FWT Board Meeting Minutes

November 11, 2024 6:00 pm

Author:

Sarah White

Attendees

Denise Bilsback, John Bottcher, Patrick Fulkerson, Ron Happ, Hal Harris, Chris Peterson, Norma Platt, Linda Siple, Anna Taylor, Ben Wisniewski, Sarah White; and many guests

Adimistrative Reports

Approval of October minutes and November agenda: Both approved by voice vote
Treasurer’s Report – Chris Peterson, Treasurer:
- ~$35k on hand, including investment account
- 2024 planned deficit spending continuing
- 2025 budge planning underway
Membership Report – Denise Bilsback, Membership Director:
- 262 members, up from 245 last year
- 2024 donations to date: $9165
- YTD volunteer hours nearly 2000
- Enhanced membership experience: updated brochure, relaunched Passport, updated email service, website update, use of trail workday signs, and consistent Facebook posts

Trail Planning and Maintenance

Trail Steward Reports

10 Workday events
9+ Scout projects
25+ Steward projects
Hundreds of hours on trail building and maintenance
2025 Plans
- Hojack Trail: New gates at road crossings
- State Road Preserve: Build new trail, and install bridges, benches and kiosk
- Four Mile Creek Preserve: Install overlook platform and benches on creek, assess infrastructure repair needs
- John Ungar and Michael A Johnson: Build new trail, install new trail markers
- Herman Road Forever Wild Forest: Add new trails, build infrastructure to improve trails, update website map
- Finn Park: Assess bridge repair needs, add drainage/gravel, build new trails in Finn Park West
- Midnight Trail Connector: Add drainage/gravel/infrastructure
- Hickory Bark Trail: Improve wheelchair accessibility for ADA compliance
- Vosburg Hollow: Replace main bridge
- Chiyoda: Add gravel/drainage

Meeting Notes

Habitat Committee and ReTree – Norma Platt and Sarah White, Committee Chairs
- Large-scale clearing of invasives in winter
- Spring workday: 200+ seeds/seedlings potted; 18 trees planted in WRNP
- Spring RGE workday: 50+ trees planted in HRFWF
- Fall workday: 120 trees/shrubs planted in HRFWF
- Fall RGE workday: 15 trees donated and planted in Finn Park
- Habitat Committee
  - Clearing of invasive species
  - Census of ReTree plantings: >60 percent survival
Trail Counting – John Boettcher and Richard Murray:
- Updated counts in August validated initial counts from last fall
- Counts on individual trails within a preserve show areas of highest usage
- Observational trail counts at Whiting Road
  - 30 percent dog walkers
  - 50 percent hikers
  - 20 percent bikers
- 2025 plans include counting State Road Preserve and Herman Road Forever Wild Forest
President’s Report and Volunteer Recognition – Anna Taylor, President:
1. Report against 5-year plan goals noted broad progress
2. Nomination of Ben Wisniewski to Board as At-Large member: approved by voice vote
3. Welcome to new trail stewards: Matt Machi (WRNP Red trail), Paul Piotrowski (FMCP), Terry Freehan (Midnight Connector)
4. Special recognition to John Boettcher, Dennis Kuhn, Rich Morelle, and Larry Yost for long-standing service!
5. 2025 plans
  1. Kiosk standardization project
  2. Resolve ATV issues
  3. Ribbon-cutting at State Road Preserve and Herman Road Forever Wild Forest
  4. Recruitment for open board positions
6. Thanks to all!