Friends of Webster Trails Board Minutes
Monday, July 12, 2010
Webster Community Center
Present: Hal Harris (presiding), Norma Platt, Jeff Darling, Larry Yost, Craig Pratt, Rich Morrill, Alisa Kokx, Sharon Galbraith, Nathan Yost
The June minutes were approved as submitted.
Treasurer’s Report: Craig Pratt reported the balances in the following accounts:
7/12/10
Checking: 2671-
Savings: 3256-
Petty Cash: 60-
Total: 5987-
Significant expenditures this month were: $233-Weekend Printer, $164-Town of Webster (spraying materials, and $164-canopy
Membership Report: Memberships have dropped to 120. However, a lot of memberships expired in June and it’s expected that most of them will be renewed.
Communications Report: The nice article on the FWT in a recent Our Town section of the Democrat and Chronicle was mentioned. Also, that Missy Rosenberry, the Webster blogger for the D&C, was at our July workday at Four Mile Creek on Saturday.
Rick wants to remind us to take pictures of the hikes, workdays, etc. for the newsletters.
Sunday Hikes Report: There were approximately 10 people at the June hike at the Arboretum.
A new Wegman’s Passport program is being developed and its been requested that the new Chiyoda Trail be included. Plans are in process for building this trail and it will probably also be the main project for the August workday.
Habitat Committee: Norma reported that clearing the invasive species from the southeast section of the Gosnell Big Woods Preserve is about 60% complete.
A Burroughs Audubon hike is scheduled for Thursday morning in the WRNP.
Two more Trail Crew T-shirts were given out at Saturday’s workday.
Scout Projects: Its been decided that the project for the UCC Youth Group (40 youths) to do July 20 and 22 during their mission service week will be to haul and stack brush, mainly Autumn Olive, in the Red Trail Extension area of the WRNP. We will be cutting the brush (chainsaw work) prior to that. Small work parties to do the cutting and stump painting are presently scheduled for the mornings of 7/13 and 7/14. Rich will email the Youth Group leader with suggestions for the youths (gloves, water, long sleeves, long pants, rugged shoes, etc.). Their workdays are 7/20 (8:30 – 11:00) and 7/22 (2:00 – 4:30). Norma will talk to them when they arrive at WRNP on the 20th about invasive species and why this clearing work is important.
Trails Committee: The July workday was held at the Four Mile Creek Preserve. We concentrated on finishing the Phase 1 trail building started last month. Twenty one trail crew completed the Overlook Trail including access to the creek. Additionally the East end of the West Creek Trail was rerouted and finished. We will need to build a bridge at the /west end of this trail before “opening” it. The Town has still not decided where to build the parking lot for the Preserve.
The August workday is expected to be at the Webster Recreation Center property. Parks and Rec. has approved our proposal for a thru trail to the south connecting the blacktop trail to
Rt 250 at the Bird Sanctuary Trail. A “nature trail” loop through the woods will be developed in the future.
Larry indicated that the bridge project for the Gosnell Medow trail is still in the planning stage.
Norma reported that Jenna Bilsback has completed the first part of her Vosburg Hollow trail improvement project and will be starting on the boardwalk extension. Great job so far.
No progress on the Hojack extension. The Town and the Village are pointing at each other. We will need to stimulate them and get lead responsibility established.
Next meeting Aug 9 from 7:00 – 8:45 at the Webster Community Center, Chiyoda Drive.