Minutes

Adirondack Mountain Club Laurentian Chapter
Executive Committee Meeting January 28, 2010
Minutes

The Chapter meeting was held Thursday, January 28, at 7 PM, in the Barben Room B, Cheel Campus Center, Clarkson University

Attendance: J. Barron, D. Trithart, T. Ortemeyer, J. Omohundro, B. Madore, G. Ames, H. Easter, M. Hebert (recorder)

Meeting convened at 7:15pm

There was a brief birthday celebration in honor Hollis Easter.

Agenda:
Approval of agenda and minutes of the November 2009 meetings
Appointments to publicity and archivist
Budget development
Officer reports
Other agenda items

Approval of agenda and minutes of the November 2009 meetings

H. Easter moved to accept agenda, motion was approved unanimously
G. Ames move to accept the November 8, 2009 Minutes of Annual Meeting. The motion was approved unanimously
D. Trithart moved to accept minutes from the Nov. 19, 2009 Executive Board Meeting. The motion was approved unanimously.

Appointments to publicity and archivist

T. Ortemeyer was appointed to the position of Publicist
C. Kaczka was appointed to the position of Archivist
The appointments were approved unanimously.

Budget development
All requests made by Chapter officers have been incorporated. New items include flyers for outdoor shows (e.g. wellness events); business cards to hand out on outings (proposed and approved last year but not expended); and, cooperation with DEC to develop and publicize trails and wilderness access points

Budget 2010 View Budget (pdf)

In response to a question about Lampson Falls, J. Barron pointed out $500 has been allocated for a cooperative wilderness access project with DEC.
$75 was approved for H. Easter to purchase business cards for outings.
J. Barron reported that he was working on getting a speaker from the Northern Forest Canoe Trial in Vermont for the Spring potluck. The speaker would not charge a fee, but the organization was looking for small donation. J. Barron suggests we pay for travel and an honorarium. B. Madore offered his spare bedroom for overnights. H. Easter suggested we ask Racquette River Blue Route members to speak as well. It was agreed to raise the potluck line item from $150 to $300.
J. Barron asked for a motion to accept the budget. J. Omohundro queried why the merchandise line item was reduced. J. Barron explained the Purchases for Resale line was reduced to $185 from last year as merchandise not needed for 2010. D. Trithart moved to approve the budget. The motion was approved unanimously.
The final budget as approved at the meeting is attached. View Budget (pdf)

Officer reports

Treasurer – E. Menz

Barron reported on behalf of Ellie Menz that overall we had a very good budget year last fiscal year.
There was brief discussion and explanation of the budget line items for cost of goods sold, product sales and inventory of goods.
In response to a query regarding moving funds into a higher interest account, J. Barron reported that E. Menz put $3000 into a SeaComm Federal Credit Union CD.

Vice-Chair Conservation – Peter O'Shea

J. Barron and J. Omohundro reported on behalf of P. O'Shea.
The DEC has asked the Chapter to assist with access at Lampson Falls. J. Omohundro related progress on making access to conservation easements. Some easements are complicated because of the need to gate off access to private properties. Other easements are not so difficult. We do not need to purchase signs. DEC will provide parking lots and boat launches. The Chapter can assist with other work such as labor, carrying stuff, etc. There are about 8 projects in the pipeline. Lampson Falls is scheduled for Spring, as it will be easy and inexpensive. There are four other short term project being planned:
- Racquette river near Seavey corners
- Another Racquette easement further south above Moodys Falls via a dirt road off 56. A trial needs to be made from the parking spot ~400 feet. DEC will put signs for both spots.
- Piercefield Flow, needs a sign and a new lean-to at the access
- Improving Copper Rocks Falls
The $500 allocated in the 2010 budget are designated for the projects outlined above.
DEC encourages chapter member to use the new easements. It was noted that the easements would make good Chapter outings.
J. Omohundro has compiled a list that includes other longer term projects, that he will share with Executive Committee.

