Buffalo Trails Board
Apr 7, 2008
Author: Bill Cooley

MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING
OF THE BUFFALO TRAILS BOARD
HELD FEBRUARY 4, 2008

A regular meeting of the Buffalo Trails Board was held at City Hall at noon on February 4, 2008. The following board members were present:
Chairman Bill Mentock, Fred Grey, Jack Tarter, Jerry Gladson, Steve Nuckolls, Ed VonHolst, Norb Lyle
Colin Betzler, Alicia Bankston.
Absent: Bill Cooley, Councilman Don Vogl

The Chairman Bill Mentock called the meeting to order at 12:04 pm. Mountain Standard Time. Bill Mentock made a motion to approve the minutes of the Dec 6 meeting. The motion was seconded and approved as amended.
Colin presented the agenda for the meeting and made a motion to add an amendment to have public comment in between item #9 and #10. This was seconded and approved. Colin explained that any questions one might have regarding upcoming events/meetings are listed on this website.
Colin discussed the recent meeting the City had with the Rec. Board and it was determined and approved that the ,000 Rec. Grant could be used for site improvements of the Historic Bridge Placement project. A ,000 Teal Grant was also awarded. The total amount available now at 8,818.20. The City will be working with JLM Engineers to help in formally designing the plan to place the historic bridge across Clear Creek.
Colin discussed that the City is working on getting the JCTA 2008 grant application due in by February 28, 2008. This could help out in funding a new trails logo/brand, signs and a new trail brochure/map.
Alicia brought up that she is entertaining bids on our trail logo. Four groups have been asked to give bids. More information will be available next meeting. Colin also brought up that the Division of Wyoming Travel & Tourism matching grant fund for highway signage is something to consider in 2009, after the trails logo, name etc. have been decided upon so that official signage referencing the trail system along the Interstates could move forward.
Alicia and Colin reviewed the National Trails Day (June 7) that the City would like to celebrate. There is an immediate need for a volunteer to head the project and start planning for this National event.
SIDE NOTE: Members and all At-Large Board Members attending have ranked their preference on the most important benefits of our trail system with colored stickers on the supplied posters in the room.
Presentations of proposed trails started with Craig Kitto and Dan Barent of Buffalo High School. Dan presented a map with photos included of a gravel/sand trail plan that surrounds the circumference of the High School. A future Ag. Farm and Pond is planned. This trail will also connect to a future trail planned along Cemetery Road. Funding would be requested from Rec. district, and/or district funds.
A Presentation of the Middle School Science Loop trail was made by Andy Stafford. Many sections were presented. Basically, they are planning on an interpretive trail starting at Klondike and up to the 1.13 mile marker on the greenbelt. Sections include: a permanent photo plot, “over – time” sampling and experiment area, reclamation project, nesting boxes for bluebirds, grasshopper count area, stream chemistry data and develop area, fence line grazing/non-grazing project area, and a snow fence study area. Benefits will be to improve habitat, students see the change and have ownership, and community awareness can greatly increase.
Alicia presented the Main Street Historic Walking tour plan on the overhead. This plan catalogs all the old buildings from East Bennet to Holland St. All buildings are numbered and described. The plan is to be included with the existing trail system and possibly piggy back this information and map with our brochure.
Norb Lyle described his existing plan of the trail extension from the old Crippled Children’s home in Mosier Gulch to Tie Hack. The trail plan is appox. 7.5 miles long, 2 miles of which uses existing roads, 2 miles of which uses and well worn trail #107 from Tie Hack, 6.7 miles of the trail uses the National Forest lands, .4 mile are on BLM and City land each. A total of 4 bridges would have to be built. Winter wildlife areas will have to be respected as well. Craig Cope made a point that any plan like this will need to go through an environmental assessment process.
Alicia presented some updated notices regarding schedule changes including the workshop coming up later in February – this has been changed to February 19, 2008 at noon. Various handouts were also issued to the members.
Jerry Gladson made a motion to amend the “Buffalo Trails Connection” and “Buffalo’s Clear Creek Trail System” as the two choices so far for the trail system name, and to be included in the draft Master Plan. It was seconded and the motion carried.
The trail system name was discussed at length and for public comment, Glenn Hare thought that the name of “Buffalo Trail Connection” fits best into our mission statement and that it is a great theme to build on.
Norb Lyle made a motion to accept all official trail names thus far with the exception of the McNeese #9 trail. The motion was seconded and carried. The motion also included to table, discuss, and vote on all other issues regarding the mission statement, trail uses on existing trails, and the dog issues at our next meeting.
There being no further discussion to come before the meeting especially for the time constraints, the meeting was adjourned at 1:45 pm Mountain Standard Time.


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Norb Lyle
Secretary of the Meeting