Buffalo Trail Board
Jul 22, 2009
Author: Lois Petersen

Buffalo Trails Board
Minutes for the meeting on April 22, 2009
Submitted by Lois Petersen


Agenda
1. Welcome Kelly Hornby.
2. 1880 Bridge update.
3. Update on Trails Day June 6th.
4. Update on language for kiosks.
5. Heritage Trail Park update.
6. Rec. Board applications update.
7. Grouse Mountain Trail update.
8. Brochure update and distribution
9. Sign/Kiosk update.
10. Dog waste stations
11. Correspondence.
12. Comments/questions.


Meeting was called to order at 4:47 pm with the following members in attendance: Bill Cooley, Mary Fowlkes, Jack Tartar, Lois Petersen, Kelly Hornby, Dave Palmerlee, and Courtney Frost. Also present was former BTB Chair Bill Mentock, and both Colin Betzler and Alicia Bankston were present for different portions of the meeting. Approved the minutes of the March meeting and agenda for the April meeting.

1. Kelly Hornby was introduced and welcomed as a new member of the board.
2. Colin reported: 1880 Bridge is now in place, city is hauling dirt and boulders for the parking lot. There may have to be a new plan related to the north end of the bridge as an elevated boardwalk may require more donated work than is now available. There might be enough money left over to purchase labor for a shorter ramp to be built to the northeast instead of the northwest as this would mean 2 panels rather than 9. ADA requirements would still be in place. Emerson Scott has since done some steel pricing that indicates we might have enough to complete the original plan. Any changes made to the original plan should be brought before the City Council. A letter of thanks to Ray Garland and Emerson Scott needs to be written and we will invite them to represent Three-Way at the dedication.
3. Crazy Woman Square has been reserved for our National Trails Day celebration. Downtown Development is planning to be there and also help provide dessert. Might be some Chamber of Commerce “hangings” during our event. BLM will organize the trail clean up segment –in advertisements, BLM will be listed as a contributor to this event. BTB volunteers that day will be Lois Petersen, Courtney Frost, Dave and Susan Palmerlee, Kelly and Julie Hornby, and Jack Tartar. Bill Cooley will contact a couple of people on the list of volunteers. Kelly will reserve the school grill for use at our event. Kelly may also be able to supply some tables, if needed, in addition to the picnic tables that are usually in the park. We authorized a 2 x 6 Buffalo Trails Board banner with the cc trails logo on it to be purchased for this and other event use.
4. We’re hoping to have photos on at least some of the sign boards to attract attention and provide visual history – i.e. of downtown Main St. through history, the old Power Plant, etc. More of the sign language is being finalized with help from Jack Tartar, BJ Earle, Emerson Scott and others. Patti Reid will try to find some additional photo resources that might be useful on the downtown sign.
5. Glen Hare, Bill Mentock, Ken and Rick Durfee, Brian Bond, Christy and Bob Kessler, and Lois Petersen met at Heritage Park to evaluate the trail conditions and assess what needs to be done to find a long-term fix to trail erosion there. Ken feels it will call for major money and time investments to affect a long-term fix. A Rec Board grant and/or help from both the City and County will be necessary. Brian and Rick Durfee will do a short term fix on April 25 to at least improve conditions for this walking season. Christy talked to both the City and County and felt both groups were willing to offer significant help on trail improvements over time. As for weed control, Weed and Pest was said to be quick to remedy weed problems with spraying. Mary Fowlkes will contact Christy and refer her to Weed and Pest.
6. BTB submitted 3 applications to the Rec. Board – seasonal trail maintenance personnel, tool shed, trail repair on Centennial Trail. Bill Cooley will present these requests to the Recreation Board at their May meeting.
7. Dave Palmerlee and Bill Cooley met with Mark Booth, Craig Cope, and Brian Boden – Forest Service is on board with the Grouse Mt. project which would extend a trail from Mosier Gulch to the National Forest Trail System. BLM, City, and Forest Service will all need to partner and all three are in favor of this project. Dave called the National Park Service contact in Denver who assists in trail planning/layout, and he is willing to come up to participate in this effort on almost a pro bono basis if we will pay his travel expenses. We need a timeline for tasks that need to be addressed and a timeline/ proposed budget for addressing them. One expenditure we need to plan for will be a bridge over the creek.
8. Alicia reported the new trails brochure is done and 5000 copies have been ordered to be distributed at the Chamber and other locations around town as well as during the June 6 Trails Day Celebration. We might also distribute them at the May 7th Business After Hours at The Deerfield, and at the hotels on a regular basis. JCTA has been very supportive in financing the trail brochures.
9. May need others to help complete the historical language for the various trails. Layout that includes signage from Lake DeSmet needs to be determined by BTB. A committee will go out tomorrow to determine where various kiosks will be installed.
10. Dog waste station near Turkey Lane is damaged - will be repaired by Dave/Susan Palmerlee. Large bags are needed by Courtney.
11. A letter thanking the Public Works Dept. was read and approved for publishing in the Buffalo Bulletin.
12. Discussed hoof prints as a way to keep people from getting lost along the business section of the trail system and determined they are working fine. Bill Mentock has the stencil and will repaint the hoof prints along the Main Street sidewalk soon to correspond with the upcoming tourist season. Steve Nuckolls has the equipment to water trees along the trail. Bill Cooley will give him a call to see if he still wants to be involved with that. Discussed road maintenance issues along Turkey Lane and responsibility of private citizens as well as city employees and the manager of the trailer park to maintain the road. Discussed the process of annexing the Hampton Inn property and how a trail easement between 5 property owners might be agreed upon in that area. Raised the question of whether BTB members could help negotiate trail easements. A work session review on subdivision rules will take place early in May and will be open to the public.

Next BTB meeting will be May 27, 4:30p at the City Hall.