Minutes, December 30, 2002

Dutchess County/Putnam County AT Management Committee
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference
Minutes of 175th Meeting
Monday, December 30, 2002 7:00 PM East Fishkill Library Alley Conference Room

Attendance: Ron Rosen, Frank Dogil, Mike Arthur, Amanda Long (Dutchess Land Conservancy / Americorps-water testing person), Salley Decker, Fred Gerty, Jane Geisler, Greg Troy and T.J. Gastio, Boy Scout Troop 40 [10].

The meeting was brought to order by Chair Ron Rosen at 7:07 PM.

0."For Your Action" items: The 11/22/02 edition of the ATC Mid-Atlantic Regional Directory was circulated for corrections and updates.

The following were circulated in the "For Your Information" [FYI] packet: AMC/CT Trails Cmte. minutes; Town of Dover ZBA proposal for Camp Ramah; Dutchess County Planning Federation Newsletter (11/2002); Dutchess Land Conservancy Winter 2002 newsletter; Rails to Trails Conservancy meeting announcement (June 26-29, 2003) Providence, RI; Notice of Public Hearing for subdivision into two lots for parcel on Woodmont Road (Hosner Mountain); NYNJTC Minutes of annual meeting and notice of Delegates Meeting (2/13/03), with proposed Bylaws changes; YRDC "Stories of Success" flier featuring Public Lands Corps team member.

1. The minutes of the 174th meeting, November 13, 2002, were accepted as published.

1A. With our guests from Troop 40 present, we took up their interests early. After a round of introductions of attendees for the guests, Ron introduced the guests who were from Boy Scout Troop 40 (Hopewell Junction) [see attendance]; Greg is an Eagle Scout candidate hoping to do an Eagle Scout project on the trail, and T.J. is a leader with the troop. Ron had discussed [in advance] with Greg the possibility of a project involving building some of our replacement bulletin boards. We reviewed the details of the project with Greg, indicating he would need to acquire the materials via donations or through a Trail Conference grant. The project would involve fabricating about half a dozen not-so-cheap bulletin boards, each using a 4'x4' sheet of plywood and a similarly-sized sheet of Lexan.. The DPATMC would supply the signs and other items of content. It was noted that bulletin boards last about 10 years on average. Our intended location strategy is to keep them closer to the roads to try and minimize vandalism. Mike Arthur arrived at this point in the discussion and informed us that he had already talked with another scout in the same troop, Mark Jordy, with the intent of Mark doing this project. We therefore discussed the options available to Greg for his project: (1) possibly divide this project up, seeking ways to make the two projects different so that both boys' projects would be likely to be approved [in this case, they might apply together for NYNJTC Elizabeth Levers' grant money], with a possible split of each doing five bulletin boards (10 total) for 2 counties. Alternataively, (2) Grey could choose another project of similar magnitude. Suggestions included [possibly choosing more than one of these to get an appropriate size and scope for Greg's project]: (A) Build and install the Nuclear Lake interpretive signs. (B) Replace the RPH Privy; (C) Locate an appropriate site for, design, and build a new campground near Nuclear Lake. Greg hopes to do his project in late spring/early summer; he will work with Mike Arthur after the meeting to try to choose an appropriate combination for his project.

1B. Ron noted that the East Fishkill Library had double-booked some of the dates we had asked for and that we need to select alternate dates. Most present seemed to prefer switching most of our dates to the third Mondays of [alternate] months. Pending confirmation with the Library that one of the two rooms is available, we worked out the following changes in our planned meeting dates: Instead of Monday March 3rd [which is now unavailable], we would go with Mon. March 17th, with a bad weather date of Wednesday March 19th. Instead of May 5th, we would go with Monday April 21st, which would be good for final planning for Mitzvah Day [see below]. The summer picnic would move to July 21st, location TBA. The remaining 2003 meetings would be held on September 15th and November 17th. All dates work for everybody as far as they know at this point!

2. Old Business, short updates, etc.:

A. Acquisitions and Survey update: Ron noted that Jane Geisler has received complaints from the Hearn family [immediately north of the Wiley shelter area] due to recent monument and boundary marking on their property boundary; at least one of their trees has been blazed that is apparently quite visible from their house..Jane is not sure if there is a monument on the corner that borders their property..Also, Quaker Valley Farms is surveying their Camp Siwanoy holdings; specifically, Harry Bly recently contacted Ron Rosen, indicating he has been contracted by Quaker Valley Farms to survey their holdings, and he wanted information on the recent NPS surveying in the area. Ron referred him to Chuck Blauser at the NPS office in Martinsburg, WV.

B. DOT project update: Jim Haggett says DOT feels they are done. However, it is not quite as good as we had hoped. It is 90% better but still is very steep, especially on the section between the road and the first set of steps. Marty Evans at the DOT admitted that they had not placed the stairs exactly where they were supposed to, which made the incline greater than it should have been. We will see how it stands up as far as erosion is concerned.

C. Water Testing & Water Project Update: Amanda Long said she tested all 4 wells at the end of November. Wiley and Messerschmitt tested positive for total coliform. Retesting in early December determined that Messerschmitt was okay, but Wiley still tested positive, and chlorination of the well was recommended. Amanda again tested Wiley, Messerschmitt and RPH on Friday December 27 and is waiting to hear back from the Health Department with the results. She did not have time to hike into Morgan Stewart and will get it in the next round.

