North Country Trail Association

Brule-St. Croix Chapter

 

M I N U T E S

 

Fall Chapter Meeting

November 10, 2007

Solon Springs Community Center

 

1.  Call to Order

 

Chair Dave Zosel called athe meeting to order at 9:30 AM.  In attendance: Jim Antonson, David Conley, Bill Menke,Tim Mowbray, Tom Mowbray, Lynne Nason, Peter Nason, Laura Nitsche, Peter Nordgren, Atley Oswald, Mark Van Hornweder, Jim Walsh, Chuck Zosel, Dave Zosel.

 

2.  Approval of Minutes

 

Motion (Tim Mowbray, Tom Mowbray) to approve the minutes of the April 21st, 2007 spring meeting passed.

 

3.  Treasurer’s Report

 

Treasurer Peter Nason reported the chapter has a balance of $1546.68.  Thanks to Tim Mowbray we will be receiving $500 from the Solon Springs Rotary.  We received

$40 in memorial gifts for Paul Schoch, and $100 in a gift from a new member, for a total additional of $640.  Membership remains around 46, 5 new members are expected from Cornelius boardwalk dedication.

 

4.  Informational

 

Volunteer hours – Dave reminded all to report hours – includes drive time, meetings.  Reporting hours helps NCTA and the Park service obtain funding.  Dave presented Lynne Nason with her 100 hour award.

 

Events – good turnouts for Trails Day, dedication. Nearly 50 attended dedication

 

Bill – new executive director Bruce Matthews will be moving organization forward.

Four big ideas:

 

1.  Big membership.  4600 members by the end of 2008.  After that, 10,0000.

Volunteer hours reported will increase by 25%. 

 

2.  Big development.  Bring in money.  Goal to have a diverse revenue stream, move off reliance on National Park Service.

 

3.  Big recognition and appreciation.  Effective relationships.  Research a brand. 

Memorandums of understanding in place with states, 50% of chapters in trails day.

 

4.  Big trail development and strategic completion.  NCTA will start to identify priority sections for visibility.

 

5.  Old Business

 

Discussion about maps – DeLorme should be able to include NCT since Ice Age is on their maps.  The trail is shown on BRSF maps and website.

 

Boardwalk – Rovers worked 2 ˝ days this week.  300 feet completed.  600 feet to go.  West side GPS is 3/10 of mile, but is probably longer. 

 

Campsites – Two new have been built - just north of Highland Town Hall, and about a mile south of Rush Lake Road.  A third future campsite will be west of the bog boardwalk.  Motion (Peter Nordgren, Chuck Zosel) to apply for a Challenge Cost Share grant for latrines passed.  Chuck mentioned Town of Highland will put in a small parking area for trailhead near town hall.

 

Spring Creek boardwalk – Rovers will not be ready for additional funding in 08, so no application needed.  DNR decided bridge is breakaway design so doesn’t need floodplain approval, but issue still being worked out with county zoning.  David Conley will follow up.

 

Donation for Solon Springs Community Center – Lynne requested $100 to help fund folding chairs for the room where we meet.  Several other groups have already contributed this amount.  Motion (Tim Mowbray, Chuck Zosel) to fund $100 from chapter treasury passed.

 

Chapter brochure – Lynne shared design.  We also talked about the NCTA maps, having BRSF, etc. order from Lowell.  Chuck suggested adding Jerseth & Rush Lake Roads, trailheads, and campsites.  Use universal P for parking.  Mark suggested providing detail of portage trail rather than Pattison.

 

Chuck announced that  the George Stuntz stone on the portage trail has been found at the base of the hill between Lucius and Schoolcraft.  Bill offered to bring it back up to the trail using the highline.  The Cass stone is still lost between Perrot and Carver. 

 

FOTBS – no news on memorandum.

 

Highway signs – Rolf Swanson has retrieved the old Hwy 27 trailhead entry signs and taken them to Douglas County Hwy Dept for installation at the US 53 trailhead.

 

Crowshaw Road property – Peter & Lynne will talk with Frank Giesen about DNR purchase or easement on Town property on Crowshaw Rd.

 

Tim Martens – logger from Brule who hauled poles – now at Edmunds pole yard.

Motion (Chuck Zosel, Peter Nason) to have a letter of thanks sent by NCTA to Tim Martens for his donation passed.

 

Trail maintenance report from Peter Edmunds was circulated.

 

6.  New Business

 

Chapter schedule of events

 

Saturday, June 7th – National Trails Day.   FOTBS would like to do joint event.  On their schedule and clubhouse reserved.  Hike in Stuckey Road area.   Activities.  Bill encourages us to make our events family-friendly.  Josh Macintyre participation from BRSF is desired to help provide interesting activities for kids .  Suggested donations and/or Scheels grant.  Peter Nordgren suggested also having a joint hike with the Chequamegon chapter from the Lake Ruth Trailhead again.  Lynne will contact Marty Swank.

 

Saturday, June 14th – RiverFest – would like us to plan a hike.  Lynne suggests boardwalk morning, portage trail in the afternoon.  Need guides.  Asked Chuck for the boardwalk, will ask the Down to Earth Tours person for the portage trail.  Volunteers needed for reenactors.  We’ll apply for a Scheels grant.

 

Saturday, June 21st – Voyageur Days – sell T-shirts, information table at parade.

 

Membership – Lynne circulated list of members.  All members encouraged to find and recruit new members.

 

Hiking group – Thursday mornings at 9:30 starting the first week of April, meet at Solon Springs Community Center.   Sheila Ohm will lead April hikes.  Polly Edmunds also a contact.    Will plan next week’s hike at each event.  Will do two hikes in one – short distance and longer distance.  Group will also likely plan some hikes on weekends.

 

Paul Schoch Memorial – Motion (Peter Nordgren, Peter Nason) to name campsite south of Rush Lake Road for Paul Schoch and spend chapter funds to create plaque and stone passed.  Local sources for plaque and stone are available.

 

Elections – Vice President: Motion (Peter Nordgren, Peter Nason) to nominate and cast a unanimous ballot for Lynne Nason passed.

 

Treasurer: Motion (Chuck Zosel, Tim Mowbray) to nominate and cast a unanimous ballot for Peter Nason passed.

 

President: motion (Dave Conley, Peter Nordgren) to nominate and cast a unanimous ballot for Dave Zosel passed

Adopter organizer: Motion (Peter Nordgren, Lynne Nason) to appoint Peter Nason as adopter coordinator and Tom Mowbray as assistant adopter coordinator passed.

 

7.  Spring meeting

 

April 19th at Highland Town Hall. As last year, we’ll include adopter meeting in AM, followed by lunch, then business meeting.

 

Bill Menke – Rovers removed 22 trees between Hwy S and Jerseth Creek.  Be sure to report down trees you can’t handle to adopter coordinator so a crew can be organized.    Encouraged us to use adopter stickers and also write contact info in register boxes. Showed video including “Ballad of North Country Trail” by Charlie Maguire.

 

8.  Adjournment

 

Motion (Dave Conley, Chuck Zosel) to adjourn passed at 11:54 AM.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Peter Nordgren, Secretary