HomeMy WebLinkAboutRTTF 2023-07-17
Dryden Rail Trail Friends and Task Force
Minutes of the Monday, July 17, 2023 Meeting
7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
(Hybrid Meeting)
Dryden Town Hall
93 East Main Street, Dryden
Barbara Caldwell Conference Room
Task Force Member Attendees:
Susan Ashdown; Bob Beck; Todd Bittner; Rosalie Borzik; Alice Walsh Green; Judy Pierpont;
Chris Tessaglia-Hymes; Steve Winans. Town Board Liasions: Dan Lamb, Christina Dravis
Guests: Dan Antonioli, Diane Tessaglia-Hymes.
Call to order at 7:02 p.m. by Bob Beck
May meeting minutes unaminously approved with following correction:
Tall stop signs now installed at the Mt. Pleasant Rd crossing. We still need to replace the
missing Mt. Pleasant Rd “Welcome” sign and reposition the sign on the opposite side, and Bob
also reminded Rick Young about the need for stone dust on the FH Fox bridge surface.
Triad Foundation site visit at Game Farm: (Bob, Alice, Todd, Dan):
Triad Grant Administrator, Stephanie Parente, met at Game Farm with Bob, Alice, Todd and
Dan. She invited DRT to apply again (annually). She also suggested we contact her if funding is
needed for something outside the scope of the Foundation’s guidelines. Reporting for prior
Foundation grants may be included with an application for additional funding.
Connect the Trails! Fest finances report (Susan):
Event expenses:
$ 122 noisemakers
$ 138 printing of trail quiz booklets and purchase of quiz question sign stakes
$ 160 Port-a-Potty rental
$ 75 sign printing
$3,000 videographer
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$3,495 event total
(1,500) Ashdown donation
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$1,995 DRT event expense
The only outstanding expense is the second half of the videographer bill (the $1,500 down
payment was donated by Susan Ashdown—thank you Susan!) Susan is preparing a statement
of importance required for the Town Board to issue payment.
Videographer Shira Evergreen will conduct an interview with Bob Beck at the George Road
kiosk for inclusion in the production.
Route 13 Bridge, TAP (Transportation Alternatives Program) Grant Update (Todd, Dan,
Alice, Bob):
Acceptance of the Knickerbocker property donation and Cornell easement amendment is on the
agenda for the 6:00 p.m. July 20 Dryden Town Board meeting. Task Force member attendance
is requested to show support for the resolution to approve the NYSDOT funding schedule and
formalize Town funding for the bridge project.
Erdman Anthony and DOT have resolved the wording for the Rte 13 Bridge and project with a
completion date of August 31, 2024. Once DOT receives approval from Albany, the project can
be sent out for bids.
OPRHP EPF reimbursement Update (Bob, Todd):
Town Bookkeeper, Amanda Anderson, has reached out to Bruno Schickel for paperwork and
receipts for his construction company’s Rail Trail work in her quest to gather supporting
documentation to maximize our match for expense reimbursment for the State Parks grant-
funded work. Information collected will be submitted to Amanda Marsh, NY State Parks grant
administrator. We await the determination of the reimbursable amount of the match.
Dondi Harner of TG Miller is supplying two plans: 1. stormwater pollution prevention, which
requires approval from the Cortland DEC office, and 2. the engineer-stamped plan for the entire
project.
Congressman Molinaro offer update (Bob, Dan):
At the last meeting, it was suggested that Congressman Molinaro’s support could be enlisted to
broker aquisition of an easement on the Leonardo property. However, the passing last October
of one of the two property’s co-owners prompted the property’s surviving owner to contact Ray
Burger. Once legal issues are resolved, the parcel will be sold for development; however, an
easement to the Town for the DRT would be granted. With this parcel acquisition potentially
heading toward approval, there are currently no other pending property issues for which we will
request the Congressman’s assistance.
Todd suggessted that the Congressman could be an ally for future state or federal funding. Dan
suggested the DRT Task Force arrange a meeting for early winter with Congressman Molinaro’s
staff to request consideration for earmarks to upcoming Congressional funding.
Quarter-mile signs update (Diane, Bob):
Diane expects to see a printer’s proof from Dataflow soon. Upon approval, the signs will be
printed on DiBond material. Bob will drill bolt holes for individual signs at his home workshop.
Rick Young agreed to order six-foot posts and stainless steel nuts and bolts for the signs. Nancy
Kleinrock and her husband will wheel-measure the post distances from Purvis Rd to Freeville.
Nancy also made generous contributions, which will also cover the costs for the Schug portion
of the trail, which is not covered by grant funding.
Benches: Plan to install (Bob):
In storage at the Recreation Building are eight or nine benches. Dryden to Freeville benches are
already installed as well as a memorial bench at a Game Farm trestle. Three more placement
location recommendations are needed. From Stevenson Road to Monkey Run, one may be
placed at the F.H. Fox Bridge. All must be located in areas funded by the State Parks grant.
Additions to the Meeting Agenda:
Berkshire Hathaway grant (Dan, Bob):
Dan received a text from Berkshire Hathaway representative Don Houser, that the $30,000
grant request submitted in February has been approved. This is DRT’s eleventh grant for the
bridge project.
State Park Grant-funded Kiosks (Todd, Bob):
The grant includes funding for kiosks which we are not yet ready to install:
1. Fall Creek/Monkey Run natural and railroad history
2. Cascadilla Creek and the NYSDEC Game Farm and railroad history.
Suggested maps, photos, drawings and historical information should be submitted to Diane
Tessaglia-Hymes. The NY State Parks grant ends in December and we would like to have the
kiosk graphics printed this fall and submit these expenses for Parks grant reimbursement.
East Ithaca Recreation Way (EIRW) and East Hill Plaza connection (Susan):
Susan described the dangerous Maple Avenue crossing on the EIRW required to reach East Hill
Plaza. As Director, Natural Areas, for Cornell’s Botanical Gardens, Todd briefed the DRT Task
Force that Cornell’s planned expansion and redevelopment of the East Hill Plaza area—which
includes plans for a new access road from the Maple Ave intersection to the athletic fields (also
slated for expansion)—will address the Maple Ave. safety issues.
Next scheduled meeting: Monday, August 21, 2023 at 7 p.m.; open to the public at the
Dryden Town Hall Caldwell Conference Room and via Zoom.
Meeting Adjourned at 8:24 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Rosalie Borzik