April 8, 1998

Meeting called to order

by Dave Johnson, president

Attendance

Dave Johnson, John Ziemer, Deb Wall, Howard Chatterton, Carolyn Chatterton, Doug Spielman, Jan Paulsen, Pete Olson, Jim Kurz, Michelle Stauder, Craig Henson

Treasury Report

Election of Officers

President: Dave Johnson, 2nd Term

Vice President: Jan Paulsen, 1st Term

Secretary/Treasurer: Craig Henson, 2nd Term

Reading of Officer's Duties from Bylaws: Carolyn Chatterton

Establishing Committees

Howard Chatterton suggested we add committees besides the traditional race and banquet committees. More members could, of course, join these committees and when help was needed the club, at large, could be called upon. The following committees were established with members volunteering for seats:

• High School Trail Committee: Dave Johnson, Pete Olson
• Blue Hills Trail Committee: Howard & Carolyn Chatterton, Jan Paulsen, Craig Henson
• Sisters Farm Trails Committee: Jim Kurz, Dave Borman*, Doug Spielman, John Ziemer
• Blue Hills Ascent Committee: John Ziemer, Pete Olson, Kevin & Lynn Westlund*, Craig Henson, Doug DeLong*
• Equipment Committee: Pete Olson, Doug Spielman, Jim Kurz, Carolyn Chatterton, Dave Johnson
• Banquet Committee: Aileen Tauchen*, Lynn Marsh*
• Snowshoe Committee: Holly Weisman*, Jim Kurz, Craig Henson
• Log Jam Committee: Dave Borman, Pete Olson, John Ziemer, Jim Kurz
• Blue Hills Warming House Committee: Doug Spielman, Howard Chatterton, Carolyn Chatterton, Jan Paulsen

*(Not present at meeting, but previously on standing committee or involved)

OLD BUSINESS:

Fund Raising:

• There was discussion of the recently acquired DNR grant and its stipulations. One requisite of the grant is that the RCTA maintain the Sisters Farm Trails year-around. In regards to this, there was discussion about the purchase of a mower for the trails. Specifically, Doug Spielman mentioned a CAT used by the Barron power company which could be used as a mower during the summer months (it wouldn't sink in as much as a tractor mower), and then be converted to a snowcat to groom trails in the winter.
• There was a meeting to be held 4-22-98 with the City of Ladysmith, DNR and Rusk County Tourism to discuss the grant.

Blue Hills Warming House: Howard Chatterton attempted to solicit money from the mining company for this project, but was denied. Carolyn Chatterton mentioned a DNR grant that may be applicable to such a project. Paul Teska, Rusk County Forester, had suggested this and would help us apply. Doug Spielman moved that we establish a warming-house committee.

High School Trails Lighting Project: we are still awaiting a response regarding the PowerBar D.I.R.T. grant. Notification was expected sometime in April. There was brief discussion about the cost of electricity for lighting the trails.

NEW BUSINESS:

Change Boxes: Jim Kurz had two new heavy-duty donation/map boxes made by Barber Welding. These will be used for deposit of trail fees at the Blue Hills West trailhead as well as maps of the trails. Members were in agreement that it would be useful especially to encourage mountain bike use in the summer months. The other box was to be placed at Sisters Farm Trails. There was also the thought that we may want to consider putting one at the high school trails. Some members were concerned that this may solicit vandalism.

Communication: Tom Paulsen, Webmaster, is continuing to maintain a web-site for the RCTA. This will serve as one means of relaying up-to-date information to members. Also, it was suggested that we should establish an e-mail address list of active club members. It was agreed that everyone would send their address, via e-mail, to Craig Henson.

THE RCTA THANKS:

• The RCTA would like to publicly thank the Wildlife Restoration Association for its significant monetary donations in this past year. They gave us $700 for the construction of a wooden bridge in the Blue Hills Trails system. Also, they directly paid for $1000 worth of materials for a second bridge. The WRA had received a donation from Metz Christman (The Sign Shoppe) for signage equaling $300-$400, which they passed on to the RCTA.
• The RCTA would also like to announce our gratitude to the WCC for the labor donated toward the construction of the two bridges. This crew, directed by Paul Teska, also built a large wooden sign/bulletin board with a shingled roof. For this they donated the supplies and labor.
• We would also like to express our appreciation to Kyle Costenaro, who hand-routed the lettering of some new, wooden road signs in the Blue Hills.

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