Attendance

NAME	REPRESENTING (as appropriate) & ADDRESS	TELEPHONE NUMBER	E-MAIL ADDRESS
Don Robertson	NYSDOT, Reg. 1 84 Holland Ave., Albany, NY 12208	474-6219	drobertson@gw.dot.state.ny.us
Jason Purvis	CDTC 5 Computer Dr. West Albany, NY 12205	458-2161	cdtc@crisny.org
Teresa LaSalle	CDTC 5 Computer Dr. West Albany, NY 12205	458-2161	cdtc@crisny.org
Patricia Rush	ECOS & Friends of MHBHT 1177 Oxford Place Schenectady, NY 12308	374-6995	chrisrush@prodigy.net
Arden R. Rauch	ECOS 2346 Knolls View Dr. Schenectady, NY 12309	372-2932	raucha@union.edu
John DiMura	NYS Canal Corp 200 Southern Blvd Albany, NY 12209	436-3034	john_Dimura@canals.state.ny.us
Ivan Vamos	NYBC 13 Maple Lane South Loudonville, NY 12211	459-2026	ivanvamos@hotmail.com
John Stangle	Village of Menands		johnstangle@hotmail.com
Donald Odell	Friends of MHBHT 97 Manning Blvd., Apt A Albany, NY 12203	482-4574	dodell@nycap.rr.com
Denise Farnan	NYSOPRHP 19 Roosevelt Dr. Saratoga Springs, NY 12866	584-2000 X 205	Denise.Farnan@OPRHP.state.ny.us
V. Zubkovs	City of Troy Planning Department	`270-4623	v.zubkovs@troyny.org

1. CTANY (Canal Trailways Association of New York) Update

q Don Odell reported on the CATNY meeting held in Camillus on September 25, 2002.

The NYPCA (New York Parks & Conservation Association) is undertaking a strategic plan. Their consultant, Loretta Lore, might be in touch with members of CATNY. Don will keep the regional group apprised of any activity in this area.
The Adopt-A-Trail program material has been completed and approved by the Executive Director of the NYS Thruway Authority. It will directly apply to lands owned by the Canal Corp., but can be used as a model for other segments of the trail owned by other parties. The new adopt-a-trail program package will be distributed and reviewed at the next CATNY board meeting on Wednesday, October 9, 2002. The board will also review CATNY’s June 2001 draft of the “Design, Maintenance and Management Guidelines for the Canalway Trail.” Don is unable to attend this meeting, and suggested someone else go as an alternate. There were no takers.
The Adopt-A-Trail program material has been completed and approved by the Executive Director of the NYS Thruway Authority. It will directly apply to lands owned by the Canal Corp., but can be used as a model for other segments of the trail owned by other parties. The new adopt-a-trail program package will be distributed at the next CATNY board meeting on Wednesday, October 9, 2002 will review it. The board will also review CATNY’s June 2001 draft of the “Design, Maintenance and Management Guidelines for the Canalway Trail.” Don is unable to attend this meeting, and suggested someone else go as an alternate. There were no takers.
There was considerable discussion about the concerns of property owners abutting trails at the CATNY meeting. It appears that landowners are concerned, and even opposed to, abutting trails before they are developed, but become proponents of the trails once they are there. The current issues of Rails to Trails magazine features an article on this issue. See http://www.railstrails.org/news/magazine/nahb.pdf for article.

John offered some additional detail as to the Adopt-A-Trail material. He noted the parameters of adopting a trail by local groups. Volunteers are covered by Workers Compensation Insurance and by a blanket liability insurance policy. However, volunteers must register in the program by completing a participant register form and participate in accordance with the adopt-a-trail program rules to be eligible for such coverage.

2. Regional Updates

q Denise Farnan, NYSOPRHH. Denise reviewed the Recreational Trails grant program.

The details of the program is found on the NYSOPRHP website; www.nystateparks.state.ny.us (On the home page that appears, enter “Explore Here” in center of home page. Then enter “Program Services” in lower right corner. Then, NYS OPRHP Grant Programs. Then Recreational Grants Program. You should have the details for online applying.

Some of the basics: There is a workshop on this grant program on October 10, 2002 at the Saratoga State Park. November 10. 2002 is the deadline for grant applications. There is $1,500,000 available statewide. Maximum grants are $100,000 (although it had better be a WONDERFUL AND GREAT application if one asks for the maximum). The state/federal share is up to 80%. And support letters are very important.

q Don Robertson, NYSDOT Region 1.

Following up on a question raised at last month’s meeting regarding the Dyke Road/I-787 intersection, Don did send an email to the appropriate party. Not having received a response, he will send it again.
Don also announced that he is transferring to the Binghamton office of NYSDOT. Next month will be his last meeting with the group. We all wish him well.

q Jason Purvis, CDTC

There will be a Greenway trails connection workshop in the Menands Village Hall on Tuesday evening, October 29, 2002. All are encouraged to attend. Contacts should be made with municipal officials who should be interested in what is happening with this study.
Enhancement Grant awards have been announced. This includes the Albany County trail rehabilitation between the City of Albany and the City of Watervliet, and the portion maintained by the County in the City of Cohoes.
The CDTC Mohawk Hudson BHT ownership and maintenance map was introduced (see below).

q V. Zubkovs, City of Troy Planning Department.

The various trail planning activities in Troy were reviewed.
The City is particularly interested to the connections with the Mohawk Hudson BH trail.

q Patricia Rush, ECOS & Friends of the MHBHT.

ECOS (Environmental Clearinghouse of Schenectady) has received a Kodak Greenways Grant for $1,000 to publish a Schenectady County Trail Guide. With continuing improvements on the trail, an updated version will probably be necessary in a couple of years. That may provide an opportunity for the entire Mohawk Hudson trail to be included in a future trail guide.
In a review of the activities of the Friends of the MHBHT, Patricia indicated that she and Howard Halstead had discussed its future. There seems to be a sense that the MH Canalway Group should be the primary entity advancing the concerns of the canalway. There seems to be no “concerns” that draw people, and that without something to rally people around, maintaining an active group is difficult. The Friends will continue as a not-for-profit organization that will recruit membership and hold occasional meetings, perhaps quarterly.

3. Outreach Activities.

q The above report by Patricia rush smoothly transitioned into a general discussion about outreach activities. It was noted that Schenectady County and City officials are not aware of the economic and tourism benefits of the trail. There was also some general discussion that local officials and local users generally perceive the trail in more local terms than in a region-wide trail, or statewide canalway trail. There continues to be the question of how to reach out and get the interest of local officials.

4. Trail Ownership and Maintenance

q The CDTC trail ownership and maintenance map, and the ownership map of the NYSOPRHP were reviewed and compared. There are some unresolved components of the trail in these areas.

q Ownership is fragmented among state agencies, including NYSODT, NYSOPRHP, NYSTA (Canalway), private parties (GE), and federal (Knolles Atomic Power Laboratory), and municipalities (Towns of Rotterdam, Niskayuna, Colonie), Schenectady and Albany Counties. Maintenance of state owned trail lands is generally covered by maintenance agreements with the respective municipalities and counties in which the trail is located. The State agencies have a general policy of requiring bike path maintenance to be the responsibility of local governments. The existence and status of maintenance agreements was discussed. There are details to still be researched.

5. Next Meeting

The group decided that the concept of moving the meeting location around among the respective municipalities and counties should be continued.

The next meeting is scheduled for 3:00-5:00 PM, Monday, November 4 in the Town of Colonie Public Operations Center, 347 Old Niskayuna Road.

SUBMITTED BY:

Don Odell, recorder