Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee

Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- August 6, 2012 Minutes ATTENDEES: Joshua Segal, Greg Andruskevich, Leo Parker, Nick Caggiano, David Silva, Ed Moran, Peter Testa, Mark Soucy. Guests: Pam Anderson, Todd Guay, Paul Bunker. TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS 1. Approval of minutes Joshua - Meeting called to order by committee chairman Joshua Segal at 7:00 p.m. - Minutes of June, 4, 2012 accepted and approved without change.  2012 Meetings: Jan. 9, Feb. 6, March 5, April 2, May 7 , June 4, No July meeting, Aug. 6, Sept. 10, Oct.1, Nov. 5 , Dec. 3, Jan. 7, 2013 WEB SITE: http://www.gonashua.com  2012 Trail Days April 21, May 19 , June 16, No July Trail Day, Aug. 18, Sept. 22, Oct. 20, Possible Volunteer Day Nov. 10. Page 1 of 6  Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- August 6, 2012 Minutes ATTENDEES: Joshua Segal, Greg Andruskevich, Leo Parker, Nick Caggiano, David Silva, Ed Moran, Peter Testa, Mark Soucy. Guests: Pam Anderson, Todd Guay, Paul Bunker. TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS 2. Park/Rec. Nick - Status of cleaning up the downed trees in the canal will be looked at later this month with contract to go by a day rate. - Back to a full staff. - Herbicide treatment of canal cleaned out the infestation growth. The treatment went extremely well. Peter Testa remarked you can now see small fish swimming in the canal. - Water chestnut harvest status: Two harvests this year, first one collected 120 tons of chestnut growth but that includes water. Last year 500 tons was collected, an 80 percent redaction. - Second harvest will begin Aug. 8 in the Nashua River upstream of the Gatehouse. - Harvest in the Mill Pond and canal was successful and done with grant money. - Removal of the car chassis by the canal by Second Street was completed. - Footings for the new park entrance signs will be dug beginning on Aug. 8 at the eight entrance sites. - Nick passed out photos and diagrams of the new signs for viewing. The signs consist of concrete blocks mounted on a footpad and held together by a threaded rod and then filled with grout. - New signs will have QR Codes on them so information on the park that can be downloaded by smart phones, etc. Can access the web site and download a map of the park. - Interns' activity: Nick very happy with the work of Jennifer and Hannah as they have done a great job. They have painted bridges, repaired washouts on Spine Road and covered tagging in the park among other items done. - Soccer field irrigation. Currently drawing an estimated 1.5 million gallons of water from the canal irrigating the fields a year. Plus the high school uses canal water to irrigate their fields (Nashua South). - Thought given to make a connection to Pennichuck for $8,000 and use Pennichuck water at a fee of $9,500. Would keep 1.5 million gallons in the canal. - Also suggested drawing water from the Nashua River as it is just downhill from the fields. Dave Silva commented on the cost factor whereby there would be no fee for drawing from the river just a one-time cost to make the connection. - Debate if this would make a difference in keeping the canal level higher. Will be studying this further. - Port a Johns requested to be at entrances at Spine Road, Whipple Street and Lincoln Park. These would be rented. Question of vandalism raised. Soccer fields are the most vandalized in the city according to Nashua Soccer Council representative Todd Guay. - Pot hole repairs being done along the Red and Yellow Trails on the tarred sidewalks. Hot top repair. - Skim coat not accomplished at Whipple Street entrance yet but on the to do list. - Mark Soucy questioned if we could use the Q R Code could explain what the GPS markings are for and the story behind their use. - Leo asked if the lights under the bridge tunnel could be cleaned and they will be.  2012 Meetings: Jan. 9, Feb. 6, March 5, April 2, May 7 , June 4, No July meeting, Aug. 6, Sept. 10, Oct.1, Nov. 5 , Dec. 3, Jan. 7, 2013 WEB SITE: http://www.gonashua.com  2012 Trail Days April 21, May 19 , June 16, No July Trail Day, Aug. 18, Sept. 22, Oct. 20, Possible Volunteer Day Nov. 10. Page 2 of 6  Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- August 6, 2012 Minutes ATTENDEES: Joshua Segal, Greg Andruskevich, Leo Parker, Nick Caggiano, David Silva, Ed Moran, Peter Testa, Mark Soucy. Guests: Pam Anderson, Todd Guay, Paul Bunker. TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS 3. Chairman's Notes Joshua - Joshua noted that being two -thirds of the way through his term he has accepted a position in another organization and would not be seeking another term as chairman. He mentioned that the chairmanship is a time-consuming job and anyone seeking office to contact him. Greg stated he would be interested in the position in 2013. -Last trail day several volunteers worked on the canal banking who