VICTOR HIKING TRAILS

MEETING AT VICTOR TOWN HALL

March 16, 2017

ATTENDANCE: Carol MacInnes, Barb Cole, Dave Wright, Chauncy Young, Suzy Paquin, Lisa Roberts,

Ralph Weber, Special Guest Bruce Fisher

Meeting called to order at 7:10pm.

MINUTES:

Minutes of the February 16th meeting, motion to approve the minutes by Barb seconded by Suzy – Approved

TREASURER’S REPORT:

Barb handed out Financial summary stated

Assets as of Feb 28, 2017:

Checking $4055.37

Savings $1902.53

Wepay $20

Paypal $5

Total $5982.90

Bills Paid:

Frontier: $13.31

ADK - Genesee Valley Chapter Ad: $10.00

Suzy Pacquin - Breakfast expenses: $61.03

Total: $84.34

Town of Victor paid VHT insurance bill of $601.00

Motion to approve the financials by Chauncy seconded by Bruce - Approved

MEMBERSHIP: Pete Ingalsbe (absent)

Membership is at 247 with due to 56 to renew, 20 of which are more than 6 months past due.

Chauncy reported that we now have 570 members on Meetup, up from 553 last month.

Discussion regarding the number of many members there are on meetup, but not making a contribution. We could institute a requirement that meetup members pay $5. No changes will be made at this time, but the hike leader will make a statement at the beginning of each monthly hike that contributions are welcome to help pay for the meetup service.

PUBLICITY & NEWSLETTER: Dave Wright

Dave will update the phone message and send out a press release for the April hike this week.

EDUCATION: Ralph Weber

Ralph is helping Dave with May 7th hike at BlueBird Haven, which will be held in conjunction with the Springwater Trails hiking group. Dave is working with Christine Winter from Victor Park & Rec. regarding experts to discuss birds at the event. Dave has reserved the pavilion at the Blue Bird trail, The Springwater trail group typically hikes from 2:00-4:00 and has a social activity after the hike.

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR: Suzy Paquin

Pete & Carol went to the Penfield Jamboree in February, Carol reported that attendance at the event was good. The speaker spoke about the railroad bridge replacement project in Letchworth

April 8th is the Victor Chamber of Commerce health and wellness expo, the location is still TBD. VHT has been asked to attend with a table and brochures. Suzy currently has 3 volunteers.

April 29th is the Tree Board arbor day annual event, held at Victor Municipal Park this year. Approximately 40 trees will be planted in the park, to help replace the ash trees that are dying of ash bore disease. Motion by Dave for VHT to provide volunteers seconded by Chauncy - Approved. Chauncy is donating 100 White pines to be distributed to volunteers at the arbor day event.

April 9th is Rails to Trails Conservancy opening day. Chauncy suggested VHT hold a bike ride from VB Brewery to Powder Mills Park and back, starting at 10:00 am and finishing at VB for food and drinks. Chauncy will put the information on the National Rails to Trails web site.

National Trails Day June is 3rd. Chauncy sent out a tentative itinerary for the day of activities and hikes starting at Ganondagan. Dave put the itinerary on the National Hiking Society web site. There will be some cost for the museum tour portion.

The annual ADK expo is June 10th at Mendon Ponds Park. VHT will lead a hike and have a table and brochures.

TRAILMASTER: Carol MacInnes

Still waiting for approval from the Silverton Glen HOA for a new trail connecting the Auburn trail to the townhouse neighborhood.

Chauncy & Carol need to contact the last land owner to get permission for access on new connector trail Elders & Kingsley families have given permission.

TRAIL BOSS: Chauncy Young

Chauncy received the necessary approval from Marilyn Duvall to apply for a grant to build a bridge on her property.

Chauncy distributed the maintenance schedule for the growing season of 2017; he would like the town to do trail maintenance of the Bluebird Haven and 100 Acre trails, that will allow VHT to do maintenance on the new trail north of Valentown Road and the Dryer Road extension trail. The schedule includes four maintenance days on each trail and four open dates to allow for rain days.

The new Fisher’s Bridge dedication will be on May 13th in the afternoon

Dave will put the first 3-4 months of dates in the newsletter, Lisa will put them on meetup

Dave suggested adding the GVHC hikes that take place in Victor to the VHT newsletter

Chauncy & Suzy have cleared some of the downed trees from the wind storm. Dave saw downed trees in Dryer Rd. He took photos and sent them to Brian Emelson.

LAST HIKE: Apple Farm to Boughton Park

18 people attended. The hike was 8 miles, we hiked on the new flagged trail that makes a complete loop around both ponds possible. Temperature was cold, weather was dry, with a light cover of snow on the ground

OLD BUSINESS:

Chauncy was given the ABCD (Above and Beyond the Call of Duty) award for 2016 at the state level. There will be a presentation at 7pm on Monday April 3rd by the NYS Recreation and Parks Society at the Annual Conference held at the Hyatt Regency in Rochester.

April 4th Brian Emelson and Dave will be giving a presentation on the success of a volunteer trail group in your town at the convention.

Dave is working on compiling the list of projects VHT has completed

American Trails Symposium in May - Chauncy may attend.

Bruce presented the work he has done on the new VHT brochure. Jeff H has put QR codes on posts on the trails. The codes take a user to trail maps on the VHT web site, Bruce will put the code for the main VHT web page on the brochure. Discussion on printing double sided color since this is the 25th year, and approaching businesses to provide some of the cost for printing, in exchange for putting their name on the brochure. Need to have the new brochures for National Trails Day on June 3rd, and need to have them to the printer two weeks prior to that date.

The Twisted Branch trail run is on August 19th, the new start time is 4am. If VHT will sponsor a runner that is a member of VHT.

The Victor to Perinton half marathon trail run on the Seneca and Crescent trails is July 15th it’s a sanctioned race from Valentown Hall to the LDS church on Kreag Rd and back.

Chauncy is continuing to meet with the group working on promoting Victor as a hiking and biking destination, he will be attending the Victor town board meeting on April 27th, when the topic is on the agenda.

Dave gave a presentation to the Kiwanis Club on Feb 17th. They were very receptive.

Dave sent a letter to the village tree board to support them getting a grant to do tree studies

NEW BUSINESS:

Lisa gave an update from the Boughton Park Commission meeting. The commission is receptive to inviting a member of GROC to a future meeting to discuss building and maintaining sustainable trails in the park.

Dave made a motion to order a kit and 15 shirts, cost not to exceed $260, for National Trails Day, Carol seconded.

NEXT HIKE:

April 8th, Rob’s Trail Hemlock Lake

NEXT MEETING:

The next regular meeting will be on Thursday, April, 20th 2017, 7:00 p.m. at Victor Town Hall.

Motion to adjourn by Bruce seconded by Suzy at 9:07 pm.

Respectfully submitted by Lisa Roberts

Schedule of 2017 Hikes:

April 8th – Rob’s Trail on 15A to Hemlock Lake

May 7th - Maryfrances BlueBird Haven

May 13th – Vine Crest/Midlands & Beaumont, meet at old Foley Road parking lot off Route 250

June 3rd – National Trails Day: Ganondagan, Seneca Art & Culture Center

June 10th - ADK Expo, Mendon Ponds

July 8th - Wesley Nature Preserve east of Honeoye

August 12th - Chimney Bluffs State Park

September 2nd - Bare Hill Ring of Fire, evening hike

September 9th - Hang Around Victor Day, Village Hike

October 14th - Dryer Road Park to Lehigh Crossing Park

November 11th - Powder Mill Park

December 9th - Lucien Moran Park (Old Rifle Range)