Blackwoods Byway Corridor Meeting

March 7, 2006

Minutes

 

Attending:

t        Greg Burr, Inland Fisheries, Hearts of Maine

t        Ashby Bladen, Friends of Tunk

t        Larry Johannesman, MaineDOT

t        Charlie Corliss, LURC

t        John Brace, Cherryfield

t        Gary Edwards, DERC&D

t        Jim Fisher, HCPC

 

Forming a Corridor Management Committee

(Note: Town Meeting - Cherryfield Monday night - Feb 13, 2006)

People who we can contact:

t        Dana Higgins – 546-7368

t        Gary Curtis

t        Charlie Hitchings, Resident to Township 10 - 546-9715

t        Arthur Tatangelo, Cherryfield Selectman

t        Chuck Simpson - BPL Manager - lives on Donnell Pond

t        Nancy Scefferi - Nature Conservancy (Brunswick):

 

Organizing a committee

Grant proposal – HCPC and WCCOG submitted a planning and administration grant proposal to the Federal Highway Administration.  A copy of the proposal is available online at:

www.blackwoodsbyway.org

If successful, the grant will fund planning and administrative support, corridor committee travel and educational materials.  The decision is likely to be many months away.

 

DE Sunrise Trail Update

·      The rail to trail planning process for the Calais Branch right of way is moving forward

·      Documents, including the management plan, are available at www.sunrisetrail.org

·      Ashby Bladen asked to be included in mailings

·      Public meetings are scheduled for Ellsworth and Machias, to be followed by a presentation to the legislature’s joint transportation committee.

 

Grant project proposals

MaineDOT has approximately $20,000 in funds for one or two small projects along the Blackwoods Byway.  At the February meeting the group supported putting most of this money into improving the Tunk Lake boat launch area.  This meeting included a discussion of specific ideas.

·      Tunk Lake

·      Design for the entire site - DOC, BPL, IFW, LURC, DOT, Tunk Lake Association, Davis Camp, Bob Allen

·      Vault Privy - need to maintain it

· Maintenance - $785 per year (pumping, paper, cleaning)

· George Powell - DOC  287-4964 -Public access

· See whether we can create a five year maintenance contract for th privy

·      Picnic Table

·      Parking Lot

· Currently filling with MaineDOT Ditching Material

· Will need to cap the fill with fine gravel

· Matt Steele - $5,000 MaineDOT Environmental Grant may be available

·      Signage - Safety, Directional

·      Kiosk - by the latrine

·      Morril Worcester - County Concrete

·      Spring River Lake - Hay Rack Road

·      Parking area

·      Outhouse, Picnic Table

·      Trailer Boat Launch

·      GPS Mapping for Trail heads, historic sites -cemeteries,

 

Catherine Myrick - owns property owner

 

Downeast Sunrise Trail

·      some debate renewed about the fate of the trail

 

Earth Day Cleanup

MaineDOT can leave Trash Bags at the Cherryfield Town Office

MaineDOT Pick up Trash Bags on May 1

 

Prospective Pickers

t        Friends of Tunk – Ashby Bladen

t        Boy Scouts - Peter Dustin

t        Cub Scouts - Randy Perry and Cathy Perry

t        Girl Scouts - Mary Andre (Sunrise Gas)

 

Next Meeting - April 4th 11:00 AM

 

Master Planning for Tunk Lake

More updates on the Sunrise Trail