EH-RTC December 11, 2017

Jane Daniels called the meeting to order at 6:15pm.

Minutes of the October 2, 2017 meeting were approved

Announcements

• Jane introduced Kendra Baumer, who recently joined NYNJTC as volunteer engagement manager.
• Mary Dodds, who is submitting an article to the Trail Walker, circulated a form to all present requesting they list all the different “hats” they wear as volunteers, winner with the most number of many different jobs to win a “hat” made for the occasion by Jane Daniels.   Fred Stern won with the most number of management responsibilities and trail duties and placed his prize appropriately.
• Signup sheets for EagleFest, Clearwater and Spring workshops were circulated.
• Ron Rosen, co-chair of the next ATC conference in 2020 asked for members to indicate their interest in working on planning for the event by going to ATVista2020.org. and in many areas: hikes, accommodation planning, workshops, events, exhibits, etc.  NYNJTC is partnering with ATC for the proposed 4-day event at Ramapo College, probably in Early August.

Reports form Headquarters:

• Policy Council: Fred Stern said work is ongoing and the next meeting is on this Tuesday.  Bob Gurian will join the group in January replacing Fred Stern as our representative.
• Publications: East Hudson maps are about to be published. Westchester Map set is being worked on.

Reports from the region:

• John Magerlein said the Policy Council completed work on the Trail Use Policy 
• Connie Stern will step aside from being hospitality chairman.  Martha Rabson will assume the responsibility.  Marilyn Blaho will continue to be secretary.  Connie will be the new supervisor of Southern Westchester.
• Gary Haugland discussed the interplay of the Empire State Trail and Trail Conference trails, some with multiple use, such as hiking as well as mountain bike trails. Completion is due in 2020. 
• New Areas:
• Irvington Community group asked the Trail Conference to help with invasives and deer management. There will be a trail maintenance101 there this spring.
• Fort Hill Park in Peekskill.  Mary Dodds reported that existing trails have been updated and new trails established in newly acquired property.  Peekskill has requested a very large grant to cover the cost of development of future trail maintenance, parking, staff and grounds maintenance.
• Conservation Corp: Geoff Hamilton reported they had 62 volunteers who worked 324 hours in 2017.
• Geoff Connor reported reroute of section of the Rocks Trail in Ward Pound Ridge Reservation because of erosion in steep areas.  The reroute passes 6 rock formations of interest and includes a new 12’ bridge over a wet area. Also a reroute which includes the Covered Bridge trail passes thrugh an historic mill site in a 1.4 mile loop.
• Additional property has been added to Turkey Mountain in Yorktown. It will provide more trails.
• Scenic Hudson has turned over Hudson Highlands Gateway to the Town of Cortlandt. The Annsville Creek Trail (red) has been rerouted and a new overlook trail will be built in the Spring.
• Gary Haugland announced a new segment of the Highlands Trail is now open.  The East Hudson Trail Crew and the Conservation Crew completed it in time for the new publication map.  Pending approval of contingent land owners, the new Fahnestock Highlands Trail will include mountain biking trails co-aligned with the Highlands Trail. Sam Lee showed an area which can be developed into a mountain bike area.  Access will be available when a prospective overpass is built in 2018.  Sam Lee said his employer Janssen Pharmaceuticals had an employee volunteer day there to work on the trail. 
• Youth Projects         
• Jane Daniels met with a student interested in geology to study a giant boulder in Granite Knolls.
• Rose Bonanno conducts an internship program for seniors at John Jay High School, Lewisboro which exposes students to trail work and trail management at several parks. 
• An Eagle Scout cleared a Revolutionary War smallpox inoculation site on the AT cleared includes a stone chamber and may become an historic site.
• Jane described the recent work in FDR State Park including a 40’ boardwalk over a wet seasonal area.

Fjord Trail and Breakneck Ridge Trail

Jane introduced Amy Kacala,  senior community planner for Scenic Hudson who gave a presentation of the proposed Fjord Trail reaching from Cold Spring to Beacon. Designed to solve comprehensive corridor management of traffic, both road and hikers for safety in view of the yearly increase of car and people traffic at Breakneck. Plans include a pedestrian path and a bike path along the river, inproved parking, improved Metro North access, reduced speed limit on 9D and trailhead signage improvement. The bids for construction came in too high and the project is undergoing a redesign. Contruction is not going to start until spring. Ron Rosen suggested shuttle bus from train station in Cold Spring and Amy said it is under consideration. Contrary to earlier leaked story, Breakneck is not being closed until construction begins in the Spring. Other means of accessing Breakneck by trail are possible when its main trail is closed.The Fjord Trail master plan is available in draft form.

Round Robin

As offices for next year were announced, and that Jane Daniels was reappointed for the coming year, by Hank Osborn, Ron Rosen questioned why there is not an election process.  MK Moore and John Magerlein said it was a matter for the trail conference Board of Directors to change. Therefore, Ron Rosen proposed: We will recommend to the Board of Directors that Regional Trail chairs be elected by the region’s eligible voting members. Geoff Connor seconded the motion. John Magerlein, Walt Daniels abstained, Jane Daniels cannot vote on the matter. One no vote, GaryHaugland, 9 yes votes.

Further items of discussion:

• MK Moore said that many of his ‘millennial’ maintainers do not want to ‘pay’ to submit their trail work report, and so they send him the information. There was discussion but no answer.  We will continue to discuss at our next meeting.
• Other discussion surrounding property owners’ hostility to hikers so close to their homes.  This ongoing problem affects many of our parks and requires managers to have to deal with angry neighbors’ calls and some even block trails so that hikers can’t find them.
• Discussion about topic for next meeting since having Amy Kacala visit apparently drew a larger attendance than usual resulted in suggestion that as well as supervisors, their maintainers will continue to be invited to attend.  Our next meeting will be February 12, 2018.  Hank, Kendra and MK will meet to develop topics for discussion based on issues arising in this meeting.
• Mary Dodds suggested as a topic for the April 9 meeting education of hikers regarding invasives.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:45pm. Walt Daniels so moved, Gary Haugland seconded.