Whoever has assigned a maintainer to a trail is the person who can remove a maintainer. While an LTC might assign a maintainer to a supervisor, it is the supervisor who assigns a maintainer to a trail and so can remove him/her. Finding a reason why someone is not doing the job, is the first step.
Procedure for removing a maintainer
- Notify the maintainer by phone or e-mail. Give specific examples of where and how the work is not being done. Reference information from the Trail Maintenance Manual regarding the frequency of maintenance and reports. Offer to answer any questions that he/she might have. You can suggest that the maintainer call you if he or she wishes. Give a deadline to contact you.
- If the person fails to comply or even answer by the date mentioned in the first letter, follow up with a second e-mail noting the date of the previous e-mail. Restate some information from the first e-mail Again offer to answer any questions that he/she might have. CC your LTC.
- In the final letter include contact information for your Program Coordinator if they wish to appeal.
- The following letters are formal examples. Use the letters after you have personalized it with specific examples.
Procedure for removing a maintainer from a maintaining club aka club maintainer
- Notify the club trails chairman by e-mail. Give specific examples of where and how the work is not being done. Include information from the Trail Maintenance Manual regarding the frequency of maintenance and reports. Offer to answer any questions that he/she might have. You can suggest that the maintainer call you if he or she wishes.
- If the club trails chair fails to comply or even answer, follow up with a second e-mail noting the date of the previous ei-mail. Restate some information from the first e-mail Again offer to answer any questions that he/she might have. CC your LTC.
- In the final letter include contact information for your Program Coordinator if they wish to appeal.
- The following letters are formal examples. Use the letters after you have personalized it with specific examples.
Procedure for removing a maintaining club when it is not the last trail they maintain. Sometimes it is the club trails chair who is not doing the job and the club president needs to be notified.
- Notify the club trails chair and club president by e-mail. Give specific examples of where and how the work is not being done. Include information from the Trail Maintenance Manual regarding the frequency of maintenance and reports. Offer to answer any questions that he/she might have. You can suggest that he/she call you if he or she wishes.
- If the club trails chair fails to comply or even answer, follow up with a second e-mail noting the date of the previous ei-mail. Restate some information from the first e-mail Again offer to answer any questions that he/she might have. CC your LTC.
- In the final letter, include contact information for your Program Coordinator if they wish to appeal.
- The following letters are formal examples. Use the letters after you have personalized it with specific examples..
Procedure for removing a maintaining club when they only maintain one trail
- Let your LTC and Program Coordinator know there is a problem and discuss the issue(s) with him/her. Once a club no longer maintains a trail, their dues increase.
- Based on those discussion, notify the club trails chairman and club president by e-mail. Give specific examples of where and how the work is not being done. Include information from the Trail Maintenance Manual regarding the frequency of maintenance and reports. Offer to answer any questions that he/she might have. You can suggest that he/she call you if he or she wishes. Make sure you indicate that if they no longer maintain a trail, their membership dues increase.
- If the club trails chair or club president fails to comply or even answer, follow up with a second e-mail noting the date of the previous ei-mail. Restate some information from the first e-mail Again offer to answer any questions that he/she might have. CC your LTC and Program Coordinator.
- In the final letter include contact information for your LTC if they wish to appeal.
- The following letters are formal examples. Use the letters after you have personalized it with specific examples.
Sample Letters
Sample letter that can be sent to a maintainer who has not sent in reports
To follow-up on our telephone conversation last night, I am reminding you that trail maintenance includes going out on the trail twice a year and filling out reports. These reports are due June 30 and November 30. I have enclosed a copy of the section of the Trail Maintenance Manual that pertains to trail maintenance.
Although paperwork can be a drag, it is important. The parks rely on the Trail Conference to maintain the trails. Without the documentation, we cannot tell them what work has been done. Maintaining trails is a service that we have been doing for almost 100 years and greatly benefits the hiking public.
A Trail Conference maintainer has found that if he carries a notebook and pencil in his pack while doing maintenance, he is able to record what he did and note problems. Filling out a report becomes just a matter of copying the information.
I look forward to hearing from you and trust that you mearly overlooked the importance of the paperwork.
Sincerely,
Your name
Position
New York New Jersey Trail Conference
Sample follow-up e-mail that can be sent to a maintainer who has not sent in reports two times.
As a follow up on our telephone conversation last night and e-mmail dated XXXX, I am again reminding you that trail maintenance includes going out on the trail twice a year and filling out reports. These reports are due June 30 and November 30. Just doing the trail work is not enough. The Trail Conference needs to know that the work has been done so they can notify land managers. .
I know that trail maintenance was done on your assigned trail; when I was out hiking on Sunday, I saw that the blazes had been refurbished, water bars cleaned, and litter removed. You also let me know when a blowdown needs to be removed. A phantom maintainer would not have done those things.
However, you consistently fail to send in your reports. Since you do an excellent job on the ground, you might consider sending me a note whenever you go out telling me what you have done, time spent, and travel hours.
While I appreciate what you have done, unless you report on time during the next reporting period, I will have to replace you. If you have any questions, you can reach me in the evenings at 201-555-1212.
Sincerely,
Your name
Position
New York New Jersey Trail Conference
Sample e-mail releasing a maintainer who has not sent in any reports in the past 2 years.
I have written two letters to you about failing to send in your trail reports. One was dated [date] and the other [date]. I have also talked with you on [date] and again on [date]. At each time, I mentioned that you had not been sending in trail maintenance reports. As of this date, I have not received reports from either period. Therefore, I have no choice but to remove you as the maintainer from the name [trail], effective immediately.
On behalf of the Trail Conference, I want to thank you for your service and if circumstances change, you can contact me about being a maintainer again.
If you have any questions, you can reach me in the evenings at 201-555-1212.
Your name, position
New York New Jersey Trail Conference
Sample letter - to be sent to a maintaining club who has not done the required work
As per our telephone conversation last night, I am reminding you that trail maintenance is going out on the trail at least twice a year and filling out reports. Going out once a year simply is not enough. I realize that in the past your club has scheduled a work trip every fall. You feel that your members take care of the summer growth. It is necessary to go out earlier in the hiking season to clean water bars and remove downed branches and trees.
I walk the trails in the area I supervise. Trails that have at least two maintenance trips per year are consistently in better shape. Unless you agree to do and then do a second maintenance trip per year, I will be have to remove you as the maintaining club.
Your name, position
New York New Jersey Trail Conference
cc: LTC Chair