STATUS: NWTA Trail Partnership Development Program (i.e. "ST240" machine)

NOW we are cookin' with fire! 

Since Fall of last year, I have been spearheading a project approved by the NWTA Board... to start-up a "Trail Partnership Development Program".

Today a KEY part of this start-up process fell into place.  NW Trail Alliance has received the 2010 RTP grant award letter from Oregon Parks & Recreation (the grant administrators).  That represents a large chunk of the required $94,000 needed to purchase an ST240 trail construction machine, enclosed trailer, and operator training (another portion came from the Black Rock shuttle day fundraiser hosted by NWTA earlier this year - http://nw-trail.org/2010shuttleday).

Over winter, and thru 2011, this program will be in the "pilot" phase.  We will be engaging with just two land managers and two local trail build organizations to further develop aspects of the program (already in contact with each of these organizations - have designated first 5 operators to be trained this Fall/Winter).  Now that we know we WILL have an ST240 in 2011, we can get serious about planning how the asset will be managed, how operators will get certified to use the machine, procedures for "care and feeding" of the machine (storage, maintenance, insurance, trailer title, etc).

What is needed right now is a DIRECTOR who is willing to take this to the next level.   This is essentially an open position with NWTA board (official seat to be created at future board meeting).   The person who fills this role will need to be able to manage project team, create operational procedures, help with creation of training materials (for operators), and create budget for operating the program.   There's aspects to this beyond management of the equipment, as the aim is to create collaboration between NWTA and various regional land management agencies - with leverage of the ST240 asset as main tool (initially).   You'd be in charge of this department within NWTA under the oversight of the board of directors (most likely reporting directly to Tom Archer, the President, with dotted line to Tom Slovak, the trail volunteer coordinator).

Another way to think of this is that NWTA is developing a "professional" trail construction arm.   We'd have equipment, resources, and trained personnel which could be hired for use on trail projects in the region.