Vice-Chair, Education - B. Madore

First Outdoor/Indoor was held on January 17, 2010. T. Ortemeyer was the speaker. There were about 25 attendees. Two more Outdoors/In programs are scheduled for February and March.
B. Madore reported on developments with the Lake Colby camperships. He received four applications/essays from area students. Typically the Chapter sends only two students. Madore reported he has a personal conflict with one of the applicants who is a family friend. He decided to select two other students based on their essays. Unfortunately a teacher of the third student was very upset his/her student’s application was rejected, and he/she contact Rose Rivezzi. R. Rivezzi has offered to pay for the student personally. Blair expressed concerns for the 4th student who did not receive an award. After brief discussion it was decided to accept Rivezzi’s offer, and not send the 4th student.
Madore reported on the upcoming Morristown Wellness Fair. J. Barron is planning to attend the March 5th event.
Madore reported on the volunteer high school trails program. The Chapter usually sponsors 2 high school students at $250 each.
B. Madore suggested a canoe over canoe rescue educational event in a local pool before the canoeing season begins. H, Easter suggested Clarkson pool may be a good venue, as they have had similar events. Consensus was there is interest in the Chapter for such an event.

Vice Chair, Outings - H. Easter

Easter expressed his gratitude for outing volunteers so far.
He reported he getting calls from St. Lawrence and Canada, Watertown and Jefferson County. Outings are proving to be interesting to folk outside the area.
H. Ellis would like to schedule more trips involving Visitor Interpretive Centers as the Governor has plans to close some of the VICs. The Executive Committee enthusiastically endorsed his suggestion.
There was brief discussion on the timing for requests for volunteer leaders. Consensus was to send out requests sooner rather than later. Outings need to meet newsletter deadlines.
J. Omohundro suggested Chapter leaders should have up to date ADK membership forms with Laurentian chapter marked, ready to hand out to new outing participants. H. Easter suggested waterproof leadership kits include business cards, newsletter, liability forms and membership forms. H. Ellis suggested back issues of Northwind be made available on the website.

Vice-Chair, Membership - G. Ames

Ames reported that currently we have 471 members.

North Wind -J. Omohundro

Newletter deadline is March 10th.

Publicity - T. Ortemeyer

Ortemeyer requested that Chapter members send him photographs for publicity purposes.
H. Easter suggested it would be desirable to make outings schedules available sooner. He is planning to send an email newsletter promoting outing events.
The Chapter has an invite to send a representative to a Wellness Event in Morrisville and other locales. J. Omohundro passed around an old copy of similar flier. D. Trithart suggested that such fliers could be customized for local hike for event locations. J. Omohundro suggested the Chapter develop a template of a publicity flier that could be customized. H. Easter suggested bring hiking gear, etc. to events. It was suggested a laptop with outing photos or even binder might be a good way to publicize outings. J. Barron noted that $50 was allocated for publicity fliers.

Director - D. Trithart

The Adirondack Mountain Club is looking for a site to host ADK the Fall/Winter annual meeting. It may be something the Chapter wants to keep in mind.
Trithart reported on communications he has had with John Gilowicz from the Niagara Chapter regarding a pilot program for Chapters to serve as mentors to local university students. The Niagara Chapter is creating a student manual for local educational affiliates. The University would actually pay for student memberships and the ADK would discount the memberships. Trithart queried the Executive Committee if this was something we wanted to do? Trithart stated he would send an outline to the Executive Committee. It was decided that discussions would continue at the next Executive Committee meeting.

Other

J. Barron- circulated a thank you letter he received from Neil Woodworth ADK.
At the New Years Day potluck, extra Northwind issues were distributed to Executive Board members.
The Chapter Bylaws need to be reviewed every five years. Barron solicited 2-3 volunteers to constitute a Bylaws Committee. B. Madore and H. Easter volunteered.

G. Ames made a motion to adjourn. The motion was approved unanimously.

ATTACHMENT:
Meeting Notes - DEC_ADK Easement - January 14, 2010

Improving and Publicizing Recreational Opportunities on Easements in
St. Lawrence Co.

A Discussion Between NYSDEC and ADK-Laurentian Chapter

January 14, 2010 at DEC Potsdam Substation REVISED JAN 22

Attending: Pat Whalen, John Wood, Peter D'Luhosch, all of DEC, and John Barron, Peter O'Shea, Tom Ortmeyer, John Omohundro (scribe) of ADK Laurentian.

What can we do in partnership with modest investment to develop and publicize trails and river access? Some recreational attractions within easements will be expensive to provide access and at same time protect property owners. E.g. Little Blue Mountain, which needs thousands of dollars in road gates to control access. DEC is still dedicated to furnishing that access when funds are available.

