2006 Board Meeting Minutes

November 18, 2006

Board Members in attendance: Carol Beckman, Eric Billmeyer, Mary Burger, Matt Carpenter, Steve Jennings, Karl Stang.

Meeting convened at 9:00 a.m.

Board news:

Matt Carpenter is finishing his second term and preparing to hand over his duties.

Ramsay Rayner is stepping down from the board.

Steve Jennings will be in Latvia for six months.

Eric will sit on the board for Steve. The board elected Eric as a member to replace Steve while he is gone, from January to July.

Ed Lynch was in Denver during this meeting.

Financial report: Karl: On file.

The project listings on voutdoors generated four or five new volunteers.

Project report: Mary:

Six projects were cancelled because of weather. Despite that, volunteer numbers were up. 140 to 160 individuals volunteered on one or more projects this year. The Barr Trail projects might be one explanation for the increased numbers. Also, the joint project in Red Rock Canyon with Trails and Open Space Coalition also generated many new volunteers. Other people have volunteered because they’ve seen the Ring the Peak signs, seen the notices at trailheads, seen the work on Devil’s Playground, and seen the work on the North Cheyenne Canyon trail (Seven Bridges), which is a popular trail.

Next year:

Getting the Putney Gulch trail off the road sooner would be good, but appears to be unworkable. Word is that the Forest Service wants to put a campground in the area that would be a good route for a cut off, with the purpose of eliminating dispersed camping.

Mary learned of a pipeline trail in the North Slope area. From a 1914 land grant, CS Utilities has use of the land, but the Forest Service manages the land. The Forest Service considers using the pipeline trail a new use and would want a NEPA process for it. Additionally, the pipeline trail would require new trail to access it.

Next year’s projects will focus on repair work, at Putney Gulch, in North Cheyenne Canyon, on Barr Trail, and at Devil’s Playground.

Discussion of how to handle work on Devil’s Playground arose. The trail is eight miles total. It needs construction in the middle of about half a mile of switchbacks. The trail there is currently about a fifth of a mile. Another mile of trail needs restoration. The estimate is that the work would need about 25 people for about a week, except that as the week progresses, fatigue sets in.

The project was presented to VOC again, but VOC did not choose to sponsor it. With help from the Forest Service for transporting tools, food, and water to the site, support seems adequate. The problem is staffing the project. Eric is familiar with several organizations that supply volunteers to projects.

Americorps wants six to eight weeks’ worth of work for its volunteers. A possibility would be to partner with Rocky Mountain Field Institute, who would have Americorps volunteers, and use one of their weeks. Americorps volunteers are free because a grant pays for their work. RMFI worked with Americorps this year and hopes to again next year. FOTP might be able to at least borrow the Americorps volunteers for weekends.

Rocky Mountain Youth Corps works three weeks with nine to twelve people. They have experience with trail work. Cost to have the volunteers in is about $5000 per week. The least amount is probably around $3500 to $4000 per week.

American Hiking Society and Sierra Club both sponsor projects, in the pay to play strategy. Volunteers on these projects tend to be older.

Whatever the method of staffing, Pikes Peak Highway, CS Utilities, and the Forest Service must all approve the schedule of work projects before it is published. Any joint projects require coordination with this.

FOTP might be able to work with RMFI to create a crew for a lower cost and also be able to include FOTP volunteers in the project.

For Barr Trail work days, Mary will choose days with Gayle. Gayle recruited volunteers effectively this year.

Steve has a weekend, August 16-17, 2007, set up for a camping outing with the students in his freshman seminar. He expects 34 students. They could do trail work as part of the outing. Devil’s Playground and Putney Gulch are possible locations.

Matt generated numbers of volunteer days and individual volunteers, for the past eight years. The numbers are:

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

volunteer days 88 95 97 101 157 198 228 264

volunteers 51 71 61 76 87 82 75 133

The newsletter will go out.

Bill Brown will lead hikes again next year. The schedule will be in the newsletter.

While reading a book at Barr Camp on the history of the experimental forest, Matt discovered that No Name Creek had a name.

