Present: Tom Rice, Susanne Hanson, Ted & Barb Young, Wayne & Karen Monsen, Lee Wenzel, Pretty Lady Young
Absent: Mel Peterson, Julie Kilpatrick, Andy Jenks
1. Purpose of this meeting
The purpose of this meeting is to form a non-profit organization for transitioning maintenance of the Banadad Trail. Previous discussions between the Youngs and some North Stars and friends were held in January and April 2008, leading up to this meeting.
2. By-laws
Wayne Monsen & Tom Rice will draft by-laws based on the group’s input at this meeting. Then the by-laws will be circulated to the parties named above for comment. The following suggestions were made for the content of the by-laws:
Purpose of the Banadad Trail Association (BTA):
- Preserve and maintain the Banadad Trail, which is the longest wilderness tracked ski trail in North America
- Enable/facilitate public access to skiing in the BWCA Wilderness
- Educate the public in wilderness values
- Identify and preserve the history of the forest – the first logging sale where they moved from being in a logging camp to having shackers – the Finn Lake Timber sale and other timber sales started in 1956
- Work with local land owners, feds, state, county and other stakeholders
- Other such things as might promote the trail
Require one annual meeting and other meetings as necessary.
Up to 9 board members including officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer), with a majority of board members being from the Gunflint Trail/Cook County area.
Follow Sugarbush boilerplate for other details except as noted
Right now Ted maintains Lace Lake (State), Tim Knopp (Federal) to the Banadad (Federal). It could be that whole thing. (I think the by-laws need to define which trails will be the responsibility of the BTA.)
When the by-laws are finalized by this group, the BTA will request a review of by Ann McKenzie, North Star member.
3. Articles of Incorporation
Articles of Incorporation will be needed after the by-laws are written. Tom and Wayne, will you consider moving forward with this next step after drafting the by-laws? Because there is a need to become a legal entity right away we should go ahead and file the articles of incorporation with the state as soon as they are ready.
Considerations include categories of membership (business, club, family, individual, hunters)
4. Election of Temporary President
Barb Young was nominated by Ted to be the temporary president of the BTA, and was elected by a unanimous and enthusiastic majority. Barb warmed up to the idea eventually.
5. First Meeting of the BTA
Barb Young will convene the first official meeting of the BTA in February 2009.
Proposed Agenda
1. Approve by-laws
2. Elect board
3. Present articles of incorporation
4. Move to incorporate as a 501(c)(3)
6. Slate of Officers
Ted & Barb, will you consider drafting a slate of officers and circulating it to the group? Ideas for the slate of officers and other board members included John and Barbara Bottger, Hungry Jack Lake; Peter Spink, Poplar Lake; Judy Ross, Little Ollie Lake; Linda (?), Minneapolis; ? Un-named, Grand Marais.
7. Timeline
We would like to be ready to for the BTA to apply for the DNR ski trail grant by May 2009. We expect about a one year transition period as the BTA assumes responsibility for trail maintenance from Ted. Ted is willing to continue to administer the trail during the transition period. In the future, the BTA may need to hire a trail administrator.
8. Support/Networking – Other Organizations
- Lee is a board member of North Stars, and is willing to bring BTA materials to the North Stars board meeting.
- Mark Stange – Kek club – Tom knows him, and will contact him to learn more about the Kek Trail procedures
- Forest Service (Steve Shuh) said a Banadad Trail Association would be a good thing.
- Someone needs to sit down with Dennis at the Forest Service – let him know what we’ve done.
- Susanne has many connections and great networking potential
- See minutes of the April meeting for previous suggestions
9. Possible Future Goals
- Get a legal easement for the west end of the trail. We would need to build 1 mile of trail on public land and create a good parking lot. It would go over the snow mobile trail just like it does now.
- Put up a sign at trail heads thanking members of the Banadad Trail Association.
- Record the history of the Banadad Trail for future generations.
- Newsletter twice a year (Ted already has a blog)
10. Adjourn
Thank you to everyone who attended this historic meeting!
Ecstatically submitted,
Karen Monsen, acting convener and scribe
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