FOS Meeting - 14 January 2004

In attendance:  Ed Pontbriand (NPS), Jeanie Wilson, Dirk Faegre, Burt Allaire, Deedee West, Peter Drinkwater, Jay Horschak, Nancy Horshak, Jim Wagner, Tom Mayer, Stan Torrey, Bill Zoellick, Pauline Angione, Garry Levin, Rosemary Levin, Sally McKinnon

The meeting was held at the Schooner Club and  began at 7:15.

Steering committee membership

Tom read the list of people eligible for steering committee membership, as determined by rules developed in previous meetings.  Each of these people accepted membership on the steering committee.

Tom nominated 3 additional people as steering committee members:  Ruth Sargent, Burt Allaire, and Fran Rhodes. 

Jeanie nominated Earl Blackney for membership

Bill Z moved, and Garry seconded a motion to invite these people onto the steering committee.  The motion passed unanimously.  Assuming that the new nominees accept membership, the steering committee will consist of:

Electing officers

Dirk moved, and Stan seconded a motion that empowers Tom to create a nominating committee that will report back with a slate of candidate officers at the next meeting.

The motion passed unanimously.

Gatehouse

Ed characterized the past year as a learning year.  What we learned was that

• the group was too big to handle -- in terms of scheduling
• the good news was that coverage was good - the gatehouse was staffed at all times
• the weak area was in terms of the interaction with the visitor.  There was not consistent quality of the information.

So Ed proposed that, next year, there be training sessions.  The sessions would be an 8 hour day.  The sessions would need to cover the Schoodic Division of the Park in detail, with orientation focused on the visitor experience.  The rule will be that you can't work the gate unless you have been through the training.

Further, Ed wants a longer time commitment from volunteers each day.  The commitment would be to take a 4 hour shift, preferably once a week.  Conceivably, you could use 4 people at once -- two in the gatehouse and two working trails and parking lots. 

Coverage would be for  mornings only.  

These demands are modest, and scaled to the simpler operation on Schoodic. Visitor center volunteers at MDI go though 40 hours of training, but that is a much more complicated operation.

The organization could use other volunteers for other things -- the training requirement would apply only to the gatehouse requirement.

Tom noted that, with 4 people assigned to every time period, the backup problem takes care of itself.

There was substantial discussion of Ed's requirements and of the new structure, focusing on whether it could be made to work. 

It was suggested that we use the website to get some of the word out regarding the new requirements and to make the dates of training available.

One question/suggestion is that the training might be restricted to Friends of Schoodic members (not steering committee members, but members of the broader organization.)  This suggestion raises the question of what defines membership -- something that the organization needs to settle.  (In the past, simply volunteering services qualified someone for membership, which would make exclusion of gatehouse work to members circular and meaningless.)

Ed also suggested that we might incorporate a day of trail training for people who want to assist with trail work, focusing on how and why the trails are built and maintained as they are.

Fence

Dirk has started on this, and discovered that it is hard, heavy work, but doable.  It could go on all summer. It needs to be scoped -- since different sections should be done in different seasons.

Trails

Little Moose.  Ed suggested that we create a small group that takes ownership of that Island.  Jay noted that there is a couple that has been working on the Island. Jay and Dirk will work out the details.

Schoodic Head trails -- there are downed trees that need to be dealt with.

Trail signage at the top.  We need to make a proposal that will go over to the sign shop for completion.

Tom notes that the group needs a  trail committee.  There was no action on this suggestion.

A number of people discussed the idea of marking ski trails and snowshoe trails -- particularly the ones that are backwoods trails.  People are reluctant to use such trails at present because they might get lost.

Clean Ups

Plan is for 3 for next year.

Warehouse

The existing warehouse is scheduled for demolition.  It will be replaced with a new warehouse which is expected to be ready Feb 2.  The warehouse will be replaced natural ground cover.

Ed needs FOS to work during the week of Feb 2 - 6 or 5 to handle the logistics at each end -- mMoving out and moving into the new one.

We need to find 6 people or so to help with this.  Dirk agreed to coordinate this.

Next Meeting

Jay would like to explore independent non-profit status in next meeting.

   -- Bill Zoellick