HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-04-16Dryden Rail Trail Task Force and Friends
Minutes of the April 16, 2018 Meeting
Dryden DPW Building
Attendance: David Fogel, David Keifer, Alice Green, Diane Tessaglia-Hymes, Chris
Tessaglia-Hymes, Bob Beck, John Kiefer, Susan Ashdown, Todd Bittner, Judy Pierpont, David
Bravo-Cullen, Bruno Schickel, Russ Nelson, Ewa Wdzieczak, Mark Witmer, Nancy
Munkenbeck
Call to order (7:05 p.m.) – Bob Beck
Additions to agenda
Request to install memorial benches in Dryden-Freeville trail section
Approval of March minutes unanimous
Workday report (Saturday 4/14) – Bruno
Lots of volunteers (about 15) worked together on several trail improvements, which were
completed between 7:30 am and 1 pm.
• 70 bare-root forsythia were planted, 64 along the east side of DPW Drive in the
Village of Freeville. The new shrubs will need watering 2/week until they’re
established.
• 45 locust post bollards were installed around the parking area at George Rd.
• 7 posts were installed for signage.
• Trash was cleared.
• Seeding was added to some trail sections
• Work in one soggy area was postponed for drier weather, but much of the trail
section has already firmed up from the fall work
Bruno said all the locust wood was from salvaged logs cut to clear the trail. There are lots
more available. Todd noted that bark could be removed before installing for uniformity.
Bruno estimated that there were 50 hours of volunteer work, or labor worth about $2200.
Adjacent homeowner Kevin Dean, his wife and son all joined the effort. Forsythia plants
were purchased at cost from Cayuga Landscape Company. Bernie Cornelius donated $850
worth of topsoil. The Town provided bobcat & augur (about $600 in machine time), and a
Dennis Mix employee volunteered to run it. Based on this first workday, Bruno said he
learned that a 4-5 hour stretch is a good amount of time for successful volunteer projects.
Bruno and Bob also reported that Kathy Perkins, owner of Toads Too, has agreed to another
easement (with the Village of Freeville) that will allow direct connection from DPW Drive to
the Village Hall parking lot and Factory Street, along with her easement along DPW drive.
Bob has prepared and given her the necessary paperwork.
Project Lead youth trail work – Alice
A teen work crew with the Town’s Project Lead Program at the Etna trail section had been
tentatively scheduled for the third week in July. Milo Richmond agreed to lead the work. But
the Cornell Cooperative Extension staff person who recruits teens and supervises the work
sites has just resigned. Alice said planning would resume as soon as a new person is hired.
OPRHP grant implementation:
Time sheets for volunteers – Bob
Bob got all recent volunteers to sign a waiver and had them fill in time sheets for their work.
Todd suggested that the waivers be set for at least a year. For grant tracking, the work
should be grouped by project days, and tagged by the town by date or area. Cornell Natural
Areas tracks by volunteer assignments. Russ suggested getting a group picture of all
volunteers and “Before and After” pictures at every workday.
Hourly rates for local match – John
The NYS Environmental Protection Fund does a rate sheet for volunteer labor, which can be
charged at up to $28, depending on the type of work. For skilled labor county rate for wages
and benefits can be used: Carpenter prevailing average rate is close to $50/hour. There are
also set claim rates for: Laborer, Operating engineer, and Teamsters – (equipment
operators). There are no public rates in some categories, e.g., grant administration.
Kathleen McIsaac from NYS Parks suggested $35/hour. John suggests $75/hour for project
managers.
Where there are no stipulated rates, John suggested that the work of volunteers donating
professional services should be valued at their professional rate plus benefits. For example,
Diane is a graphic designer and has already put in about 40 hours on logo design and
leading the design committee. Todd’s grant writing can also be claimed at a professional
rate. Judy asked about retired persons doing work they used to do professionally. Bruno
suggested that we work up a rate sheet for such jobs and present it to NYS Parks.
Bob said volunteer mileage could be used for personal taxes, but not toward local match.
Trail MOUs (proposed) between the Town and Dryden / Freeville Villages – Bob, Alice
Bob reported that NYS Parks indicated that the villages would need to sign the contract in
addition to the Town. Currently, there’s nothing in writing that describes the relationship
between the villages and Town regarding maintenance of the trail, so a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) ought to be created for each village. Dan Lamb helped with
Montgomery Park MOU and he’s willing to work on this. David F. said he doesn’t think the
Village of Freeville trustees will have any problem signing this.
Design Committee
Logo design update – Diane T-H
Diane introduced a new logo iteration to consider that now includes a biker, adult
and child, in response to some committee members’ feeling the lone hiker doesn’t represent
the community-building nature, or multiple uses of the trail. Discussion followed about
balancing the elements people want to include.
Todd said the new version is significantly changed from what the design group
agreed on earlier; it has too many elements. Bob felt we should consider including a bike
after writing in support for the outdoor recreation grant. He asked whether the logo should
convey multi-use. Bruno said the words “rail trail” convey the use; the IBM logo doesn’t
include a computer. Diane said she feels main elements are rail, trail and oval that connects
with town. Todd said the mountain in the earlier logo helps to convey nature aspect.
The Design Committee will meet again to present a final recommendation at the
next Task Force Meeting.
Temporary trail rules sign - Russ, Susan
Russ suggested the language for the temporary signs. Susan laminated 8 copies.
