Attendance

NAME	ADDRESS	TELEPHONE NUMBER	E-MAIL ADDRESS
Patricia Rush	1177 Oxford Place Schenectady, NY 12308	374-6995	Chrisrush@prodigy.net
Donald Odell	97 Manning Blvd., Apt A Albany, NY 12203	48304574	dodell@nycap.rr.com
Denise Farnan	NYSOPRHP 19 Roosevelt Dr. Saratoga Springs, NY 12866	584-2000 X 205	Denise.Farnan@OPRHP.state.ny.us
Andy Labruzzo	Albany County 112 State St., Room 1006 Albany, NY 12207	447-5645	alabruzzo@albanycounty.com
Kevin McLoughlin	HRVG Capitol Station, Room 254 Albany, NY 12224	474-4903	Kevin.McLoughlin@hudsongreenway.state.ny.us
Donald Robertson	NYSDOT – Region 1 84 Holland Ave. Albany, NY 12208	474-6219	drobertson@gw.dot.state.ny.us
Stephen Feeney	Schenectady County Planning 107 Nott Terrace Schenectady, NY	386-2225	sfeeney@nycap.rr.com
Howard Halstead	141 Willow Creek Ave. Schenectady, NY 12304	393-0558	halstead@ieee.org
Elaine Troy	NYSDOH Healthy Heart Frear Building, 4^th Floor, 2 Third St., Troy, NY 12180	271-2760 X 763	EHT01@health.state.ny.us
Bonnie Premo	NYSDOT State Office Campus 5-302 Albany, NY 12232	457-3437	bpremo@gw.dot.state.ny.us
John DiMura	NYS Canal Corp	436-3034	john_Dimura@canals.state.ny.us

1. Updates

q Patricia Rush, Friends of the Mohawk-Hudson Bike Path (Also Environmental Clearinghouse of Schenectady):

· A new brochure is being prepared.

· Campaign for membership if Friends group is focus.

q Denise Farnan

· The contract is out for the Peoples Island to Waterford bridge.

q Andy Labruzzo

· RFP for trail connections study was sent out in April. Six responses received, with 4 interviews scheduled, with the consultant to selected shortly thereafter. It was noted that the on-road signs along the Hudson in Watervliet, Green Island and Cohoes were up.

· Kevin & Andy noted that an event may scheduled around June 1 to announce on-road signage. This may include a table with information.

At this point, there was some discussion about the Troy-Menands bridge. A TIP project for Troy includes a bike-pedestrian connection over the bridge.

q Kevin McLoughlin

· A Greenway organizing event is scheduled for August 10 celebrating the merging of the two trails along the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers. It will be an event organized by communities, with oversight from the NYSOPR&HP. Activities will take place in Albany and Waterford. An organizing meeting will be held in Albany County on May 30 in the County Office Building.

q Don Robertson

· There is an assessment of Bike Routes 5 & 9 underway which is assessing the status of signs and shoulders.

· The Watervliet parking lot map will show the “correction” in the trail made during the sign inventory process. (This was a rerouting of the northbound route in Watervliet to Green Island from that shown on the printed map.)

· There will be a Mohawk-Hudson Cycling Club event on June 19 in Niskayuna.

q Howard Halstead

There will be a clean up on a one mile portion of the Mohawk Hudson bike path in Schenectady city June 1, a National Trail Day event.

· Encouraged the committee meeting at Plug Power on Albany Shaker Road.

q Elaine Troy

· Noted that the NYSDOH Healthy Heart Program had received 110 applications for a new, 5-year funding cycle. An announcement of awards may occur in late June.

2. Adopt-a-Trail Opportunities

q There was an extended discussion of adopting a trail and related matters. Some points considered:

· There is a state program called 'adopt a natural resource' managed by NYSDEC and NYSOPRHP. It seems that it applies to state owned rail corridors even if managed by another entity. This was the case for the Harlem Valley Rail Trail in Dutchess County. Potential volunteers need to formally register (social security numbers, contact information, & written agreement of the scope of their approved duties) as stewards of a defined trail segment and receive training/orientation from the managing entity. In return they are covered by NYS liability and also receive worker's compensation protection.

· Don Robertson noted that NYSDOT handles the adopt-a-road program, which is run by the NYSDOT resident engineers. Participating groups must provide their own liability insurance.

· John DiMura noted that the Canalway has tried to eliminate the liability insurance requirement.

· Denise Farnan indicated that she will provide a map of the NYSOPR&HP ownership, and will look into adapt-a-trail liability concerns.

· Howard Halstead noted that he surveys the Schenectady part of the trail weekly. This led to some discussion about trail clean ups in Schenectady by the Trails & Parks Committee, a component of the Schenectady Environmental Management Council (EMC)and the Environmental Clearinghouse of Schenectady (ECOS). Publicity is provided through the Schenectady County ADK (Adirondack Mountain Club) and ECOS newsletters. No one present was sure of insurance requirements for these efforts.

· Don Robertson noted that there has been some clean up along I-787, and that as of July 1 there will be a contract for maintenance.

3. Outreach Plan.

There was continuing, if inconclusive, discussion on how to successfully reach out to the community, and how to define community. It was noted that the Friends of Mohawk Hudson Canalway Trail is seeking additional membership. Patricia Rush particularly emphasized the last point. One perception was corrected in that this is for Schenectady and Albany Counties.

4. Next Meeting

The next meeting will be 3:00-5:00 PM, Monday, June 10, 2002. The meeting will be held at Plug Power on Albany-Shaker Road.

SUBMITTED BY:

Don Odell, recorder