Minutes from the September Meeting

ESOA Meeting Minutes – September 8, 2009


The meeting opened with some introductions and background information on the ESOA and our mission.

The group discussed the direction of the ESOA for the upcoming season/year. A consensus was reached that we should identify 2 or 3 projects and focus our efforts on seeing these projects through to completion.

Marcia Yearsley shared her ideas regarding developing the waterfall/grotto area across the street from the library. She talked about a Preservation Society meeting where she presented this idea – it was well received. She also talked about the effort to contact the other adjacent property owner, without any luck.

The group then focused on brainstorming projects and assessing their feasibility.
Projects included:
- Library Waterfall

- Water Street Park

- Cold Spring

- Leatherwood Kiosk Follow-up
- developing content for the kiosk
- fixing the broken plexi-glass in one of the panels
- adding gravel and boulders to give the kiosk a finished look

- Lake Leatherwood Trail Maintenance Plan
- assessing trail condition and identifying areas of need
- facilitate the adoption of trail sections by local residents,
businesses and organizations

- Black Bass Lake Park
- brush clean-up
- boat launch ramp work
- trail grooming

- Kansas St./Harding Spring
- brush clean-up
- water bar addition
- dirt pile removal
- address drainage issues

- Hogscald Graffiti Removal (Lover’s Leap)
- coordination with Corps of Engineers
- clean-up day (wire brushes and/or power washer)


The group decided to attend the next Parks and Rec. Commission meeting in an effort to coordinate our project list with projects that they would like to prioritize. We would like to have a large ESOA member turnout at the meeting to show the community interest in our public lands.

The group also talked about taking video in addition to photos at our service projects and social activities as our Blog, FB group page and the Lovely County Citizen all support video uploads. Jack Cross shared the idea of his friend Gary Crabtree coming and creating a short feature about the ESOA.

Finally, we scheduled a social activity (day hike) to The Railroad Tunnel just outside of town. The hike is scheduled for Sunday, October, 4th at 1pm. Meeting place to be determined.

Nick Cross is going to draft a letter to the Parks and Rec. Commission, sharing our project list and get the ESOA on the next commission meeting agenda.
Jack Cross is going to follow-up with the Corps of Engineers regarding Hogscald clean-up.