August 2025 Minutes

Co-Chairs: Liz Scherer & Mitch Waldman

Mtg took place in person indoors at the Village Station.
Commenced at 4:01 p.m.; ended at 4:40 p.m.
Members in attendance = 30

NEXT MEETING is November 3, 2025 @ 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 WORKDAY:  TBD.

GUEST:  Jayne Hagan, Director of Finance at Big Canoe (joined BC 8/01/2011)

NEW & DEPARTING MEMBERS & TRAIL REASSIGNMENTS

  1. The following individuals have joined the BCTC.  Welcome!
    Nancy Fernandez & Miles Fernandez – mother & son team assigned to the paved Blue Loop at Wildcat.
    Fun Fact: Miles is 16 yrs old and a junior at Pickens HS; the youngest member of BCTC!

  2. John Hansen is resigning from the BCTC.  You will be missed!

  3. Gary Romeo has been reassigned from the Blue Loop on Wildcat to Blackwell Creek Way Access and Covered Bridge End Loop.

WORK HOUR METRICS:

  • 2025 YTD: 1,750 + collective work hours from BCTC members.

BIG CANOE ACCIDENT INSURANCE

  1. BCTC members received a copy of the current Big Canoe POA Blanket Accident Insurance Policy via email from Liz Scherer on 7/29/2025.

  2. Jayne Hagan, Dir. of Finance, gave brief overview of the coverage provided by that policy to BCTC members.

    • It is not comprehensive; instead, it is intended to cover the personal deductibles on each member’s own personal health insurance policy.

    • It does provide a benefit for accidental dismemberment, accidental paralysis, and accidental death. See policy for benefit amounts.

    • If in doubt as to whether an accident is covered, Jayne suggested filing a claim.

  3. The policy covers “authorized volunteers”. Mitch reminded BCTC members that the official roster of BCTC members is provided to the POA so that all such members are covered under the policy.

  4. Jayne mentioned all BC public works and public safety employees receive safety training in proper chainsaw use and are required to wear chaps, safety goggles, gloves, and hearing protection.  She suggested all BCTC members do likewise, and Mitch mentioned that all BCTC members assembled for a project participate in a safety talk prior to commencing work on that project.

NEW TRAIL SIGNAGE PROJECT – LATEST UPDATE: WILDCAT RED & BLUE LOOPS;WILDCAT CONNECTOR TRAIL

  1. The distance marker signs on the paved trails in Wildcat were requiring repeated maintenance, so these signs were added to the new trail signage project and were recently completed.

  2. The new signs more conveniently face into the trail so they can be viewed regardless of the direction you are walking, whereas the old signs could be viewed only from one direction.

  3. Thanks to all who contributed!

  • BC POA donated 4”x4” timbers to be used as sign posts.

  • Joe Tipton used his CNC router on ColorCore plastic (similar to that used on the other trails) to create the colored mileage markers that note the mileage along the trails.

  • Liz Scherer fabricated the new signs by cutting the sign post timbers to length and attaching the ColorCore mileage markers, then Pete Stahlman, Miles Fernandez, and Jonathan Foulkes assisted her in removing the old signs and installing the new signs along the trails.

OTHER COMPLETED PROJECTS:

  1. Covered Bridge Trail – Tree clean up in the stream.  This was a large and slippery project completed by Jim Hansen, John Hansen, Bill Merrick, Mitch Waldman, and Liz Scherer.

  2. Nancy Womack Trail – New & improved stream crossing.  The planks used for stream crossing were not stable and might wash out with heavy rains, so the planks were replaced with large stepping stones.  Thanks to all who contributed to this effort:

  • Renee Bourbeau brought the issue to the attention of BCTC, requesting assistance.

  • Joe Tipton & Liz Scherer reviewed the site and determined that replacing the planks with large stepping stones would create a better crossing solution.

  • Mike Sheely, Ignacio Leon, Mitch Waldman, Bill Merrick, Gary Romeo, and Liz Scherer helped work on the project, including muscling 400+ pound stepping stones into place, closing off access to the old portion of the trail that led to the old plank crossings, and creating a new portion of trail directing hikers to the new stepping stone crossings.

  • Special thanks to Eric Copeland from the BC Photography Club who joined the team to get some great photos of everyone at work.

