BikeBedford.org > Minutes & Archives > Minutes > BBAC20060208minutes.html

Bedford Bicycle Advisory Committee

(approved 2006 Mar 15)

February 08, 2006

Present: Ray Ruetenik, Don Blake, Joel Parks, Amy Mason, Charlie Webster, and Holly Webster

7:50 Meeting called to order. January minutes were corrected and approved.

Continuing:

1. Minuteman Bikeway Extension -
   • Ray reported on the Bruce Freeman Trail Meeting. He gave us each a copy of the notes that he took. Ralph had given a good presentation of where we stand on the Minuteman Extension. Their next meeting will be a fund raiser on 3/7/06 at a restaurant in Acton. Joel will get details if any of us would like to attend.
   • Joel reported on VHB's presentation to the Board of Selectmen. After the presentation and much discussion, they did vote to give VHB permission to continue with the plan to seek building funds of $1.2 million of which the town will have to provide about $100,000 which will go toward the design phase. This process will take at least a year. The selectmen wanted to be sure that the total plan would not go forward until the people of Bedford had voted upon the project. Joel will try to get on the agenda of the Community Preservation Acts Committee, that originally provided the feasibility monies, to show them how we have spent their money. We will need to approach them again to obtain the design money. He will also make the presentation to the public at Town Meeting on March 27, but it will not come up for a vote until a future Town Meeting.
2. Bridge Street Path -A site meeting was held, to which Rich Warrrington, Adrian St. John, Bob Sawyer; Ralph Hammond, Ray Ruetenik, Joel Parks, Charlie and Holly Webster came. We walked the path. Rich was very positive about keeping it clear. Ralph offered to be the steward of this path. Rich said that he would run the clearing plans by Elizabeth Bagdonis first. Joel will contact Rich, again in March, about this plan.
3. Sidewalk passability -No further walks have been planned but will restart with better weather.
4. Joint BBAC/PB meeting - Holly did bring in the letter she had written and read it aloud to the committee. They approved and told her to go ahead and send it, but advised her to call the Planning Department to find out how to address it exactly.
5. East Bedford Industrial Area - Joel has made no contacts yet but plans to do so.
6. Bicycle racks - Holly has not contacted the library about moving the existing rack yet as the library is waiting for the plans for the new High School parking lot to be completed. Joel will check with Rich about the status of the placement of the rack donated by CRW.
7. Transportation Committee - As Bob is absent due to his health, there is no further news.
8. Accident Report - Bob reported, by telephone, that there were no bicycle accidents in January, that were reported to the Police Department.
9. New Member - Holly did get Mike's e-mail address from Joel and did send him a copy of the last minutes but he did not attend. Amy Mason did attend and we were all hoping that she would join our committee. She prefers, at this time, to attend as an interested person.

New:

1. No new business

Next scheduled Meeting: March 15, 7:30pm, Meeting Room as assigned, Town Hall. Note: this is a week later than usual.

Meeting adjourned 9:00pm.

Bedford Friends of the Minuteman Bikeway

Minutes approved.

Continuing:

1. Newsletter - We should be thinking about articles for the next newsletter. It will include one article by Joel about how members can renew their memberships and how to request future newsletters by e-mail.
2. Membership - Don reported that we have $1061.99 in the account. This includes the CRW funds for the new bike rack at Depot Park. He said that we have 123 people on the list to receive the newsletter and it costs about $100 to publish each edition of the newsletter.

New:

1. Amy Mason told us of the plans for the Bedford Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) Kids Ride (http://kids.pmc.org/bedford.htm) on Saturday June 17. It will again start at the Middle School. Some of the older kids have requested a longer ride, maybe 10 miles. She reported that last year the event cleared $18,600, included 260 kids, and over 100 volunteers. She suggested that the Friends have a table at the event to attract memberships.
2. Amy will send Ray an article for the newsletter about the upcoming Bedford PMC kids ride.
3. Amy also said that she has an idea to put together a booklet with fun rides for kids. We suggested that Bob Sawyer; Bob Evans, and Dan Hurwitz might be able to help define some rides. She said that we could become a sponsor for the ride for as little as $100. We voted to become a sponsor. She will send Don Blake, our treasurer, the form to fill out. If the booklet idea goes through, it could be sold at the event and profits would go to the Pan-Mass Challenge.

Meeting adjourned at 9:45pm

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