August 2024 Minutes

Minutes by Stacy Johnson
Co-Chairs: Liz Scherer & Mitch Waldman
Mtg took place in person indoors at the Village Station.
Commenced at 4:00 p.m.; ended at 5:00 p.m.
Members in attendance = 25

NEXT MEETING is November 4, 2024 @ 4:00.  - Venue : TBD
FYI: Meetings are scheduled for the 1st Monday of 2nd month of each quarter (i.e. first Monday of Feb/May/Aug/Nov)

NEXT WORK DAY:  Friday, August 9, 2024 to rebuild the Cabin Loop Trail.
Will work with 6 volunteers from UIG (Water company) who are each volunteering 3 hours of their time.  BC
Public Works will be delivering a load of gravel which will need to be “bucketed” by hand.
More details to follow.

NEW MEMBERS: Welcome to the following new BCTC members:

  • Robert Wolfe – will oversee upper Nancy Womack Tr. (Ponder Pt. to Summit) with JR.

  • PJ Docka - will oversee Lower Falls Tr. with Steve Papke.

  • Bob Barkow - will oversee Wildcat Tr. Access & Bobcat Ridge Access Tr. With Jeff Weigl.

DEPARTING MEMBERS: The following members have resigned from BCTC.  Thank you for your contributions!

  • Rita & Brian Boje

  • Dave Cox

  • Billy Lovell

  • Malcom Halls

RECENT PROJECTS COMPLETED:

  1. Storm Clean up: Thank you to all who cleared the trees blown down on your respective trails and for doing it so quickly.  There were a LOT of blow downs and many trails were affected, but some of the bigger blow downs included: Blackwell Creek Tr; Nature Tr; High Gap Tr; and Choctaw Tr)

  2. Meadows: Replaced railroad tie steps (thank you, Dion, for helping with your heavy equipment).

  3. Nature Trail: Replaced railroad tie steps in streams with stepping stones.

  4. Meadows: Corrected erosion at Meadows (again, Dion’s heavy equipment was useful!)

  5. High Gap: New bridge built by Joe Tipton to replace set of stepping stones that kept washing away.

  6. Choctaw Tr: Worked with Public Works to get UIG to fix heavy erosion ruts (Best for UIG to handle due to possible presence of water/sewer lines)

UPCOMING PROJECTS

  1. Restore or replace the BCAR bridge located on the Fire Hydrant trail.  (details to be announced at a later date, as it gets cooler)

  2. Clean up and organize Borrow Pit storage area  (see OTHER NEWS item #3 below)

RECAP OF ANNUAL MEETING WITH SCOTT AUER (BC General Manager)

Liz & Mitch met with Scott Auer and discussed the following:

  1. Reviewed BCTC metrics of hours worked

    • 2023 Year End
      Field Work ~ 1608 hours
      Admin / Org ~ 560 hours
      Total hours ~ 2108

    • 2024 YTD
      Field Work ~ 900 hours
      Admin / Org ~ 400 hours
      Total hours ~ 1300 hours

  2. Reviewed projects BCTC has completed since last annual mtg in 2023

  3. Discussed 2025 focus and goals: Addressed Scott’s concern for continuity of BCTC. Basically, put to rest his concern that BCTC membership may drop, making it difficult to maintain the effectiveness of the BCTC.   

  4. BCTC requests/suggestions to the POA:

  • Make pedestrian crosswalks on BC trails safer by making them more obvious: (i) include yellow pedestrian crossing signs with “pedestrian crossing” graphic (drivers process graphics faster), and (ii) paint the crosswalk area to resemble a yellow and black speed bump.  Scott will ask Lydell Mack (Dir. Operations) to address when next street painting takes place.

  • Replace pontoon bridge at Disharoon Lake

  • Replace bridge at top of the water slide

  • Install stone steps from the Disharoon pavilion to the pontoon bridge.

OTHER NEWS

  1. Meadows Orchid Enclosure Update: Approximately 10 years ago, a fenced enclosure was built around the “monkeyface” orchids growing in that area to protect them from animal grazing.  BCTC will no longer be maintaining this enclosure.