D. Mitzvah Day final plans: Mitzvah Day is scheduled this year for Sunday, May 4th. Walt Daniels will be at an ATC board meeting on this day, so he cannot lead a project. Jane Geisler indicated that Ollie Simpson from Adirondack Mountain Club is available to help lead their project. Mike suggested as a second project to relocate the privy at Telephone Pioneers Shelter. Project forms were passed out to Jane and Mike to fill out and return at the end of the meeting to Ron, who will forward them to Jewish Family Services.. Mike's project - digging hole for privy at TPS.

E. I84 Overlook Cell Tower Re-emerges: Jim Haggett first reviewed the original plans, since it has been over a year: Voice Stream wanted to build a cell tower on land near the AT in the I84 east-bound Rest Area. The.185-foot tower would have been visible from the I-84 Overlook. The issue went away for awhile with Voice Stream's financial problems. Now whoever bought out Voice Stream wants to build a 150-foot monopole tower at this location, and their representative asked David Reus of ATC if ATC could go along with their plans. Jim has reviewed the research and photographs that he and George Muller had assembled previously. Even at 150 feet, the tower would be above the treeline and quite visible from the AT. We then discussed our recommendation to ATC and NPS. In an Email to us, Don Owen of the NPS had urged us to recommend a crane test instead of a balloon test, indicating that such tests are more accurate and realistic. The consensus was to recommend a crane test to NPS and ATC. Jim Haggett noted that, based on their earlier field work and research, that a tower of 120 feet should not be a problem, and [pending confirmation with a crane test], we would be accept a tower of that height at the planned location. Other options included moving the tower site east or west from the planned location to get it out of the trail viewshed, or possibly to camouflage the tower as a tree [unlikely to be a preferred option]. In any case, we strongly urge ATC and NPS to insist on a crane test; but our previous research is quite likely to be accurate for the intended tower location. Simply put, we do not want to compromise with a 150-foot tower where the top 30', including the radiator heads, would be very visible in the trail viewshed; this location is one of our best long-distance views in our fifty miles of the trail!.

F. Alvarez encroachment (Hosner Mtn.) Follow-up: Jim Haggett noted that a contract has been signed with Allen's Tree Service to cut up the remaining trees and slash so that they are flat on the ground, and to treat the "Trees of heaven" {Ailantus}with herbicide to get rid of them and allow more desirable species to get a foothold. The contract was completed around mid-November.

G. Hunting Season observations: Ron got no calls this year at all! Mike Arthur saw no footprints going into our corridor near Penny Road, even though there were vehicles parked near the end of Gardner Hollow Road. It seemed to be a very quiet season.

3. Meeting feature: After a brief snack-fest celebrating the New Year, we undertook a review of our progress against the goals for this year and set some preliminary goals for 2003. The resulting list of prioritized goals will be published separately. However, the following items from the 2002 list are considered to be completed: (A) Canopus Hill waterbars and sidehilling; (B) Taconic Parkway Miller Hill Road trail regrading; (C) Corbin Hill tree planting [NOTE: Ron believes the contract has been closed out and that Native Landscaping is not expected to do any additional work; they had made a good-faith effort to redo what was lost. Some of the maples have survived, but the evergreen survival is spotty. A lot of the replanting was not successful. Jane also saw some deer damage, specifically antler rubbing on the evergreens. The original intent was a screen for the farmland to the north that may not remain farmland. We need to check with Michele Miller to see if ATC intends to work with Eddie Cook to keep open the field between the trees and the trail.]; (D) Horse Farm Puncheon - Project in current Trail Walker...it's Done!

4. Reports

A. Area Supervisors Summaries:

Jane Geisler reported that she went up on Schaghticoke a year after the fire, and it is barely noticeable that there was a fire. Some dead trees leaning precipitously may need to be looked at.

Frank Dogil has talked to Bob Gray, who will send letters to adjacent landowners on Johnson Hill Road who have incursions on the trail lands.

Mike Arthur took a new maintainer out in late November for the section formerly covered by Dennis Kloepping. Mike is trying to get the new monitor candidates out on the Nuclear Lake boundary; they may go this weekend if the weather cooperates.

Jim Haggett talked to Bob Gray, who had written a letter to the State Trooper that they had had a run-in with in July. Bob indicated that the trooper had called him back and they had a long talk. Another letter was sent to the Trooper after this. An outgrowth of the talks was that the Trooper thought that volunteers on the AT should have some form of specific identification, something like a business card. The suggestion was passed to NYNJTC, and Mr. Grob has agreed to try designing some business cards. Ron indicated that he has a card design for Word Perfect which others can use if they wish.

Walt Daniels was not in attendance.

B. Other reports
Ron Rosen reported on the late summer dog-bite case. He received an Email from an assistant of a law firm possibly representing the bite victim. Ron gave the person his address as requested, and has not had additional contact with her. However, Ron informed Bob Gray of the Email, and Bob said that any future request for legal information should go through Bob Gray's office and will be forwarded to the National Park Service Solicitor's Office.

5. The meeting was adjourned at 9:28 PM.

Submitted by Amanda Long, with follow-up processing by Ron Rosen.

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