Expansion of the Barr Trail parking lot is still in process. FOTP will give $5000 toward the project. The plan is to cut into the hill to create enough space to have diagonal rather than parallel parking spots, which should add fifteen parking places.

Filling the large gap in the Ring on the southwest side of the Peak was discussed. Connecting the Ring requires about eight miles of trail, four miles in the South Slope watershed and four miles on Forest Service land. Obtaining approval on the Forest Service land requires a NEPA process. Forest Service will not do the NEPA, but will allow FOTP to do it. One step is sending a letter to interested groups. A draft of the letter was produced but has not been sent. The projected cost of the NEPA study is $80,000. The area from Pancake Rocks to Gilette is designated as a B area, which means it is winter habitat for big game, in this case big horn sheep. Mary and others, notably Ed Schwab, have been investigating possible routes. One, the lowest possible route, would go close to private holdings and to Beaver Creek. Cripple Creek owns some of the land in the area. Cripple Creek favors the Ring project and would like a portal at Gilette onto the Ring. A risk of the NEPA process is that FOTP could spend $80,000 for the study, then have the proposal rejected.

CS Utilities has a meeting scheduled, Tuesday, November 28, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., at the Leon Young Service Center, 1521 Hancock, on Hancock by the cemetery, in the Pikes Peak room, to discuss public policy on access to watershed areas. Written comments are due December 8. FOTP could send e-mail to members about the meeting. Information is available on the CS Utilities web site, csu.org, by clicking About Us, then Current Projects, then Watershed Access.

Mary had a meeting with Scott Campbell scheduled, but it was cancelled because of snow and has not been rescheduled.

One project for next year is 1,000 feet of trail in Red Rock open space, finishing trail that VOC started. Red Rock also has a friends association, Friends of Red Rock Canyon Open Space, which meets monthly, downtown in city hall at Pikes Peak and Nevada, in the Academy room, downstairs.

Red Rock Canyon is just in FOTP’s area, which is the study area of the Pikes Peak master plan, which is bounded by U.S. 24, CO 67, 31^st Street, and Gold Camp Road.

Holding crew leader training is a possibility.

Outdoor magazine contacted Friends of the Peak about supplying a 500 word article about the organization. Steve volunteered to write it. Mary will find a photo, with gorgeous scenery and people working. The deadline is December 18.

Matt is looking to hand off the things he currently handles. One is the data maintenance. Matt spends about two hours per project on the data. E-mails are fairly fast. Data is stored with Access, in 2000 format. Another duty for Matt to hand off is web master. The greatest amount of time for that is combating spammers. Bots fill out forms and also post to the guest book. Karl said he would be willing to take over, but would need to hand off the duties of treasurer to do it.

In big picture issues, the board needs to expand. Possible ideas suggested include partnering with other volunteer organizations and using student interns for administrative work, like treasurer, data entry, and web master.

The need for a tool shed is another issue. FOTP needs a safer, drier place to store its tools. Ed had offered to build a shed, but has been busy. Mary offered the concrete pad at her house as a location for a ready-made shed, if FOTP purchased the shed, to store the FOTP tools.

The meeting adjourned around 1:00 p.m.

September 19, 2006

Board Members in attendance: Carol Beckman, Mary Burger, Matt Carpenter, Steve Jennings, Ed Lynch, Ramsay Rainer, Karl Stang. Guests: Eric Billmeyer, Jill Bircham

Meeting convened 6:35.

The board consulted with the caterer, Jill Bircham, from the Melting Pot and voted to use them to cater the Annual Meeting.

Minutes approved

Financial statement from Karl: as of September 16, 2005
On File

Barr Trail labor, merchandize.

Mary made a request for support for Gail Allen to help foreign exchange students do some trail work on Barr Trail the weekend of September 30-October 1. Steve said that he would contact Gail.

Mary reported that the 7-Bridges project is past the seventh water crossing. There was a good turnout for the workdays throughout the season.

Mary requested participant numbers from Matt for all the work days.

Matt will produce postcards for the annual meeting, Ramsay will call folks, and Steve will check with REI for door prizes.

