SPW Chapter NCTA Executive Committee Minutes of 1/23/02

Members Present: Joan Young, Char Holly, Mary Soule, Ed Chappel, Angie Addington, Ramona Venegas
Guests Present: Chad Hudson, Rich Kreiger, Deb Kreiger

Tribal Lands

• The two NCT crossings of their land will come up at their next meeting, but we don't know the date.
  • Tippy Dam (section 30) and Blacksmith Bayou
• they might want to join the NCTA
• they may contact Joan for more info or a program

Trail Council

• A letter from Gaylord Yost, NCTA President, and Rich Harris, Vice-President East, was read which voiced concerns over the lack of a Lower Michigan board member from the Trail Council. The Trail Council also does not have a Chair at the moment due to the untimely death of Arden Johnson. They would like to visit our chapter sometime in the next few months.
• It was suggested that we invite Gaylord to the September, "Rekindling the Spirit" event. Joan will follow-up.
• The letter was given to Ed Chappel since it was intended for the Trail Council Representative.

Publicity

• The Ludington Daily News will be running an article about the trail and the chapter in the Outdoor Section under Fitness and Recreation news sometime in the next few weeks. News release submitted by Young.
• Should we look into placing ad on placemats again? We know of no actual response from them, but they did appear on 10,000 local tables. Ramona suggested something like bookmarks with a local slant. Angie will look into costs for both these possibilities
• Our boardwalk has been selected as one of the outstanding CCS projects... will be featured in the next North Star... maybe we can get some local coverage from this
• Angie will ask Krissy and Dave Hall of the Ludington paper to consider covering National Trails Day.
• We should contact Don Ingle when we have a work day that might be photogenic since he has covered us so well. Recent article in Lake County Star passed around.
• January issues of North Star were given out to be delivered to libraries:
  • Mary- Wellston
  • Char- 2 to WSCC
  • Ramona- Manistee
  • Joan- Pentwater
  • Angie- Scottville and Ludington
  • Chad- Baldwin
• It's time to get out a mid-cycle postcard- Joan will work on this
• We need an adopt-a-site plan to keep flyers in locations. New NCTA flyer will be out soon.
• Spring newsletter deadline is the end of April.

Library/ Archive

• Our chapter library was returned by Seth via Ramona. Angie will take over as librarian
• We need someone to keep the scrapbook up to date. Ed voluteered Nan, but she would need to take it with her for 3 months. Joan doesn't want it gone that long- needs pictures for news, etc.

Trail Work

• Ed needs to know better who is coming to work days. Please make sure publicity states this clearly.
• Chain Saw training will be offered by the FS this spring- dates TBA
  • work days are scheduled for
  • May 18- will work on the new section of trail just north of 9-Mile Bridge
  • June 22- will work at Sterling Marsh
  • July 20- TBA
  • Aug 10- work and event days will be together so as not to conflict with Conference- will work on corduroy between Bowman Lake and 76th St.
  • Sept 21- TBA
• We have 200 volunteer maintainer stickers coming for carsonite posts- free
• Chad reports that there will be new colored maps at the TH Kiosks soon and new FS maps in about 1 year

National shift in approach to bike use

• no change on vision for trail, but attempt to find common goals
• article in the current North Star addresses this
• our idea to create guide to other local options for bikers fits exactly--- Angie, Ed C will work on this

National Trails Day

• McCarthy Lake site is acceptable to Baldwin District
• Go with thematic plan- Voyageurs this year
  • Joan's contacts in Ann Arbor
  • local contact Bob Adams, Manistee (Ramona)
• Committee so far is Joan, Ramona, Angie, Chad
• Ramona moved to pay for canoe teaching certification for Deb K, so we can offer canoe instruction. Sseconded by Char, passed. Deb will follow up.

"Rekindling the Spirit"

• Set for Sept 14- regular event day- but time might depend on what we do
• Bob Papp scheduled to be with us, we should invite Gaylord Yost
• big recruitment push
• location?- maybe WSCC, Conservation Club clubhouse, somewhere on trail- Leitch Bayou
• officer elections
  • nominating committee needed
  • Joan will not run again for Pres-- need someone else to take the helm and learn
  • Joan is willing to continue to function as secretary
• meeting format for next year- maybe go with every other month meetings
• attendance has been low- maybe change day of week, rotate meeting locations
• request to have programs, but very few people have come
• maybe we should have fewer meetings and just do more work
• maybe we can have mini- meetings at hikes and events as we sometimes have
• will form committee after NTD to consider options and make a decision early enough for fall newsletter

Meeting ended at 2:45