FHTA Meeting – June 19^th 2006

Olivedale Lower Level

Minutes

Call to order: 7:05 P.M. by President Ira Weiss with four people attending. In attendance were Donald Claffey, Larry Smith and Bob Williams.

Minutes of the May 15, 2006 meeting were read and a motion to approve was made by Larry Smith and seconded by Donald Claffey and approved.

President’s report was made by Ira Weiss and included a description of some of the meetings attended since the last FHTA meeting and meetings planned for June and July.

Treasurer's report was not available

PR Report was not available

Grant Report was not available

OLD BUSINESS

Lancaster Trail – trail construction is to start shortly

Amanda Trail – nothing new to report

Pickerington Trails – Ira met with John Edsall on 6-8 and gave him a copy of the map produced by Community First along with a cover sheet stating Bernice Cage’s classes of bicycle users and suggestions on SR 204, Refugee Road, Harmon Road, Long Road, Allen Road, and possible routes for a combined recreation/community center with Pickerington, Violet Township and Canal Winchester. Most suggestions had to do with safe routes to school. John Edsall is to revise the map with suggestions and get it to us and will also re-format it to make it easer to tell the kinds of bicycle facilities that are to be used.

Columbus Interurban – Ira mentioned tie in to Ebright Road interchange and his letter to ODOT urging consideration of bicycle and pedestrian facilities to span 33 with the Blacklick Creek Trail

Fox Trail – Larry Smith reported there was no news on construction but a lot of people were using it, including Bob and Judy Williams

Updates

Rides – Westerville Ride will be Sunday, June 25^th and the schedule for the rest of the season’s rides will be determined at the next meeting.

RTC Board Visit – Report from Jeff Vandervoort and Ira Weiss will be given at the next meeting

County map/vision – Bob Williams reported that he is working on GIS and needs to input map and create layers. He may need a committee to work with him in the future and the vision.

Safe Routes to School – Ira noted there is a link in his Friday newsletter from Julie Walcoff about program updates at www.dot.state.oh.us/SafeRoutes including press release about the 2006 program and a link to “Starting a SRTS Program”

May 23^rd SE meeting – Report from attendees will be discussed at the July meeting

McCleery Bridge – We discussed watching the move. Ira noted that he has many pictures that he took plus those from Bob Williams and Christy Sheeran. The materials for the ramps have been ordered. Jim Walters checks the progress every day. He was upset that city employees were not credited for the work. Bob sent a correction to the Eagle Gazette but as far as we know it has not been published. The bridge looks great. We discussed the possibility of putting a sandstone block veneer at the base. Dave Bogear would like for the schools to arrange for the high school upper classmen to adopt the bridge and clean up any vandalism.

Phone tree and meeting signs – Worked well for the April and May meetings

Healthy and Smart Development – The final meeting May 18th at the Liberty Center will be discussed at the July meeting

NEW BUSINESS

Membership year – We decided that the dues period should cover the corporate fiscal year of 1-1 to 12-31. We also decided that a half-year membership for new members should be added pending a motion at the July meeting.

Current paid members and Dues – As there are only a handful of paid members; we discussed whether dues were needed at all. Should dues be continued? People could still contribute to FHTA even if we didn’t have annual dues to qualify for membership. We need to know what our operating expenses are and have a list of them to make a decision. People questioned what dues pay for and what do they buy. The treasurer should provide a report on expenses and income for a future meeting.

Adjourn At 7:30 p.m. moved by Bob Williams and seconded by Larry Smith