Minutes, March 17, 2003

Dutchess County/Putnam County AT Management Committee
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference
Minutes of 176th Meeting
Monday, March 17, 2003 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), Fred Gerty, Jane Geisler, Diane Bamford, Gerry Richardson, Walt Daniels, Jim Haggett, Salley Decker, Pete Senterman (12).

The meeting was brought to order by Chair Ron Rosen at 7:11 PM.

0. The following “For Your Action” (FYA) items were circulated:

• AT Park Office is soliciting nominations for 25-Year Silver Service Awards (due 4/1/2003)–please suggest names at this meeting [like Jane Geisler got two years ago]: Ron Rosen is eligible, and Fred Gerty may be eligible (Fred will check and get back to Ron).
• Scenic Hudson Great River Sweep application: [consider registering our 5/4 Mitzvah Day trips even though sweep dates are April 19-27 this year?];
• Need someone to attend Town of Beekman public hearing Thursday (3/20) re Mountain View Estates III: Jane Geisler will attend, Gerry Richardson will try to get there when he can, may be late.

The following were circulated as “For Your Information” (F)YI items:

• Bob Jonas’ Trail Conference Blowdown Course for Trail Maint. Workshop (curriculum review);
• Orsetti Public Hearing 1/7/03 re site plan for Commercial Horse Stable [next to RPH];
• ATC Incident Report from 1/20/2003: snowshoer lost on trail overnight in Fahnestock Park:
• ATC Incident Report from 11/18/02 [late again!] re incident 7/15/02 at Rtes. 9 & 403 re coyote “attack”
• Letter from Bob Gray to encroacher on Johnson Road, Wingdale;
• Email from Ian Nelson introducing himself as new ATC Regional Office staff;
• Trails council agenda (2/6), minutes (Jan 2, 03);
• Well Test Results 11/25/02: Stewart Neg; Messerschmitt Pos. (Total Coliform), Neg. (E.Coli); RPH Neg.; Wiley Pos. (Total Coliform), Neg. E.Coli;
• Well Test Results 12/2/02 [retest]: Wiley 4 samples all pos (Total Coliform), Neg. (E. Coli); Messerschmitt 4 samples all neg (Total Coliform);
• Well Test Results 12/27/02: RPH Neg; Messerschmitt Neg.; Wiley Pos. (Total Coliform), Neg. E Coli;
• Well Test Results 1/9/03: Stewart Neg.; Wiley 4 samples all pos. (Total Coliform), Neg. (E. Coli);
• Well Test Results 1/31/03: Wiley Pos. (Total Coliform), Neg. (E. Coli); RPH Neg.; Stewart Neg.;
• Dutchess County Planning Federation short courses flier (SEQRA Bassics, 4/3);
• Trail Walker article on Walt Daniels;
• Pok. Journal “Health Living” article mentioning AT for hiking;
• Mountaineers Books postcards on “Day Hiker’s Handbook” and “Photography Outdoors”;
• Pok. Jnl. article 3/16/03 on Open Space (AT photo, quotes Ron Rosen);
• AP Article on Race Track near Trail in PA;
• Email from Ed Goodell–unable to make tonight’s meeting.

1. The minutes of the 175th meeting, December 30, 2002 were approved as distributed.

2. Old Business, short updates, etc.:

A. Acquisitions and Survey update: No news. However, we have not received any survey or monument reference maps relating to the new survey work that was completed in 2002. Ron will contact the Lands office to determine the status of the surveys. Also, once we receive these maps, we need to determine if there are any tracts that have escaped survey, and also figure out which tracts up for acquisition are still incomplete. For example, we have heard no progress on the Town of Pawling addition between Route 22 and the Swamp River.

B. Mitzvah Day final plans, May 4th: Ron Rosen circulated the brochure that was published by Jewish Family Services advertising the project work. For the work at Telephone Pioneers shelter involving moving the outhouse, the work was advertised as “dig large hole, move small building.” Jane Geisler said everything is ready for the work at the Swamp River site. The volunteers will remove the remaining old boardwalk materials, and put the debris in the foundation adjoining the railroad tracks, where we will need to work with the Town of Pawling Highway Department to arrange for final removal of the materials. Volunteers will meet at the DOT parking area on the West side of Route 22 at 9:30 AM. As for last year, Ollie Simpson will be assisting Jane with project leadership. Mike Arthur said he is ready for the outhouse work. Volunteers will meet at the large Oak tree at the West Dover Road AT crossing at 9:30AM, and then hike up to the site.

C. Water Testing & Water Project Update: Amanda Long reported that the well at Wiley is still testing positive for total coliform bacteria and needs to be shock chlorinated. A trip was arranged for March 25th at 9:00AM. Ron, Walt, Jane, and Amanda indicated they would be there. Ron will Email others to see if they want to help. Jim Haggett reported that the Messerschmidt well handle has been welded, thanks to George Muller, who snowshoed to the site, removed the parts, took them to a vendor for welding, and snowshoed back to reinstall the handle. George reported that water flowed on the fourth crank of the handle. Amanda will add Messerschmitt to the list of wells she will test near the end of the month. Concerning water-related projects, Ron believes that the ball is in Michelle Miller’s court on further progress at cleaning up the Yegella spring house site, and that we are waiting for biddingt documents to be issued for the RPH well work. Ron will contact Michelle to get things moving on the RPH well.

