April Meeting Minutes

April JROC Minutes (4/3/24)

• Greg Velzy (VP) called meeting to order at 6:02pm. Introductions made (15 people present).
• March meeting minutes reviewed and approved.
• Treasurer’s Report given. Leftover bike rack funds to be used for building a kayak rack.
• JRPS Report (more details available in full report):
• Visitation: 145,395 in March 2024 (lower than normal, due to missing data from Pony Pasture; moisture problem in that counter). Year-to-date visitation in 2024: 306,872
• Updates:
  • Contractors have begun work on Pump House ADA ramp.
  • Rapids Restoration sign design (for Pony Pasture) underway, funded by Wetlands Watch grant.
  • JRPS hired two seasonal operations staff – Lauren and Laura.
  • New entrance gate posts installed for 22^nd and 42^nd St and HFW parking lots.
• Projects:
  • Finalized winter meadow mowing.
  • Bug Garden (Reedy Creek) ramp drainage issue resolved with French drain.
  • Roadwork on 42^nd St access road continuing.
  • Huguenot Flatwater bridge (moved / reassembled up-creek) completed.
  • Dock Street preparations (new parcel near Shiplock Park). Marvel working on park design. Estimated park completion date June 2024 (along with JRA building).
  • Azalea beds at 42^nd Street location spruced up.
• Quotes: decking for 24’x24’ recreation deck project, 55 x 16’ boards, $11.48/per, total $631. #2 cobble round river stone from Yardworks is $104/cubic yard, need probably 5 cubic yards.
• Greg motioned to have JROC pay $650 for treated decking; Matt seconded; all approved.
• Greg motioned to approve JROC paying $600 for river stone; Sally seconded; all approved.
• Sawmill Island drop-off project tabled for now.  
• Water fountains: Reedy Creek one works, but low flow; for North Bank one, JRPS is getting parts for repair. Texas Beach one is off (due to backflow preventer issue). 22nd St one is off, city-wide maintenance will turn on. 42^nd St one is working.
• Aimee Bushman (park ranger supervisor) gave an update on the ranger program: current budget calls for 3 additional rangers. Working with community groups to address homelessness in park; building partnership with Continuum of Care, creating GIS map of GPS points of homeless sites to share with outreach workers. Graffiti: hoping to hire two part-time techs under ranger team to respond solely to graffiti issue.
• Website donation page revamped by Matt.
• Promotions committee update: Max has gear swap flyers, asked for help posting them in town. Peak Experiences on board to include JROC events, etc. in their cliff notes emails.
• Storage for JROC supplies, materials, etc.: mini storage near on Cowardin & Semmes is around $70/month. Matt will explore this option more. Max recommended trying this for a year.
• James River Women: asking to remain under fiscal sponsorship of JROC for a period of time. Folks will think about it and ask questions for a while before coming to a decision.  
• Evan with VCU (Joey’s class) here about Gear Swap. VCU students planned on getting there around 10am. Asked about supplies. Intake starts at 11am, sale starts as 12pm. PDF for gear registration form is on JROC site. We will be by the Stone House, we have permits thanks to Matt, we have the area secured.
• RiverRock: application to table there has been submitted.
• Music at Maymont: Matt will email Tom and Dave about it.
• June 1 there will be a clean-up at Mayo Island, save-the-date.
• Friends of James River Park update: April 27, Wood River Run at Pony Pasture (5k-ish).
• May 4: Manchester Wall “adopt-a-crag” climbing wall clean-up.

Meeting adjourned 7:45pm.