Mary reported that she and Brett Botts met with VOC to get the reroute for Devils Playground on next year’s project list. It will be voted on next month. The Board discussed the possibility of the Sierra Club as an organization to support that work day if VOC doesn’t approve the project.

Mary reported that the Putney Gulch section of the RTP is complete and that some signs marking the route are already damaged.

Newsletter article should be ready by the next board meeting.

Steve introduced Eric as a possible new member of the Board to replace Steve when he is gone the first half of 2007.

Steve suggested that the Board Retreat be held at the Penrose House. He will investigate what needs to be done.

Ed has made little progress on a tool shed because of his work schedule, but he will make awards for the meeting.

Mary will try to do tool clean up on the last Thursday work day.

Eric spoke about the work of the Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI) which he is working for. Some of their projects include measurements of erosion related to different treatments of ravines, reclamation of upper Severy Creek, Ski Creek and Glen Cove. He sees great advantages of collaborative work between FOTP and RMFI and would be happy to be on the Board.

Carol reported that the signage committee is working at keeping signs on the FTP which still are being damaged.

The meeting adjourned 8:05

August 8, 2006

Board Members in attendance: Carol Beckman, Mary Burger, Ed Lynch, Ramsay Rayner, Karl Stang.

Meeting convened at 6:35.

Minutes from the last meeting were unavailable.

Karl reported on finances.
On File

Mary reported on projects.
The contractors worked on Barr Trail above the A frame. Gail is happy with the work that they did. Mary has asked people that regularly hike Barr Trail for their comments. Matt said that he didn’t notice much difference. Mary would like additional opinions on the work, if anyone hikes the trail. Gail would like to continue working with one of the contractors.
18 people are signed up for the Barr Trail work day on Saturday. Word is there are enough rails. So the volunteers will work on the lower three miles. Six to eight people signed up just in the last two weeks.
On the Devil’s Playground work weekend, more volunteers worked on Sunday than on Saturday, a rarity. Americorp kids worked on Sunday. The volunteers from Americorp were college age, doing community service to earn money for tuition. The Americorp planners are interested in the Ring work weekend, also. The area that the volunteers were working on has trail going down the fall line for about three fourths of a mile. Volunteers repaired the trail where it is because putting in switchbacks wouldn’t work, because hikers, etc., would ignore them because that part of the trail is above tree line and they could see the goal. Volunteers repaired about half a mile of the three-fourths mile. Past that, the trail goes laterally for a ways, and requires little work.
For the hoped for week long work project on Devil’s Playground, Mary has resubmitted the project to VOC and requested that she be allowed to be there to answer questions and explain the support available when the project is considered. The project had to be canceled this year for want of volunteers, although a couple of people tried to sign up two weeks before the project, after it had been canceled for lack of volunteers.
Maintenance on Seven Bridges is up to the fourth water crossing. The rock fall area now has steps and a retaining wall.
The July work weekend at Putney Gulch was rained out, although volunteers got in a few hours of work in the rain.
For the dedication of the sign at the portal at Putney Gulch, the Forest Service prefers the September date, as originally planned, because August is busy for them.

Ramsay still needs to talk with Matt about taking on handling the administrative stuff. Matt is busy with races now, but will be back next month until elections in March or April.
Ramsay suggested, for the annual Friends’ meeting, requesting a bid on catering from Melting Pot catering. Mary gave the specifications for the dinner. 60 to 70 people are expected. A buffet style dinner works well, but one person should be there to check on food, etc. Clean up would have to be that night because we have the hall only for the evening. Past years’ food has been Italian and fajitas. The caterer should supply paper plates, napkins, plastic forks, etc., and table cloths to cover the serving tables as well as the tables where folks sit. The tables are oversized. Last year, Mary brought soda and water on ice, which worked well and is much cheaper than asking the caterer to provide drinks.
Next board meeting needs to include planning for the annual meeting.

Carol reported briefly on signs.
Bill Brown plans to bring the sign equipment to the Putney Gulch August work weekend on the Saturday. Mary expects the link to be completed that day, weather permitting.
Several reports say that the signs in the Red Rock area, other than at the road, are surviving this year, a real surprise. The sign at the top of Bear Creek, at last report, is still there, with its Bear Creek decal. The sign at the road, of course, is gone.

