[Ncrt-alerts] Initial Alert from NC Rail-Trails

[Periodic Emails on NCRT activities]

This brief alert is being sent to you because of interest you have shown in the work of NC Rail-Trails and rail-trail development. We plan to send these alerts out periodically to keep you abreast of upcoming events, recent news items and new content on our web site. If you would rather not receive these alerts please follow the 'options' link below to unsubscribe. 
Curt Devereux
Webmaster
NC Rail-Trails
webmaster at ncrailtrails.org 

Our recent (4/4/09) Board meeting at Highpoint was a long day but we accomplished a lot on several fronts: 

  a.. Using a professional facilitator, we moved forward on completing the final sections of the Business Plan we have been working on for about 18 months. This final phase focused on the strategy and objectives for NCRT's efforts over the next 5 years. Over the next few months we'll let you know more on the specifics of our plans. One key and fairly major project will be to commission the design of a new web site. Our new site will employ much more modern technology and will support upgraded display of maps and pictures and a number of tools for better interaction with our members and others using our site. New content should enable web users to learn more about development projects and about how they may use and support existing rail-trails around the State. Over time we plan to develop a searchable body of resource materials that will be readable and down loadable from the site. Over the next 30 days we plan to solicit proposals to design and develop this new site. We hope to have it up and running late in the Summer. 

  b.. The Board discussed numerous strategies for new and expanded efforts for the group and decided to start the process of hiring a part-time Executive Director. This will allow greater focus on many of the things we have been doing but will definitely be key to numerous new outreach efforts to reach the full range of citizens and groups interested in rail-trail development in North Carolina. Our goal is to have the position filled within 12 months.

  c.. We also filled two (2) openings on the Board of Directors: For a three-year term we elected Steve Smutko, a Ph.D. Extension Specialist at NCSU and Director of Natural Resource Leadership Institute. The Institute trains corporate and nonprofit leaders in conflict resolution around environmental issues. For a two year term we elected Alison Carpenter, a Bicycle and Pedestrian Planner specializing in programs, coordination and planning studies. Among her professional affiliations, she is a charter member and board member of the N.C. Active Transportation Alliance (NCATA). Ms. Carpenter will serve through 2010. 

  d.. We received encouraging progress reports on several rail-trail projects: For the Brevard Bike Path, we learned that the extension of the Brevard Bike Path into the Pisgah National Forest should be completed (or at least be well underway) this Summer. Most of this extension will be upon the crown of the dismantled railbed of the defunct Carr Lumber Railroad. NCDOT stimulus enhancement funds are being used to fund a safe crossing of the wide and busy Asheville Highway. The path will connect with the Art Loeb Trail. The latter trail is a connector to and part of the Mountains to the Sea Trail. We also heard reports on the Gallimore Road Multi-Use Path and the Hendersonville to Brevard Rail-Trail. See our recently opened NEWSPAGE for more on these trails and on several other projects. 

  e.. Decisions were reached to try to accelerate our external communication efforts. Some of our initial efforts include these periodic alert Emails, posting of digitized documents on the web site and the new NEWSPAGE. These efforts should allow us to get information out far sooner than in Little Toot, our quarterly publication. 
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