Parks,
Recreation & Trails Committee
Minutes from Meeting of January 8, 2008
Attendees:
Lawrie
Bolger Chris Conaway
Bill
Haaf Zeke Hubbard
Alan
Johnson
Ricki Stumpo Joe Stumpo
1. Open Meeting: Hubbard called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
2.
Announcements: Hubbard
announced that as of January 7, 2008, he is no longer a Township Supervisor.
3. New Business
The Board of Supervisors needs to select Coordinator for DCNR Trail Feasibility Study.
4. Committee Appointments for 2008
There
was discussion of the Committee’s agenda structure in 2008. Public Participation
will be a regular agenda item following Announcements.
Sub-Committee
reports and responsible members will be as follows:
Park: Zeke
Founders
Day: Ricki & Sandy
Cleanways: Lawrie
Stream
Team/MS-4: Bill
Trails:
Chris
Sustainability:
Bill
Grants:
possibly Tom
and/or Sandy
Bill Haaf recommended that the agenda be forwarded via e-mail at
least one day before each meeting. Also, the goal will be to have draft minutes
e-mailed to members by the Friday following each meeting
Bill will ask Kathy Miller if she would like
to join the Committee
Zeke asked that each subcommittee chair be
prepared, at the February meeting, to set forth goals for 2008.
5.
2008 Budget: PRT has a
smaller budget this year because of major expenditures in 2007.
· The pavilion floor will be poured shortly
· Tables and barbecues will be purchased this
year
· Founders Day budgeted at $5,000 again for
2008; money that was raised from sponsors but not spent went back into the
general Township coffers (and will again this year).
· There was discussion of researching grant
opportunities. At the February meeting, Zeke will ask Tom Bierl if he would be
interested in reviewing the County book that comes out in April. Pocopson has traditionally
had good success with obtaining grants from the County but should also look at
sources such as State grants, PECO, and SECCRA.
· In the future, the budget will include line
items for park maintenance costs such as mowing, grading, etc.
5.
Subcommittee Reports
Stream
Team: Bill Haaf reported
that the group is meeting on February 5 to plan for 2008 and plans to take
stream samples in late April / early May. The Stream Team needs to develop
protocols to:
· prioritize requests from residents for tree
planting
· specify what should be expected from
homeowners, such as a verbal agreement to try to keep deer away and to maintain
the plantings,
· Other requirements on homeowners might
include only mowing paths; planting at least xx shrubs or trees each year for
xx years in exchange for our planting 20+ trees for them. Will check the forms
that the County uses for ideas
· A draft will be ready for the February
meeting;
Trails: Chris Conaway noted that trails are getting
a higher profile because of new developments and the new trails on the county
and prison property. Equally important is locating and clearly designating
trail easements created 10-25 years ago so they can actually be used. Chris
offered three options for consideration:
·
The
first areas to be inventoried are
·
Use GPS
to identify the trails ourselves. Costs would include purchasing or renting a
unit, training of two or more Committee members and Public Works crew to use
it, and some software, for an approximate cost of $7,800.
·
Contract
for assistance from Brandywine Conservancy. Their estimate is $1625 for 25
hours of work, to include walking the trails and mapping them.
·
No
matter which option is selected, will need to sell the idea to BOS as
delineating the trail easements, rather than installing trails. Need to explain
why this type of specialized equipment is better than a simple hiking-type GPS
system.
·
PRT
should draft a letter to homeowners in the three developments to advise of this
effort
·
Trail
opening could include fitness component with Scouts, County Trail Club, etc.
Motion: Hubbard move that Chris Conaway develop a
draft proposal to BOS, to be brought before this Committee first, asking which
option, if any, to choose to delineate trails at
Cleanways: Is
there potential liability if the Township sponsors our own Adopt a Road
program? Zeke will discuss with BOS before Lawrie approaches businesses. Can
introduce concept to residents via newsletter. Initial idea is to adopt 2 mile
segments, but can be flexible.
Sustainability:
·
Bill Haaf’s proposal for an Energy Audit of Township buildings
was approved by the BOS ($800 expenditure).
·
Treasurer
will provide copies of PECO bills each months so that Haaf can track monthly statistics
for energy usage/costs.
·
West
Chester BLUER (Borough Leaders United for Emission Reduction) is an effort in
West Chester Borough to establish green building requirements for structures of
45 feet or more. They are asking business, schools, etc., how much energy
they’re using and are willing to show how they might reduce that usage through
a free energy assessment
Other:
It has been recommended that a sign be
installed at
6. Township Meetings Review: covered under Budget item, above
7. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 PM.
_____________________________________________________
Ezekiel C. Hubbard, Chair, Parks, Recreation & Trails Committee
______________________________
Peggy
Lennon, Recording Secretary