Mary mentioned that she and Deb Acord hiked through Putney Gulch to Horsethief. It was a beautiful hike, and took about 2.5 hours. Deb plans to write an article on it, which should appear Friday.
Erik Schwab (sp?) is scouting possibilities for linking the Ring from Pancake Rocks to the Gillette portal. He’s looking for places to put good trail, existing trail, existing trails that could be closed, all information that we’ll need. It seems that going lower is better, to avoid impact on bighorn sheep, elk, etc.

Ed reported that he had nothing new to report, and ended up agreeing to build a shed on his property to store all the Friends’ tools.
Mary mentioned that Jim is concerned that storing all the tools in their garage is a safety hazard, as evidenced by the fact that in the past tools have fallen on Mary’s head and Jim’s head. Another problem is that the garage leaks, so the tools become rusty. A shed behind Mary’s garage was suggested, buying something from Tuff Shed, for example. However, space is limited. Ed noted that he has space on Bijou. The property has an alley for access. Ed also mentioned that the job he’s currently working on at that Fine Arts Center has much scrap plywood.

Another need mentioned was for a work day to clean the tools.

The meeting adjourned at 7:25.

July, 2006

June 13, 2006

Board Members in attendance: Carol Beckman, Mary Burger, Ed Lynch, Ramsay Rainer, Karl Stang. Guest: Gail Allen.

Meeting convened 6:30.

Minutes approved.

Financial statement from Karl, as of June 13, 2006
On file

We need more brown t-shirts.
Andy Finn sent a thank you note. Mary reports that the sign is wonderful.

Mary reported on projects.
Maintenance on Seven Bridges launched June 3. About 20 volunteers were out. Ed, Glenn, and Jim built a new first bridge. Other volunteers put in steps. The first Thursday continuing the maintenance has 8 volunteers registered.
Ring construction is scheduled for this weekend.

Mary and Matt met with the Forest Service about the fee for the Barr Trail race.
Matt has decided not to run for re-election when his term expires. He’ll be busy as race director, etc., and feels he’ll be in a better position to help FOTP there. However, we’ll need a new data entry person. Matt currently tracks registrations, who actually works on projects, and donations. He has the system set up to be very user friendly.

Ed reported on the Severy Creek survey hike on June 10. For Friends of the Peak, Ed Lynch, Steve Jennings, and Jim Strub were there. Lee Milner from Trails and Open Space Coalition was there. There were also folks from the Forest Service, CS Utilities, Manitou Springs water, Richard Skorman, 3(?) city council members. The group hiked Crow Gulch to Severy Creek to Kelly’s trail. Assorted groups expressed their concerns about opening up the Severy Creek trail. The parking lot area is by a trout barrier in the creek. The barrier is attempting to keep whirling disease from spreading up. A concern is people, and especially dogs, going into the water below the barrier, than back into the water above the barrier, spreading the spore for whirling disease. Manitou water people are concerned about trespassers around their land. Before the area was closed, they’d bet 40 to 50 trespassers. With it closed, they get 4 or 5.
There is an established trail not on the map in the area. Cascade Creek Road goes to a wetland-ish area and to the trail. It’s a decent trail but would need some work, such as adding one or two switchbacks in a steep section. The trail hits Severy Creek about a mile up, avoiding the fish barrier. The Pikes Peak Atlas shows a white box (private property) in the area, and Mary found a corner marker. During the hike, Ed, Steve, and Jim mentioned the South Slope area to the city council members, remarking that the city council could pass a resolution for a Ring the Peak corridor through the South Slope, which would be easier to implement than a broader resolution opening the South Slope to recreation.

Mary is still investigating ways to move the Ring off US 24. Hurricane Canyon, one possibility, while a beautiful area, is not workable because it’s too steep, besides needing access to an environmentally sensitive area and Manitou water land.

