April 2004

April 26, 2004

The Board of Directors of Triangle Greenways Council met for its regular monthly meeting in the Board Room of The Healing Place on April 26, 2004. Bill Bussey presided. Other Board members attending were William Breazeale, Bill Hamilton, Jeff Brewer, Bill Flournoy, Judy Weseman, and Dean Kanipe. Also attending was Larkin Kirkman.

The meeting began with an update on the condition of Wendy Olson. Wendy was injured in an automobile accident and was in intensive care, with only family visiting. [The secretary regrets to report that Wendy died on April 26, 2004. Her husband is Brian C. Dodge.]

Leslie and Don reported that they would not be able to attend the meeting.

Minutes from the last meeting were approved.

The Treasurer’s Report was approved. We now have an interest-bearing account.

Jeff and Bill Flournoy met with the Community Foundation and discovered that at this time fees would make investment there inappropriate. There is a management fee of some $200.00 per year.

They will compare with information from William Breazeale. Bill commented that many participants in the Community Foundation also are donors to other participants.

Jeff has filled out the EZ 990 form and the comparable State tax form. The Treasurer will look into what is needed to make appropriate reports about our donated land.

Item three on the agenda: What is happening?

Dean arrived and stated that he wants to set up a Data Base Project.
Judy reported on River Walk in Hillsborough on which Wendy has worked so hard for several years.

William reported that Friday is his last day of work. He pointed out that the Raleigh Parks, Recreation, and Greenways Plan will be talked about Wednesday. He pointed out that Bill Flournoy has had much influence on the wording of this plan. Bill stated that he could not be present for the hearing. The possibility of making a later addition was suggested.

There was discussion of a facility fee. There was also discussion of Raleigh’s inability to issue bonds, which have been authorized,because there is no income that can be committed to pay them off, in as much as the City fathers do not want to raise taxes.

Bill Bussey will meet with Vic Lebsock next week, trying to coordinate as to the East Coast Greenway. It was suggested he invite Lebsock to our meetings.

Bill Hamilton reported that Phase 2 of the American Tobacco Trail will go to bid next Monday. W—ly Road to White Oak Church Road, less than a mile needing to be completed. There was discussion of access gates.

Larkin suggested a regional system map of trails (such as he recently found for the Upper Methow Valley in Washington State just east of the Northern Cascades National Park) and promised to try to reproduce the map for our observation. Such a map lends itself to being used as place mats in restaurants, or in other ways for wide distribution.

Larkin also suggested a program of incentive grants to parks and greenways planners and staffs, to support their going into other parks and greenways systems to expand their experience. William suggested that, if we were to set up such a program of grants, we might find that the municipalities might follow through with considerable funding.

Bill Flournoy stated his observation the the Conservation Tax Credit Program has taken effect, with $79 million of property donated last year, three times what was donated the year before. Most donations in urban areas are for greenway corridors.

Jeff is working on National Trails Day. There is no need for us to give this year to the cost of t-shirts.

As to the Mountains to the Sea, Jeff stated that the plan if out on the organization’s web site. He and Dean are about to sign a memorandum of agreement for construction between Highway 50 and the Durham County line. Eno River is working toward Wake.

Dean is working on connecting Hillsborough to the Lake. He is happy to walk people through the area. He reports there is illegal ORV activity.

Bill Bussey reported on gate construction in Chatham and other work days. On May 8 there is a hike. He has been in touch with Doug McCrainey in Cary.

Committee Reports:

Strategic Planning:
Judy passed out a two page report, “Triangle Greenways Council Mission and Strategic Plan, April 26, 2004” She stated she sees a need to develop definitions and she sees the items as ranked in order of importance.

This report concludes the work of the committee. The committee did not talk about who the users would be and did not seek to define the environmental concerns we may have. [She implied that we may not wish to try to do these things.] She suggested that we could develop specific action steps and we could expand on the definitions.

The report reads as follows:
Page one:

Mission: To promote greenways in the Triangle area.

Goals and Objectives:

1. Coordinate federal, state and local agencies, non-government organizations, land owners and managers, and individuals in planning, acquisition, development and stewardship of greenways and related facilities.

2. Grow our organization by making membership meaningful and relevant in the support of greenways.

3. Emphasize that by “greenways”, we are encompassing the concepts of open space, trails, and wildlife corridors.

4. Acquire, hold or transfer land to appropriate agencies for greenways.

5. Share with the public and government agencies our expertise and enthusiasm for greenways.

6. Enable access for all to the “Circle The Triangle Trail” concept through an interconnected regional greenway network..

Page Two:

Future committee action recommended to develop definition of terms:

Definitions:

Greenways: open space with trails, open space without trails, wildlife corridors

On motion by Dean and with second by Willliam the Board accepted the Goals and Objectives. Judy will deliver the file.

Land Trust Committee:
Bill Flournoy reported there was nothing on which action was needed.
Before giving his report Bill directed attention to the “President’s Column” by Rand Wentworth in Exchange, the magazine of the Land Trust Alliance, which he passed out. The Alliance is working with Congress on issues of the appropriate operation of land trusts. It has a strategy. He expects this should lead to more initiatives for donations.

Bill also made the point that land trusts, such as the Catawba Land Conservancy, can be very profitable. Focussed to get it done, that Conservancy has in 10 years moved from 0 to 5000 acres and from an operating budget of $2300 to $567,000 per year.

Bill also pointed out a recent advertisement for North Carolina’s land trusts where we might have had the opportunity to participate, but were not on hand to do so. Dean will look into how the ad got into The Observer.

As to the Committee Bill made reference to several initiatives, Duke Power, Flat River, Raleigh, which are receiving attention, but slowly. With regard to the Ecosystem Endowment Program, it is moving forward but we are being left out. Bill has redrafted the policies of the Endowment Proposal for the EEP and passed these around, hoping to bring them up for discussion at the next meeting. [He pointed out that at the next meeting we are also meeting with Chuck Roe.]

Bill pointed out that we have a memorandum of agreement with Triangle Rails to Trails which requires that Rails to Trails make periodic reports. He asked questions about possible transfer to Durham and how that may be implemented. He stated that he only had an unsigned copy of this memo and asked Bill Bussey to search for the original and to begin to implement the reports. Bill Bussey undertook to find this document.

New Business:

There was discussion of how the Council might be of help to the family of Wendy Olson. It was suggested that Bill Bussey ask her husband directly what is most needed. Also Bill was give authority to expend $100.00 toward that end.

There was discussion of taking a position on the work of the Raleigh Comprehensive Planning Committee. William suggested that we not make a comment unless it is well reasoned. Bill Flournoy pointed out that he has been following the work of the Committee for two years and making his own observations. William would want discussion and consensus. William will send out the url for the recommendations of the Planning Board.

As to Dix property, citizens have asked Bill Flournoy to attend a discussion. Bill Bussey will attend on May 5.

Jeff pointed out the need to get the web site updated.

The Board adjourned at 9:08 p.m. [The secretary points out that we are obligated to adjourn and leave the building by 9:00 p.m.—this could be seen as a commitment to our own Board members.]

Respectfully submitted,

Larkin Kirkman
Secretary