  2. Preservation of BC Ruins Update: BCTC will request that Leadership Big Canoe add this as a project for one of their LBC groups, including determining the best methods for preserving the ruins, and how to implement the preservation program.

  3. Borrow Pit Storage Expansion: BCTC has had the use of one of 4 bays in the3-sided shed at the Borrow Pit, with the remainder being used by Big Canoe Public Works for storage of miscellaneous.  The Big Canoe items will be removed and the entire shed will be made available for use by BCTC.  Plans for BCTC to utilize the expanded space include installing a gravel floor (with the help from Dion and his heavy equipment), storage of Dion’s heavy equipment, and construction of a lumber storage system.  Additional details regarding workdays for this project will be forthcoming.

REMINDERS

  1. Log your hours – including travel time.  Remember to log your hours and be sure to include your travel time from the moment you leave your home.

  2. Keep your culverts open.  There are 96 culverts. (Map showing the locations of the culverts in BC is available). Especially note culverts at the following trails: Wildcat, Meadows, Jeep Trail, Choctaw, Playfield, and Meditation Park.  A lot of trail damage can occur when clogged culverts cause streams to overflow onto the trails. Keep them clear. Don’t forget the culvert cleaning tool available at the Borrow Pit.

  3. Keep removing silt fencing and railroad ties.  The post puller at the Borrow Pit is a good tool for pulling the stakes used with silt fencing.

PRESENTATION : “Maintaining and Designing Safe Trails” by BCTC Member John Hansen

- Using photos showing “before” and “after” trail improvements, John shared the following:

  1. Keep your trail users in mind. In BC, they range from toddlers to the elderly walking with a cane.  Keeping a trail “safe” in Big Canoe may require more work than keeping an area of the Appalachian Trail safe.

  2. Keep the trails a comfortable width; ideally, 4 ft wide (due to folks in BC desiring to walk side by side), and able to stretch your arms overhead without hitting vegetation or tree branches.

    • If a trail cutting across a steep slope has been narrowed because soil from the up slope has filled in the trail tread, consider widening the trail tread by cutting back the up slope.  AND/OR You may widen the trail on the down slope side by filling in the down slope area with compacted soil and shoring it up with rocks or logs.

    • Cut back vegetation that makes your trail feel narrow.

    • Replace rotting or missing cribbing; ideally, use stones, but logs may be the most accessible resource.

  3. Keep trails clear of tripping hazards.  Over time, rocks and roots may become exposed in the trails due to erosion and hiker use. Exercise vigilance to remove as needed.  If they cannot be removed, consider mounding compacted soil over the obstruction and causing your trail to go up and over the mound.

  4. Address areas prone to erosion.  If your trail is running water down the middle of the trail, add water bars to divert the water off the trail or steps of wood or stone to slow it down.

  5. Rebuild or relocate areas that have become difficult to traverse due to shifting rocks or disturbed vegetation or water erosion.  Stone steps up a hillside may need to be reset or replaced with wooden steps; steep hillside climbs may benefit from adding a few steps.

  6. Assess stream crossings – are stepping stones stable?  Slippery? Reset stepping stones if unstable or consider replacing with a bridge if they remain slippery or continue to shift.

  7. Slippery steps and bridges

    • Avoid using the anti-skid paper.  It tears over time and will cause the underlying wood to rot.

    • Instead, consider using the Miracle Mist spray on a regular basis OR cover the slippery areas with the metal grating material available at the Borrow Pit. TIP: Cut to desired size at the Borrow Pit, and not when on your trail.

  8. Blow leaves off your trail (leaves are slippery!)

  9. Keep the water bars and other drainage areas on your trails clear so they can drain easily.

UPCOMING VOLUNTEER & SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES

  1. Volunteer: Boy Scout Hike on August 25 at 3:00 pm (per Bob Kenyon, BCTC member)

    • This event is used to help the Boy Scouts recruit new scouts from Tate Elementary.

    • Expecting approximately 20 participants, ages 5 years to 9 years.

    • Meet at Scout Hut.

    • Contact Bob Kenyon for more info.

  2. Members raised the idea of having an annual barbecue or other social gathering for BCTC members.

Stacy Johnson