebo Clean-up

Madeleine has contacted Marc Poirier and is waiting for his estimate of the cost of preparing the detailed construction plan for the trail at HTHS.

Repairs to the Gazebo have not yet been done due to staff shortages at the town. Madeleine has spoken to Bill Tapper to see if he might be able to help. If this does not work out, we may have to look at other avenues.

A generous donation has been received from Targa Newfoundland which will enable us to complete the trail at HTES in the spring.

2.4 Gully Booklet

Madeleine will ask Monica for her help in completing the revisions to the booklet. HTHS and HTES have ordered 30 and 10 copies respectively for which they will be invoiced. TETC will get as many copies printed as we can get for the $250 gift certificate we have from Wade Company.

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1. New Business

3.1 Newsletter

Geoff has a first draft of the newsletter done and hopes to have a final draft ready for our review by December 5.

3.2 Web Site

Madeleine will forward the details about the new web site and Jason’s contact information to Geoff. The new site is ready to go although some of the content will need updating and information about new projects added.

3.3 Planning for XMas Social, December 8

Plans for the Christmas social have been made. The lodge at Upper Three Corner Pond has been reserved. Food stuff for the potluck can be dropped off at the lodge between 1-1:30pm. The hike will start at Ross’ house at 2pm. All members and their family are invited. Car pooling will be arranged as necessary.

3.4 Eastern Hemlock Lumber

It was agreed that TETC would donate the lumber to the town to be used for repairing the Father Troy Trail and other repairs needed to the Gazebo. Since the funds used to buy the wood were originally meant to benefit the students of HTHS, TETC will propose to Council that the town agree to provide an equivalent amount of in-kind support (eg gravel, rock, etc) when the time comes to build the Gully trail at HTHS.

3.5 HTHS Cake Auction, December 18

The Friends of the Gully are holding their cake auction on December 18 and are looking for donations of cakes, pies, cookies, etc. Madeleine will send an email around to the membership.

1. Other Business

4.1 Report on Workshops

Helen attended the workshops offered by the Community Services Council and found them very informative.

4.2 Holiday Light Switch

The town is participating in a national competition. Information is being mailed to residents.

4.3 Checkerspot

Madeleine showed members a copy of an informative new magazine about climate change being put out by the Canadian Wildlife Federation. Subscription is free and available on the web.

1. Financial Report - 2007 and 2008 TETC Budgets

Our proposed budget for 2008 was submitted to Dawn.

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1. Future Directions for TETC

Some ideas brought forward were:

- community gardens, eg the back of the Kinsmen Manor

- bainstorming about our role in maintaining green spaces, conservation zones, etc

- encouraging residents to become more environmentally sensitive

- promoting the TETC

- community hikes on the first Sunday of each month

- keeping meetings to 11/2 hours; begin meetings with a film followed by committee business

- advertise meetings in the Northeast Avalon Times and the Telegram Go Guide

1. Rezoning Proposal at Dominion Hill

The Gosses briefed members on their proposal to build a home/B & B on land situated at Dominion Hill along the Father Troy Trail. The rezoning of the land was approved in principle by Council by a vote of 4 to 2 at the last Council meeting. The Gosses believe the construction of a B & B along the trail would be a benefit to the town from a tourism point-of-view and asked for TETC support.

Following the Gosses’ presentation, there was a lengthy discussions about the pros and cons of the proposal. Serious reservations were expressed both from the standpoint of the precedent being set for our protected coastline as a whole and with the removal of an important piece of conservation and heritage land. While members recognized the potential benefits of a B & B from a tourism perspective, it was felt that this was not a suitable nor desirable location for such an enterprise given the importance of the area in its natural state.

Information about this proposal will be sent to the general membership via email so interested members have an opportunity to comment when the public consultation process gets under way. Madeleine will contact the town to get more detailed information about the proposal and find out the timing of the consultation process. The Heritage Committee has already sent a letter to the town expressing their objections to the proposed rezoning of Dominion Hill.

Madeleine pointed out that this is the latest proposal to be brought to TETC’s attention ‘after the fact’, ie after it has been approved in principle by Council. In the past, Council agendas listed the building applications under consideration so we would have been alerted to the Gosse application. However, this practice was changed several years ago such that there is now no public disclosure of applications before Council meetings nor is the list of approved applications appended to the minutes of Council. Madeleine will look into whether this information could be made available on Council agendas like in the past.