Ridgefield Deer Committee

Ridgefield Recreation Center

195 Danbury Road

Ridgefield, CT 06877

A meeting of the Ridgefield Deer Committee was held in the Copper Beech Room of the Ridgefield Recreation Center, 195 Danbury Road, Ridgefield, CT 06877 on June 27, 2005 at approximately 7:10 p.m.

The following members were present:

Tom Belote

Guy Bocchino

Andy Bodner

John Borger

Helene Daly

Donald Damoth

Matthew Denesuk

Penny Hoffman

Pat Hutchings

Peter Keeler

Sid Kelley

Lee Pepin

Jack Sanders

Raymond Sementini

Pat Sesto

Gwen Thaxter

Tom Venus

Ms. Sesto chaired the meeting. Major John Roche of the Police Department was present. Nancy McDaniel was present to take minutes.

Ms. Sesto opened the meeting by asking all members to introduce themselves by name.

MINUTES

The minutes of the June 14, 2005 meeting were approved by consensus.

NEW BUSINESS

Mr. Belote reported that Rudy Marconi had added the final report, if approved, to the agenda of the July 6 Selectmen’s meeting.

Ms. Sesto indicated that Mr. Barile submitted written comments in for the committee in his absence. She raised Mr. Barile’s concern that the Committee’s findings are written in three sections of the report in differing language. After discussion, members decided that the language inconsistency would not throw off the Implementation Committee.

Mr. Belote noted that the Implementation Committee will be appointed by the Selectmen, who have the final say on the report.

In addressing the minority report, Ms. Hoffman said that the minority report should be attached to the majority report, but that neither report should reference the other. Ms. Daly thought that the majority report should be signed by those who support it. It was ultimately decided that a cover letter, not the majority report, should state the number of people who voted and the fact that there is a minority report.

Members then reviewed the report section by section. Some changes were suggested for reasons of clarity and accuracy. Ms. Hutchings said that she could not support the report if the use of bait is recommended. Members decided to add a sentence to make the Implementation Committee aware of community sensitivity with respect to baiting and sharp shooting.

In answer to a question from a member of the public about the statement that Ridgefield has the highest deer/vehicle accident rate in the state, Major Roche said that the Department of Transportation was the source of the data.

On Mr. Sementini’s motion to accept the report as modified by members’ statements during the preceding discussion, seconded by Mr. Kelley, and voted in the affirmative 16 to one, it was

RESOLVED, that the edited report be approved as the final

report of the Committee.

Mr. Belote asked Ms. Thaxter if she had a minority report to present. She said that she did not, but would submit one when it was finished. The members then decided to amend the previous motion to address the fact that there was not as yet a minority report.

On Ms. Hoffman’s motion to delete any mention of a minority report in the final report, seconded by Mr. Borger and approved by a vote of 14 to three, it was

RESOLVED, that any mention of a minority report be

deleted from the final Committee report.

Mr. Belote requested that all members of the Committee be present at the Selectmen’s meeting on July 6 at 7:30 p.m. for the presentation of the final report.

The membership agreed to reconvene to accept Ms. Thaxter’s report when it is completed.

ADJOURNMENT

Ms. Sesto adjourned the meeting at 8:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy McDaniel