Next was discussion of spending proposals.
The major one was a proposal for maintenance work on Barr Trail above Barr Camp to past the A frame. Mary had sent out e-mail previously about the proposal. Gail explained more details. Gail has talked with four men willing to work on it. They’ve surveyed the section and think they can do what’s needed in two weeks. They’d stay at Barr Camp. The total cost would be $6800, $20 per hour for three of the men and $25 per hour for the crew leader. Concerns raised included whether the men have a formal contract for the work, whether they have a certificate of insurance, who would be legally liable for problems, what the income tax implications are, and whether anyone would check their work. A motion to expend the money if there is a formal contract, if the men provide insurance, and if Gail checks the work passed unanimously. Karl checked that the savings account contains enough money to cover the expense.

Another proposal was to by more sunscreen packets, $450 for 1000, which was approved.
Mary had already told Gail to buy chapstick in Friends of the Peak holders, which Mary distributed.

Karl raised the issue of the one week work project in July, and the caterer. So far, only three people are signed up. Mary had hoped for a dozen. If we cancel with the caterer before July 1, she’ll refund half the deposit. So Karl wondered what to do. Mary suggested that he ask the caterer if she’d be willing to hold the deposit and move the project to next summer. Mary hopes to ask VOC again to sponsor the project, and feels they’re more likely to approve it if she goes herself to answer questions and if food is already in place.
Karl also mentioned that a CD is coming due. He and Mary can go to the bank to convert it.

Carol asked about missing signs. Mary found one on Ute Pass Trail, with the new decal, at Longs Ranch Road, was down. Gail mentioned that about 8 in Catamount are gone.

Ramsay raised the issue of recruiting board members, with Matt stepping down soon and Steve being on sabbatical next year. Mary has recruited with little success. She thought perhaps emphasizing that we’re a working board, rather than the traditional type that deals with only decision making and fund raising might help. So if anyone knows of any likely prospects ….

Gail mentioned that she needs to change the date of the Barr Trail work day in July. She and Mary will check calendars and handle that.

Ed discussed the beam mover that the crew used for the new first bridge on Seven Bridges. It used bike tires from a child’s bike, which didn’t survive the use. Some discussion of creating sturdier wheels followed.

Mary mentioned that she’d renewed the nonprofit registration with the state, so we’re still legal.

The meeting adjourned at 7:50.

May 9, 2006

Board Members in attendance: Carol Beckman, Mary Burger, Matt Carpenter, Steve Jennings, Ed Lynch Karl Stang, Ramsay Rainer.

Meeting convened 6:35.

Minutes approved

Financial statement from Karl: as of May 9, 2006
On file

Porta-potty, postage, newsletter and PO box were paid for.

Mary reported that there has been no further progress on the RTP and South Slope issues
P. J. Anderson wants the RTP to cross his property in Cascade. Several trail corridors are being scouted.

Mary is waiting for the list of motorized users so FOTP can send out a letter about possible RTP routes in the southwest portion.

Mary and 3 volunteers did tundra rescue on a gray drizzly day. May and June are better months for tundra rescue. No more April days.

The first work day on May 13 in Red Rock Canyon has 40 volunteers and three crew leaders to finish trail.

May 20th is cut-slope restoration on the Pikes Peak Highway. No crew leaders are needed.

Only 2 are scheduled to do the July week-long work on the Devil Playground Trail.

National Geographic only sent 10 maps of Pikes Peak

Ramsay reported that the sandwich board will be ready this week.

Matt was instructed to have 25 replica Pikes Peak elevation markers made.

Matt was asked to reserve the Manitou Springs City Hall for the Annual Membership Meeting on Oct 21, with 14, 28, 7 as alternate dates in that order. The Picnic Basket will cater and Steve volunteered to speak.
Gail Allen is back coordinating Barr Trail Maintenance

Karl reported that V-Outdoors had one sign up for a FOTP project and that Verison will match employee contributions as long as the FOTP is registered with the IRS

Ed and Mary will plan for supplies for the June 3 project.

Carol reported that Bill Brown will put up directional signs in Horsethief Park and that many areas are now labeled.

The meeting adjourned 7:35

April 2006

March 14, 2006

Board Members in attendance: Carol Beckman, Mary Burger, Steve Jennings, Ed Lynch Karl Stang, Ramsay Rainer.

Meeting convened 6:30.