Now Rick Young will mount them on backing boards, and they can be installed on the new
locust posts at each of the intersections in the Dryden to Freeville trail section. Bob will get
back to Rick to make sure they’re up. Todd clarified that a statement that the trail crosses
private property should be removed in future rules postings because it’s not a rule.
Instead, this can be included in info about trail etiquette.
Mile marker offer from Finger Lakes Runners Club – Bob
Bob was invited (by Nancy Kleinrock) to attend a Finger Lakes Runners Club meeting to
give a trail update. When we are ready, they are willing to accurately measure distances and
install mile markers. So the committee needs to come up with a design for them, and decide
on where to begin the mileage marking.
Offer of professional pro bono architectural work for trestle inspection and Fox
Bridge plan – Bruno, Bob
Game Farm Trestles
David Bravo-Cullen, a licensed architect and friend of the trail, has offered to determine if
bridges are structurally sound. He has already looked at two trestles between Game Farm
and Stevenson. High water prevented a full inspection of the undersides.
He said existing photos help, but he will need to get closer. The trestle closer to Game Farm
looks in better shape. These are built with piers in the creek. This pinches the water and
takes away the fill behind. One possibility is to take a little bit more fill out, but getting fill
in there is tricky. One trestle has an abutment that is shot. Another option would be to do a
span. All the trestles need handrails.
Bob said the DPW crews have built new decking and handrails (for steel bridges and one
trestle on the Schug Trail). Todd said the cost calculation between piers and a span should
also include maintenance. For example, a single span may decrease cost of maintenance in
the future. David said the old design is a failure because it pinches the stream. Russ asked if
it was a failure of design or neglect. Bruno said adding fill would likely be less expensive
than creating span.
John said it’s very important to keep the spirit of respecting DPW involvement in this
project including the design of bridges. Bob added that Town DPW staff have a lot of
ownership in the work and design they’ve come up with. They felt these bridges are good to
go mostly. They are free standing and keep the historic character of the Railroad.
FH Fox Bridge (over Route 366)
David BC can also provide a stamped drawing plan to submit to DOT to get the work permit
to do needed repairs and additions there. Bob said there’s still a possibility to get some
funds from Vet School alums who want to memorialize Professor Fox, but it’s uncertain they
can raise funds for a non-Cornell project.
David raised two other separate issues regarding trail connectivity:
1) Has there been discussion about connection with Greystone Drive in Village of Dryden?
2) Could there be a connection from trail to Poet’s Landing and the High school? Looks like
all that’s needed is a small footbridge.
Bob said both these connections are possibilities.
Easements update – Bob, Bruno, Dan
Dan Lamb had a conversation with Jim Farquhar at the DEC about the memorandum of
understanding for the Game Farm trail that was promised months ago. He was told it’s
coming very soon now. But it hasn’t been received yet. As soon as we get that word, DPW is
ready to come in and start work on trail clearing and the trestles.
Bruno said NYSE&G finally did call him back. They will draft a licensing agreement that can
be executed by their lawyer and doesn’t need PSC approval.
Hansen Aggregate (formerly Saunders Concrete) told Bruno they intend to work with us,
and to call back in the beginning of May.
Cornell’s last easement (on Ag land next to the Game Farm) has been promised and it’s still
not arrived. There is no reason to believe it’s not imminent. There is an agreement with Ag
to pay for fence materials and vegetation, which they will install along the east side of the
compost driveway. Bruno said the next project after we get that easement, will be to clear
the section from Stevenson Road over to Mt. Pleasant Road.
Todd reiterated an earlier suggestion to get Sun8 Solar to clear what they can, as an in-kind
contribution because they will already be clearing a section rail bed, off Stevenson Rd. north
of the tree line beyond the compost facility, to get to the field where they will be installing
arrays. Bob is following up on this with Town staff.
Gary Sloan easement south of the FH Fox Bridge: He has said he’ll sign a trail easement as
soon as the Town Board gives final approval for his development project.
The Print Shop on Hall Woods Rd will have a board meeting at corporate headquarters in
PA this summer when their rail trail easement will be considered. Bob and Bruno continue
work on other easements.
Memorial Benches
David Keifer reported that Beverly Dodici contacted Rick Young about the possibility of one
or two memorial benches in the Dryden to Freeville trail section. She and a large group of
residents want to honor Stephanie Gardner, a beloved parent and local runner, who died in
December. Alice said she would contact Beverly and Rick to learn more about their wishes.
Todd noted that amenities along the trail like benches offer fund raising opportunities. Our
fund raising plan identified naming opportunities to recognize donors and land owners.
Benches can be community built. It’s time to work out what level of donations will be
requested for different elements like benches. At Cornell, there are endowments for the life
of a tree and there could be endowments for the life of the bench.
Bruno said there can be different styles in different trail sections, including a more upscale
memorial bench. Donors could contribute for naming rights; or people could simply buy the
bench. Bob talked with Roger Hopkins about his locust wood designs, and he will bring the
kiosk plans to the next design meeting. Russ suggested finding out about how the DPW
installed benches on the Schug trail have worked out for maintenance. DPW does paint and
maintain Schug trail benches. Some of those include names.
Next meeting –Monday May 21 at 7pm at the DPW Building
Adjournment at 9:05 pm
Respectfully submitted by Alice Walsh Green