contracted poison ivy. Nick stated that five years ago we could spray for poison ivy but now the rules have changed and you cannot use a herbicide next to water. - Joshua related his problem last trail day of police not responding to his four calls when he was physically threatened by an individual in the park while working on Second Street. After an exchange of letters police have apologized and there will be a change in policy. There was further discussion as to call or not call police and Dave Silva stated that if he has an issue in the park he expects the police to respond. They have a duty to be there and if he felt threatened and no one responded to his call he would be writing letters to the chief and mayor. - Nick said he works with police often but that he has to initiate the call. Police do not call him. He will look into having an officer attend a future meeting.  2012 Meetings: Jan. 9, Feb. 6, March 5, April 2, May 7 , June 4, No July meeting, Aug. 6, Sept. 10, Oct.1, Nov. 5 , Dec. 3, Jan. 7, 2013 WEB SITE: http://www.gonashua.com  2012 Trail Days April 21, May 19 , June 16, No July Trail Day, Aug. 18, Sept. 22, Oct. 20, Possible Volunteer Day Nov. 10. Page 3 of 6  Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- August 6, 2012 Minutes ATTENDEES: Joshua Segal, Greg Andruskevich, Leo Parker, Nick Caggiano, David Silva, Ed Moran, Peter Testa, Mark Soucy. Guests: Pam Anderson, Todd Guay, Paul Bunker. TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS Old Business All - - Sign over the Millyard entrance tabled until the fall as Ed Moran still working on the idea.  2012 Meetings: Jan. 9, Feb. 6, March 5, April 2, May 7 , June 4, No July meeting, Aug. 6, Sept. 10, Oct.1, Nov. 5 , Dec. 3, Jan. 7, 2013 WEB SITE: http://www.gonashua.com  2012 Trail Days April 21, May 19 , June 16, No July Trail Day, Aug. 18, Sept. 22, Oct. 20, Possible Volunteer Day Nov. 10. Page 4 of 6  Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- August 6, 2012 Minutes ATTENDEES: Joshua Segal, Greg Andruskevich, Leo Parker, Nick Caggiano, David Silva, Ed Moran, Peter Testa, Mark Soucy. Guests: Pam Anderson, Todd Guay, Paul Bunker. TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS New Business .All - Poison ivy: Covered previously as no longer can be sprayed. - Coloring Book Project: Mark and Peter came up with a plan to incorporate the books with trail days so youngsters can color while one parent is working in the park. First thought of setting up tables at Lincoln Park entrance but then figured Gatehouse was better option as tables can be set up in the area where the Compass Rose table is too. -Have it as a sort of Kids Trail Day event. Possibly in September or 2013 trail days. Trash bag station: Old trash bag station will be re-sited in the park so daily volunteers will have access to trash bags to deposit the trash they find as they take their daily walks. - Joshua went over planned tasks and leaders assigned. -TRAIL DAY Assignments - Gatehouse will be manned by volunteer Pam Anderson. Mike Dillon though incapacitated would like his notes on the Gatehouse returned and Pam will follow through on that. -Discussion held on how to get the Trail Days off to a smoother start and eventually came to having an earlier reporting time or later start time for next year. Also have two leaders to a project and leader No. 1 report to the work site with volunteers who have already arrived and have second team leader wait for late arrivals. -Play it by ear until decision made but look for a hard start by 9:15 a.m. -Triangle clean-up leader to be determined. -Leo to head wood chip disbursement by third base trail leading to the Cove. - Joshua will head Hidden Lagoon clean-up and Second Street if needed. -Dave will lead the crews in opening the Blue Trail spur between B19 and B29.  2012 Meetings: Jan. 9, Feb. 6, March 5, April 2, May 7 , June 4, No July meeting, Aug. 6, Sept. 10, Oct.1, Nov. 5 , Dec. 3, Jan. 7, 2013 WEB SITE: http://www.gonashua.com  2012 Trail Days April 21, May 19 , June 16, No July Trail Day, Aug. - 18, Sept. 22, Oct. 20, Possible Volunteer Day Nov. 10. Page 5 of 6  Mine Falls Park Advisory Committee- August 6, 2012 Minutes ATTENDEES: Joshua Segal, Greg Andruskevich, Leo Parker, Nick Caggiano, David Silva, Ed Moran, Peter Testa, Mark Soucy. Guests: Pam Anderson, Todd Guay, Paul Bunker. TOPIC LEAD DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS 6. New Business All - Cheyenne Drive clean-up to be a project if overflow of volunteers show up. Continued - Scott Rogers still a member and he is focused on Cove clean-up activities. Adjournment All - Meeting adjourned at 8:17 p.m.  2012 Meetings: Jan. 9, Feb. 6, March 5, April 2, May 7 , June 4, No July meeting, Aug. 6, Sept. 10, Oct.1, Nov. 5 , Dec. 3, Jan. 7, 2013 WEB SITE: http://www.gonashua.com  2012 Trail Days April 21, May 19 , June 16, No July Trail Day, Aug. 18, Sept. 22, Oct. 20, Possible Volunteer Day Nov. 10. Page 6 of 6