Minutes, September 19, 2005

Dutchess County/Putnam County AT Management Committee
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference
Minutes for 192nd Meeting
Monday, September 19, 2005 7:00PM East Fishkill Library

Attendance: Ron Rosen, Jane Geisler, Gerry Richardson, Frank Dogil, Mark Jordy, George Jordy, Salley Decker, Walt Daniels, Ian Taylor, Bryce Williams, Jim Haggett

• FYI and FYA items circulated are listed at the end

• Review and approval of minutes of the 191 st meeting held July 18, 2005. The minutes for this meeting can be found on the web at http://www.nynjtc.org/committees/trailscouncil/at-committees/DP/agenda/index.html. Minutes were accepted.

• Committee vacancy—Mike Arthur has resigned as mid-south supervisor (I84 to West Dover Rd.). Gerry said he will take over the maintaining supervisory position. A NPS monitoring supervisor is still needed.

• Old Business, short updates, etc.:
• SCA intern project (Bryce, Ian, Ron, Walt, Jim) - We need to create decals for NYNJTC – get new decals. Contact Susan Daniels. Ian and Bryce will be with us until Thanksgiving.
• Water Testing status (Jane & Gerry) – Jane collected Wiley sample July 26. Gerry chlorinated well at Morgan Stewart the end of July. Recent test showed water was free of bacteria.
• Bulletin Board replacement (Mark Jordy, others) – the three bulletin boards made by Mark as part of his Boy Scout Eagle project are complete except for Lexan covers which will be done by this committee. Total cost was $1970.72 (or approx. $700 each). Concrete was donated by Package Pavement. Other donations were also received.
• I84 cell tower—proposed about 4 years ago, is now moving ahead with T-Mobile. The current plan is 100’ tower, and we have no objections at that height.
• Hiller Brook – see Jane’s letter to Terry Leibach at NYSDEC (Jane). George Muller, Pat Collella, and Jane walked the brook bed (totally dry). Pat Collella feels lengthening the boardwalk won’t be practicable unless we also do something about cleaning the brook bed. SCS proposed using rock cribbing (gabions) to prevent further erosion downstream. Would need 200’ of additional boardwalk to get past present flooding area. Discussion moved to considering helical piers, like Constitution Marsh or the Pochuck. Jane suggested we take more pictures at the site. Jim will get pictures at the site. Ian and Bryce will check on the Constitution Marsh permits and plans. Jane suggested talking with Dave Kubek at Dutchess County Soil and Water District.
• Parking at DC 20 management – see Jane’s letter to Tom Downey at DC Office of Public Works (Jane). The County has jurisdiction—can’t do anything between the center of the road and 25’ out. Someone suggested posts with delineators (reflectors) could be installed. Frank asked if there is any specific protection for the tree now—no one is aware of any state designation. Walt suggested using bark chips (worked fine in Yorktown to prevent parking—they used about 12” deep). Jim will look up name at DEC to advise us. Jane will phone our Pawling tree maintainer about putting chips in.
• Boniello property at West Dover Rd. Jane attended the meeting September 6 of the Pawling Planning Board. They plan 2 acre zoning, 108 acres. Written comments will be accepted until the next meeting (first week of October). Sibyll Gilbert said at the meeting that the lines should be clearly delineated. Frank suggested we check with ATC and NPS to see if we want to consider monitoring at least the adjacent open space. Jim will write the letter. We will deal with the following separate issues (possible ATC easement holding, monumenting the boundary of the easement, ATC/DPATMC monitoring of the lands, etc).
• Relocation plans ( Nuclear Lake, Harlem Valley State Hospital & Long Hill Rd): Jim reported that the public comment period for HVSH has ended, and Shenandoah will be ending shortly. Don Owen expects to wrap up the process by October 1 for all the trail relocations. We can build +-20 feet from the flagged line without any problems.
• 35 acres for sale off Canopus Hill Rd – recommendations? (see FYA packet) Walt can’t find any evidence of this parcel on the ground. The info came from Todd (not clear why).
• We discussed the Rock Wall theft from the Canopus Hill area. The NPS is currently pursuing an investigation and charges may be pending.
• Gerry asked about the wet area on Depot Hill north. Gerry was interested in considering a small relocation. We determined the area is maintained by Steve Klauck, and Jim will check with him before considering a small relocation.

• Reports:
• Area Supervisor Summaries:

Jane Geisler reported Ollie Simpson will be leaving the area, and needs to be replaced as a maintainer (she may leave by the end of the year). Jane has put mailboxes with brochures at Nuclear Lake (old 55) and at the Train station. Jane told of a “vagabond” who scared a pair of young hikers near West Dover Road (Jim elaborated on the story, as he was involved also). It turns out Pawling has a constable, who was involved in the incident. The “turtle man” and another man rescued about 20 turtles near Hiller Brook.

Frank Dogil has already discussed the Boniello property issues, and that is all he has.

Mike Arthur has resigned.

Jim Haggett talked with Charlie Dennis, and asked him to mow the I84 fields; he will have to charge more than he did four years ago. He owes Michele Miller a quote so work can proceed. Tim Messerich is continuing to work on the trail next to the RPH shelter; he is trying to get some material for the trail surface. The top of Shenandoah Mountain has a LOT of garbage along the edges of the open area. Before school started, the high school kids camped out there and left a lot of junk (they call it “Flat Rock”). That section is maintained by Tom Amisson (AMC). That section of trail is in dire need of work (from Long Hill Road).

Walt Daniels’ concerns have all been mentioned above.

• Other reports:

Chair’s report: The AT grants to clubs are due by October 3 rd if anyone wishes to submit. Jim has submitted two grants to NYNJTC, one for the brochure reprinting, and one for the Hiller Brook boardwalk. Due to personal illness, Fred Gerty will not be able to participate actively for the foreseeable future. We will consider Fred a member emeritus, and will not let him resign! Fred will speak with Rob Messenger (new DEC regional forester) to appoint a new member to our committee for DEC.

Walt Daniels indicates that Trails Council will be discussing reporting due dates for maintainers at the Oct. 6 meeting. The proposal is to switch reporting dates to start/end at the end of June and December. NPS reporting dates are based on the Federal fiscal year. We suggest supervisors should set report frequency and deadline based on section-specific needs. We still need some reporting of hours that fits our recognition program.

• Adjourned at 10:38.

FYA items:

• Chain sawyer list – update and identify others that would like to receive training.
• Nuclear Lake dam training September 22 in Hyde Park – let Jim know if you would like to attend
• Nuclear Lake dam Emergency Action Plan orientation to be rescheduled from September 8 – let Jim know if interested in attending.
• 35 acre parcel for sale off Canopus Hill Rd next to 276-17

FYI items:

• T-Mobile letters re: I84 cell phone tower
• Rock theft near inoculation site – Canopus Hill
• Appalachian Trail Mammal Inventory Program
• ATC trail assessment program and feedback on July 19, 2004’s pilot review
• Jane Geisler’s letter to Terry Leibach, NYSDEC, regarding Hiller Brook trail work
• Jane Geisler’s letter to Tom Downey, Dutchess Co. Office of Public Works, regarding protection of DC 20 oak tree

Submitted by Gerry Richardson and Ron Rosen with post processing by Jim Haggett

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