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Chair
Apr 1, 2026
Tom Wheeler
adk3356@gmail.com
Things Change
We received a notice from Brookfield Power last fall that they wish to revisit our agreement to manage trail maintenance on the Stone Valley and Red Sandstone Trails, which are on their property. We have been directed not to do trail maintenance until a new agreement is in place. This stopped ongoing trail work, in particular at O’Malley Brook.
Tom Ortmeyer has spearheaded our negotiations, together with our trail coordinator Mark Simon and Blair Madore. A draft was negotiated with Brookfield’s representative and approved by the Chapter’s Executive Committee. At this writing, Brookfield is slowly going through its processes to have a legal document prepared for signatures. It appears the final document will have to be signed by ADK’s executive director on our behalf as well as by Brookfield. We are hopeful that this bureaucratic process can be completed quickly because early spring is a critical time for performing trail work.
Outings are a very important part of what we do. ADK has established required training for trip leaders, and Dana Chudzinski has been working hard to encourage members to meet that requirement. While Level One requirements can be easily met online, more advanced training often requires paying for an appropriate course. The Executive Committee has authorized reimbursement for course fees up to a maximum of $200 for any one person, with specific limitations.
We encourage you to consider becoming a trip leader; if you wish to apply for reimbursement, contact either Dana or myself for more details. By the time you read this newsletter a long and very white winter will be over and the new season will welcome new outdoor opportunities.
For health reasons, Marianne Hebert has moved to Connecticut. For decades Marianne volunteered thousands of hours to the Chapter. In addition to leadership positions such as chair and Outings chair, she pioneered our efforts in social media; regularly led Chapter outings, including Weekly Walks in Potsdam; organized our recent fiftieth anniversary celebration; obtained a grant for historical signs along the Stone Valley Trail; produced this newsletter; and more. Aside from ADK, one of her many involvements was to serve on the Board of Directors of Azure Mountain Friends. They claim that no one is irreplaceable, but she might very well be a counterexample. She will be missed. We wish her the best.