Minutes 2/1/2007

DRAFT Minutes
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference
Trails Council
February 1, 2007

1. Pete Heckler called meeting to order at  6:30  Attendees included: Sandy Parr, Pete Tilgner, Chris Connolly, Joe Gindoff, Bob Ward, John Moran, Monica Day, David Day, Brenda Holzinger, Eddie Walsh, Jr., Gary Haugland, Jack Driller, Mark Liss, Jakob Franke, Katy Dieters, Heidi Adami, Walt Daniels, Jane Daniels, Ron Luna, John Mack, Gail Neffinger, Estelle Anderson, Bob Jonas, Bob Marshall, Trudy Schneider, Jim Gebhard, Denise Vitale, Larry Wheelock, Ed Goodell
2. Introductions.  Brenda Holzinger indtroduced herself. She will be heading up conservation and advocacy, which includes land acquisition and working to influence policy and legislation.  The next advocacy meeting will be on February 15 at 7:00 in the TC office.
3. Announcements: 
   1. Email Addresses. Walt Daniels stated that email addresses are now available for chairs and crew chiefs.  The address would not be for a person, rather for the position, for example: WHNcrewchief@nynjtc.org.  Contact Larry Wheelock if you would like a Trail Conference email address.
   2. Ramapo 2007 – Get the trails ready.  Jane Daniels asked supervisors to remind maintainers that many visitors will be on the trails during Ramapo 2007.  Exact routes will be in the computer in 10 days or so.  Almost 200 hikes in 94 locations.
   3. Hike Leaders for Ramapo 2007. The Ramapo 2007 committee is signing people up to lead hikes:  List of hikes being circulated.  Anyone can volunteer. Details at Ramapo2007.org. Eddie Walsh will have trail work trips going on at Bear Mountain during the conference.  He is reaching out to crew chiefs to get leaders.
   4. Darlington Schoolhouse. Ed Goodell announced that the TC is buying the historic Darlington schoolhouse to move the TC offices.  The schoolhouse, which is in good shape, is 1.25 miles away from the current office. Funds to purchase and restore the building are coming from public sources.  The TC will co-own the building with the Town of Mahwah.  The TC will have sole use.  The downstairs will be offices. There is 30x40 ft upstairs meeting room.  The building is surrounded by park land.  There is a garage for storing equipment.  Parking:  30 spaces requested on county property.  Occupancy anticipated 2008.
4. Minutes.  The minutes of the Trails Council meeting held December 7, 2006 were approved as submitted.
5. Idlewild Trail. Proposal to recommended Idlewild Park in Queens, NY to the Board by Joe Gindoff – There are 2,700 feet of trail through a salt marsh.  Adelphi University Environmental Club would join the Trail Conference and maintain the trail.  There is $126,000 available from the National Park Service to build a boardwalk.  Chris Connolly moved to adopt the trail and Walt Daniel seconded the motion.  All voted in favor.
6. Publications Committee. John Mack announced that the Northern New Jersey map set is now out.
7. New Web Design.  Walt Daniels discussed the new web design and requested that the Trails Council appoint at least one person to be on the committee. The committee will meet twice a month and will focus mostly on content.  Multiple people will be responsible for maintaining the website once it is completed.  It is intended to be a virtual representative of the Trail Conference and will include both a public view and an internal view to facilitate volunteer activities.
8. Strategic Planning, Long-Range Objectives. (See initial SWOT analysis)
9. New Volunteer Management Flow.  Ed Goodell announced a new volunteer management flow that is needed to supply volunteers to projects, and then to track their activities and reward their contributions. A new position, filled by Katie Deiters, has been created to focus half-time on volunteer recruitment and half-time on membership recruitment.
10. The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.

                                Respectfully submitted,

                                Denise Vitale
                                Substituting for Daniel D. Chazin, Secretary

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