Meeting Minutes

Meeting was called to order at 7:30am. Guest Speaker Rich James led the flag salute.

Announcements:

• Nathan West announced a public hearing, on Storm Water Ordinance, tonight at 6:30pm in City Council Chambers.
• Edna reminded  group that motivational speaker Trevor Moowad would be speaker at the Chamber and at the Red Lion Inn today.
• Kaj said County Commissioners would be having a hearing today, at 10:30am on the Weed Control Program and the use of herbicides.
• Center for Spiritual Living will be having a fun night on Friday.
• Harry said the Governmental Affairs Committee will be meeting two weeks before the Board Meeting each month. He said he attended a DNR meeting in Olympia yesterday.

Minutes:

Jack Glaubert moved and Sam Phillips seconded acceptance of minutes for Board Meeting (October 10th) and Regular Meeting (October 11th). Motion carried.

Program

George Bergner introduced Rich James, Clallam County Public Works Department. Mr. James had a power point program that traced the history of the Spruce Railroad from World War 1, through its  transition to part of the Olympic Discovery Trail.  Most of the 128 miles from Jefferson County to the Ocean are done. Photos of Elwha to Gossett Road, to Lake Crescent to East Beach Road gave examples of the amount of work and improvement that has been done. The tunnel, when done, will look much like the earlier one. A pipe will be used to protect users from falling rock. Connections with the Mount Muller trailhead and horse trail are just about finished. Some of the trail is strong enough and wide enough for log trucks. Log trucks have the right of way.  The Sol Duc Bridge crossing is using M and R roads to get back to the Spruce Segment.

Future plans include finishing the following: The Elwha to Joyce (13 miles), the Joyce to Lake Crescent (5 Miles), Spruce segment (2 miles), Fairholm to Mt. Muller (2 miles), Cooper to Forks (8.5 miles) and Forks to LaPush (9 miles). The trail is now only 11 miles from Forks.  Future plans to connect with Kitsap County and Seattle trails will make the ODT one of the best known and used in the United States. The counter, downtown Port Angeles, shows 800 riders a day.

Q & A Period

Mo K.:  Will trail feature information about forests? 

RJ: Interpretive kiosks will feature story of the R/R, forests, modern forest managements and building of trail.

Kaj: How much for maintenance and will ONP allow cutting down of trees?

RJ:  County transportation budget, use of volunteers -20 now, Clallam Trail Coalition and volunteers for each mile are keeping up on work now. Not widening in all areas of the Park. Trees grown since the building of the R/R can be cut.  Over 50% of Trail costs have come from grants.

Harry: Is there any chance that the homeless might take up living on the Trail?

RJ: Ordinances outlaw that now . Trail is policed by the Sheriff’s department and by all the users.

George B:  Hill Street to Marina?

RJ: Working to make sure hill is ADA compatible.

Steve M: Landslides? 

RJ: Landslides will be a continuing problem, as they were when the trains ran.  It is hard and expensive to try to stabilize all the hillsides. Offroad vehicles not a big problem now since there are so many on the trail to police their use.

Edna:  Bike riders near East Beach? 

RJ: Park outlaws bikes on Hwy. 101 so must use Hwy. 112 or Trail.

Harry suggested looking at US Forest Strategy. Jeff Bauman said Jefferson County is working  on Four Corners to Discovery Bay Route.  The adopt a trail program is a good way to volunteer. He closed by thanking Rich for all is work on the Trail.

Meeting adjourned at 8:30am.