Last night’s COSS board meeting was a great one.
We welcomed a new board member who brings strong ties to town scouting. That connection matters. COSS discussed continued support for scouting programs and working to ensure scouts of all ages can continue to use Sunny Meadow year-round for educational and stewardship activities.
COSS also approved loaning a trailer with a riding mower to Friends of Koulas Farm for a two-year trial period to support volunteer stewardship and public access at the site. COSS will cover all expenses and repairs. We believe deeply in the family-friendly focus at Koulas and want to support the volunteers doing that work for the community.
We discussed the community tool shed. As soon as painting is complete, it will be moved to its new location off town property. This allows us to loan tools to any group working on improvements around town that support conservation, education, and community service.
The board reviewed a full slate of 2026 programming, including six concerts, walks, craft days, and an intergenerational flashlight-building event designed to bring residents of all ages together in our open spaces.
Heart Pond was also discussed. There are ongoing concerns about significant flooding issues at the park. The board agrees those drainage and flooding problems should be addressed first before other improvements move forward. We also discussed outreach to answer common questions such as what is happening with the dock at Heart Pond.
Direct work parties to support local farmers are planned as part of our commitment to preserving local farming traditions and providing educational opportunities for residents. We do not believe in “farmers are on their own.” We believe farmers are from Chelmsford.
Furthermore, we also discussed outreach to the Chelmsford Land Conservation Trust with an offer for the COSS invasive mitigation team to assist with the next invasive cleanup day at Bartlett Park, a site used by so many residents.
COSS board meetings are held at the Chelmsford Police Station on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. Meetings are open to the public and also available on Zoom.
If you care about open space, farming, education, and family-friendly stewardship in Chelmsford, you are always welcome to join us.
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