ATCC February 10, 2010

NY-NJ Trail Conference Appalachian TrailManagement Committee

Minutes for the February 10, 2010meeting

Action items are underlined.

This was a conference call meetingattended by:

Walt Daniels, Karen Lutz, G. GailNeffinger, Ron Rosen, Gene Giordano, Jim Haggett, Ed Goodell, Larry Wheelock

The meeting began at 9:35 am

Review of the minutes of the last meeting, 10/14/2009

Sincesome did not have the minutes at hand to review it was agreed that changescould be sent by email subsequent to this meeting.

Status of documents: NY MOU,NJ MOU, Management PlanConsolidation

            NYMOU:

*Larry will send a copy of thecurrent draft to Walt to put on the Mgt. Committee web page

Karen suggested that if the MOU could be ready in time for theNational Trails Day event at Bear Mountainthat this would be a good opportunity to have a signing since some of thesignatories would be there. It's likely that Pam Underhill,Carol Ash, Jim Hall, and Ed Goodell would be there. Dave Startzell, and DEC notlikely, and Karen is a maybe. NY State DOT, Bridge and Tunnel Authority andState Police need to be invited

*Larry will prepare an invitation for Ed and Startzell to signgoing out to those not yet on the attendee list

*Larry and Ed will make sure Jen (principle event planner), is upto speed on this Signing event part of her plans.

            NJ MOU:

We are waiting for completion of the NY MOU to use as a templatefor the NJ one. We will start the contact list before then.

Local Management Plans:

. Walt has posted copies on the Committee page of the web. Therehas been no input to date.

MARPC Meeting (Boiling Springs 3/6/10) Items

Attendanceplans (who's going, and how?) [note Ron Rosen will be unavailable!]

Planning to attend: Walt Daniels, LeighDraper, Jim Haggett, and Possibly Gail Neffinger. Gene cannot attend. *Genewill contact Dan Hoberman to remind him of the invitation.

            LandManagement Program

Carlen Emanuel is working on a draft plan for land management.

RE: Prior conference call held with Carlen about land managementissues - report that monitor reporting to the ATC will be consolidated andstandardized. There will be one full time field staff person (in addition toCarlin) and possibly 3 seasonal to assist with the program.

Walt points out that;   

1. Plan needs to address the ATC owned lands as well as the NPS owned lands.
2. There needs to be more follow through on violations and points out a stone wall theft example.
3. Land swaps need more follow through

Karen explained that rangers have been swamped and areprioritizing issues. Ron asked that there be more feedback on the issues - weoften don't know where they stand in the prioritizing effort. Jim H. suggeststhat we should prioritize the issues in our area and Karen supported this ideaand suggested that we do a summary and ask for follow through.

            1 minute summaryfor each NY-NJ AT Committee

Only Gene has sent in his report. Gail will get his in and willinclude the Bear Mountain project from ChrisIngui.

* Bear Mountain Projectwill get separate treatment.

            Issue; MARPC clubinvolvement question - dealing with sanctions for not attending.

Walt had written up a detailed club rep job description some yearsago but got a lot of resistance from it.

*It was suggested that the club rep job description be reviewedagain.

Suggestions; conference calling - "nothing like face time" Need tosee presentations. Possibility of video conferencing, but cost may be aproblem. Look into costs. Gail suggested that there may be club reps who havelittle policy interest and no desire to attend. Larry suggested that changes tothe meeting function might be considered.

            Sustainable TrailDesign:

Karen reported that Jeff Marion wants a quality sustainable traildesign for the AT getting back to the foot path.

            RE: StewardshipCouncil and the issue of offset blazes:

Karen said the policy will not likely change, that the ATC maystate a preference but will leave local decision up to local clubs.

Mid-Atlantic Management-Related Items

Bear Mountain project status

Gail reported that on a walk through ofthe site found some water problems. He also expressed some concerns aboutgetting everything done by National Trails Day but the Eddie and Chris areconfident everything will be ready. The Zoo bypass trail will be ready in timefor NTD. To the question of what will be the status of the old route rehab workit was indicated that there will be sings installed redirecting people to thenew route and that people will be assigned to work on the rehab work. Most ofthe "social" trails should be closed in time for the opening.  

Swamp River boardwalk status, including Mid-Atlantic Crewinvolvement

5 crew dates have been penciled instarting in April. Working on supply acquisition and delivery. Trying tominimize the carry in distance. Bob Sickley to verify where to store materials.There is a neighbor who may be willing to help and it was agreed to approachhim. He has a history of helping the AT and could be a possible CommunityPartner.

