Although outdoor recreational activities, especially hunting, are expected in a rural community such as Rochester, having a duck blind near Rochester Memorial School was alarming enough for a teacher to notify Rochester’s Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon.
A duck blind is a camouflaged shelter, sometimes made of brush, which conceals duck hunters.
The blind is situated on the edge of Hartley Reservoir, property now owned by the state and managed by the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game.
The teacher told Farinon that he takes students onto the property, which is adjacent to the school, and was concerned about the safety of the children.
The property was purchased by the state with funds partially secured from the sale of hunting permits. Thus, this property, and many others throughout the state, is land designated for recreational use and conservation land of animal habitats.
Farinon said during the January 19 meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission that a resident had also called her office to alert her of the blind having been set up. She added that the existence of the blind on state property is not something that is jurisdictional for the local commission, but she did want the commissioners to be aware should they hear anything about it.
Earlier in the meeting, the commission approved a Certificate of Compliance for Michael and Lois Mentzer, 6 Thistle Lane.
The commission also found that James Welch, 357 Neck Road, would not be required to have an amended Order of Conditions in order to remove a fallen tree.
The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission is scheduled for February 2 at 7:00 pm in the Rochester Town Hall meeting room.
By Marilou Newell
