Open Letter: In Regards to Carl Shreder and the Georgetown Conservation Commission

Dear Chairwoman Smith and Members of the BOS,
One of the first people I was introduced to when I came into Georgetown over 40 years ago was a man named Charles Blanchard. My wife knew him since she had joined 4-H at age eleven and he was the Essex County 4H Agent, affectionately known as “Uncle Charlie.” Charles was one of the volunteers that started the Georgetown Conservation Commission back in the early 1960’s putting his Masters degree in Conservation Education to good use.
Growing up in the Peabody/Danvers area as a young boy, I had witnessed vast amounts of farmland turned into cookie-cutter developments. Wetlands suddenly disappeared in my backyard, streams were piped underground, and stormwater pollutants ran directly into the lakes and ponds. When I asked Charles about the land protection initiative the Town had undertaken, he told me, “We saw for several years what was happening down in your area and we purposely began the process of protecting our natural resources.”
The work of the Conservation Commission is often misunderstood and even though Charles lasted over 30 years in the position here, he was sometimes the subject of ire and controversy. He would write in the paper how wetlands are vital in filtering contaminants, act as storage areas during droughts and provide habitat for many of the species that are enjoyed by all that live in Town.
Carl Shreder is another man that has held a long-time position on the Commission for over 20 years, mostly as Chair. Checking the online Essex County Registry in the prior 22 years, I found over 1100 permits, deeds, certificates and other documents that bear his signature. Carl is a man of few words, but is highly knowledgeable of state and local regulations, runs an efficient meeting and is a man of action. We should consider ourselves very fortunate to have such a dedicated volunteer as Chair of the Commission.
One recent interaction describes his style. A member of our group, the Parker River Clean Water Association (PRCWA), informed Carl of a group of off-road vehicle-riders running rampant through the Town Conservation land this spring, across wetlands and harassing high schoolers working on Town trails. Carl quickly resolved the issue by warning the intruders and contacting the State environmental agencies who took decisive action. These are the type of people we need on our Town boards.
PRCWA relies heavily on responsible Conservation Commissions to be able to do their jobs without political interference. There is a sensitive balance that must be met between our bylaws and State regulations and homeowner’s rights, making sure our watershed is not degraded beyond repair. We believe the current Commissioners are doing their best under the circumstances being imposed on them and should be supported in continuing their mission going forward.
Sincerely,
George Comiskey
President, PRCWA
On behalf of Board members