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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-12-17 Dryden Rail Trail Friends and Task Force Meeting Minutes of the meeting on Monday, December 17, 2018 Freeville Village Hall Attendance: Steve Winans, Bob Beck, Alice Green, John Kiefer, Mark Vallely, Susan Ashdown, Jane and Clay Converse, Diane and Chris Tessaglia-Hymes, Bruno Schickel, Mark Anderson, David Fogel, Todd Bittner, Rose Borzik, David Keifer, Judy Pierpont, Chuck Geisler, Dan Lamb Call to order (7:05 p.m.) – Bob Beck Approval of November minutes - unanimous Update - Bob The Dryden Town Board is expected to approve the last easement (as well as two others) for the portion of the trail included in the NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) grant next week. The completion of the required easements has taken about one year of the 5-year grant period, while we have also undertaken much work at both ends of the trail. As soon as Town attorneys complete their review and attestation to the accuracy of the rights of way (ROW’s), the $182,000 matching grant contract can be signed and we can begin requesting reimbursement for expenditures. Bob said it may take some weeks until OPRHP reviews and approves the ROW’s. End-of-Year Reckonings Financial Report/Work Plans - Bruno Bruno distributed a summary of 2018 financial revenues and expenditures (prepared by Bob with major data from Bruno, volunteer time sheets and DPW & Town Hall records) along with a suggested timetable for future work. (Both Attached) He noted that the work plan for 2018 was presented exactly a year before, 12/18/17. Much of the projected work was completed, but not all. He said he is very confident that the Friends of the Dryden Rail Trail can raise the $182,000 to match the NYS parks grant. He hopes donations will mean that no Town tax dollars will be needed. Todd mentioned that the only caveat would be that certain costs might turn out to be more than estimated, for example, restoration of old rail trestles in the Game Farm section. Bob said TG Miller engineers should complete the inspection report for that work soon. He believes that DPW crews are capable of doing trestle repairs. And that work will be part of the Town’s match for the grant. Todd asked if there are any more DEC approvals required for the work. Bob said no more permits are needed; but DEC and Game Farm staff want to see the plans for trestle repairs before the work begins. It doesn’t look like any work will be needed in the creek bed. The bridge will be designed for pedestrians, but will be built to accommodate maintenance and emergency vehicles. Chuck asked about how the grant counts rates of reimbursement for different volunteer workers. Bob said the grant guidelines list different rates based on type of work. Major Easement Announcement! Bruno said he has been working on getting easements that would help close the gap between Freeville and Etna. He was happy to “give an early holiday present to the Task Force” by announcing a major breakthrough. Bernie Cornelius has agreed to provide an easement 30’ wide, which runs parallel to an approximately one mile rail bed section west of Freeville village where the current owner has been unwilling to give an easement. He asked only to have naming rights, so it will be called, at his request, “Cornelius Run.” This stretch will need to be completely built because it’s not on the current rail bed. But Bernie has pledged enough fill to build it, Bruno said. In addition, Bruno said he has received handshake agreements from four other property owners west of that site to reach Kirk Road. Task Force members expressed great appreciation to Bruno for all his volunteer work and labor on the trail. Bruno said it’s been a labor of love, “This trail will have profound impact on the community, in a positive way. It’s a game changer.” Chuck asked what the trail easements cover and for how long. Bob said these, 1n 2016, were modeled on other organizations’ easements and reviewed by the Town attorney. All are in perpetuity, except for NYSEG and the DEC Game Farm, which now have approved licensing and stewardship agreements that are renewable. Judy added background that the Town owns utility sewer and water easements along the full length of the trail corridor. In most cases the rail bed ROW is 66 feet wide. Owners still own the land, and so far all have been willing to provide the easements for no payment. Bob said some easements do allow owners use of the rail trail for driveway access. Every easement indemnifies the owner from any liability due to trail use. Alice noted that Bob researched property deeds & survey maps and wrote up and tailored every easement for each individual owner. This volunteer work saved the Town thousands of dollars in legal fees. So far, easements are complete on more than 30 parcels along the length of the trail, a few owners holding more than one section; for example, Cornell owns six parcels. New-Year Forecasts Bruno presented a Proposed Schedule of Work to be completed (Attached). Todd asked to add the railings for the Fox Bridge above the existing wall. Bob explained that TG Miller was hired in August to provide the engineering study for Fox Bridge (as well as the Game Farm trestle work). Their Fox Bridge work was forwarded to DOT for a Work Permit but DOT has not yet responded. The engineering study for the Fox bridge and Game Farm trestles is being covered under our Tompkins County Strategic Tourism (STI) grant. County Tourism director Nick Helmholdt has agreed to an extension on the final grant report until TG Miller work is complete and final invoices are received. Highlights of upcoming trail developments include: • Exploring additional grants, including Tompkins County options • Engineering work for curb cuts and ADA-compliance in Village of Dryden at the crossing connecting the Jim Schug and