Board Attendees:  Alex Bernhard, Amy Chan, Barbara Couturier, Steve Darling, George Heaton, Lindy Heim, Charles Martin, Myra Mayman, Ricker Miller, Don Moyer, Myra Mayman, Joe Olimpio, Tom Rousseau, Peter Southworth

Committee Members:  Craig Heim (Administration);  Patrice Rasche (Promotion);

Welcome Guest:  Chris Norris

Business Matters

Treasurer’s  Report:  Treasurer Tom Rousseau’s report used spreadsheets to good effect to give a clear, complete picture of FNRT finances.  Netting current balances and income during the month against expenses yields a current balance of approximately $41,000.  Deducting reserves, and adding pending reimbursements from the State of New Hampshire, yields a projected total of approximately $20,000 for current and future projects.

Three important caveats should be emphasized:  

1) This financial snapshot does not include a recent RTP (Recreational Trails Program) grant award to FNRT by the State.

2) It does not include the Cycling Without Age grant of approximately $25,000, for which separate records are kept

3) The available funds in the budget are not close to sufficient to satisfy the needs. (See discussion below.)

Committee Reports

Promotion Committee: The major focus of the Promotion Committee’s report – by Amy Chan – was to rejoice in the heartwarming success – in every dimension – of the Cycling Without Age program.

Participation has been extraordinary. For example, there are 20 confirmed volunteer pilots, and 40 on a wait list.  Usage in October was impressive, with 48 rides – and 100 on a wait-list! 

We are particularly happy with the age dynamic, engaging both young and older.  Among the youngsters, we count a pilot of 79 years.  And the cohort with most riders was 80 to 89.

Financially, the program’s initial grant of $25,000 from AARP is close to expended.  But other grant applications are in the offing, not only to support continuation and expansion of the program in Lebanon, but also with the possibility of other hubs along the Trail.

Maintenance Committee:  The month of October presented our Maintenance Committee people with shock, satisfaction, and achievements that will bear fruit over many years.

We were shocked and dismayed by the fire that damaged the Riverside Bridge on the Trail during the weekend of November 5.   But just as dramatically, the bridge was fully repaired by November 9.  We thank the NH Bureau of Trails for its rapid and  effective response, and are happy to report that four FNRT Maintenance Team volunteers participated in the repair effort.

With great satisfaction we report (in part for the second time) on several projects that have reached completion milestones:  the Boscawen Trail Extension, the Punch Brook Bridge, culvert markers along the Trail, and “flangers” restored.  Ricker Miller’s leadership and Trails Bureau RTP support are much appreciated.

In order to keep these and future projects well-supported, Don Moyer has begun reaching out to towns along the Trail – Boscawen and Enfield initially – to keep them informed of our plans and solicit input.  We welcome input from all the Trail towns and appreciate their welcome to us!

Valuable projects of a different nature – creating an information base for the future – have gotten underway.  For one, the NH Bureau of Rails and Transit  is undertaking culvert inspections of the presumed 269 culverts along the Trail.   Knowing the location and status of these culverts will greatly benefit Trail maintenance, as they present frequent issues and are often hard to locate.

We are hoping to make the GAIA GPS tracking system a part of our information portfolio.  With it,  virtually all Trail features can be located.  And maintenance and safety issues were pinpointed and addressed quickly.

Lastly, the Maintenance Committee is happy to report that usage and volunteer hours are both up.   During the summer, the Trail saw more than 30,000 users of diverse types,  a modest increase over last year.  Volunteer hours reached a new high of 670 for the year thus far, with 28 individuals participating.

We are thus hugely grateful to Chairman Don Moyer and the “merry band” of maintenance volunteers

But work on the Trail is never done, and plans are in place for more RTP grants and other projects.  Thus, more funding is vital.  (See discussion below from the Administration Committee.)

Administration Committee:  The focus of the Administration Committee’s report was the issue of funding, previously discussed in committee, and now presented to the full Board.  What became clearly evident from the reports of the Treasurer, Maintenance, and Administration Committees is a projected shortfall in 2023 of more than $25,000.  

The shortfall arises from a number of sorely needed projects to which we are already committed but for which funding has not been secured.   They include two already submitted to the RTP Program (for which matching funds of about $15,823 must be secured to receive the awards);  and reconstruction of the Enfield Bridge, at an estimated cost of $12,000 to 15,000.  Beyond this, additional funding is needed for the Cycling Without Age program, as well as new information kiosks.

With the needs outlined, the Committee proceeded to the question of how to raise these funds.  Potentially significant sources of funds – foundations, local corporations, individuals, and agencies – were identified and then assigned to members of the Committee to undertake an approach.

Enthusiasm and hope are high for these fundraising efforts.  In combination, we are embarking on a new End-of-Year Appeal, direct to the public and our many current members and donors.  All look forward to this!