Girdwood Trails Committee
Minutes of Regular Meeting

Glacier City Hall, 7:00 pm 
Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Call to Order
Carolyn Brodin called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.  Others present: Lewis Leonard, Matt Wedeking, Warren Rowe, Alison Rein, Jonnie Lazarus, Diana Livingston, Brian Burnett, Norman Starkey, John Gallup, and guest Sadie Youngstrom.  

Approval of Agenda
The agenda was approved.

Approval of Minutes, April 1, 2008
The minutes were approved without correction.

Introduction of Guests
No new guests; the committee welcomed Lewis Leonard, Girdwood resident.

Old Business
Trail Issues
•	Alyeska Highway Bridge/Bike Path Repair 
John presented his work plan for repairing the bike path bridge in July. He had submitted it to Isobel Roy (MOA) who sent back suggestions. He needs to include a safety standards protocol, more specific tools, and traffic control plan.  John said he will add labor, administrative support, demolition, coordinator, equipment, supplies, and contingencies.  We will need short term event insurance, a porta-potty, and a tarp for under the bridge.
	John reported that we must have an engineer on site or close by to make decisions as work progresses. We can hire USKH or enlist a local engineer volunteer.  We have $21,000 in hand, so a local volunteer would be best.   There is a local engineer who Alison suggested asking.
	
2008 Cost
1. $24,000 for materials--The 2006 materials bid was $19,900. A 20% inflation makes it $24,000 for materials for 2008.

2. $11,000 for professional costs--Three days ARR and three days for an engineer will most likely cost $11,000.  

3. $3,000—Overrun possibilities

	TOTAL   $38,000  
(Other parts of the 2006 $318,000 bid are not necessary if we only replace boards and paint the bridge.)

When the work plan is approved, someone will write an article for the Turnagain Times requesting community help in repairing the bridge. Isobel will take care of the coordination. This overhead cost will be added to the total cost. 

Members discussed the poor condition of the culverts and agreed that they must be replaced.

Hand Tram Repair
The hand tram will be ready for use in early June.

Summer Use Issues—Potential Bike Race Requests
The Committee decided that any bike race requests that come before the Trails Committee would be referred to Alyeska Resort, as we do not have trails that could sustain heavy bike traffic at this time

Winter Use Issues
•	Maps--Sadie Youngstrom, APU student, brought her project of mapping valley Nordic trails. The Committee thanked her for her work.

•	Enchanted Forest Bridge still needs to be fixed. Jonnie will contact Eben Stone about this.

Other Trail Issues
Norman confirmed that he will ask the June SAGA crew to fix the culverts, but if this is not possible, they will brush the trail from World Cup to ------ (COULD NOT HEAR. WHAT IS THIS?)

Budget
No item for discussion

SAGA Crew Planning
The main SAGA crew work will be done in September. The Committee confirmed that the crews should finish the Beaver Pond Trail. 

Updates 
Girdwood 2020 Multiuse Trails Committee: Diana reported that this committee has
met three times.  Diana will notify Carolyn of the next meeting.

Nordic Trail
Brian (Alyeska Resort) announced that HLB has given $50,000 to the yellow Nordic Trail construction. Girdwood 2020 will fund $30,000 for design completion and permitting.  Another donor will match the $50,000 from HLB for a total of $130,000. 

Design and permitting is still to be done and will require $30,000.  Alyeska Resort has done some wetlands studies and will share that information with HLB for permitting purposes. Bill Mehner, HLB, wants 5K completed this summer. 

Original cost for yellow loop was $150,000, but is now $180,000. Project cost is now $210,000.  They have $130,000 and are looking for another $80,000. Grants and/or legislature members may be sources. Girdwood Inc. is being asked to be the financial sponsor, as it is for other community projects. 

Operations
The group is now looking for an operator and considers the Girdwood Trails Committee to be the best option. Alyeska Resort will not maintain the trail; but will let the operator buy their snowcat time.  Grooming is rated at $125.00/hour.

Brian said that it is important that the operator of the trails raise the capital to maintain the trails.  This would require fund raising through pins, on-going grant, tax assessment on the community.

Girdwood Inc. would transfer the ground easement over to the operating entity.  Carolyn asked if there is no operating entity, would the Resort groom the trails. Brian said this is possible, but unlikely. 

Brian hoped to get the support for the project and a statement that Girdwood Trails Committee is interested in being the operator of the Nordic Center. 

The Trails Committee took no action at this time.

No Other Updates

Area-Wide Trails Plan and Section in GAP
Carolyn reported that she is working on updating the trail descriptions, and Matt is continuing to work on the plan. Carolyn will bring the rough draft to the next GAP meeting for initial review.

New Business
Election of Officers
By unanimous vote, Carolyn Brodin is elected Chair; Alison Rein is Vice-Chair; Kate Sandberg is Secretary.
Crow Creek Road Parking Lot
Alison reported that the she has marked all the trees that need to be cut for the hand tram/Iditarod parking lot with an outhouse near Crow Creek Mine.  Fifty trees will have to be cut.
Other Business
Jonnie updated the Committee that there will be a Fungus Fair during Labor Day Weekend.