Conservation Commission to Formally Demand Board of Selectmen Budget Hearing

Conservation · Meeting of February 25, 2026

Madison's Conservation Commission will send a formal letter demanding a Board of Selectmen agenda slot to seek natural resource inventory funding before the town budget closes. Chair Heather told members Wednesday that a January in-person request to be placed on the February agenda was apparently never entered, prompting the commission to agree that all future requests must be made in writing, with all members copied. Members said they plan to attend the next available selectmen's meeting as a group.

Separately, commission member Terry announced a March 6 meeting with Eversource arborist Dan McLeod and Tree Advisory Committee members to press the utility for an itemized list of streets targeted for tree work and to clarify what oversight exists over its contractors, a gap Terry said leaves Madison relying on resident pushback rather than municipal authority to protect healthy trees. The commission also reviewed a preliminary application for a Garnet Park bridge replacement, noting strong environmental documentation but flagging questions about flood-zone design standards and diamondback terrapin oversight.

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Source: the Conservation meeting of February 25, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.