Happy Holidays from the Deep South RPC!!

ATC Holiday Party On Saturday December 17, ATC hosted the first ATC holiday party in Hot Springs, an AT trail town. Over 25 people came for the short hike, the reception and celebration at the Bright Leaf Junction restaurant. Morgan Sommerville presented Mark Snelson, the mayor of Hot Springs with an AT calendar. Reprinted from CMC Email News

Deep South RPC 11/12/05

Meeting Minutes

 

Attendees: Don Walton, Chair (CMC)

Van Hill and Jerry Seabolt, GATC

George Gover and David Sapin, NHC

Penny and John Lankford, SMHC

Joe DeLoach and Bruce Cunningham, TEHC

Howard McDonald, CMC

Marianne Skeen

Bob Proudman

Matt Davis

Julie Judkins

Megan Sutton, SAHC

 

Packets were passed out that included:

Agenda

ATC SORO 10 year Goals

ATC calendar

ATC Conservation Department Work Plan

AT Wind Project update

USDA USFS Agency update

ATPO update

ATPO Schedule of Environmental Reviews

4/2/05 meeting minutes

Draft ’06 Budget

Julie Judkins’ ’05 Report

Matt Davis’ Trail Skills, Crews, RR/CT and Sawyer reports

 

Don welcomed everyone and went through introductions. 

 

SORO Office Goals:  Matt and Julie summarized and briefly discussed some of the highlights. 

Comments:

Bruce had a question of who governs and says which program tasks are to be dropped if that needs to happen throughout the year, and how would that be addressed.  How to bring RPC back in throughout the year if needed.  Ideas were discussed such as through email. 

This is the 1^st working meeting.  What are the key elements of what we should be working on?

Marianne: This group connects with stewardship council that connects with the Board.  In this process of de-centralizing, we need to make sure and speak up if we need (ATC or clubs) more resources. 

Don: Is this true in all regions?

Bob Proudman: We are in the middle of restructuring.  The budget pie hasn’t grown. We had cuts from NPS.  We aren’t as far along as we had initially hoped we would be.  The regional office now have their own budget. 

This board should be monitoring the regions priorities.

 

Verbal Reports:

 

Matt reviewed the Sawyer training updates, explaining that one goal of the chain gang was to make certification as easy and painless as possible. 

Comments:

Don asked if there were lists of sawyers with their expiration dates. 

There was discussion about having a tracking system.

Van: There should be ongoing resources to meet club needs. Offer classes more than one time a year.

Don: To sum it up, recruiting is a tool needed.  In order to help the crew leaders with such big responsibilities such as safety, tools, place, etc... , the club should do anything they can to make it easier for the volunteer. 

George: If it were possible for the volunteer to fill in their own information on a website, it would cut out much of the administrative work. 

 

North Shore Rd

Don will put Greg Kidd’s email on the RPC listserv, so that everyone can get on the list to get a copy of the EIS coming out in December.

 

FMSS

Bob Proudman passed out FMSS planning.  NPS is going from a program level to a project  level (for example, we will put in a request for a re-lo at deep gap, not a Konnarock general proposal). In packets, look at the FAQ.

 

Marianne explained the USFS recent categorical exclusions change.  It might be possible to blanket the NEPA for FMSS.  They are working on it.

 

Cycle picture

Bob Proudman went over the trail assessment cycle for FMSS.  (It is being called the Wheel of Fortune:)

Action item: Mark up handouts by January 1^st, so they can be submitted by the end of January to be entered into the database.  5 year plans due to ATPO by February. 

Dave Reus manages the database. 

Matt mentioned that we are not at 20%. 

There was discussion on involving volunteers, and having them take some of this responsibility off the staff. 

Don mentioned that there was one person who did it for the whole MST.

CMC, TEHC and SMHC all said they would have willing volunteers to do this. 

Jerry: ATC does bring consistency and a neutral set of eyes. 

Bruce: If a training session was held, the volunteer would be plenty informed. 

Matt: It pays to be picky!

 

I-3

http://www.stopi3.org/

You can find the article that was in Creative Loafing here as well.

Marianne: The highway would cross at Unicoi Gap, at two Wilderness Areas.

