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Chair’s Report
July, 2009
Chair: Tom Ortmeyer
At the chapter’s May executive committee meeting, we discussed the club’s Jamieson fund. The fund was established in the1980’s, when the Laurentian chapter led in its creation and funding. The purpose of the Jamieson fund is to provide improved access for paddling and hiking in the forest preserve. The fund has been considered to be for the purchase of land or easements for this purpose, but the level of funds available (around $40,000) is not sufficient for a major purchase. On the other hand, it might be possible that the funds could be used to improve access in other ways. Other possible uses for the fund might include the purchase of materials for construction of canoe launches and carries, or for advocacy for the purpose of improving access. While any final decisions will be made by the club, the chapter's opinion will carry some weight in this decision.
At the meeting, there was some support for each of these strategies (or a combination of the three). We ask for your advice on this issue. Please write to me at tortmeye@gmail.com.
We did reach a consensus that the chapter should be more active in using and publicizing the new opportunities that are available in the acquisitions and easements that the state has acquired in our area. We can do this in a number of ways: first, we can get out and learn about these areas, then schedule trips in the areas now open. We can work to develop maps of these areas and make these available. For those areas such as the Raquette Boreal where the UMP has been completed, we can work to get the plans implemented. For those areas where the UMP is under development, we can provide comments on recreational opportunities that should be included in the plan, even before the draft UMP is published. Again, please send your thoughts on this issue to me. In particular, we are interested in hearing your thoughts on specific objectives that should be promoted in these various areas.