Buffalo Trails Board Minutes for Dec. 1, 2008
Feb 10, 2009
Author: Lois Petersen

Buffalo Trails Board
Dec. 1, 2008

Meeting was brought to order at 7:15 am by Bill Mentock. In attendance were: Jerry Gladson, Jack Tartar, Bill Mentock, Alicia Bankson and Lois Petersen.

1) Approval of the Minutes of Nov. 3 meeting: Motion to accept minutes as written was made by Lois Petersen, seconded by Jerry Gladson. Motion carried.
2) Election of Officers – We discussed the upcoming vacancies. It was decided that we would advertise the vacancies immediately. Jack made a motion to table the election of officers until the Board is again settled with new members in place, and Jerry seconded the motion. Motion carried. The County Commissioners will also be asked if they want to appoint a county resident to a position on the BTB. There has already been a letter of interest made by Martha Cover-Killian. Jerry will visit with the County Commissioners about this and Bill Mentock will contact Martha to see if she is still interested in applying should the County Commissioners decide to appoint a county resident to the Board.
3) The Buffalo Charitable Foundation has awarded 5000 to the BTB. The money has to be used as match for the current sign project.
4) Update on Recreation Board grant requests: Three possible grant applications have been discussed: one would pay for a seasonal worker to help maintain trails; one for a tool shed and tools; and one for signage match money. Jack said a position probably would not be funded by Rec Board funds unless the position already existed within the City of Buffalo structure. He will check on application deadlines for the Rec. Board and get info back to Alicia. Alicia and Bill Mentock will work on a job description for a seasonal trails maintenance person. We need to look into what would be best – getting a part time/seasonal position for trails maintenance set up within the City but funded through the Rec Board or some other source, or perhaps finding money to simply contract with a person on a seasonal or even hourly basis. Benefits of both options need to be weighed in light of the job description.
5) Signage grant: We are about 16,000 short of the match money needed to obtain full funding of the 64,000 signage grant. We discussed raising the money through a fundraising event, applying to the Rec. Board for match money, checking on Lodge Tax money, and soliciting additional match funding through businesses, corporations, and charitable foundations. Jerry will talk with Nikki Lohse of the Lake DeSmet Conservation District and members of the Ray and Kay Littler Foundation Board (Greg Goddard, Doug Osborn, Burley Johnson) about how their organizations might be willing to help support the trails effort with matching funds. Lois and Alicia will work together to draft a form letter that can be used to solicit financial help from companies and organizations.
6) Signage by Dave Osmundson: Dave has finished the first (for the 1880 bridge) of the signs being commissioned by the BTB. A picture of the new sign will be published in the Buffalo Bulletin and public comment will be encouraged. If the community likes the looks of the sign, we can give Dave the go ahead to complete half of the signs (and the others as necessary match funds are obtained.) In the meantime, the 1st sign and any additional signs that Dave makes will be stored until Feb or March when the 1880 is fully functional.
7) Trails map/Brochure update: Alicia shared the newest version of the new trails map which will be part of the brochure that we intend to produce using the 2500 JCTA grant. We now have a trail map, a map showing leash restrictions on various trails, and information to be included on the brochure’s first page and on the new trailhead kiosks as well. Completion of the brochure is coming along well.
8) Benches from 3-Way: Although we have not yet received the finished benches, Bill and Lois determined good locations to place three of the six benches we will get from them. Bill marked two places along the Shiloh Trail – one on the west berm of the first pond, just west of the Greenbelt Trail and one at the 0.4 distance marker on the south branch of the Shiloh Trail. The third bench location is in an aspen grove on the west branch of the Old Power Plant Loop Trail. The other benches will be stored until other locations are identified either on new or existing trails.
9) 1880 Bridge: 3-Way set the bridge on its abutments on Monday, Nov. 17th but there is still work to do on the elevated walkway, so true completion of the project will not be until at least January.
10) Wyoming State Forestry Grant to prune/remove cottonwood trees along Clear Creek Trail: There should be @ 5000 left over from this grant once the cottonwoods are taken care of. This money could be used as match for any of the three projects we are still concerned with funding – seasonal trails maintenance, tool shed and tools, and signage.
11) City of Buffalo Ordinances 1308 and 1309 related to the Clear Creek Trails System and the BTB: Alicia will send us a copy of the new ordinances.
12) Update on issues raised by Turkey Lane residents related to ownership of land being used as part of the trail there. While Bill Mentock has found some discrepancy in official records related to this property, he has documents that show that the part of this area being used by the trail is owned by the City of Buffalo. It was decided that further work on this issue is not required of the BTB. Turkey Lane residents are free to continue to try to prove otherwise, but what we’ve found so far indicates the City ownership is documented.
13) Date for January BTB meeting has been set for Monday, Jan. 12, at 7 am at the City Hall.

Submitted by Lois Petersen
(Appointed secretary in Bill Cooley’s absence).