Minutes, June 16, 2003

Dutchess County/Putnam County AT Management Committee
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference
Minutes of 178th Meeting
Monday, June16, 2003 7:00 PM East Fishkill Library Alley Conference Room

Attendance: Ron Rosen, Frank Dogil, 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 , Alyssa Silberstein (YRDC staff/Americorps), Becky Newman. (Americorps member, helps Amanda) (13).

The meeting was brought to order by Chair Ron Rosen at 7:05 PM.

0. The following items were circulated in the “For Your Information” (FYI) packets:
* Well Test Results 4/6/03 resample at Messerschmitt [4 samples] all four Pos. (Total Coliform), all Neg. (E. Coli)
* Well Test Results 4/29/03: Wiley Pos. (Total Coliform), Neg. (E.Coli); RPH Neg.; Stewart Neg.; Messerschmitt Neg. (!);
* Well Test Results 5/27/03: Wiley Pos. (Total Coliform), Neg. (E.Coli); RPH Neg.; Stewart Neg.; Messerschmitt Pos. (Total Coliform), Neg. (E. Coli)
* Extract from Don Owen’s list of AT MOU’s, Interagency Agreements, & Coop. Agreements
* Forward of Email from Janice Champney thanking Walt Daniels and Jane Geisler for locating through-hiker quickly
* Note forwarded by Neil Zimmerman about NPS crackdown on off-road vehicles on and near the AT at Delaware Water Gap
* AMC/CT Trails minutes: February 4, 2003, March 4, 2003, April 1, 2003, and May 6, 2003
* NYNJTC Delegates Meeting Agenda (and attachments) 6/12/03 Fort Lee, NJ
* Trails Council 4/3/03 minutes and 6/5/03 agenda; * Dutchess County Travel Guide 2003-2004
* “Living Here in Putnam County 2003-2004”, special section from The Journal News, featuring the AT in the recreation section.

FYA items: none!

1. The minutes of the 177th meeting, April 21, 2003, were approved as published. (The minutes of the last meetings can be found on the web at
http://www.nynjtc.org/committees/trailscouncil/at-committees/DP/index.html)

2. Old Business, short updates, etc.:

A. Acquisitions and Survey update: Ron Rosen reported that he tried to obtain status info from the NPS AT Lands Office on the Hartmann surveys from the last few months. Ron talked with Chuck Blauser, who sent an Email indicating that some maps from Orange County survey work have come in, but none from Dutchess or Putnam. He did, however, expect them soon. While we were discussing survey issues, Gerry Richardson reported that the monument witness points and other boundary markings are essentially missing on the Depot Hill boundary from Indian Pass to I84. Most of the boundary in question is on segment 271. Gerry asked about the status of the 100' easement Mr. Cunningham had supposedly granted as part of his subdivision approval on the north end of Depot Hill, noting that Mr. Cunningham has not provided a promised map to the Town of Beekman. Ron will try to check at the County Building to see if any such map has been recorded and/or filed.

B. Mitzvah Day results: Jane Geisler had 12 volunteers, including 6 from Maple Brook School and 3 signed up through the Mitzvah Day program. They quickly handled the remaining old puncheon materials near the Swamp River, and then moved on to litter removal at the Rt 22 parking areas. Since Mike Arthur was not present, and did not submit a report, no one knows if the Telephone.Pioneers Shelter privy was moved.

This discussion led tangentially to Jane and Walt Daniels telling the story of a rush hiker search requested by ATC. They successfully located [on Depot Hill] a northbound hiker who was needed back home due to a family emergency. Walt had alerted Jane, who hiked up to the Telephone Pioneers shelter while Walt drove up from his home. Walt check at the RPH shelter, and met a southbound hiker who had seen the hiker near the north end of Hosner Mountain. Walt met Jane on West Mountain, and they drove back to Depot Hill, where Walt hiked in from Depot Hill Road while Jane hiked in from Stormville Mountain Road. Jane managed to catch up from behind with the hiker shortly before Walt met them coming from the other direction. Jane drove Walt and the hiker to Walt’s car, and Walt drove the hiker to Orange County where he met up with a family member.

