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Home My WebLink About2019-04-15Dryden Rail Trail Friends and Task Force Minutes of the Meeting Monday, April 15, 2019 Dryden Town DPW Attendance: John Kiefer, Alice Green, Susan Ashdown, Judy Pierpont, Mike Lane, Steve Winans Bob Beck, Dan Lamb, Chris and Diane Tessaglia-Hymes, Marie McRae, Rose Borzik, David Fogel, Todd Bittner, Bruno Schickel, Travis Stelick, David Bravo- Cullen. Call to order (7:05 p.m.) – Bob Beck Additions to agenda: None_ Approval of March minutes Approved Tourism Capital Grant (Tompkins County) update – Todd Application was made 2 months ago for $65,000 that could be applied as a match for the TAP grant, or for other improvements to bridges and washouts along the trail. The first committee to review the application recommended $50,000. Next it goes for another review and then to the County Board. David Fogel said the Freeville pocket park is recommended for $15,000 under the same Capital Grant, and also got a $5,000 Parks and Trails grant. He said it was very competitive this year. Mike said people notice and pay attention to this is because of the strong committee that is moving this forward. Easements Update – David F. Kathy Perkins easement: approved by Freeville Trustees As Mayor of Freeville, David said he signed this easement this morning. It allows the trail to cross from DPW to Factory Street, and also includes the section of DPW Drive from the Village Barn to Route 38. He said the village’s attorney would review it next. Trail construction update: Freeville DPW Drive–Factory Street connection – Bruno Volunteers (Bruno with help from Bob) built this section of the trail last weekend. They started with fabric base, and then put 6 inches of item 4 gravel and stone dust. They also added some gravel to 1000-foot section near the ramp at George Rd. A section east of the sewer plant was regraded. This should firm up soon. It doesn’t seem that the equestrian use is harming the trail in any way. Chris and Diane walked this on Sunday and noted the great improvement. May 11 Celebration planning update – Susan w/Event Committee Schedule, publicity, signs, setup, parking, activities, speakers, food, music, volunteer needs Event planning is well underway. John Lampman is working on organizing parking. There will be pop up tents along the way stamping a train ticket for free raffle tickets, cookies, biscuits for dogs, and stickers. Rose is coordinating children’s games. Promotional materials have been ordered. Barney Schug is contributing the cost until they’re sold. There will be engineer’s hats with the trail logo for key volunteers. There will be an early bird walk led by Chris. Dryden Rec will be doing a Fun Run beginning at the George Rd pavilion going to Freeville and back. Mayors of both Villages will walk from each Village beginning at 10 am. There will be music by Madd Daddy (Ted and Maddy Walsh); puppets by Lily Gershon. Bruno offered a quiet sounding generator. There will be two food trucks Dos Amigos and Alexander’s. Invitations have gone to all speakers. A golden spike will be driven at about noon. Stephanie Ortolano from Freeville Community organization and volunteers will lead a nature walk for children. Susan said her committee still needs to have someone to recruit and supervise volunteers. Main responsibilities will be getting people to pop up tents and making sure they have what they need. Two people are needed at each tent, ten people. Time slot is about 10 am to 1 pm. Tent stakes are also needed. A platform and a podium have been secured. Bruno volunteered his truck for pick-ups at Taylor Rental, and for Tompkins Festival items at Center Ithaca and a platform stored near the Haunt. Some set-up will be done Friday night. Susan said set up could be done by handcart along the trail, but pickup truck would be better. Donations of water coolers are needed to avoid water bottles. Chuck Geisler is working with LimeBikes. They’ve offered 10 at each Village; Rose is helping with games, Diane with promotional items. Fliers and announcements will be coming out beginning on April 28. Diane said schools might distribute fliers for students to take home. It will be good to have newspapers to come to report on this, but also need a press release and our own photographer. Bruno suggested putting more detail on FB and asking people to share this. Want to do a FB booster. Diane created an event on FB. Dan said, do a media advisory on Wednesday before the event, and then put out a press release. He can supply a media list. Todd said this might even prompt TV coverage. The tentative speakers list includes: Mike Murphy, David, F., Mike Lane, Barbara Lifton, Bruno, and Bob. Alice and Dan said that it’s important to include Town Supervisor, Jason Leifer, since the entire project is an initiative of the Town of Dryden Board. Bruno asked hold speakers to 3 minutes for total of 30 minutes. Mike L, asked if the committee could use some gaiters to go back and forth Does the Town own one? Bruno said he has a line on one. Could promote rides for seniors or people with disabilities. Chris asked if lines could be drawn so cars park perpendicular to the trail at the Springhouse parking area. Discuss trail section naming opportunity – John, Bruno Bruno suggested that there are 5 distinct areas along the trail that are “destination to destination. “ He wants to seek major private contributions for each section, asking for $30,000 to $50,000 for the naming opportunity. Bernie Cornelius has tentatively agreed to sign an easement, with the provision that the section from Kirk Rd. to Freeville would be named