Minutes approved

Financial statement from Karl: as of March 11, 2006
On FIle

There was $875.00 in donations
Porta-potty, Qwest, and T-shirts were paid for.

Mary reported that she had a good meeting with the Trails and Open Space. They committed to opening CSU land for the RTP. The following Tuesday they went to City Council and got preliminary approval for opening the South Slope. TOSC will work to get this implemented.

Mary is working on contacting P.J. Anderson the owner of land near Cascade to scout out the RTP route.

Mary, Carol, and Steve met with the Forest Service to discuss the routing of the RTP in the southwest corner of the alignment. These three will be doing planning to get input from other groups that might have concerns. The big concern on the part of the FS is the designation of the area as winter game habitat.

Mary asked for volunteers for Earth Day celebrations, April 21 at the Meadows Community Center and April 22 with TOSC. Additionally May 13 is a Mothering the Earth get together at America the Beautiful Park.

Karl reported on the caterer. Questions dealt with food storage, vegetarian dishes, and if all meals were supplied.

Karl has also looked at the V Outdoors web site to see about setting up workday signup. There are still some questions about how it would work which Karl and Matt will work out.

Matt reported on the cost for brochures. $50 for BW, $370 1 page color, $570 2 page color for 500. The board decided on BW.
Steve reported on the Pioneers Museum celebration of Pike.

Mary has been interviewed by National Geographic Trails Maps

Mary is arranging to get a sandwich board for FOTP.

The meeting adjourned 7:40

February 14, 2006

Board Members in attendance: Carol Beckman, Mary Burger, Steve Jennings, Karl Stang, Ed Lynch. Guest: Bill Brown.

Meeting convened 6:30.

Bill proposed a hiking group. The Board supported the group and approved Matt’s proposal that $200 be allocated for support of the group.

Karl has taken over the financial records.

One of the CDs has been changed to a higher rate variable-rate CD.
The accounts have been converted to on-line banking.

Financial statement from Karl: as of February 9, 2006
On File

Mary reported that the operating plan has been signed by CSU and the Highway.

There will be a meeting on February 17 with Botts and Landis of the FS about NEPA concerns for the southwestern portion of the RTP Trail. Mary and Steve plan on attending.

Work on the Seven Bridges Trail will be included in the operating plan. Mary and Ed plan on going to the site to evaluate water crossing sites.

Mary will attend the Trails and Open Space Coalition meeting on Feb 22 and will give an overview of RTP.

Steve reported on the Pike Celebration at the Pioneers Museum. FOTP is acknowledged as a contributor on much of the literature.

Carol reported on an effort to limit the loss of RTP signs by putting labels on the signs that indicate other trail names.

Ed will make more award bases.

Matt reported that things are going well with membership. The newsletter brought in around $800
Karl reported that T-shirts are ready. FOTP is now listed on the Bicycle Colorado website. The caterer for the July work week would charge $28-35/person/day

Steve will write an article for the newsletter.

Matt will get an estimate for color vs. BW for 500 brochures

The meeting adjourned 7:40

January 17, 2006

Board Members in attendance: Carol Beckman, Mary Burger, Steve Jennings, Ramsay Rayner, Karl Stang.

Meeting convened 6:30.

The minutes were not available.

Ramsay will be turning over the financial records to Karl.

Financial statement from Ramsay: as of January 17, 2006
On File

There was discussion about switching the CDs to TCF for a higher interest rate.
Ramsay will investigate.

Mary reported that the operating plan is under review by the agencies. The Highway has OKed the plan, FS has requested some slight changes, CSU no response.

Karl will make contacts with Amy Gerlach to see what the costs of having her do food will be for the entire week of the Devil’s Playground project.

Mary announced that Wild Oats will support two projects this season.

The FS has supported plant reclamation again.

The opening of the first exhibit of the Pike Celebration is this Friday the Board is invited to attend because of the monetary support. FOTP is listed as a big donor.

Karl volunteered to look at linking the FOTP web site to the VOC web site.

Karl will order brown T-shirts. 12 med, 24 L, 24 XL

Karl will work with MCI to establish an MCI volunteer day.

The meeting adjourned 7:45