Friends of Willard Brook

Board of Directors Meeting – MINUTES

March 6, 2008, 7 PM, Willard Brook State Forest Headquarters, Townsend

 

1.  Attending were Jayne Perkins, Deborah Smith, Kathryn Garcia, Don Stoddard, Duane Cromwell, Clare Kauppi, Eino Kauppi, Joellyn Nevins, Tom Nevins, Emily Norton, Bruce Colburn.

2.  Corrections to the minutes none

3.  Treasurer’s Report – Eino

          Balance as of 3.6.08  1380.62  Winter carnival made $498.00.

          Tax forms - Eino filed electronically and they are all set.

4.  Membership Report – Clare  84 members

5.  Publicity

          Winter Carnival coverage - Telegram & Gazette (north county) had an article in the Thursday paper.  Nashoba printing journalist was there and there should be an article coming out.

          Spring Newsletter - Articles by Faith, Duane, Clare, and Emily.  Pictures, bean soup recipe, annual meeting, and spring schedule.

                   Spring schedule – 2 vernal pool certification team trips 4/12 and 4/27.  Townsend's Earth Day is 4/26 and we have been invited to participate again this year.  Bruce will see if Smokey can come.  Volunteers - Emily, Jayne and Deborah.  Neat Streets Clean-up in May.  Park Serve Day is May 17.  Eino will do a couple fly fishing and a couple beaver walks, May and June.  A nature drawing to be done after school is out June 28.

6.  Winter Carnival Results

          What went right?  Snow showed up.  Set up was good.  Eastern Mountain Sports folks let people use cross country skis, or snow shoes, that got a lot of new folks interested.  The Snowmobile club trailer was much larger that anticipated.  There were mixed reviews and comments, but it really went well.  The home made soup and hot dogs went very well.   The Alpaca club did well and next year will donate to the raffle.  The rescue dogs and handlers were great.

          What should we change?  Publicity - we need to get the word out.  Big sign at Townsend common pre date.  Sign on 119 to guide people in the 2 miles.  Form a committee next year and get one person to get publicity to radio stations, maybe Yankee Magazine, contact school PTO's.

7.  Friends of NRRT – Duane

          Mural project - There are some complications with the matching grant because the DCR want to money and then will do a match, but the Cultural Council wants to pay invoices for stuff purchased.  Kathryn and Duane to work on this.

          Station Avenue project - not much going on.  They want DCR to purchase property for parking at the NRRT, behind the electric company.  Not likely.

          Should we plan a rail trail day?  Will probably do something during National Biking Week. 

Rail trail clean-up?  Will be May 17 to coincide with Park Serve Day, like last year.  Cathy Buckley Lewis of Metro Planning Committee, wants to have us do a trail use count with one day during the week and one day on the week end.  There were signs reported missing in the fall, Bruce will see that they get replaced this spring.

8.  Trails committee – Ray, Sussie  Ray spent a day east of Pearl Hill road doing blazing.

9.  Annual Meeting

          Date - June 26, Thursday

          Speaker - New DCR Commissioner, Rick Sullivan, author Cy Montgomery, Laurie Gullion-Lindwald.

          Who’s up for re-election?  Eino, Don and Deborah

          Nominating committee - Don and John.  Note: we need a VP.

10. DCR/Forest News – Bruce  SCA project approved and the crew to improve the Damon Loop.  Lots of meetings.   Received a lot of questions about the Bruce Freeman Trail from towns who will be part owners.  Ed is working with the Watatic committee still issues with snowmobiles.  Staffing notices are coming and recall meeting being scheduled.

11. Other Business - Tom will take over the web-site.  Emil to get a scrapbook and put what she has in it, the we can add as we get stuff.   On the licence plates, Emily talked to Bob Antonioni money from the plates should go to friends groups.  A coalition is forming, web site up.  Will be very informal group  3/15 Environment MA Program in Boston with workshop for new friends groups.  Bob to look into it.   Jennifer Flannagan is running for his seat.  Joseph P Joseph parcel work to be done, as far as Bruce knows it will happen after mud season.   Eino to get info to Tom and Joellyn to do thank you notes.

12. Next Meeting – April 3, 2008.  7 PM, Willard Brook State Forest Headquarters

 

Respectfully submitted by Jayne Perkins.