The $400,000 feasibility study was changed and approved to 1.3 million.  These are powerful forces, we don’t want to let our guard down! GA and NC DOTs declined to be part of the study, so FHA is doing it.  They will try to limit public input.  Hopefully there will be enough notice that the representatives for stopping it can provide the information quick enough for comments.  GATC has the policy on its website.  
Jerry: Because of the uncertainty of the route, it could affect other clubs.

Don will add the stop I-3 website to the RPC email list.

 

Stewardship

Jerry provided comments about the skills of the representatives.  The policy process will work as such:

The identification of it can come from anyone, clubs, RPC, HQ...

Once identified, HQ will review and then send it to the committee to review and approval will come from the ATC Board.  Committee members will participate in different tasks and projects.  If a specific skill set is needed in a region, this is the opportunity to identify that. 

Marianne: Feedback is needed on how the selection process went. 15 member max.

There was discussion on geographic balance, representation and those not RPC members.  It was recommended that equitable representative be worked out with one RPC rep. and one other geographical rep.

Motion: one person is represented from each RPC.

Passed. 

 

Jerry: ID needed for skills that they want represented.  2 year memberships. 

 

Written Reports

Summary from Matt and Julie

 

Megan Sutton, SAHC Lyndhurst project

Megan updated the group on the partnership grant of $300,000 to ATC and SAHC.  The work plan was discussed at their last meeting, and will include the goals of the two organizations and what each will contribute.

Morgan has promised that ATC will provide priorities of parcels (within the zone of concern), community outreach and refining the GIS model.  SAHC will provide guidance on “doing the deals”, skills in approaching land owners and looking for future funding sources.   The method: develop a conservation buyer program. 

Two large priorities: 1) Julien Tract near Hump Mtn. (400-450 acres)

2) Rocky Fork, TN (10,000 acres). 

Morgan is in the process of writing an executive summary.  The two organizations will have monthly meetings to stay updated.  Matt Robinson is updating the GIS model for the zone of concern. 

5 areas of concern: GIS layers to aid in showing concerns; viewshed analysis; remoteness (to population centers); road networks and R,T & E species. 

Goal: Do something to I.D. parcels; getting and making digitized data.

This partnership is really putting credibility into our land trust by giving it capacity and energy to get it back and running. 

Jerry: Will there be any land priorities that aren’t in the “zone”?

It is a goal to have an approximate 4 mile buffer.

 

Conservation Plan:

Bob Proudman gave a summary of the plan.  Don posed the question of where they got their priorities.  The answer seems to be budgeting.

 

Club Needs and Feedback:

GATC

ATC to aid in skills or expertise that club doesn’t have, specifically trainings (continue sawyer and 1^st aid).  Courses in trail design and layout or development of availability of those trained, leadership development courses that a trail supervisor would need. Privies- a course targeted on construction, maintenance, etc… ATC to serve as a consulting partner on RR/CT advisor, shelter financing, etc…
Allocation of resources- maybe RPC can aid with a budgeting process.  Resources are needed to target outreach and program development. If we don’t deal with these issues, we’ll lose our trail to development issues.

Our #1 goal can be reached by building attitudes, awareness with communities and children.  We need more resources in ATC SORO to see this happen.  We would like to see :

Listserv – for ATC related issues.  A great example is Sierra Club (regional coming out of HQ).  Members to be able to converse with clubs.

 

Don spoke of his involvement with a professional organization.  Through strategic planning, develop a need for virtual communication with interactive chapters, live feed on meetings, education sessions are archived, etc…

Matt added that Whiteblaze.net has more of this than ATC.

Don: Yes, we need the one-stop-shop, the to-go place when information is needed. ATC needs to be that home.  It is critical to have technological stuff in your infrastructure. You have to give more information than they (users) think that they need to get something back. Est. needed: $100,000 + 1 staff person.

 

NHC

Hand out about 2006 Multi-Club. 

Needs: Recruitment program (goals 3 & 4)

Looking for a program from us to help approach people for recruiting (as stated last year!). There was discussion about the process of getting a shelter passed from idea to construction and the immense amount of time needed.  Does ATC have a process outlined to get a privy/shelter approved?