TAR PAPER REMOVAL

  1. Reminder: BCTC is removing tar paper from trail bridges and steps because moisture gets trapped beneath the paper and accelerates deterioration of the wood.  Instead, it is being replaced with the diamond metal mesh.

  2. Completed since last meeting:

    • Lake Trail

    • Wildflower Trail

    • Upper Falls Trail

    • Lower Falls Trail

    • Playfield/Village Trails

    • Nature Trail

    • Bobcat Ridge

  3. If you have steps or bridges on your trail with tar paper, please remove it.  Tools needed: Crowbar or similar tool and trash bag for hauling out the tar paper debris.

BCTC SHOUT OUT re: BOBCAT RIDGE ACCESS. The stones recently added to line this trail are a great addition.  Thank you to Bob Barkow and Jeff Weigl for the extra effort.

PEST CONTROL:

  1. Joro Spiders: BCTC is recommending they be eliminated on the trails. They are not a native species.

  2. Caterpillars making webs in trees: BCTC is recommending they be left alone unless they are encroaching on a trail.  If that's the case, you can remove the web.  Betina Marr recommends in that event: Cut the web open and let the caterpillars fall to the ground where the birds can eat them.

NEW POSTER & TRAIL MAP UPDATE: (Liz Scherer)

  1. Liz is continuing work on the new trail posters.  The BC Photography Club is contributing photos of interesting trail features that can be included on the posters.

  2. The new trail maps are completed and were available at the meeting; they are also available in the BCTC Alpha box.  The new maps contain QR codes that show the location of parking and trail heads to facilitate accessing those areas.  10,000 maps were ordered, as this is the approximate number of trail maps handed out in BC each year.

SAFETY MATTER:  Mitch reminded BCTC members that trees and branches do fall in the woods, and to be aware of that fact.  If you are running from a suspected falling tree or branch, you should run in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the fall. Reason: If you run in the same direction that the tree is falling, you may not be able to outrun that fall if the tree is tall enough.

MISCELLANEOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS:

  1. Status of new home build (Kievman home) on paved Red Loop Trail in Wildcat:  Mitch spoke to the homeowner and it is expected the house will close the first week of October, 2025.  As discussed at prior meetings, the driveway of this home will cross the Red Loop Trail.  Mitch pointed out that many homes in BC have portions of trails that cross their property, and this is a similar situation.

  2. Invitation to new BCTC Members: Mitch invited new members to reach out if they would like a tour of the Borrow Pit and shed that the BCTC uses.  It’s a good opportunity to see what equipment and materials are available there and how to access everything.

  3. Mitch encouraged BCTC members to participate in Leadership Big Canoe if they have not already done so, as it is a worthwhile program.

  4. Mitch reminded BCTC members that the POA Board Member election is coming up and encouraged folks to vote.

QUESTIONS & COMMENTS

  1. Stilt Grass:  Are there any plans to organize an effort to remove the stilt grass along the BC trails?  Response: Betina Marr suggested that a non-invasive way to help get it under control: Cut it back before it goes to seed and let the clippings lie where they fall (this helps to smother germination of any seeds already in the ground). Now is the perfect time to do this, as it will be going to seed in the next couple weeks.  Do this every year until it dies out. Betina has seen success in her yard after doing this the last 3 years.

  2. Jeep Trail is getting very rough, causing cars and jeeps to bottom out.  Is there anything that can be done to improve this?  Response: Get Lydell to meet to review the problem areas to determine a course of action.  It was suggested this occur after Jeep Fest, as those folks like the rougher terrain.

  3. Bob Kenyon is looking for 2-3 volunteers to help with the hike with the new cub scouts (ages 5-10) on August 17 at 3:00.  This hike will involve the 1 mile loop hike on Blackwell Creek Trail and Nature Trail at Meditation Park.

  4. Bob Kenyon announced a couple programs offered by the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club (GATC) that might be of interest to BCTC members:

    • GATC Trail Skills Workshop at Vogel State Park. November 1-2.  It’s a training event for new and experienced trail builders & maintainers, focused on teaching the most current trail construction and maintenance methods. $30 fee. To register:  https://forms.gle/PWCEqaSTf5S6QuE37

    • GATC Women’s Trail Summit at Amicalola.  November 21-23.  $75 non-GATC members; $50 members.  For more info:
      https://georgia-atclub.org/about/womens-trail-summit/ .

Stacy Johnson