Wallkill Bridge proposal status

Karen is working with NPS for fundingthe design phase (Trails to Parks funds). Once the type, size and location(TS&L) is determined the design work will be sent out for bids fromengineering firms. The final design will then kick in the NationalEnvironmental Policy Review (NEPA) process. The project will probably include aboardwalk. Time restraints on using grant monies will lead to a plan by thiscoming Fall. 2011 should see a final plan and NEPA compliances. Ed: can the oldGar Chew Lei study suffice for the NEPA review? Karen: no since it was notdesigned for the NEPA process. The study will have to be done again, besidesthe Gar Chew Lei is very old and likely out of date. ATC will let the contract.

Trailto Every Classroom: Vernonschools involvement

Gene: There is a need for more communication with local committeeson this program - committee wants to help. Karen; Brochures are ready and theywill be selecting teams in March. Question; can the program be expanded toother regions? Karen: the program can handle 50 teachers per year - 15 for theMid-Atlantic region. What are the restrictions to expanding? Karen: Moneyavailable is one but the size of the training classrooms is another. Theprogram is sparking a lot of interest but can be difficult to manage more than50 at this point.

ATLand-Management & Boundary Program update (incl. report on 2/2/10conference call--Ron & Jim)

(See notes under MARPC Meeting)

*Time to get annual reports in toCarlen and Karen The NYNJTC gets the volunteer hours for monitors workincluded in the Chairs reports to the office.

LL BeanGrants to Clubs (2 submitted) status and discussion

RE; Privy issue - Gene: What are wegoing to do? - NJDEP is ready to go with a non-ADA compliant mouldering privybut doesn't want their hands tied by federal regs on ADA compliancy. Karen sent images of asimplified compliant privy which could be used as a guideline and would like tosee this design considered. Gene: John Keator wants the simple non-compliantversion build since the materials are available. Karen: wants to see thecompliant version done but is not advocating walking away from High Pointgetting what it needs at this time. Karen points out that the compliancy is thelaw but it's not clear if the federal law would override the State regs. It'spointed out that all these mouldering privy designs are technically against NJState regs. Ed: is there a problem getting them built? Larry: not really. Gene:if we can find the funds he'll try real hard to get them built. Ed will lookinto helping raise the funds. It's pointed out that with the High Point one in the plans with Keator andthe Pochuck one in process there are four remaining ones to be funded andbuilt. If they average about $1000 each there would be a need for $4000.

*Larry will raise this with the WestJersey Trail Committee at a planned meeting on the 20^th for the WJCrew to consider>

*Karen agreed to send the referred toprivy images again (Received on the 11^th).

            Susquehanna- Roseland Power Line Projec

The only thing left between this line and approval is the AT. Whatis the ATC's stand? Karen; Pam and Michelle will be attending the upcoming Feb16,17,18 meetings in NJ and PA. We should look to Michelle for the ATCresponse. Gene asks how much impact will there be. Some points of concern arenoted; Protecting the Kittatinny Flyway, Access Road impacts among them.

*Larry will attend at least one of the meetings - most likeythe one at Lake Hopatcong

*Larry will find details on the Road impact and distribute

            Grants to Clubs

Karen: Susan Daniels is a little behind on the review process forsubmitted grants - should have something ready by the March 6 meeting. Ron:Grants we have submitted are: The Dutchess/Putnam AT guide brochure and aNeighbors Brochure to help with neighbor relations which will be a boilerplatefor similar brochures for the other mgt areas. Walt will be sure to have themon the web.

 

Funding issues:

5-yearplan submissions

Jim H has submitted to the Plan. Gail isconcerned about the Little Dam Lake bridge. He has sent out requests forvarious crew chiefs to assess but has had no response from them.

*Ed; we need to have a grant requestform in for this.

*Gail will get a scouting partyplanned to visit the site - to include possibly, Bob Sickley, Larry Wheelock,Karen Lutz, Eddie Walsh etc. This needs to be done before grant request canbe completed

*Karen; planning needs to begin forthe redecking of the Pochuck Boardwalk and replacement of the suspension bridge.The bridge has 10 years left on it's estimated life span.

            Other considerations:

DP Committee - McGella farm buildings?

OR Committee - Furneau property - indications are that this is onthe NPS schedule for 2010.

ATC is no longer allowed to contract for building removals.

Current problems, projects, & issues

Monitoringreport forms -- suggestions to ATC for unified forms

(See notes in MARPC Meeting item) Karen:The ATC is looking to integrate the forms and on-line reporting.

Any oher items

Larry reported that Doug Senterman,(Lean-to Supervisor for the Catskills), is going to be running a workshop onshelter caretaking. It was suggested that Doug might be approached to considerdoing a manual for this kind of volunteer work.

*Larry will approach Doug with thisquestion.

Next Meeting

The next MARPC meeting is scheduled forOctober 23

The next NY-NJ TC AT Mgt meeting will beheld September 29 at 9:30 am at the TC office.