Friends of Webster Trails Board Minutes
Monday, April 12, 2010
Webster Public Library
Present: Hal Harris, Rich Morrill, Dennis Kuhn, Norma Platt, Jeff Darling, Larry Yost, Sharon Galbraith, Craig Pratt, Rick Taddeo, Karen Mischler, Bob Guenther, Ted Ellstrom, Don Baird, Alisa Kokx, Logan Kokx
The March minutes were approved as submitted.
Treasurer’s Report: Craig Pratt reported the balances in the following accounts:
Checking: 3017-
Savings: 1511-
Petty Cash: 266-
Total: 4793-
Not for Profit (501c3)
Rich reported that Dave Mayer has not yet received the certificate of incorporation. Otherwise, everything else is ready to be sent in.
Membership Report: Dennis reported that there are 136 memberships.
Don Baird will put the time and place of our board meetings on line since those places may change.
Dennis will amend the welcome letter and direct people to the website for time/place of board meetings.
Regarding upcoming board meetings:
Rich will speak with the library about continuing to meet here.
Craig will speak to the Community Ctr. about meetings there.
Rich and Craig will coordinate.
Communications Report: There was no specific report from Rich other than reminding board members to take photos so that they can be used in the newsletter.
Sunday Hikes Report: There were 5 participants for the March hike.
April hike – Don will lead. Webster Park hike. Park at Whiting Rd.
May hike- Bird Sanctuary Trail – Karen and Sharon to lead. Park at North Ponds Parking lot on Orchard Street.
June – Carolyn Brown to lead
July – Big Woods
Habitat Committee: Norma Platt reported that there is a Bluebird eggs in one of the nest boxes in the Big Field (with 5 eggs.)
The Committee has renewed permission (with the town, etc.) to carry on work of habitat preservation.
Jenna Bilsback will work at Vosburg for the 65 hours required for her Girl Scout project. Frank DeLuca and Rick Williams will help. Jenna will extend the existing boardwalk and reroute a section of trail through a soft place. Jenna will now write a proposal for the girl Scouts on her intended project and then Webster needs to approve the project before she starts.
Friends of Webster Trails will provide the money for the materials for the board for Jenna’s project. Jenna is also willing to make a bench if her project, set forth above, comes to less than 65 hours. (There is a bench in the Big Woods that would be a good one to copy.)
Jeff will follow up with Brian M. (referred by Mike Buckley) regarding the 14-foot bridge in Webster Park.
UCC Youth Mission Project (July 19- July 23)
There will be about 40 kids Jr. H.S. and H.S. age. FWT will have this group Tuesday and Thursday from 8 – 11 AM (July 20 and 22)
A trail needs to be scoped out from Rt. 250 to the town property (formerly Xerox property.)
FWT needs to do something will these volunteers but it needs to be well defined.
Community Arts Day Booth
It was a busy day and a busy booth. Lots of FWT board members participated and it was well received.
One of the suggestions from Community Arts Day was to send emails to members about the hikes and events.
Jeff will speak with Carmin Gumina about the Comprehensive Plan issue (and a trail to the bridge that crosses the bay at the outlet to the Lake.) Jeff to discuss a corridor by the road where people could walk so that they are not right on the road shoulder or in the road.
Trails Committee:
There is a meeting with Mark Y. on 4/20 to look at the schedule for workdays and where FWT is with the Hojack extension. Is town willing to move fill for the connection between the Bird Sanctuary Trail and Chiyoda Drive?
The volunteer recognition project is well under way with the purchase of the first 100 shirts.
Norma will take care of tracking volunteer hours on a spreadsheet.
Day of Caring Workday – Xerox and Wegmans employees want to do trail work for the Day of Caring, May 13. There would be 18 from Xerox and 10 from Wegmans, for about 6 hours of work. Ideas of projects are invasive species work, garbage pick up, BS trail, Chiyoda. It was decided that Gosnell Autumn Olive may be a good project or perhaps the Bird Sanctuary Trail if the town can deliver fill/gravel. The idea came up about the John Unger Nature Trail possible re-route, but the trail would need to be laid out first.
Jeff will them to show up at Gosnell.
Annual Meeting – Our May board meeting will be the Annual Meeting and it will be an Open House. There should be information around about goals, new trail areas, copies of the handouts (Dennis), trail techniques (Jeff), habitat preservation (Norma), responsible mountain biking, Safe Walk in the Woods.
Next meeting, Annual Meeting, May 10 from 7:00 – 8:45 at the Webster Public Library Meeting Rm.