HomeMy WebLinkAboutRTTF 2024-07-15Dryden Rail Trail Friends and Task Force
Minutes of the Monday, July 15, 2024 Meeting
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. (extended session)
Dryden Town Hall
93 East Main Street, Dryden
Barbara Caldwell Conference Room
Attendees:
Task Force Members: Susan Ashdown; Todd Bitner; Rosalie Borzik; Tony Bretscher; Alice
Walsh Green; Judy Pierpont; Chris Tessaglia-Hymes; Steve Winans. Town Board Liasions:
Dan Lamb. Guests: Gwen Beck; Gary Mallow; Kyra Stepanoff; Diane Tessaglia-Hymes.
Call to order at 7:05 p.m. by Alice Walsh Green
A moment of silence was observed to honor the late Bob Beck, DRT Chair, who passed
unexpectedly on June 14, 2024. (Reminder: A Celebration of Life for Bob Beck will be held on
Saturday, August 24 at the Dryden Lake pavilion.)
Minutes of the May 20, 2024 meeting were unanimously approved.
Opportunity for each person to reflect on Bob’s contributions to the trail:
In the late 1990s, Bob Beck was instrumental in preserving the Malloryville Bog area for the
Finger Lakes Land Trust. Dan Lamb described Bob as the right person, who with his good
instincts, was the right person to head the Dryden Rail Trail effort from the “get-go.” Gwen Beck
shared that Bob always said “..a right idea can’t be stopped.” Bob was described as patient, a
great listener, levelheaded; and a friend who was always available to everyone. Todd Bittner
added that Bob had remarkable skills to do whatever was needed, and Susan Ashdown
described Bob as a great trail builder who could “set the shovel in the right spot.” The Task
Force’s challenge is to identify the things Bob did so efficiently and quietly and carry on with the
task of completing the trail.
Consider distribution of tasks:
The group reviewed the list and evolution of Rail Trail task force functions:
• Set agendas and lead monthly meetings
• Secretary/Minutes
• Finance/ Grant Writing
• Right of way/easements acquisition
• Design Committee (now also Communication & PR )
• Public Relations
• List serve maintenance
• Written communication in support of grants, memorials
• Grant reimbursement claims
• Bridge subcommittee (morphed into finance/grant oversight)
• Coordination with Rick Young and DPW staff for trail work
• Coordination with town, villages, county, funders, regulatory agencies like Corps of
Engineers
• Memorials
• Installation of kiosks, benches, signage
• Meeting with families about sites etc., town board coordination
• FH Fox Bridge donation solicitation
• Updating Maps
• Tabling at public events
• Opening events coordination for new trail sections
• Trail Neighbor Relations
• Trail Volunteer Coordination
Establishing Trail Stewards/ could help with neighbor relations
• Trail Policy Setting eg.) Guidelines for E-bikes
• Written communications for grant support and memorials; written communications for
publications; and regulatory agency contacts.
Group reflection on the current Task Force and state of the project:
Alice guided attendees through an exercise where the Task Force considered its strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and upcoming challenges. Responses were written on Post-it Notes
which were compiled under the following categories:
Strengths: political support from the Town of Dryden and dedication of the Town Board
liasions; a skills-rich Task Force; DPW support; eight years of experience working together; a
myriad of accomplishments and overall support from the press and public.
Weaknesses: loss of our lead volunteer; no professional management structure; potential
for lost historical data; timely responses to trail questions; now lack a single point
contact/spokesperson; missing easements; lack of time and energy for compiling kiosk written
content, Monkey Run and Game Farm kiosk positioning and Game Farm parking lots; need
more members and town liaisons; Task Force restructuring needed.
Opportunities: to reapproach property owners where easements are needed; publicizing
the bridge opening; new trail maps.
Challenges: leadership vacuum; funding; identifying what remains on Bob’s agenda; long
delay in momentum for Rte. 13 bridge; washout areas; identify funding for Phase 3.
Consider changes to task force structure and operation:
Todd Bittner recommended substitution of advisory member positions for more task force
members—perhaps, a minimum of 11. An official resolution would likely need to be presented to
and approved by the Town Board to create the new membership structure. Alice suggested
creating subcommitees chaired by task force members ((according to their skills and interests)
who would provide update reports at monthly meetings (e.g. finance, easements).
Subcommittees could be headed by Task Force members, but committee participants would not
need to be official members.
Summarize suggestions and list next steps:
The following functions and tasks list was suggested:
Proposed Committees
• Finance/Grants/Project Management – Dan, Todd, Ray, Alice Chris, Diane
Including bridge project oversight and future construction
• Communication/Outreach/ PR- Diane, Chris, Dan, Todd, Judy, Alice, Susan
• Easement Acquisition/Neighbor Relations- Tony, Chris, Alice
This could include establishing a system of volunteer trail stewards for every section
• Coordination with funders, municipalities and regulatory agencies (e.g. Army
Corps) - Dan, Todd, Alice
Includes coordination of memorials like benches, FH Fox outreach
• Event Coordination – ?
From info tables to section opening celebrations
Member volunteers: Susan, Rose, Diane, Chris, Tony, Alice
• Volunteer Coordination/ Friends of DRT - ?
Member volunteers: Susan
• DPW Contacts: Todd, Dan
To be discussed in the upcoming August meeting is whether these committees and the Task
Force members should have renewable term limits.
No Executive session was enacted.
Next scheduled meeting: Monday, August 19, 2024 at 7 p.m.; open to the public at the
Dryden Town Hall Caldwell Conference Room. Zoom participation requires preapproval.
Meeting Adjourned at 9:14 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Rosalie Borzik