EH-RTC December 12, 2016

Goals for the meeting

• Elect officers for 2017 - Chair and Policy Council Representative
• Voice unofficial opinions about safety practices
• Sign up for giving workshops and tabling events
• Attend workshop on new website

There were no additions to the agenda; minutes were approved by Gary Haugland, seconded by Ron Rosen approved. aye Jane Daniels announced she was willing to be chair a second year. Approved by acclamation.  Fred Stern agreed to be EH-RTC representative to the Policy Council, approved by acclimation. Marilyn Blaho will replace Rose Bonanno as secretary, Connie Stern will remain as the refreshment chair. The latter two positions are appointed

6:25 Reports from Headquarters

• Policy Council - John Maegerlein reported that the Pollicy Council will be meeting the next day
• Risk Management  (Safety Practices) Chris Reyling on behalf of the Risk Management Sub Committee indicated that they are soliciting comments about the policy, which is to decrease risk to as low as reasonably possible. The plan was to have safe but not burdensome guidelines. Chris reviewed the purpose of the policy and stated that the committee consulted many organizations. Please send [email protected]
• Breakneck Ridge - Hank Osborn  While the stewards are on duty, the number of rescue calls have been reduced to almost 0.  Statistics - They are only counting hikers on the white trail for 57 days which are on weekends. The stewards talked to 47,010 hikers in those weekend days. Train stops have gone from 2-3-6, 2014-2015 to 6 in 2016. If people are not prepared for Breakneck (poor choice of clothing or footware, fitness, little children) are redirected folks to other trails 
• Publications - Jane Daniels. The Westchester maps were not included in the 2017 budget even though the project has a project manager and received a 5K grant.

Reports from the Region

• Sign up sheets for workshops and tabling events - Jane Daniels passed around sign up sheets for workshops (what ones do we want to give) and tabling events. Rose Bonanno will hmandle Eagle Fest on February 11, 2017 and Jane Daniels and Hank Osborn will handle Clearwater Revival on June 18 and 19th 
• Queens Trails Council - Bob Ward - partners are very excited about generating maps and maintaining trails.
• Working with Youth - Rose Bonanno A program at John Jay High School has already started. She and Fred Stern have given a TM 101 course and doing trail work with the ecology class. She is starting a new program with Sleepy Hollow High School in Tarrytown.

Workshop - Learn more about and try out the new website; 

Walt Daniels gave an overview ot the new website and the people with laptops and smart phones went on line to practice filling out a trail report. Numerous problems cropped up - can enter a future date, on smart phone, can only enter one letter when searching for a name, region and sub region are not terms people recognize, the importance of entering a roster from a crew trip. These and other problems are to be reported to the Tech Committee tomorrow to fix.

Respectively submitted, Rose Bonnano