C. Water Testing & Water Projects Update
Amanda Long discussed the recent well testing results (see the FYI listings). The Messerschmitt well is now testing coliform positive regularly, as is the Wiley well [except for the one test taken too soon after we chlorinated]. The other two wells are now regularly testing negative.We discussed the possible mechanisms of contamination, and short-term actions we should take, given the arrival of prime hiking season. Amanda agreed to put up “do not wash near wells” sign, and to use a torch to attempt to disinfect the spouts on the Wiley [and perhaps Messerschmitt] well[s] before the next test. Fred suggested using a dye marker to see if surface water is getting into Wiley. Jim will ask the well drilling firms for their advice on how to do this; Amanda will ask Rich Robbins.

D. YRDC Public Lands Corps (2003 training and plans) Alyssa has one leader hired, and a likely candidate for the second position.. We discussed the highest priority sites for the PLC Crew to work this summer and fall. Frank Dogil will check with the monitor to see if Schagticoke needs repainting. They will continue to install “No Hunting” signs and check [and if needed, replace blazing, “US Boundary” signs, etc.] the boundaries. If time permits, and the grant funding materializes, they might do work on replacing some of our bulletin boards. Jane Geisler suggested they could help install a gate on Schagticoke near East Mountain Road where we have the monitor and maintainer access. Since neither Walt nor Ron believes that ATC has replaced Chris Florack with a new boundary technician, they agreed to run a training for the new Americorps leaders for the PLC crews. The tentative training date for the Americorps members is Tuesday 6/24, meeting at 9:30AM at Grape Hollow Road near the I84 overpass.

E. Picnic Meeting planning (location, potluck coordination, etc.) It was agreed that we would hold the summer picnic, scheduled for Monday, July 21st, at the RPH shelter. Please RSVP to Ron Rosen with your choice of potluck contribution. Cooking will start about 5:30PM, and the eating should begin around 6:00 PM. A short meeting will be scheduled for approximately 7:15 PM.

F. I84 Cell Tower update: Jim Haggett was not aware of any activity since David Reus’ letter to Jane Builder at T-Mobile, now about two months out. Jim emailed David last week for an update, but did not hear of anything new. Ron briefly reviewed the mitigation bullets in David’s letter. Jim expressed concern that the tower would be very noticeable, especially when northbound on the AT, at the north end of the 84-overlook field. Walt commented that the tower at that point is below the horizon line of the hill behind it, and that the top of the tower would be between the trees and not be all that visible, IF it remains below 150' tall.

G. Bulletin Board Plans: With Mike Arthur not present, we really don’t know the progress (if any) for the Eagle Scout project. Walt did not believe that any application for Levers grant funding had been submitted.

H. Possible Eagle Project: Shortly after the last meeting, Ron was contacted by an Eagle candidate who wished to help develop a campsite at Nuclear Lake. Ron had asked the scout to contact Don Owen at NPS/AT Park Office to determine if the project had any environmental “gotchas” that would make it unlikely the project could be done this summer. As of the end of last week, the scout had not contacted Don. Ron had also suggested that the Scout attend this meeting, and he has not showed, so it seems safe to say the project will not proceed. Jim Haggett opposed the development of any campsite on the Nuclear Lake site, noting the availability of the Telephone Pioneers shelter and overflow camping within two miles of this area. There was no strong support from any of the Committee to develop a site at Nuclear Lake; given our difficulties in locating a site where we could provide appropriate sanitary facilities, it seems reasonable to consider a campsite at Nuclear Lake a dead issue for the foreseeable future.

I. Gerry Richardson asked if we had any information on the Cunningham easement. Mr. Cunningham had promised the Beekman planning board a map of the easement, and to date this has not been received. Ron agreed to check with the AT lands office to see if they are aware of having received anything at their location.

3. Meeting feature

First, Ron announced that Jane Geisler’s 80th birthday will occur later this week (actually Friday). Accordingly, we brought out a suitably decorated birthday cake and soda to help Jane celebrate! Happy Birthday Jane! Thanks to Salley Decker for providing the cake and refreshments!

Next, we held a discussion and strategy session concerning the completion of the trail assessment and inventory portions for our management plan 5-year update [or perhaps, our 10-year update...]. Ron asked all present to review the text of the plan itself [available on the WWW.NYNJTC.ORG web site], and send any comments or changes to him or Walt. Walt commented that we will wait until we are almost complete to revise the contact list, since that changes regularly.

