Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee

Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- July 12, 2010 Minutes ATTENDEES: Sean Neary, Greg Andruskevich, Scott Rogers, Nick Caggiano, Mike Dillon, Peter Testa, Ed Moran, Bill Luers, Joshua Segal, Mark Soucy, and Dave Silva: Guest: Todd Guay (Nashua Soccer Council President). TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS 1. Approval of minutes Sean - Meeting called to order by committee chairman Sean Neary at 7 p.m. - Minutes approved unanimously with no changes. 2. Park and Rec Nick - Compass Rose at Gatehouse. Nick explained $8,000 was left over from the $600,000 HUD grant for the Gatehouse renovation and HUD wanted the money spent by Sept.9 or city would have to return it. Spoke with Mayor Donnalee Lozeau and agreed a Compass Rose would be good to enhance the Gatehouse. Nick drew a sketch of what the Compass Rose would look like on the white board. It will consist of brick matching that of the Gatehouse and a granite stone picnic table 4X4, with seating, in front of the Gatehouse where the sinkholes were repaired. The compass will be accurate and the pedestal will be set on cement, the rest in brick. Project to be completed by deadline. - Sean made a motion that if the expense goes over $8,000 the remaining funds to pay the Compass Rose to come from the cell tower fund. Joshua mentioned he hoped the cost wouldn't exceed $10,000. - Nick assured the committee the project should pretty much be under budget. - Nick will keep committee updated on PM McKay on fencing issue. - Camp clean-up to be accomplished this week with removal of items by Manny's Trucking. - Bamboo will be trimmed on July 16 and it will be a matter of routine to have this done each July. - Trash can at Seventh Street entrance now in place. - Still need to get Tupperware for registration committee. - Surprise visit by Army Corps of Engineers to complete study of the Millpond algae which was stopped when the Corps had to go to Louisiana for Hurricane Katrina. Corps to complete $50,000 study to complete the report at no cost to the city and have city eligible for stimulus funding to clean the Millpond, etc. 3. Chair Notes Sean - Disposition of extra T-shirts to be put under old business for next month's meeting. - Law Motor Freight is September sponsor, Hannaford is August and 20/20 VisionQuest is the October sponsor. - Park workers on Trail Day. One worker, Derek, with Joshua's team, second one, Nick to inquire. Funding of workers comes from Nick's budget and not cell tower fund. - Sean asked committee members to be on lookout for unwanted campers. - Trees still across some trails and will be worked on by summer help. - Summer help to work on GPS signs also, replacing those missing, etc. Nick noted vandalized signage along Blue Trail will be replaced as artwork is being worked on.  2010 Meetings: Jan 4, Feb 1, March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7, July 12, Aug 2, Sept. 13, Oct.4, Nov. 1 , Dec 6 WEB SITE: http:// www.gonashua.com  2009 Trail Days April 17, May 15 , June 19, Aug. 14, Sept. 25, Oct. 16, OCT. 30 if needed. Page 1 of 2  Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- July 12, 2010 Minutes ATTENDEES: Sean Neary, Greg Andruskevich, Scott Rogers, Nick Caggiano, Mike Dillon, Peter Testa, Ed Moran, Bill Luers, Joshua Segal, Mark Soucy, and Dave Silva: Guest: Todd Guay (Nashua Soccer Council President). TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS 4. Sub-Committee Reports Sub Committee - Trail Day project will be cleaning of the canal and Scott noted three "manned" canoes would do a good job of getting spokesmen the stuff in the canal. - Sean would like the Gatehouse open for the August and October trail days. Nick to have sandwich boards made to welcome park visitors to take advantage of the Gatehouse being open. - Cove to be cleaned of Japanese knotweed at Trail Day and threading of poles for birdhouses. Ed Moran passed out literature for Audubon bird houses and Nick stated he'll get 25 of them. - Mark and Peter pointed out poor attendance for volunteers for last Trail Day only 15 to 20 people showed. - Mike Dillon will handle posting of Trail Day schedule on entrance signs to the park. This has not been done in recent Trail Days. - Dave Silva pointed out story of a blind man, Randy Pierce, cleaning on his hands and knees in the park would be a good public relations story. All agreed. 5. New Business All. - Tabled till next meeting on what to do with sponsorship program and T-shirts. - Two options: 1-Continue as is with a generic shirt. 2-Do a generic shirt without sponsors. - Peter pointed out the sponsorship program was started thinking the sponsors would provide people to work on Trail Days, that's not happening. - Cell tower fund pays for the T-shirts given to volunteers. - Nick drew his generic version of a shirt on the white board and will have same presentation at next meeting. Good to have shirts done by the end of February. - Nick noted the Asian Longhorn Beetle which attacks hardwoods, resulted in 17,000 trees cut down in Worcester, Mass. The beetle has been found in Boston also. - The state entomologist will provide pictures of the beetle so committee members and others can spot it in the park. A bait tree has been set up in Rotary Common in downtown, if it comes, it will go there first. City and state officials check it daily. 6. Old business All - Todd Guay reported the picker poles were delivered and the soccer teams are using them to clean up the way from Whipple Street to Soifert Field. - Mike Dillon will present the highlighted brochure plan at the next meeting. Last vote on the project was inappropriate as Sean voted and he is to vote only in the event of a tie and a non-member of the committee voted. - Granite blocks in the Cove, Nick working with Scott to determine who owns the blocks. Once that is decided project will continue. - The meeting was adjourned at 8:07 p.m.  2010 Meetings: Jan 4, Feb 1, March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7, July 12, Aug 2, Sept. 13, Oct.4, Nov. 1 , Dec 6 WEB SITE: http:// www.gonashua.com  2009 Trail Days April 17, May 15 , June 19, Aug. 14, Sept. 25, Oct. 16, OCT. 30 if needed. Page 2 of 2