NCTA Brule-St. Croix Chapter

M I N U T E S

November 12^th, 2011

Solon Springs Community Center

Chapter President Tim Mowbray called the meeting to order at 1 PM.

Attendance: Phil Anderson, Valerie Kozlovsky, JoAnn Pearson, John Pearson, Atley Oswald, Jim Antonson, Chuck Zosel, Jim Noble, Paul Johnson, John Schrock, Mary Berube, Tim Mowbray, Scott Peterson

M/S (Antonson, JoAnn Pearson) to approve the Spring 2011 meeting minutes, passed.

Treasurer’s report: November 3^rd NCTA report shows a balance of $1,208 in the Chapter general fund and $3,079 in the Rovers’ fund. M/S (Zosel, JoAnn Pearson) to approve the treasurer’s report passed.

Information

Dan Watson report on volunteer hours: Fiscal 2011 NCTA had 928 volunteers provide 68,508 hours. Volunteers grew by 20.5% but only 10 hours. Volunteers hours = about $1,463,000 of service. Al Larmann of Central New York Chapter received the first NPS Midwest Partnership award for Friends groups.

We said we’d like reports from NCTA for individual hours and chapter hours. Several members mentioned not receiving acknowledgement for money donations to NCTA in the past several years.

Announcements: establishment of NCTA Endowment Fund, appointment of Dr. Wade Vagias as superintendent for NCT and Ice Age Trail.

Progress on Trail Development

Bill Menke showed photos of the 2011 season’s construction work, in the Gordon Dam area and Reinsberg Road area. The year included several bridge construction/reconstruction projects, canoe ferrying materials across the St. Croix, and lots and lots of storm cleanup. Next year will involve a lot of puncheon in the St. Croix Riverway and the construction of a bridge across Spring Creek on the Dudeck property.

Campsites

Campsites are getting more use. Rover’s Lake water supply is under water!

Landowner Contacts

UW-Superior is reviewing a proposed MOU for the MacQuarrie Wetland trail segment with NPS and NCTA. We may have a formal signing in the spring and have Superintendent Vegias come.

Steve Bade is back with the DNR on an appointment to work exclusively on NCT projects. This is great news for us.

Scott Peterson described conversation with NPS St. Croix Riverway during a visit to the Gibson Cabin. The Rovers’ work is appreciated. NPS is working on plans to replace the Moose River bridge, and has the floodplain survey. County zoning approval is awaited. NPS would like to work with us on uses for the cabin.

Update on Hwy 53 trailhead – Tim confirmed plans to finish trailhead by the contractors. The work will likely be done in the spring.

Question on siting of the Bird Sanctuary kiosk – the current location was negotiated with DNR and Douglas County, and could not readily be moved. The spur trail has not been smoothed or marked; signage is needed to show the way to the trail, and the spur needs to be mowed. Peter will get a destination sign made for the location. We have enough Carsonite signs on hand to mark the spur. It could be a project for our April meeting.

Scott Peterson described a project of the Lake Association to provide a bench by the old community center with a plaque recognizing the Nasons. Bill Pfister in Solon Springs makes the brass plaques we have had made for the Brule Boardwalk. We’ll wait for further decisions by the Lake Association. Nordgren/Menke motion to authorize up to $150 toward the project passed. We discussed construction of additional kiosks.

New Business

Contribution to cost of booth at Canoecopia, March 9-11. We discussed volunteer work at the event; several members are interested. M/S (Anderson, Zosel) to contribute $25 passed.

2014 conference – the annual conference will be held in Duluth. Meetings are being done by phone conference. Peter Nordgren is going to be participating in future conference planning meetings.

Membership – 68 members, we are down a bit. We discussed literature boxes. Peter will write an NCTA field grant for literature boxes at trailheads. Phil will find a price for boxes. We are already doing membership promotion for many events.

Adopter update – Phil Anderson reports we have adopters for all of our completed segments. Phil is now working on co-adopters. Groups did work on three different occasions this year for blowdown or catchup. We’ll need an adopter for the Reinsberg – County A section next year. We need to establish some work days for next year, will work on dates via e-mail.

Bill Menke will send some items by e-mail based on his observations. “No bike” stickers need to be maintained at Bayfield A; horse damage was seen there too. There are down trees on the latrine path at Winneboujou. Bikes have been seen on the boardwalk. DNR will enforce bike and horse misuse as the State of Wisconsin has designated the NCT as a state trail for foot travel only. Bill strongly suggests we report all misuse to the Brule DNR Office, take pictures and identify people.

John Pearson reminds us to refresh our blazes. Phil has a good supply of blaze paint for us to use.

Chainsaw chaps have been obtained for the work trailer. Tim mentions Solon Springs Mercantile will give a discount on a chainsaw if you let them know you’re a trail maintainer.

M/S (Zosel, Nordgren) to authorize Phil and John to repair/replace the maintenance trailer vent at Chapter expense passed.

Awards – our chapter received several national NCTA awards. Don Penly received the Sweep Award for his CAD work on bridges. Friend of the Trail Award went to Bob Christensen from the St. Croix National Riverway, who supports our chapter’s trail construction. Our John Pearson received the Trail Maintainer of the Year Award presented at the meeting.

Bill mentioned that Laura Nitsche will be the new president of the Chequamegon Chapter. She lives in Duluth.

Solon Springs Hikers will be having a year round program like Iron River this year. They will begin meeting Fridays at 9 AM at the Community Center. JoAnn will be the coordinator this year. Paul reported the Iron River Hikers made a trip to Hawk Ridge this fall.

Next meeting – Highland Town Hall, April 21^st, 9 AM. We will work in the afternoon on the Bird Sanctuary trailhead spur.

Adjourned at 2:50 PM for a hike at Reinsberg Road.

Respectfully submitted,

Peter Nordgren, Secretary