Dutchess County/Putnam County AT Management Committee
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference
Minutes of 168th Meeting
Tuesday, January 15, 2001 7:00 PM East Fishkill Library Cross Conference Room

Attendance: Ron Rosen, Jane Geisler, Jim Haggett, Frank Dogil, Fred Gerty, Salley Decker, Walt Daniels, Sara Ohliger, Pete Senterman (9).

The meeting was brought to order by Chair Ron Rosen at 7:16 PM

The following items circulated in the FYI collection: Water Testing results from Sara’s rounds of November 16th (Messerschmitt positive, rest negative); Water Testing results from Sara’s rounds of December 18th (ALL NEGATIVE!); Sibyll Gilbert’s article in Pawling News Chronicle re Oblong Land Conservancy’s work across from Nuclear Lake entrance; NYNJTC Clothing Sales Brochure; NPS letter to DEC re Telergy application (Route 22 Fiber Optic Cable Installation); ATC (Michele Miller) letter to DEC re Telergy application; Telergy letter to Michele Miller re application ; YRDC Newsletter (Fall 2001); Trails Council minutes 11/11/2001 (and 12/6/2001 agenda); Thanks to Salley Decker, we will have excerpts from the NY newsletter of through-hikers Cesar Becerra and Maud Dillingham, journalists who are doing a sponsored through-hike called "Peaks for Progress" to support Diabetes Research. Cesar and Maud interviewed Salley, Jane Geisler, Bob Woodin, and Father Fred during their southbound travels in December. Salley can fill us in on their activities also!; Letter from Pam Underhill to Jim English and Len Swinehart regarding Nuclear Lake tract [want to acquire some of the NL tract]; flier on Adirondack International Mountainfest [January 19-20, 2002]; Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting minutes & cover letter [NB 2002 meeting will be October 19th]; Scenic Hudson upcoming events [Note 2002 Great River Sweep will be April 20-28]; Letter from Pam Underhill re AT Resource Management Plan; Dutchess County Planning Federation awards dinner flier.

The following items circulated in the FYA collection:

(1) Hiker Safety at Road Crossings: Do we have any locations of concern (none listed in NPS Document for our area) [Jane Geisler will write up Route 22 and send to Jim Haggett; Jim will write up Routes 55 and 52 and send all three to NPS; (2) NY State Outdoor Writers Assn. Meeting May 17-18—may need a host/hike leader [Ron will cover one day].

1. The minutes of the 167th meeting, November 26, 2001, were approved as published.

2. Meeting Centerpiece: Planning for 2002—we continued the process begun at the last meeting to identify tasks and projects to be accomplished this year. See the attached goal list, with projects ranked as high, medium, and low priorities.
3. Other business, short updates, etc.:

   A. Acquisitions and Survey update: We received a letter from Don King, NPS Lands Office, indicating that Hartmann is being contracted to redo the survey of boundaries on "portions of" segments 266 through 273 and 276 through 278. Ron will contact Chuck Blauser to determine the specifics of these contracts.

   B. DOT project and Cell Tower updates: Jim Haggett reported no progress on the Miller Hill Road/Taconic Parkway intersection, where the DOT was going to regrade the AT during fall 2001 or spring 2002. He will contact DOT if he has heard nothing by next month.. On the Cell Tower proposed for the I84 overlook, he received an Email from Dave Reus at ATC, dated January 7; Dave had heard nothing from the cellular company engineers. Dave did contact one company person, who indicated the site is a low priority project at this time. However, Dave recommended that we check the site from time to time to make sure they don’t try to "sneak in" the tower. Walt Daniels commented that there is a new book out on Environmental Issues of Cell Towers, and Jeff Anzevino of Scenic Hudson wrote a chapter. The Trail Conference web site has more information. Walt also reported on a cell tower at Travis Corners Road and RT 9. He had previously attended public hearings on the project, and was recently surprised to find the tower in place! Supposedly, the sponsors were going to arrange a balloon check so that Walt could determine if the tower would be visible from the AT. The tower is at least camouflaged as a tree, but is about 40’ taller than the surrounding trees. At this time, Walt’s best guess is that the tower is not visible from the Trail, but this hasn’t been confirmed.

   C. Water Testing Update: Sara asked if she should continue Clorox cleaning of the well spouts before testing, and we decided she should continue so that the testing will be done under comparable conditions into the future (we are testing the water and not the delivery mechanism). She asked about the concerns about TCE contamination in the Shenandoah area, and others remembered that Volatile Organic Compound testing was done before she started on the project. It was agreed that retesting should be done occasionally. Jim Haggett will research the possibility of IBM picking up the bill, as they have done for others in the area. Concerning the new well at RPH, Jim has tried to contact Hyatt for an estimate, but has not heard back from them.

   D. Telephone Line at Dover Oak Tree : Ron has heard nothing from Verizon since the last meeting. He did mention that the NYNJTC included an article in the Trail Walker based on the information in our meeting minutes.