The discussion then centered on the assessment plans. Walt believes he has the raw data from the last walk-through, except for the notes taken by Karen Lutz during the last hike, and he thinks that there is at least one piece that Ron, Walt, and Karen did not cover [but doesn’t remember what piece that is]. The plan that emerged is to walk the entire Dutchess/Putnam trail this summer, with Walt bringing a GPS to log coordinates for all items in the present inventory. The plan is to divide the hikes into 10 mile pieces. Ron asked for volunteers to accompany Walt this summer, and the following people came forward for at least one ten-mile piece: Fred Gerty (available for July), Frank Dogil (middle of July), Amanda (Mondays or Fridays), Ron (as available), and Gerry Richardson in late July or early August. Where possible, the participants will bring a digital camera to record images of the features that can be recorded in the database. Jane Geisler suggested measuring the length of the bridges [and similar features] to record in the assessment. Also, we should review the text to see what it says about the possibility of a campsite at Nuclear Lake. We will shoot for a Sept. 15 completion of these hikes and preparation of the final draft, and plan to complete the revision this fall. Walt noted he has available GIS maps of the area (Arcview format), and we can overlay them with appropriate features using the GPS data.

4. Reports

A. Area Supervisors Summaries:

Jane Geisler reported that she has a new ADK maintainer, Mr. Al Fitch, who will handle the segment from Johnson Rd to the Yellow Trail in Pawling Nature Reserve (an ADK club slot). She has asked Bill Trifalo (sp?), Dutchess County DPW, for pedestrian crossing signs to place at the Dover Oak (may possibly use signs similar to those on the Harlem Valley Rail Trail). She reported that the power/phone line move at Dutchess County 20 [near the Oak tree] has not been done yet. Also, a willow tree is down on the Yegella Farm property (in the fields maintained by Charlie Dennis). Jane asked Ron to check on the status of the gate on the boundary at the King’s property near Hoyt Road.
Frank Dogil had nothing new to report.

Mike Arthur had called Ron indicating he would not be present for this meeting, but never called back with the details of his report. Jim Haggett has flagged a small reroute in the short piece between Route 55 and Old Route 55 to avoid the pointless up-and-down rock climb. Walt confirmed that this change was too small to require Trails Council, ATC, or NPS action. Pending review of the change by Mike Arthur, Jim will proceed with the relocation.

Jim Haggett reported that, approximately two weeks ago, Mark Hudson found another sofa at the Route 52 parking area, this time thrown over the rocks. Jim arranged a small work party that moved the sofa to the roadside. Jim called DOT to ask for their help in removing the sofa, and it is now gone. The work party also moved to the roadside a quantity of leaf bags also left at the parking area. Jim reported that he and Walt had assisted in an Email request [via Bob Gray] to work with Wes Keller [from PA forestry], who was looking for three northbound hikers who might have information on a 25-acre fire at the Outerbridge shelter. Jim was able to contact one of the hikers, who called Mr. Keller from the phone at the Mt Top Deli. The other two through-hikers never signed in and have not been seen in our area. Jim also noted he has a lead on a possible additional monitor. Jim announced he has a new monitor for the Woodmont Road boundary vicinity. Finally, Tim Messerich announced that he will lead an ALDHA group that will assist July 11-13 at RPH. The group plans to move the RPH privy, and will spend equal (?) time on working and eating...

Walt Daniels reported that Jane and he attended Tom Gregorio’s Eagle Award ceremony last night; Tom led the group that renewed the puncheon near Route 9 at Route 403. Walt reported a problem with the maintainer from Route 301 to Sunk Mine Rd.

B. Other reports:

AT Planning Summit results: Ron explained the process that was used at the mother’s day weekend event to move the AT Strategic Planning forward. He listed the eight major items that the group had identified as implementation strategies. Ron noted that approximately 150 participants were included in the intensive weekend event, involving club volunteers, ATC and NPS staff, and ATC board members. Participants from NY-NJ TC included Walt and Jane Daniels, Ron, and Larry Wheelock. Walt noted that ATC and NPS are committed to move the project along, so that an action plan can be presented at the November board meeting. Fred Gerty urged Walt to push the ATC to keep to their timetable! Ron also commented that a “casualty” of the weekend was the draft joint ATC/NPS Mission Statement, which those attending the Summit felt was too wordy and did not absorb the spirit of the cooperative management process.

5. The meeting was adjourned at 10:05P.M.

Submitted by Walt Daniels with post-processing by Ron Rosen

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