I.T.S. Bike Trail Committee meeting

Approved Minutes of meeting on February 7^th, 06

Members present: Nelson Grman, Sylvia Lux, Poonam Jain, Bryan Siegfried, John Caldieraro, Larry Leone, Beth Aljets, Rich Henry, Jim Makula, Melissa Bellovich, Conrad Kea, Brett Luster, Jeff Roller, Marilyn Marrow, Hulda Black, Alesia Russell, Tonya Pieper, Patrick Heise, Todd Anderson, Freddy Brauer, Dimitria Dobrinich

Members absent: Russ Masinelli, Nora Feuquay

The meeting was called to order at 7.15 P.M. Nelson Grman started the meeting by introducing Rich Henry and Jim Makula from the Tourism committee of the City. He said they would help with the Tour De Donut festivities. Grman also introduced Patty Ambrose, Director of Illinois Route 66 byways program. Grman reported that the City of Staunton had agreed to sponsor the Bike Trail.

Meeting minutes from the January 17^th meeting were read by Poonam Jain and approved by all present.

Alyesia Russell of Staunton who had read about the bike trail project in the newspaper was in attendance and voiced her concern regarding the exact route of the trail. Grman informed her that the proposed bike trail would start at the Duda garden and join the I.T.S. rail bed, connecting to the Benld-Gillespie trail. He emphasized that all plans were in preliminary stages and all regulations followed by Madison County for their trail building projects would be followed for the I.T.S. trail. Russell once again emphasized her concern that bike trail may make it hard for farm equipment to be moved across her property and security on the trail would be hard to maintain.

Hulda Black expressed her concern that invasive plant species not be planted along the trail. She mentioned that several trees and native plant species along the Benld-Gillespie trail had been bulldozed away.

Poonam Jain suggested that the Tour De Donut festivities sub-committee work independently of the I.T.S. Bike trail committee. This would allow the I.T.S. bike trail committee to concentrate on their original mission of planning, raising funds for and ultimately building a bike trail connecting Staunton to the Benld-Gillespie trail.

Sylvia Lux suggested that the Tour De Donut festivities committee should be a sub-committee of the Tour De Donut committee from the Chamber of Commerce which has been organizing the Tour De Donut for the past several years. Bryan Siegfried suggested deleting the Tour De Donut sub-committee from the I.T.S. Bike trail committee charter. There was general support for these ideas.

Dimitria Dobrinich suggested a rib cook-off on Main street following the Tour De Donut race on July 8^th.

John Caldieraro reported on post cards, stamps and T-shirts he has been working on, for the Tour De Donut. It was decided these would be discussed at the Tour De Donut committee meeting. Caldieraro also reported that Shari Albrecht had sent an e-mail regarding the availability of a 50-50 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce that may be used for the Tour De Donut festivities committee. Even though deadlines for this grant may be past, Shari encouraged Staunton to apply.

The next meeting date was set for February 21^st at 7.15 P.M.