   E. No Hunting Sign plans and YRDC/PLC 2002 plans. YRDC by now should have submitted a grant renewal application for the Public Lands Corps for 2002. Presumably the funding for this year is non-competitive, so it is likely they will receive continuing funding. Since the NPS is contracting for substantial resurvey of the boundaries (see item 3A above), we may need other project work for the PLC crews. It was suggested they could work on building and installing new bulletin boards. Walt suggested that we apply for Levers Grant funding as this is a youth-related project; this funding would cover most of the materials cost, although we may be able to use some of the NPS PLC funding for materials as well. We need to get this project in place by the PLC season. A subcommittee volunteered to develop a final bulletin board design. The subcommittee will include Walt Daniels, Salley Decker, Jim Haggett, and Ron Rosen. Other projects they could be used for include the Deuel Hollow bridge middle railing, the RPH privy move, and expanded concrete pump pads for the wells as Wiley, Morgan Stewart, and Messerschmitt.

   F. The next meeting is scheduled for March12th in this same Conference Room. If we have to go to snow date, neither Library conference room is available. Ron will contact Mike Arthur and/or the New Hackensack Reformed Church for March 13th, and will include the site chosen in the meeting announcement.

   G. Inoculation Station site review (Walt, Ron). Ron and Walt met on December 13th with the Putnam Valley Town Historian (Steve Anderson), the Town Supervisor, and Jim Johnson, the regional Military Historian for the NYS Heritage Program (based now at Marist College). The two foundations that were part of the Station are right on either side of the trail, just north of Canopus Hill Road. Just off the corridor are the remains of the shacks that the soldiers stayed in while in quarantine there (the rock chimney bases remain on the ground). Steve Anderson determined that the owners of this land are Barry and Mary Jean Ross, address 69 Canopus Hill Road, Putnam Valley, NY 10579, phone (845) 424-3144 (their house is on the "other end" of the property). We agreed to approach them about either a donation or less-than-market acquisition of the portion including the huts (about five acres). The parcel involved is tax parcel 61-123. Walt Daniels will follow through with NPS on the possibility of NPS involvement in an acquisition.

   H. Special Use Permit Review: Frank Dogil reported that both Cook’s and Hasler’s permits are up for renewal, and both appear willing to renew. Mr. Cook is being represented by his sister, Rosemary Osborne, in negotiations, and they are interested in extending the permit to the east (the area between the tree planting area and the AT itself). The Committee prefers that the trail remain outside the fenced area, but the fence should include a gate allowing for mowing the trail route, which should be part of the expanded SUP. The Committee approves renewing the permits, with the proviso indicated above for the expansion area.

   We discussed the status of the tree planting—NPS is trying to determine whether Native Landscaping ever replanted the trees that did not survive the initial planting. This issue is still not resolved—Ron talked with the maintainer, who does not believe any replanting was done in 2001 for the upper area. However, Ron also talked with Guy Hasler, who lives immediately adjacent to the lower tree planting area. Guy told him that the dead trees there were replaced, but the extremely dry conditions have resulted in additional trees (new and old) showing signs of impending death.

   I. Mitzvah Day participation: Mitzvah Day will be held on April 28, 2002, this year. Walt Daniels will host Canopus hill work, including sidehill construction. Jane Geisler will sponsor Swamp River puncheon cleanup work. She will not be available to lead the group, but she will locate a leader and inform Ron so he can arrange to have the project listed.

4. Reports

   A. Area Supervisors Summaries:

   Jane Geisler reported on Schagticoke Mountain forest fire-related problems. She and Salley Decker visited the area, and there is a major fire road and a firebreak that both intersect the trail. She thinks that signs explaining the fire road and firebreak would be helpful, and might prevent hikers from exploring them and thereby creating permanent trails. While in the area, they met Mrs. Klein, who owns the former Ray property; she seems supportive of protection of the area. Jane also mentioned an ATV access problem using the Boy Scout’s right-of-way from Leather Hill Road. She noted that CT/AMC has scheduled a March 23 worktrip to clear the CT side of the Schaghticoke fire damage, including hazard trees near the Trail. It is not clear if their work might extend into NY. Their spring trails workshop is scheduled for April 13th and/or 20th, and they plan to use Schaghticoke as the venue for that program as well.

   Frank Dogil had nothing in addition to his research on renewing the two SUPs above.

   Mike Arthur was not present.

   Jim Haggett reported that on the North side of Route 52, not far from the parking lot, he found a cross carved into tree, and under it the remains of a dead dog. He has no idea who performed the burial. Jim asked if the Forest Fire warnings are down yet, and to the best of anyone’s knowledge, they are still in effect.

   Walt Daniels noted that the Camp Smith trail has been unilaterally closed by Camp Smith since the 9/11 incident. Apparently the National Guard has no details of the NY State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation ownership of the trail route, and the Guard has definitely marked the trail heads to indicate the trail is closed. Walt is attempting to work with the Guard and State Parks to see if the trail can be reopened, but he noted that there have been (previously) problems with hikers leaving the trail route and entering known National Guard lands. The status of the part of the trail from the AT to the top of Anthony’s Nose is unclear. This portion is definitely on park land, but the Guard may not be clearly aware of the ownership.

5. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:05 PM. .

Submitted by Walt Daniels with post-processing support by Ron Rosen.