Howard: The difficult part is getting parts delivered, etc…

Bob Proudman: There are so many different personalities in the USFS and NPS.  Maybe there is a way we can help to find a contractor to aid the USFS in getting these things passed.

It is frustrating for those who donate shelter money,  and don’t see any movement for so long.   
Bob suggested talking with Don Owen, Pete Irvine and Morgan.  Make individual Forest visits. 

Make sure to keep updating clubs with on goings such as land acquisition.

 

CMC

We are doing well.  All the little things typically add up to Leadership Development.

For example, we have no strategic plan. 

Jerry: Maybe there should be a leadership seminar with someone who has professional motivational and recruiting volunteers expertise.
BOD – Jim? ATC sponsored a volunteer motivation in Gatlinburg.  There is also SE Foothills Program.

Matt mentioned Dave Schillings program (club leadership seminar), but it has kind of dropped by the wayside. 

Internal vs external leader was discussed.

 

SMHC

Similar needs.  Background: ’04 was a bad year for us for burnouts.  The backlog was increasing, volunteers decreasing which lead to an ATC/ATPO meeting and the club gave up part of the trail temporarily. 

Now they are concentrating on communities, recruitment and RETENTION and communication with excellent leaders. 

Leadership organization: they are nervous about losing expertise.

Needs: purchasing locust log materials, HELO drops, privies (where is the golden bowl?). Biggest problem seems to be people capitol.  They are looking at making specialized focus groups as opposed to work trips ie/ group to blaze.

Many don’t have an idea of what trail work is like.  Education is needed on what specifically the needs are. 

Jerry: What about a mentor program?

Don: We need to recognize this problem as a group. 

Matt: Lessons learned from new programs. More coordinated to work more proactive vs reactive.

BP: Workshops, resources from neighboring clubs…

Jerry: It is a good possibility to get hike/crew leaders to go from other clubs.  I’m sure there are people who would love that opportunity.

Bruce: Do we need to re-examine our standards for how to do trail work? (He gave the example of how much work is done by Hard Core vs K-rock)

Joe: Doesn’t agree that this needs to be a focus.

Matt: Shared the example of how George said that the ATC clubs are experts in field work.

 

TEHC

Resurrection of the Register and communications between clubs . For example: Shared emphasis on threats and partnerships (SAHC).

Also would like to have help on the possibility of a TN License plate, leadership development (Ed Clark workshop repeat).  Maybe the re-organization is trying to do too much.

 

AT License Plate

Win-win! Fundraising, Community Outreach, Memberships are all tied into this. 

Don briefed everyone on Joe Sam Queen and Clark Wrights involvement in passing the legislation, getting the correct amount of applications, and meetings to discuss how the funds might be allocated. 
There was a question of if this was an official AT committee: yes.  Morgan, Brian King, Clark, Joe Sam, Don and Jack Dalton. 

Don also threw out the idea about Diamond Brand donating a free gift certificate. 

ATC memberships are being given to all those who sign up for a plate.

 

Friend Raising

Bob summarized donations from corporations and sponsors such as Aveda, Coca Cola, NPF, Lindhurst, LL Bean and others. 

He also discussed de-centralizing the budget and how he hopes it will simplify things. 

Matt talked about our Road Show and how he hopes that clubs will accompany us to different venues.  

 

Konnarock Steering

Don stated that we need to establish 3 new regional representatives from RPC or the region.  Marianne summarized the duties as looking over project proposals and making priorities at the spring meeting. 

Motion:

3 recommended representatives to be Howard McDonald, John Lankford, and George Gover.

Motion passed.

 

Budget

There was discussion on how the numbers for the budget were allocated and how it was in relation to the priorities the RPC has made.

Van: Budget isn’t listed from prioritized tasks.  IOW, our goals don’t relate to the budget. 

More meat is needed for the goals.  If we do it that way, it would need to be shown as the most money budgeted for goal #1.  Maybe we should make a subcommittee and pair down staff’s time to equal the budget.  Collect all programs and mount them to goals with budget attached to them. 

Marianne: Morgan needs to tell us how he came up with the budget from the priorities. 

 

3 MAIN PRIORITIES:

Leadership development

Volunteer Outreach

ATC to AT recognition

 

Joe: We should make specified programs for each of these goals.