Members present: Rich & Deb Kreiger, John Cooley, Vickie Kelly, Mary Soule, Van Serrell, Ed Chappel, Ed Morse, Joan Young, Brian Belt (FS Manistee District)
Forest Service staff present: Ramona Venegas, Kathy Beitau

Meeting opened at 7:05 pm by President Rich Krieger

RAMONA VENEGAS

• INTRODUCE NEW MANISTEE LIAISON, BRIAN BELT
  Brian began with FS in Manistee, but then worked in Indiana, and Louisiana, now is back in Manistee.
  He also plows trailheads
  Bbelt@fs.fed.us 723-2211ext 107

GRAND VALLEY PROF INTERNSHIPS

• Possibly Nordhouse Dunes exit survey
• Possibly NCT use survey to be redone
• Griff is overseeing… she is approaching NCTA and MMBA for funds
• Rich asked Ramona if Jim Schuler's retirement in April will have any effect on bike use on NCT?
  No, but the next person in that position might though

KATHY BIETAU BALDWIN- Nothing to report

MARY SOULE (Treasurer)

• General Fund- $3197.54
• Heckman $1914.04- can extra money go into a maintenance fund?
  Let's wait and see how much the project really costs mix-up on Arden Johnson memorial donation- Mary will call HQ

JOAN YOUNG

• As Lower Peininsula Trail Coordinator
• RESULTS OF LP SURVEY
  Publicity- to create a traveling display board
  Cooperation- BBS forum, share newsletters, coordinate trail projects
  Fun- will develop an honor system passport to log miles in Lower Peninsula
• NEWSLETTER MORE OPENLY AVAILABLE.
  Makes sense to have it on the web- we would still only be mailing it to members
  Deb Moves to have quarterly newsletter, Ed seconds
  Angie is no longer available to do the letter- need someone to take this over
  Deb might be willing to try it.
  Send out general email to ask for volunteers
• NATIONAL TRAILS DAY-
  Elk Campground
  Rivers & Watersheds Theme
  PM Watershed people- contact
  Retired FS people might be willing to do a display
  Rob Corbett may be willing to do hands on experience
• IDEA FOR FRAMEWORK FOR YEAR'S WORTH OF HIKES
  PA hike for Health series idea see http://wildlandspa.org/h4h.html
  Create hikes using our monthly series, and self-guided ones with trivia questions on line-
  Those who answer all Q get entered in a drawing for prizes.
  Concensus that this is a good idea
  Ed C. might want to work on it (back April 1?)- Ramona has ideas

APRIL 10 HIKE

• Might be led by Dorothy of Loda Lake - but she thinks that will be too early- change that to May 8
• April- we could do the Riverwalk- coordinate with training

ED CHAPPEL (Trail Coordinator)

• REVIEW TA TRAINING SESSION DATE AND TIME.
  Training will be at 1 pm
  If we do Riverwalk, go to HOF for lunch, then go to FS office for training.
  Ramona will provide parking info.

ED MORSE (Asst Trail Coordinator)

• HOW TO MOTIVATE TAs?
  Make sure qualified people get 50 hour t-shirts
• GPS MAPPING.
  Scott said he would get info to Tiffany- Kathy & Ed will check on this
• SUGGESTION: CHAPTER ORDER NCTA VOL TEE SHIRTS…GIVE OUT / SELL?
  Ed moves we buy a quantity of shirts for $6 rate, Deb seconded Passed.
  Ed will check with Glory on how many we need to buy.

ED CHAPPEL- PLANNED WORK 2004

LEITCH BAYOU puncheon continuation

LOG BRIDGE between 56th and 76th St
Next year maybe some puncheon

STERLING MARSH to be finished will be the big project
He needs to get with Scott to decide what really needs to be done
May need to work during weeks when prisoners can be available

VOLUNTEER FORMS will need to be filled out for both districts every year, they are different

SPECIAL EVENTS INFO FROM RAMONA-

• RELAY- JUNE 12 (BRIAN BUCHANNEN)- Newaygo to M-115
• STRIDERS will be SEPT 11, Big M
• Mt BIKE RACES on Aug 1, Big M
• CHAIN SAW TRAINING- Scott is planning

MIGHT WE WANT TO BUY A SET OF PLAT BOOKS?

• Joan moves we buy Mason, Lake, Manistee Co. plat books, Mary seconded
• Ed Chappel will get Lake Co.
• Joan will get Mason Co.
• Mary will get Manistee Co.

FOREST PLAN REVISION

• Rich would like the chapter to send letter of position concerning mountain biking on the trail. He so moves, Ed C.seconded.
• Rich will draft and send it around for comment and revision to officers.

QUESTION-

• Why do tribal signs say "foot traffic only" They mean no camping.
• Deb- it is a problem because MMBA will use this as a political issue
• Ed C- we need a better sign at Dilling Rd.
• Ramona & Kathy are open to better signs for bikes- we can propose some

ROUTED SIGNS

• Joan will make 2 calls- NPS and Porcupine Mt. Wilderness SP
• If we can't get exact size small templates, let's go ahead anyway
• Take action at next meeting

MILE MARKERS

• FS does not want Sheriff Dept markers on NCT- they are too large
• Scott is getting GPS coordinates for mile markers

PUBLICITY ISSUES

• Howard Meyerson wants to cover one of our workdays
• Hmyerson@grpress.com given to Ed C.
• Ramona suggests inviting him to NTD
• Allison Batdorff is leaving the area- going to Wyoming
• TNC has purchased 1000 acres of Steelcase property in Newaygo Co.. NCT is just west of the area. There are other hiking trails

Mary moves to adjourn, Ed M. seconded
Adjourned 8:45 pm

minutes taken by Joan Young, secretary