Minutes of the Meeting Regional Trails Council, West Hudson region, September 16, 2015

Present: Andy Garrison, Jakob Franke, Thom Patton, Rick Loggia, Brian Bacher, Cliff Berchtold, Dave Webber, Rich Weiler, Chris Reyling, Marty Costello, Sandy Cascio, Michael Fuhrman, Ed Goodell, Richard Jobsky, Steve Zubarik, Patty Lee Parmalee, John Mack, Chris Connolly, Sona Mason

Ed Goodell presented the new structure of regional councils that will replace the Trails Council, including the history of how it came about. They stressed that the purpose is for more planning to begin at the grassroots, then to filter up ultimately to the Board in time for the budget process for the following year. Policy ideas will be referred to a Policy Council.

The current voting membership of the RTC's includes chairs and supervisors, and crew chiefs but not crew leaders, though they would appear to be on an equivalent level with supervisors. This issue was not resolved. (Crew chiefs are defined as people who advertise the work on the website and report their hours.)

The question arose how new trails will now be confirmed and adopted. It appears there is no current plan. Ed suggested it may not be necessary (as long as they get into the map and maintainer systems), since the Board has given members free rein to add trails.

Elections were on the agenda, for the RTC Chair and the RTC representative to the Policy Council.

No one was nominated for Chair. Postponed till next meeting.

John Mack nominated himself for Policy Council, was seconded, and unanimously elected.

When there is an RTC Chair, that person's duties will be to plan meeting agendas along with the program coordinator of that region, run the meetings, and appoint a secretary.

submitted by: Patty Lee Parmalee

Addendum: the next meeting RTC will be planned for early 2015, wherein candidates for the RTC chair will be nominated and elected, and the number of meetings and their content will be agreed upon. – Sona Mason.