Merritt Parkway Trail Alliance

Tuesday, November 18, 2003 SWRPA Offices Stamford 11:00 AM

Attendance:

John Atkin, RPA; Franklin Bloomer, Greenwich Safe Cycling; Tom Bruccoleri, Stamford Land Use Bureau; Cheryl Dunson, LWV-Greenwich; Richard Dupuis, DuBlind Partners; Linda Hoza, RPA; Rossana Ivanova, RPA; Miriam Mennin, LWV-Greenwich; Don Nelson, CT Greenways Council; Sue Prosi, SWRPA; Nate Rex, Cycle Center Stamford; Ray Rauth, Sound Cyclists; Daryl Scott, SWRPA; Jane Waugh, Shippan Point Garden Club & Stamford Tree Foundation


	New Alliance members: Town of Weston, Woody Bliss, 1st Selectman Fusco Corporation, New Haven InfoEdge, Stamford New Individual Supporters (in no particular order): Arthur Nedvin, Carole, Nedvin, William Haines, Jan Haines, Marlene Welty, Mary Kramer, Edward Kramer, Deanna Garver, Roddy Garver, Harold Kalman, John Underhill, Gretchen Underhill, Linda King, John Nauser, Joe Strolin, Trudy Renggli, Tom Krumwiede, Beatrice Drozeck, Ann Spencel, Charles Spencel, Walter Drozech,Kathleen Kunze, Marlou Newkirk, Marria HHegeman, Paolamiderna Stitt, Miles Stitt, Kitty Reed, Yvone Lopaur, Lars Wihlborg, Kerry Mahony, Kathleen Walsh, Elllaun Sasso, Barbara Carruthers, N. Pasgh, Peter Lewis, Marie Pasquale, Thomas Haack, Paul Cantor, Olga Haack, Steven Schole, Vivianne Davenport, Rindy Higgins, Linda Buggy, Carolyn Callas, Thomas Eversold, Christopher Deak, Tim Bezuer, Laura Oâ??Brien, Darron Krannenberg, Peter Saranneck, R. Shafer, Jack Delrgy, Barbara Delargy, Charles Keane, Renna Schine, Bernadette DiGuilian, Leo Cristofar, Barbara Ouillette, and Nancy Hatfield. Suggestions for Increasing MPTA Membership: Take Individual Membership Form (attached) to meetings and sign up new members Forward names of local organizations along with contact information to Ms. Hoza and she will follow up and invite the organization to become an Alliance member, or Make your own membership calls (organization membership form attached). If you need additional materials or would like someone to accompany you to these meetings, contact Ms. Hoza. Suggestions for Handling Membership Campaign First, write letters to municipal officials, CEOs, legislators, etc., then follow up with a phone call and a meeting When making membership/support calls have a local Alliance member present

	Ms. Ivanova has asked Nadeje DeCastro in RPA’s New York office to redesign the RPA website www.rpa.org to show the Merritt Parkway Trail Alliance logo on RPA’s main page. Clicking on the logo will make a direct link to the MPTA website which is www.merrittalliance.org (This has been done. Check it out)

	It was suggested that the Alliance prepare a new FAQ sheet to address some of the concerns raised by the ConnDOT, the Merritt Parkway Conservancy and others. The following questions will be included in the new FAQ sheet. How will the trail be maintained and who will pay for it? How will the trail cross interchanges? How many trees will be cut? How wide will the trail be and will there be room for hoses? What kind of safety barriers will be used between the trail and the Parkway? How will graffiti be prevented? Will the trail be lighted? What are the economic benefits? Where will people park? (The new FAQ sheet is being prepared but please contact Ms. Hoza if you have additional questions that should be included.)

	ConnDOT has stipulated that we must have broad support for the trail before they will allow use of the right-of-way. Commissioner Byrnes, in his letter of July 3, 2003 to Mayor Malloy, said the DOT will initiate discussions with stakeholders and all interested groups. “Until this effort is complete, this Department will withhold its support of a proposed trail.” Discussion For now, the major Alliance effort must be to reach out to all stakeholders and build support for the trail. The following recommendations were made to further this endeavor: Write letters to municipal authorities over Mayor Malloy’s signature requesting support for the demonstration trail in Stamford. (Tom Bruccoleri will handle.) Alliance member organizations write trail support letters- to-the -editor Write op-ed pieces Reach out to riding clubs, e.g., Greenwich Riding and Trail Association Contact Greater Bridgeport RPA and make sure the Merritt trail is on their updated Master Transportation Plan Map park-and-ride lots and rest areas (Tom Bruccoleri will look into this) Contact all corporations and business along the Merritt ROW

	Develop and package outreach material Prepare an updated Alliance master plan, timeline and budget Set up a subcommittee to work with the DOT on design guidelines, safety issues, etc. (Please contact Ms, Hoza ASAP if you are interested in working on this committee.)

	The meeting adjourned at 1:05