MINUTES
Sherri Dillard, President, called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm
I. Board Attendance:
Present
President: Sherri Dillard
VP: Anne Squire
Secretary: Janet Jolley
Treasurer: Al Peters
Past President: Elliot Barenbaum
Ambler Reps: Arlene Kahn, Marianna Tubman
Rambler Reps: Toni Edgar, Harriet Schwartz
Trekker Rep: Rich Kinsey
Scrambler Rep: Marcelle Welch
Absent
Trekker Rep: Judy Bentley
Scrambler Rep: Lori Wong
II. Minutes approved from October 24, 2023 Meeting
III. Reports:
a. Treasurer
INCOME AND EXPENSES FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023
2024 Budget
2024 Budget was approved. Cash on hand ($10,512) as of December 31st will be used to cover shortfall of $700.
b. Incident Report Summary
Sherri Dillard reported that there were no major incidents or accidents.
There were 3 dehydration problems but they were solved.
c. Club Membership
Jean Fiske reported the Club has 420 members including 120 new members in 2023, 57 of these are Amblers. The Club needs to reach out for new members and will continue to have new member orientation sessions. These sessions will be announced and will educate members on how to use the website and calendar, how to lead hikes, what to do in an emergency, etc.
d. Membership Renewal
Anne Squire reported that 60% of 2024 dues have been paid to date. A final email notice will be sent out January 15th. Members not paying by January 31st will be archived in the system but can be easily retrieved if membership fees are paid.
e. Recent Events
Very positive reviews for thee Holiday Party, the Last Hike Party and
Chili Fest.
f. Trail Steward Report. Larry Barclay reported three tasks completed:
i. Dec 26 - GPS tracked the whole West Ridge as part of developing the new Rossmoor Trails Map;
ii. Jan 1 - Cleared a branch blocking the Clyde Wood Trail along with Christine Barclay and Dave and Jane Blanchard.
iii Jan 9 - Maintenance on the ByPass and Dollar Trails with Jim Royer and John Fiske plus a non-member.
V. Members Forum:
a. A new member to the Club asked if there was any place on the website
where members could communicate about other activities - not Club related. Anne Squire will retry enabling the website's online forum tool so members can plan activities or hikes together on days other than Wednesday and Saturday particularly when the weather doesn't cooperate. These would not be regular Club hikes covered by insurance but would be a great way to scout hikes for the future. Previously it wasn't used enough to maintain but members are more used to the website now.
VI. Old Business:
a. Elliot Barenbaum, Former President, is exploring ways to get guest
speakers to come to talk with members. Speakers do not necessarily
need to be on hiking topics.
b. Elliot also praised Sue Wetzler, Rossmoor News Liasion for great press coverage. Several good articles have been published that promote the Trails Club.
VII. New Business:
a. A new Sideway Walks map tool was introduced by Bruce Freeland,
showing walks through Rossmoor neighborhoods. Members are already
trying these hikes. Maps are available on the website and include a
downloadable text file plus a a QR code. Several members of the
audience scanned the QR code and said it was easy to use. Instructions
are included..
b. Larry Barclay asked the Board to support the proposal of a new Rossmoor Trails Map to GRF which simplifies trail name designations for the 12 miles of trails from 13 down to 5 and includes access points for each trail.
The new proposed new designations are : West Ridge Trail (combines Rockcrest, Ta-shai Stadum, Sumner and Clyde Wood Trails); East Ridge Trail (combines Dollar, part of Skyline and Bill Kieffer trails); Valley View Trail (remainder of Skyline Trail); Las Trampas Connector Trail (replaces Bypass Trail at the end of the East Ridge trail). The Shady Glen Loop will remain the same.
These names would provide a more geographically descriptive representation of the trails. Support for the new Trail map was voted on and approved by the Board.
The Landscape Manager, John T. was introduced by Larry. John T. will now present the map to the GRF Board for their approval. Money for signage will come out of John T.'s budget.
c. A safari in Sonoma, CA was proposed by Ros Carol for April 9 - 12th. She has a lodging agreement ready to be signed by the VP. Breakfast will be included and there are plenty of restaurants and grocery stores for lunch and dinner. She would like to limit it to hikers that participate on Club hikes weekly.
d. Elliot Barenbaum proposed an appreciation plaque to be placed at the
Labyrinth site, honoring Larry Barclay. He then read a poem written by
Christine Barclay and a haiku written by the late Ta-hsia Kuo. Larry said if
anything he would prefer the poem and haiku be put in the materials box
at the Labyrinth with other descriptive material about the site and its
history. With a limit this material to one year.
e. Sherry Dillard submitted a letter of resignation as President of the Trails
Club due to health problems. A motion was made to appoint Anne Squire
as the new Club president. It was seconded and passed by the Board. It was decided that the Club would postpone appointing a new Vice President until the March meeting.
f. Sherri Dillard proposed that the Club donate wine glasses previously purchased to the GRF Recreation Department for use in Rossmoor facilities. The Club no longer needs them and Lynne Forrette does not want to continue to storing them in her attic. The Board approved the donation.
VI. Meeting Adjourned at 5:30 pm
Respectively submitted by Janet Jolley, Secretary