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Secretary's Report - Green Mountain Club Northeast Kingdom
(NEK) Section Business Meeting - Saturday November 9, 2002
By MICHAEL CHERNICK
Welcome
Section President, Pat Aubin, welcomed everyone to the fall
business meeting.
President’s Report
Pat announced the need to form a nominating committee to develop
a 2003-2004 slate of officers. The positions anticipated to
be vacant include vice president, secretary, membership coordinator,
and webmaster. There may also be the need for a new assistant
trip coordinator. It was determined the committee will be
comprised of Kevin Williamson, Daisy McCoy and possibly Jean
Haigh.
Trail Adoption Coordinator
On a related topic, Kevin Williamson announced the establishment
of the new trail adoption coordinator’s position. He
related his conversation with Ben Rose, the executive director
of the main club, to establish a program of adopting trails
(assigning an individual to maintain a specific trail). Kevin,
who the executive committee designated as the section’s
first trail adoption coordinator, explained the plan should
relieve other organizations, including Kingdom Trails, of
some trial maintenance responsibilities.
Secretary’s Report
Michael Chernick reported on Governor Howard Dean’s
recent issuance of an executive order guaranteeing hunting
and fishing rights on all of the state-owned West Mountain
Wildlife Management Area. He explained that while sportsmen’s
clubs expressed support, the camp owners, on the former Champion
Lands, remain dissatisfied. Therefore, further requests to
the legislature, for guaranteed rights for those holding leases
in the West Mountain Wildlife Management Area, may be forthcoming.
Treasurer’s Report
In the absence of section treasurer, Joe Anastasia, Pat Aubin
presented the following update on the club’s finances:
August 2002 Balance: $ 990.94
August Revenue: $ 98.00
September Revenue: $ 32.50
October Revenue: $ 27.50
Pre Expense Balance: $1,154.94
Postage (Paid) $ 35.58
November Balance: $1,119.36
Note: Revenue in this quarter was derived from the 25% of
new members’ dues, which the main club remits to the
section.
Membership
Cynthia Barber, the section’s membership coordinator,
reported the section’s membership as consisting of 71
memberships of which 22 are family memberships.
Publicity
Publicity coordinator, Jim Fearon, announced the existence
of a proposal to construct a bike path between East Burke
and Lyndon. An initial public meeting to discuss the proposal
was recently held. Jim believes the GMC should support the
construction of this path. Kingdom Trails will be involved
in the development of the trail. Supporters will seek state
and federal grants to help finance the project.
Trip Planning
An excessive amount of time is devoted at quarterly meetings
to planning the activity schedule. As an alternative method
of developing the activity schedule, a planning meeting will
be held on Sunday November 17 at Walter McNeil’s home
at 11:00 A.M. Section members were requested to bring a lunch
contribution to share. Cynthia will send an e-mail to the
larger e-mail list. In the future, these meetings will occur
prior to the quarterly business meetings. This procedure is
intended both to shorten the business sessions and to enable
the section to list more activities in the Long Trail News.
Trails
Jean Haigh reported on recent trail work activities on both
Bald and Sable mountains. With respect to Bald, located in
Westmore, she described the November 19th hike (rescheduled
from October 5th) the mountain via the Middle Brook Trail.
This trip’s objective was to complete the installation
of new stairway platforms on the old forest fire (now observation)
tower. The section had previously installed new steps and
one platform along the stairway. However, upon reaching the
summit, the extremely poor weather conditions, particularly
high winds, forced postponement of the project. Additional
pieces of wood for the platform were stored in the cabin near
the tower. Work on the platform project will resume in the
spring of 2003.
As for Sable Mountain, situated near the Avery Ponds, the
development of a proposed trail remains in the planning stage.
A scouting hike, in August, surveyed possible trails on the
north and south side of the mountain. A follow-up hike in
October was scrubbed due to poor weather. However, Jean, Dave
Hardy from the main club, and Luke utilized the opportunity
to develop a list of distances and directions to destinations
on the former Champion Lands. The National Park Service has
awarded a planning grant to the Green Mountain Club for planning
a hiking trail on Sable.
Main Club Board of Directors’ Meeting
Jean Haigh, who serves as the section’s director on
the main club’s board, summarized events at the board’s
September meeting in Waterbury. The board discussed a number
of topics. But the day’s primary issue proved to be
the club’s position on future wind power projects. Both
Jean, and Michael Chernick who is a general director, related
the highlights of the board’s deliberations. The issue
was on the agenda due to the proposed construction of a wind
power project atop Little Equinox Mountain in the Manchester
area. The towers will be in sight of Long /Appalachian Trail
hikers. Both policy and technical drafting concerns prompted
the board to recommit the draft policy to the stewardship
committee for further review. The proposal did not address
wind power development outside of the Long Trail corridor
such as proposed atop East Mountain in East Haven. A revised
draft will be presented to the board at its January meeting.
James P. Taylor Series
On Friday January 24, 2003, the section will play host to
a slide show entitled “Denali – Climbing North
America’s Highest Peak.” The presenter, Jake Urban,
is a Northeast Kingdom resident who recently summated this
special peak. The event will occur at the Burke Mountain Club
House at 7:00 p.m. The program will serve as the section’s
contribution to the James P. Taylor Series, a club-wide series
of winter presentations held around the state. The cost for
GMC members is $5.00 and for nonmembers $7.00. Refreshments
of hot and cold cider and cookies, which section members will
provide, are to be offered for a modest price. The speaker
will be paid $80.00, and the evening’s profit will be
deposited in the section’s treasury. Jim Fearon will
be responsible for the publicity.
Future Meetings
The next quarterly meeting and potluck supper will occur on
Saturday February 8 at the Burke Mountain Club House in East
Burke at 5:00 p.m. The section’s annual meeting is scheduled
for Saturday April 12 at the same location and time.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned shortly before 7:00 p.m. The evening’s
program featured Bruce Berryman, a Lyndon College meteorology
professor, who presented the story of the town of Granby’s
successful effort to preserve Cow Mountain Pond and the surrounding
1800 acres.
Other news and events
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