Cornelius Run. Bruno said it’s important to keep some flexibility during negotiations with possible property owners. The Town already has a policy for naming rights to benches or kiosks. In Cornelius’s case, it’s the naming right is written into the easement. Another person might want to donate outside of the easement so the amount would be different. Mike Lane asked how these sections would be designated. Todd said we already negotiated that the Jim Schug section is part of the Dryden Rail Trail. There needs to be somewhat parity between the sections. There needs to be an established threshold for gift levels. This would help Bruno as he goes in to negotiate. This has been a premise from our earliest meetings: want to include as many naming opportunities as we can find donors for. If the Task Force doesn’t create a system, then the crossroads or local communities will be used for demarcation. Bob noted that the Cornelius donation is new land, parallel to the rail bed section for which an easement hadn’t been secured. Bruno said if land and fill to build the trail bed donated by Cornelius were valued at $30-50,000, this could be a general threshold for other named sections. He said he believes it’s important to recognize and appreciate those who make trail donations. John K asked whether others who donated easements without any naming provision or remuneration might be upset. How will the Task Force handle another situation where a landowner has held out for more money? It’s necessary try to achieve parity and make donations requirements significant for any naming rights. Bob noted that the Task Force has to consider about what’s already in place; for example, the William George Agency and Game Farm areas probably won’t get new names, maybe should be taken off the table. Dan asked whether the Task Force is OK with corporate sponsors. Bob said this depends on the potential donor. They must be appropriate for the trail values. Bob mentioned has been talking to alumni from the Cornell Vet School about a donation for the FH Fox Bridge railings and signage. After some discussion, it was decided not to codify donation parameters for naming rights for trail sections, but to continue on a case-by-case basis. Alice said she would ask the Town Board to revise the donation required for kiosk naming rights from $10,000 to $8,000, per the group’s consensus in March. “Trail Master” award proposal (trail sign & plaque) – Bruno Bruno said Dennis and Nate Mix have made a very significant contribution (probably value of $26,000 including time, materials and machine time etc. Without this, we couldn’t have gotten up and over George Rd. He wants to award them plaques, one for each brother and one for posting on the trail. This “Trail Master Award” could be made periodically in future years, for significant contributors. He presented a rough sketch of the plaque design, and said he envisioned the plaque could be placed along the trail, 100 or 50 feet away from the George Rd. kiosk. Dan suggested that the plaque be placed in the kiosk, rather than adding still more signage along the trail. Diane cautioned against breaking up the logo by adding or replacing text. Keep it separate as it is. Todd agreed. Diane said she would add this to her list of graphic elements to design, Dryden Highway & DPW: – Bob, Bruno DPW has ordered and will install pedestrian-crossing signs with 16x12 trail logo; two sets will be pedestrian operated flashing lights that are solar powered. Welcome signs with logos and quick rules (including no motor vehicles) will also be installed facing trail entrances, with a stop sign facing in the other direction. Large “No Motorized Vehicles” signs will be removed in some places. This Rail Trail will not use bollards at most road crossings. DPW will install wooden railings on the F.H. Fox Bridge, along with the trail logo. DOT has already provided the work permit. Tompkins County Highway department staff recently installed signs on Game Farm Rd. for vehicles heading north and south towards that crossing. These have a pedestrian or a bicycle but do not include a crossing sign. Bob said the county wants to have the trail go under the bridge instead of crossing at grade. Mike L. suggested starting to address this by talking with Tompkins County Highway Director, Jeff Smith. Bob said this contact has already been made, but there’s still a difference of opinion about the best type of crossing. Kiosk graphics panels: printing ordered – Diane Diane passed around signs, which are 1/8” aluminum/polycarbonate sandwich, printed with a clear crystal overlay. Todd said the Botanical Gardens has used these for seven years; they’ve held up well. Dataflow in Ithaca submitted the low bid. CNY Signs & Graphics in Dryden and Selco Industries in Cortland also bid on the job. Delivery of the kiosk signage is expected within a week. Plan for installation of kiosk graphics and benches – Bruno Bruno will try to install kiosk graphics next Saturday, and will put in 3 more benches, one near the Freeville kiosk, one near the Elm Street parking area, and the third near the Dryden kiosk. Following week he plans to create a gravel path to the Dryden Village kiosk across from Agway. Trestles over Cascadilla Creek at Game Farm – Bruno Bruno is still awaiting approval of his plans for the trestle re-hab by Gary Bush, the engineer who’s donating his time to review them. Talk scheduled for Dryden Town Historical Society – Bob, Bruno (April 25, 7:00 p.m., Dryden Village Hall) Next meeting scheduled for 7 pm Monday, May 20 at Varna Community Center Adjournment at 8:59 pm Respectfully submitted by Alice Walsh Green