REPORT OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON STATE COMMITTEES

Adopted by the Board of Trustees, May 2, 1998

The report consists of five sections: 1) the mission statement; 2) a section that defines some of our underlying assumptions about how the organization works; 3) the roles of the state committees; 4) the roles and obligations of the ECGA to the ECGA State Committees (State Committees); and 5) criteria that a State Committee must meet to become a standing member of the Board.

I. The Mission Statement

The East Coast Greenway Alliance (Alliance) is a national membership organization formed as a not-for-profit benefit corporation under the laws of the State of New York and is recognized as a charitable and educational organization under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)3.

The Alliance exists to promote the establishment, preservation, sound management and maintenance, and safe use and enjoyment of the East Coast Greenway Trail Network by the general public.

The East Coast Greenway is a long-distance, inter-urban, multi-user transportation and recreation trail network connecting major urban centers along the East Coast of the United States from Maine to Florida. This spine route consists of a series of locally owned and managed trails, linked to form a continuous trail network, easily identified by the public through signs, maps, and user guides. The East Coast Greenway Trail Network is intended to be an off-road route serving cyclists, hikers, and other non-motorized users for recreation and transportation.

II. Accomplishing the Mission

The mission will be accomplished through the collaborative efforts of the ECGA, the State Committees which will become members of the Alliance board, and all of the local and state organizations involved in planning, building, and maintaining the Greenway.

Some of the assumptions implicit in the manner in which we will work to accomplish our goals are:

a. The Alliance is a trail-connecting and alliance-building organization. Its strength is based on the power of the vision and its ability to motivate people and groups to work toward that vision.

b. The Alliance will work with and provide guidance to the State Committees to accomplish the mission. The State Committees will be responsible for overseeing the development and stewardship of the Greenway, working with the appropriate state and local entities and individuals.

c. The Alliance policies relating to the State Committees will strive to be clear and specific enough to provide good guidance, while remaining flexible enough to be appropriate for the diversity of organizational structure at the state level.

d. The Alliance recognizes that the roles of the State Committees, as outlined in Section 3, may initially be undertaken by a group not specifically dedicated to the ECG. However, the Alliance believes that it is in the best interests of the Greenway that there eventually be one State Committee established in each state dedicated to the mission and purpose of the ECG and the ECGA.

e. The trail is being built, operated, and sustained by local and state organizations working with the ECGA through its State Committees. The Greenwayâs character, identity, and consistency as a national transportation and recreation trail is the responsibility of the ECGA.

f. The specific mission of the ECGA is to develop a trail from Maine to Florida. We believe that creating such a trail will, in addition to providing recreational and transportation opportunities, also enhance communities by promoting tourism, strengthening local economies, and improving public health and the environment.

III. Roles of the State Committee

As the intermediaries between the Alliance and the local trail segment managers, State Committees are critical to the success of putting our Maine to Florida route in place and carrying out the balance of the ECGA mission.

The roles of the State Committee are as follows:

1. Identify the Route

a. Define the preferred general corridor through the state, respecting Alliance criterion of linking main cities along the East Coast as directly as possible.

b. Reach agreement with the Alliance on that corridor.

c. Through an open planning process, identify preferred route.

d. Obtain a broad consensus on the choice of a preferred route within the state via public discussion and communication with a broad range of stakeholders. Resolve any issues or questions pertaining to the chosen route.

e. Create state route map for distribution and inclusion in State of the Trail Report.

2. Implement the Route

a. Seek official recognition for trail. Work for official adoption of route in planning documents and work plans of relevant local and state organizations, including SCORP and state transportation plan.

b. Ensure that representatives of all local segments are represented on the State Committee. Include others such as representatives of trail user groups, environmental groups, local and state agencies, business, governmental leaders, etc. necessary to implementing the trail.

c. Prepare overall work plan for completing trail, including actions, responsible party, costs, and timetable. Publish and distribute work plan.

d. Based on work plan, establish annual goals and define activities necessary to reach goals.

e. Support efforts of groups building the trail by providing information about the ECG and the ECGA, and technical assistance where appropriate. Continue to provide coordinating function among local groups.

f. Promote the trail directly. Develop ECGA brochure and display for state; maintain ECGA web page.

3. Nominate Trail Segments

a. Nominate trail segments deemed to meet ECGA criteria for Class A or B designation.

b. Ensure that ECG signs are posted and maintained once segments are designated.

4. Support the ECGA

a. Establish a strong State Committee with broad representation and responsible reporting and record-keeping procedures.

b. Nominate State Trustee for nomination to Alliance board.

c. Increase ECGA membership within state.

d. Develop a database of names of stakeholders and media within the state.

e. Participate in ECGA Regional Committee meetings and activities.

f. Provide information or articles about state activities for ECGA newsletter.

g. Maintain archival historical record of ECGA development and activities within state.

5. Promote Public Use of East Coast Greenway

a. Encourage use of the trail by assisting ECGA in developing and distributing user maps for accepted segments of the trail, and conducting public programs along the ECG.

b. Help promote development of tourism services along the trail.

6. Sustain the ECG Route

a. Help to ensure long term maintenance, integrity, and usability of the trail.

b. Monitor designated segments. Work with managing groups to ensure standards are being maintained and make recommendations for dedesignation if necessary.

IV. Roles/Obligations of the ECGA to State Committees

In order for the State Committees to fulfill their roles, it is clearly understood by the ECGA Board that the Alliance must provide several forms of support to the State Committees. The ECGA expects to provide to each State Committee the following:

1. The vision of the East Coast Greenway. Provide overall policies to ensure consistency and maintain standards and integrity of the entire trail.

2. Direction, and advocacy and technical support for regional and state committees.

a. Long-range strategic planning for ECG and ECGA. Prepare overall plan and annual State of the Trail Report.

b. ECGA policies and procedures to define relationship between ECGA and State Committees.

c. Sample materials and talking points that can be incorporated into state and local efforts.

d. Advice on trail and policy issues brought by State Committees.

3. Financial and technical support, including staffing as required, based on a Memorandum of Understanding between the ECGA and the State Committee.

4. Legal status as a 501(c)3 charitable organization and liability insurance.

V. Criteria for a State Committee to Become a Standing Committee of the ECGA Board

Section F of the bylaws of the ECGA defines how a State Committee may become a Standing Committee of the ECGA Board. Based on the requirements contained in the bylaws and further discussion by the Board, the following criteria have been developed for a State Committee to become a Standing Committee of the ECGA Board.

It is the intent if the ECGA Board to allow State Committees a great deal of flexibility in demonstrating how they will meet the requirements to become a Standing Committee. In doing so, the burden of proof will be on the State Committee to show that it has met the following criteria. The State Committee must:

1. Membership- as defined in the bylaws, have a membership of at least ten (10) residents of the state and be open to individuals regardless of race, religion, sex, creed, color, national origin, or disability.

2. Purpose- support the mission and purposes of the ECGA.

3. Roles- agree to fulfill the roles for the State Committee as defined above, and demonstrate that it is making progress in fulfilling those roles by submitting an annual report of its activities to the ECGA Board.

4. Governing structure and decision-making process- have a governing structure that is inclusive and democratic. The Committee must define its decision-making process, provide notice of its meetings to interested parties, keep written minutes of meetings, and provide financial reports.

5. Public interest- demonstrate that it is responsive to and representative of the broad public interest.

6. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)- enter into an MOU with the ECGA to work together to accomplish the goals of the ECGA.

END OF REPORT.