The following articles were all approved by citizens of Chesterfield at out town meeting on March 14, 2000

Article 24: is a reauthorization of Article 19 which was approved in 1999. Up to $5000 from logging at the Friedsam Town Forest to be added to the already established conservation fund. This is net revenue after expenses and is unlikely to be more than a few hundred dollars. Any remaining net revenue after the $5000 max would go into the General Fund. This is a small logging operation in the northwest corner of Friedsam and is primarily for habitat and parking improvements. The warm weather in the fall made it impossible to get a logger to do this small job this winter and therefore it has to be reauthorized. We anticipate a completion of the job in 2000.

Article 25: (together with article 37, see below) is partially a response to the numerous comments at this year’s public hearings that the town should have more options available when large tracts of land become available for development. Currently we can either go through a "rezoning fight" or perhaps end up with excessive residential development. The new options could include either purchase of land or purchase of development rights (through a conservation easement). Federal and state matching funds (see article 38) are likely to become available in the near future. The town does have a modest conservation fund (with a current balance of about $17,000) and the $20,000 in this article would improve our ability to act when properties become available, which is often not at a time when a town meeting is scheduled. Leveraging these funds with state and federal monies would give a reasonable chance for the town to act, particularly in purchasing conservation easements.

Article 37:  provides continuing funding for open space preservation over the longer term. In 1993 the town voted to establish the Conservation Fund and allocate to it 50% of the penalty when people change land out of current use. Roughly $32,000 has been put into the fund since 1993. $15,000 has been expended or is committed from the fund for land and conservation easement purchases, and for other expenses related to these. The Commission proposes that the percentage be raised to 100% and the cap increased to $25,000. On the back of this sheet is a list of the 87 towns in New Hampshire with a similar program, and it is noted that 21 of these allocate 100% to conservation purposes.

Article 38: would show town support for the establishment of a permanent statewide fund which would be available on a matching basis for towns who want to protect their "natural, cultural and historic resources". Among the uses of this fund would be the purchase of open space or easements thereon.