D. Monitor Training, May 3rd: The NY-NJ Trail Conference is hosting Chris Florack of ATC for a Monitor Training class to be held in Orange or Rockland County on May 3rd. Ron indicated that Walt has installed a volunteer vacany list on the NYNJTC web site, which shows that Dutchess/Putnam AT has 7 Monitor Vacancies! All are asked to help recruit new monitors. Ron will also be leading an informal monitor training on Sunday, April 6th on the Nuclear Lake boundary. Diane Bamford (present tonight) has signed on as a new monitor, and a friend of hers, Jim Shearwood, is also interested. We hope to have Diane, Jim, (and Sabrina LaFave and George) present at the trainings on April 6th and May 3rd.

E. YRDC Public Lands Corps (2002 Report, 2003 plans, 2005-2010 advance plans to NPS) . The 2002 final report of the PLC project was circulated. Ron noted that they were a few hours (less than 40) shy of the 1500 hours in the contract, and that they planned to finish out those hours with work early this year. The 2003 plans include 6-month Americorps volunteers (probably 2), and both summer and fall crews. Crews will work on boundary maintenance, No-Hunting sign posting, and perhaps help with the Bulletin Board project. The NPS requested a “pre-application” for work for the 2005-2010 time frame; Ron met with Chris Marx at YRDC to develop the project work, and Ron circulated the paperwork as Chris submitted it to Rita Hennessey at NPS.

F. I84 Cell Tower activity: Jim Haggett reported that ATC is working with the vendor, now T-Mobile, to conduct a crane test at the site. In addition to concerns about viewshed problems at the I84 overlook field, there might be a view from Hosner Mountain and from the west-facing viewpoint(s) on Depot Hill. Once we have a date for the test, we will try to recruit volunteers to check out each of these sites.

G. Privy Option for RPH: Fred Gerty circulated information and photos of a pre-fab privy/restroom design that is being installed on Mohonk Trust lands across the river. The designs include a concrete vault with a liner and technology developed by the US Forest Service to reduce the odors. The manufacturer is CTX and the design costs about $15,000. Walt Daniels will ask about the Toll House privy to determine whether that design is an option.

3. Meeting feature: We made the following changes and additions to the 2003 prioritized project list. Ron will develop a new master list and circulate it to the committee.

Regarding item 27 (Hiller Brook/Swamp River area) It was suggested that we manage the area as a grassland bird habitat. Also, we should attempt to locate a new farmer to keep the area between the train tracks and the boardwalk open. It was suggested that we contact FROGS (the “Friends of the Great Swamp” group) to see if they can work with us on mowing the site if we cannot find a farmer.

Medium high priority- Middle-height bridge railing for the Duell Hollow bridge.

Medium priority- look at ballast on RR crossing at Hiller Brook/Swamp River. When Metro North last did track work, they did not install enough ballast to allow for vehicles to cross the tracks.

Possible addition: convert the hiker crossing signs at major roads to the new bright yellow design.

Add a Pawling side trail– now that the Town of Pawling has purchased Holiday Hills YMCA, reopen discussions with the Town to implement a side trail from Telephone Pioneers shelter to Holiday Hills, and perhaps to Murrow Park.

We briefly reviewed the 2-year plan developed last month between ATC and the NYNJ Trail Conference for projects involving ATC or NPS expenses. Walt Daniels represented the Committee at the meeting.

Ron mentioned briefly that we will postpone to the next meeting a plan to finalize the management plan and Trail Inventory update. Walt Daniels needs to locate and assemble his notes and materials from our previous field work.

4. Reports
A. Area Supervisors Summaries:

Jane Geisler showed some new Dutchess County Health Department tick signs; it was felt that these signs would be useful for the shelter areas, but are probably too large for our new bulletin boards. She mentioned a hazard tree near Deuel Hollow Road, and indicated she will need help for someone to chainsaw the tree.

Frank Dogil mentioned the letters from Bob Gray to the Johnson Hill neighbors who have incursions onto the NPS property behind their houses. (Copies were in the FYI packet).

Mike Arthur indicated he has been in contact with Bob Dross of Verison concerning the poles at West Dover Road. Verizon will be moving the new poles from the roadside to the ROW soon, and once all wires are on the new poles, will take out the old poles. Mike hopes that Verizon will be able to donate their old poles to us for trail work in the immediate area, but they may be unable to do so due to harardous materials rulesss (even though the creosote in the old poles probably leached out years ago).

Jim Haggett had nothing additional to report.

Walt Daniels reported that ATC has agreed to pay for tree removal of the hazard tree threatening a trail neighbor’s property.

B. Other reports:

Chair: Ron Rosen reported that he will be attending the ATC planning summit to be held in West Virginia on May 9-11. Walt Daniels will also be attending (as an ATC board member), as will Jane Daniels (as NY-NJ TC President), and Larry Wheelock (representing NJ AT interests).

5. The meeting was adjourned at 9:50 PM

V3 Last updated: October 20, 2003   Copyright © 1996-2005  New York-New Jersey Trail Conference Privacy Statement.