North Shore NEMBA November 11th, 2007 meeting - minutes

Held at Frank Lane’s house in Byfield

Approved Minutes from August meeting

Treasurer’s Report:

• Ron did not attend but reported we have $7500 in treasury.

2007 Trail Days:

• Dan and crew installed a log bridge over mud in western Harold Parker forest on Sept 15^th
• Dan cancelled October date; some members supported other workdays (Andover Village Improvement Society {i.e. AVIS}, etc)
• Work for year can be seen on website (http://www.nsnemba.org/TrailWork.htm )
• Steve – heard from Lynn Woods ranger that there has been “no NEMBA presence” at Lynn workdays

-         Dan – Lynn is really a Greater Boston park; also, NEMBA has had some issues working with ranger there

Wicked Ride results:

• Counted 303 registered riders
• Added 72 new memberships
• Made over $3100 for the chapter
• Great chili, thanks to Lee
• Record number of vendor tents
• People were happy with stunts (teeter-totter); maybe have more next year (say near Jenkins Rd lot?)
• Problem – flyer indicated there would be led rides, weren’t any; Fred W made impromptu ride for some beginners

-         Should we have led rides next year?

• Problem – some people had problem with map, knowing where they were

-         Suggestions – should we suggest bailout points (and how to return to parking area)?

-         There are a lot of arrows in the Jenkins Road lot, but some were hard to see/obscured by cars etc

• Frank – what to do with proceeds from WR?

-         Dan noted rangers at Harold Parker would like a leafblower – motioned that we donate a leafblower to DCR (note: I did not hear a dollar amount committed to this)

1.      Motion was seconded and approved

-         Dan – we should look into improving Jenkins Rd parking lot

1.      Should be expanded, maybe into dirt area – put some gravel down

2.      Frank – this could be a $2-3,000 project – maybe see if NEMBA member does landscaping work, would want to be involved

3.      Dan proposed we pursue this proposal with park ranger, motion was seconded and approved  

Blazing at Harold Parker:

• DCR continues to want HP trail signage
• Dan says we have to get started soon if we want to have it ready for next trail map printing

-         Dan is looking for help on this; please contact him if you can help out

Future trail projects

·        Harold Parker

o       Area behind Lorraine Campground in HP should be looked at; fix narrow plank bridge, at least

o       Jenkins Road – bowl by glacial erratic

§         Dan – IMBA suggested making a bench cut through the bowl, or putting in a logroll

§         Joe D – Bay Circuit Trail (BCT) group would not go along with a logroll

§         Dan – would not want to start a project there until we see what it looks like with water in it

o       Blowdown trail

§         Dan would like to route this trail away from the parking lot

·        Bradley Palmer/Willowdale

o       Dan – we should suggest DCR accept every existing trail for maintenance

§         He would like to do two trail days next year on singletrack, one maintenance day and one day for trail building/augment existing trail

o       Dan proposed having a fun ride at Bradley Palmer next year

o       Dan has marked a ¾ mile trail from Essex County Greenbelt (ECGA) property to Willowdale – would like to build on next trail day

·        Dan suggests doing another Ward Hill day next year

·        DCR trail maintenance training

o       Frank mentioned that NEMBA provided training in trail maintenance techniques  to DCR staff recently

NEMBA/BOD:

• Philip  would like to have outside groups do skill clinics at Adventure ride series

Elections for North Shore positions

§         All current members were renominated, seconded, and voted in again

o       Frank Lane – President

o       Fred White – VP

o       Ron Corporon – Treasurer

o       Jim Humphrey – secretary

o       Dan Streeter – BOD representative

§         Kirk will continue to serve as webmaster, Dan as trails coordinator

§         Sandy expected to return as Wicked Ride  coordinator; Steve C and Dave M offered to coordinate WR if needed.

Other donations

§         Frank asked for suggestions on other donations North Shore could make

o       He noted we usually provide a stipend for the Bike Patrol in Harold Parker to Greater Boston chapter

o       He proposed $250 for GB for Bike Patrol; motion was seconded and carried

§         Lee – suggested to see if there is a “higher-level” membership the North Shore chapter could buy  in either (or both) the ECGA or the Trustees of Reservations

o       Frank to look into this

o       Motion was made to approve membership in both organizations, not to exceed total of $500; was seconded and carried

Next year’s first meeting – will be in March

• Will send a card out with location and date/time