Dryden-Freeville sections • Developing signage, both design and content (history and natural history), along with safety and visitor orientation, on the length of the trail • Engineering study of water issues in new sections, and bridges or culverts at washouts • Building spur trails on both sides of Route 13 to the Fall Creek bridge underpass • A potential federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant for crossing Route 13 and finishing the trail surface OPRHP Grant Reporting John said he is plugging Bruno and Bob’s cost estimates into the 30 scope of work elements that he defined when writing the grant proposal. He said a next step is determining how much has been spent to deliver the elements that have now been started or completed. When that is done, it will be possible to better gauge grant spending. For example, if costs were lower than expected, it might be possible include some more areas in the contract. However, Bruno estimated that spending has been on target, but not under earlier estimates. There was further discussion about how to count volunteer hours on the project. John said there are line items in the grant for many categories, including soft costs, procurements, etc. He noted it is important to report each discrete project-specific volunteer work hour. Task Force meeting hours aren’t covered. Todd suggested categorizing volunteer work by geographic section of the trail. Bob and Alice are working on getting monthly reports of Town DPW and other staff contributions to the project. One suggestion was to place the volunteer hours reporting form onto the Town website. John and Bob expect to meet again soon with Kathleen McIsaac, OPRHP regional grant administrator. The final grant contract will spell out additional details of required grant reporting. Other grant opportunities Alice mentioned that the county has just announced a new grant opportunity for municipal parks and trails improvements. Typical grants could be about $5,000. Todd suggested that might be a source of funding for a Town contribution to another section of the trail. Design Committee Dianne said she wants to get design committee meetings going monthly in the new year. Chuck is looking for images of trails that have main trunk and branches that celebrate attractions along the trail. He asked anyone who finds interesting trail maps to forward them to him. “This is a fun, generative kind of thing to create,” he said. “We’re looking for information about architecture, history, natural history. Think outside the box. Include businesses, how to handle emergencies, intersections with other cultural groups along the corridor. This map could be a bridge to what others are promoting in the area. The changeable panels in the kiosks will allow us to keep info fresh. We want to enlarge our buy in. Let’s get students and unofficial history buffs to join us.” Judy recalled discovering “some rich, deep, interesting history” when she learned about the old the milk station along the Schug Trail section. “This was where milk from farms all around our area was poured into vats on railroad cars by 11 am daily to send to New York City.” Bruno said old local names are of interest, for example, the underpass at the George Road section was called the Updike Cut. Steve asked whether there is a local organization of railroad buffs. David said Gene Endres has been very involved. Bill Hecht might provide area photos along the trail. Opening Celebrations Todd said it is time to start planning celebrations for trail section openings in spring and summer 2019. He noted that celebrating these milestones is important. They provide an excuse to get people using the trail. They help leverage continual momentum, facilitate success with grants, easements, and they keep up political support. It’s important to celebrate the landowners who’ve been part of making the trail possible. Todd suggested forming a new committee to plan logistics for this. “It would be nice for those who’ve been involved to have someone else pick this up… get some others into our sphere… cultivate some new donors.” Susan volunteered to help head up the celebrations. Chris offered to organize bird walks. Other ideas for opening events (besides “speechifying”) included a” meet in the middle” walk, LimeBike rides, fun runs and more. Rose said she’d send a request to the friends of the trail list serve requesting photos and history. Bob said he has been invited as guest speaker to talk about Dryden Rail Trail development at the upcoming annual meeting of the Cayuga Trails Club in January. Part of our trail is shared by a section of the Cayuga Trail, in the Cornell Natural Area at Monkey Run. Holiday Camaraderie Everyone enjoyed holiday refreshments brought by Bob and David Keifer. Next meeting was scheduled for 7 pm Monday Jan. 21 at Dryden DPW Adjournment at 8:36 pm Respectfully submitted by Alice Walsh Green SEE ATTACHMENTS OPRHP Grant First Year Financials (12/13/2017–12/2018) DRAFT Revised 12/30/2018 Revenue Tompkins County STI grant $26,000. AARP grant 8,000. Cornell University 5,000. Memorial bench donations 1,500. $40,500. Town Expenditures Town Payroll (incl. benefits) $1,380. Town equipment time 5,207. T.G. Miller, PC 5,723. Town Attorney 1,945. Cornell Farm Services 7,075. (fence & hedge) American Rentals (auger?) 165. SJB Services (test boring) 1,000. Roudebush Co. (benches) 3,800. Barton & Loguidice 19,700. (Rte.13 crossing study) Crossroads Highway Supply 5,884. (2 solar-powered pedestrian crossing signs/light sets) Locust Lumber Company 1,875. $53,754. Donated Volunteer Labor 600+ hours ( $30,824. $30,824. Donated Material Asphalt millings, 70 loads $8,400. Schickel Construction Co. 3,982. RMS Gravel, Inc. 1,000. 13,382. Donated Equipment Time Schickel Construction $ 2,865. Mix Brothers 740. $3605. ___________________________________________________________________________________ $101,565.