It's frustrating to have purchased these easements but not to offer them for the uses intended, so here's our first steps. DEC treats the easements as open to public use, but financial constraints have prevented development to facilitate public access.

The Laurentian Chapter is considered to be within ADK’s Adopt-A- Natural-Resource agreement and so individual volunteers will be covered under projects supervised by DEC.

In general, DEC erects signs and builds kiosks, gates, parking lots, launches, and campsites, and repairs roads, while ADK Laurentian provides some funds for materials to build trails and provides
volunteer labor. Other parties (SUNY Potsdam?) may create interpretive posters for kiosks. RRAC may help with Raquette projects. Raquette projects should keep the Raquette Blue Way group informed. There is also a St. Regis River advisory committee with funds.

Short term:

A. Lampson Falls trail bridges repair in spring 2010 as an expansion of annual cleanup day. (Recruit SLU to join us? Hollis can help here). Chapter is asked to provide workers and cedar planks; DEC will
supervise, and transport materials as far as falls. John B will talk to Cliff Daly about his interest in leading this effort as a part of or extension of his Lampson Falls clean up day.

B. River access above Moody Falls, Raquette River, on Sevey's Easement. There is now something of a road to within 400 feet of river. DEC will spruce up road, build a parking lot, and raise a sign
at highway. Laurentian Chapter will develop the carry trail down to river. RRAC (Brookfield) money can be spent here. DEC will develop estimate of material cost for this effort, then John Omohundro will put a proposal before RRAC and perhaps others (Jamieson Fund?) to seek the funds.

C. River access below Moody Falls on Forest Preserve. DEC will raise a sign; ADK will improve the trail. No parking planned. Also RRAC fundable.

D. Piercefield Flow leanto on Lyme easement. Already built at east end of flow, and DEC sign at Piercefield to be completed shortly. Excellent for day use. Just needs Laurentian Chapter publicity. Also RRAC fundable.

E. Copper Rock Falls trail in Tooley Pond tract needs upgrading. Also, is it marked with a sign?
Medium term:

F. Biking and walking the roads from Dean Road, the main access to the Grass River Easement, and along Middle branch of Grass River. There is a parking lot where the gravel section of the Dean Road meets the Old Stone Dam Road. Exploring the gravel roads is potentially a good cycling trip. No river shore trails are in the easement agreement. The easement does call for a trail along the border with the Long Pond Easement to connect with the adjacent Church Pond Tract – this will, eventually, be developed). River usable mainly by experienced whitewater paddlers.

F. River access to North branch of Grass River off White Road (a town road) in Grass River Easement at Cranberry Pond parcel of Forest Preserve. Put a parking lot and a camp site there. Development of
state land must await approval of UMP. River and tributaries are stillwater and extensive.

G. Weller Mountain Rd. off Joe Indian Road. Now has a kiosk. What is possible here, and what work needs to be done in the short term? Laurentian Chapter should investigate publicizing, scheduling trips in this area.

H. "Regional" kiosks promoting several nearby sites, constructed at Sunday Rock (ask Town of Colton approval) and Lampson Falls. Will feature map and descriptions of interesting destinations accessible
off Rt. 56 and Rt. 27. Environmental Studies students at SUNY Potsdam will assist in kiosk content, and DEC provides standard kiosks. John O and Pat Whalen will discuss further.

Longer term:

I. Ski corridor on old Sykes railroad bed from Rt. 3 where it crosses South branch of Grass, west to Silver Lake. First phase would be to promote corridors on both sides to river crossing; second phase would be to seek APA approval for a footbridge over Grass to connect the two halves. (PS: St Law Co. snowmobile map shows two snowmobile crossings in that vicinity -?!) Peter D'Luhosch will investigate access to the rail bed from the Silver Lake end.

Easement Status updates:

Stillwater sections of Grass River Easement- Progress has been made. DEC installed five gates last year. Signage is extensive. A kiosk exists on the Dean Road.

The North Branch of the Grasse in the Grass River Easement is now almost as facilitated as the Middle Branch, with signage identifying the easement. There are no plans for lean-tos, but parking will be provided as soon as gating issues are resolved. Both middle and north branches will have campsites- total of twelve.

Potential Outing Destinations:

In the Long Pond Easement, about two miles into the Long Pond Road, one crosses a creek over a very large culvert. From that point herd paths used by fishermen head northwest along the stream and provide potential for exploration.