SPW Chapter NCTA Executive Committee Minutes of 9/20/02

Members Present: Rich Krieger, Joan Young, Ed Chappel, Ed Morse, Angie Addington, Ramona Venegas

PRE-MEETING DISCUSSION

Ramona got stickers for 3 carsonite posts

Ed- needs FS to mark some trees that can be cut for steps near Marilla Trailhead Ramona- will see about it, also a timber sale there

Ramona will stop in at Bear Track to check on Striders Run in the a.m. There is a bear there that has lost experience with people - will need to teach it to fear people. "A fed bear is a dead bear."

Called to order at 1:20 pm by President Rich Krieger

TIMING OF BUSINESS MEETINGS

• Need to get them off of Tuesdays
• Do we need to promote programs more to increase participation?
• Ramona- maybe quarterly program of higher quality
• Try to get dates out earlier
• Pocket calendar for whole year - easy to put in purse
• Meet every other month at Man FS Office- 2nd Thursdays of even months (probably not June)
• Exec Com meet every month- on alternate months- 2nd Thursday of odd month- still open to public
• 2nd Sat of month will remain hike event
• Programs in Oct 10 (Ed C- tools for the trail), Oct 10, meeting 7, program 7:30, Feb 13, Apr 10, Aug,
• Call them "Trail Meetings- Window on the Trail"- still can conduct business if needed
• Joan to check by-laws per this format

EVENTS/ PROMOTION

• Joint activity with GTR and WMI- everyone wants to do
• Ramona- maybe get joint work day on section parallel to Man Riv Trail and kayak back
• Maybe do for NTD?- not likely- they have their own things
• Do as regular Saturday thing?
• Maybe for next summer
• Angie reviewed previous monthly activities
  Ideas
  • Oct 12- foliage hike- Man Riv Trail, suspension bridge to waterfall
  • Nov 9- Highbridge to Blacksmith Bayou & back
  • Dec 14- "escape the mall"- hike in the pines- horse ride, contact Rocking R stables
  • Jan 10-12- Winter backpacking- 2nd Sat Jan- based Highbridge
  • Feb 8- Big M hike- Feb w/ chili lunch
  • March 8- Boardwalk to 9-Mile Bridge April- Loda Lake - April
  • May 10- 9 Mile Bridge to Udell Fire Tower
  • Next summer- Ropes course in Wellston?

Monthly Programs
Ideas-
• Oct 10- Ed C will do trail tools program for October
• Feb 13- try to get program from TC group
• Apr 10- backpacking gear (EMS?, REI?)
• Aug- Sierra club- talk about trail work?
• Joan will follow up

PRIORITIES / PROJECTS

• Joan & Ramona gave overview of how NPS, NFS and NCTA work together
  Maintenance priorities-
  1. Puncheon & fix bridge east of Highbridge- maybe can do this fall- Ed C,
  2. Sterling Marsh- can we move trail a little bit without EA? Ramona will check
  3. Routed signs- Joan still wants to try to produce one inch letters
  4. Extend end of boardwalk (new)- Ramona thinks no new paperwork needed
• Ramona will meet Ed C, Ed M, Rich to look at #1 location- Sept 25, 10 am at Sawdust Hole
• Ed C- people are not doing their regular maintenance as promised
• Joan- we need to be more proactive to follow up with them
• Need a weedwhacker with a blade- FS has one we can use
• FS can provide prison crew to work on trail
• Rich- first problem- people don't show up for work days, people don't do regular maintenance
• Ramona- put return form on web site for areas people want to report as needing maintenance
• Joan- need to find handout that tells what they should be doing- we used to have one
• Ramona- good to double up coverage of a section with two people- one closer, one farther
• Ed C- most sections are shorter now
• Joan- needs to show Ramona possible reroute N of Udell new trail
• Ramona will follow up with volunteers
• Werner Veit(letter)- students from CMU might want to do maintenance- Ed C will follow up
  Dates for trail work days-
  • Ramona- maybe have work day on week following the meetings
  • Ed C- wants to have just one or two big work dates
  • Continue to promote impromptu work days- call or email Ed C. or Ed M.
  • Big work dates
  • Oct 19, 9:00 at Zeppi's Pizza in Brethren for coffee, will travel together and leave at 9:15 for the trail to work E of Highbridge
  • August 16, 2003

NATIONAL TRAILS DAY-

• We are committed to do it.
• Ideas- Marilla, kayak/ canoe
• Need to ask for committee volunteers

MONEY FOR MAINTENANCE

• Ramona moved that $200 per year from our general fund be set that Trail Coordinators can spend to maintain tools without approval. Ed M seconded. Passed
• Need to replace one wheel on DR mower right away

Ed C- motion to adjourn 4:05.

Minutes recorded by Joan Young, secretary