ATCC October 14, 2009

Review of the minutes of the last meeting, 2/4/09

To be added to the minutes "Todd Remaley agreed to provide a plan for ATV mitigation." "(note; Plan remains forthcoming - 10/14/09)".  

Ed reported that the plan was not done. Todd and Sally went to Unionville and did some on site investigation, but no plan was forthcoming. Gene commented that the Unionville ATV trails are being constructed.

 

Status of documents: NY MOU, NJ MOU, Management Plan Consolidation

ATMC Management Plan document, Re: selection of representatives to the MARPC, Ed suggested that Trails Council Chair should make the appointments with Board ratification. This was agreed to.

Using version 3B Ed will make the change, and send to Karen only, for distribution.  There was a request to add the contact list.

 (Ed completed this during the meeting but did not include the contact list).

RE: NY MOU: Follow up: Have Gaylord redraft with new changes submitted to date by partners and send to the NYNJTC group for review. Once approved, send to ATC/NPS

RE: NJ MOU: Request Gaylord do a boiler plate update (make sure Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge is included). Have Gaylord ind contacts for partners and send first draft out. Larry will continue to coordinate with Gaylord.

Local Management Planning Guide: complete version was completed and distributed. Send location on ATC web site to Comm.

Consolidated NY LMP: details discussed on how best to proceed. Ron, Jim, Walt and Gail will form a first draft committee. To begin, Walt will set up web space for the committee to share their work. The most recent LMP for D/P will be used as a base.

NJ MOU: Gene reported that work has begun.

3. MARPC Meeting Items

Regarding Proposals:

Incident Management proposal: re emergencies Issue, Reporting procedure to include a request that emergency responder make an immediate call to federal emergency number. Gail points out that it covers all emergencies and asks the local dispatchers to call the federal number. Gene indicated that he feels it shouldn't be up to volunteers to get that number into the hands of local emergency services. Gene said that the emergency dispatcher should know these procedures from the ATC/NPS not from the local management committee. Gail said it should be up to local mgt. comm. LMPG requests that LMP include these instructions. Larry indicated this information can be added to our emergency contact brochure. Gail pointed out that it is good for local volunteer mgt to have the contact information for local law enforcement. The question was raised; how does this information get into the right hands? One suggestion is to have Todd get up here to do some local training for local law enforcement agencies.

Capital planning documents: Fall 2009 inventory of projects

The topic was reviewed but there were no substantive questions raised at this point.

1-minute summary for each NY-NJ AT Committee to be presented at the Nov MARPC meeting.  Reports are due to Ron. And should Include a component on the BM Project

Attendance plans (who's going, and how?)  Walt and Ron.

LL Bean Grant Application plans:

Grant due January 15th. An application must be submitted to the Trail Conference prior to submission to ATC.

Details and application form at: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.mqLTIYOwGlF/b.4805637/k.7B42/LL_Bean_Grants_to_AT_Clubs.htm

Jim suggests a priority plan for a brochure for $2000. Since LLBean grants requires a match, the design work can be used for this.  Walt suggests that this brochure should be part of the TC's brochure planning. Ed indicated that budget should allow for cartographer and Georgette for layout time. Then we could have it done in a PDF format for download which can be copied at will by agencies and/or volunteers. He also indicated that with a grant we could print in color. (Note added 10/15/09: This brochure plan could be considered for the other two committees as well as separate grants).

Ed also indicated that he thinks Eddie wants a grant in for the accessible trail.  

Volunteer Recognition - A Hoeferlin award was presented to Jim Haggett.  

Current project support (esp. Mid-Atlantic Crew activities)

ATC Volunteer web: Jim has not investigated it completely. Gene expressed some interest in seeing how useful it might be and it was suggested that he look into it. Walt indicated that we have been using the volunteer  recruitment part of the site. Catherine has recieved three or four referrals but no confirmation has come from them. Jim had found it would require to many changes from his existing system.

Mid-Atlantic Crew:

ATC Mid-Atlantic crew is in the area now on Bear Mountain and will be starting the Swamp River Boardwalk next. Gene had requested the crew for the Yards Creek reroute but time not set yet.

Funding issues

Gail inquired if there is a way to get the kiosk at Elk Pen restored?  Larry suggested that he should ask Tim Sullivan if our volunteers can work on it if the Park will provide the materials.

Other Items

Warwick trail connection to AT. Some details were presented, The status is that the Town will have to show some willingness to control the ATV problems before ATC will be willing to discuss the trail. Ed has made this clear to the Town planners.

Small "pregnant" AT crossing signs on PIP have shown up. Gail wondered who made them and who put them up.

Committee Web Pages: Walt will get back to that in a week or so and asks for any suggestions on what would be on the pages. External public page already exists. The new one will be internal for the maintainers. The LMP one will be higher at a Management level.

Next Meeting: MARPC will be at Boiling Springs on March 6 (although this may be changed) - Ron cannot attend on the 6^th. The NYNJTC ATMC meeting will be February 10th. 9:30 am (Snow date: February 17th)