Steel Valley Trail Council
Minutes for SVTC Board Meeting of January 16, 2017
at Waterfront Town Square (formerly Wet Seal), West Homestead
Sara Petyk ran the election and meeting; began at 6:00 p.m.
Attending:
Board members: Sara Petyk, Amy McCall, Bob MacGregor, Andy Munster, Yale Cohen, Roy Bires and Bob Holder. George Schmidt, Earl Novenstern and Mike Sabo were unable to attend; Mike gave his proxy vote to Paul Heckbert.
Guests: Paul Heckbert, Jim Taggert and Mark Hannah.
New officers elected to serve for 2017:
President: Bob Holder
1st Vice President: Mike Sabo
2nd Vice President: Andy Munster
Secretary: Amy McCall
Treasurer: Earl Novenstern
ATA (Allegheny Trail Alliance) Reps: Sara Petyk and Andy Munster
RTC (Regional Trail Council) Reps: Andy Munster and Donna Green
Approval of minutes: November, 2016 minutes were approved
Fundraising/April trail event:
After extensive discussion, it was decided that instead of a typical, beginning of the cycling season fundraising ride, we would have a ride highlighting the nests of local birds of prey along our trail, tentatively called the Raptors Row Ride, tentatively scheduled late in April. Roy Bires will take lead on this as he is not only a cyclist and board member, but an active birding expert. Andy Munster put forth a motion to create the new ride, seconded by Sara Petyk and passed.
Bob MacGregor suggested we add an interpretive sign on the Port Perry Bridge, and explaining the large Ospreys nest nearby; this was tabled for further discussion.
Annual Day of Giving: Jim Taggert will take care of the web side of the this; those wishing to help should contact Jim.
Trail Monitors:
Bob MacGregor asked that those who need to be retrained as trail monitors contact him; also, those who work on the trail in any capacity should submit their hours to the website ( those hours will be needed for certain grants in the future.
Trail Maintenance:
Yale Cohen reported that there is a growing sinkhole near the main drain near Kennywood, and that the drain is filling with debris, so will need to be cleaned.
Bob MacGregor noted that since the trail is used to gas access to facilities owned by the sewage and gas companies, we may be able to get those companies to maintain the drains and drainage ditches along the trail.
Bob M. also said he needed $500 for replacement delineators for the Marcegaglia section in Munhall: Andy M. made a motion to approve the purchase, seconded by Amy M. and approved by the board.
Bob M. also noted that he did an inventory of all of the trail maintenance machines (mowers, trimmers, etc.) owned by the SVTC. He said that the inventory needs to be submitted to the RTC since the RTC carries insurance for the all such trail equipment, and their information is out of date.
RTC (Regional Trail Corporation): no report
ATA (Allegheny Trail Alliance):
ATA is interviewing candidates for a new executive and should hire one soon.
McKeesport Trail Commission:
Bob M. reported that McKeesport's Tube Works property was sold to DuraBond. There are currently talks underway to extend the McKees Point Bike Trail along the riverside DuraBond property so it would connect to the SVTC section of the GAP Trail, thus avoiding a rail crossing and traffic near the police station.
Bob also noted that the bikers' hostel in McKeesport's Marina Park will open in April.
USBRS (U.S. Bike Route System) Route 50:
Jim T. said that the RTC Sojourn will pass through our trails in June and the event will need volunteers.
North Bank Committee:
Paul H. reported that the Allegheny County will spend several hundred thousand dollars to conduct a study of the Rankin Hot Metal Bridge. The study will determine what will take to convert the unused bridge into a pedestrian, bike and car bridge connecting the Carrie Furnace Site across the Mon River to the GAP Trail and, potentially, Route 837 and the Waterfront. Paul also noted that he created a map and wrote a letter to the editor of the Post Gazette in which he explained what will be needed to connect the existing recreation trails to each other, to sites such as the Carrie Furnace, and to trails which are being created, such as the Trafford Trail.
The next SVTC mtg is slated for Monday, February 20 at 6 p.m., location to be determined.
The meeting adjourned at 7:01 p.m. (Perhaps a new record for shortest SVTC meeting!)