New fire tower for hikers in Hamilton County

 

Supervisors June 21 2021

 

 

New fire tower for hikers in Hamilton County

By PETE KLEIN

LAKE PLEASANT—When the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors met on June 21, they approved a group of resolutions that will provider hikers with a new fire tower to hike up to and climb up for the view.

HAMILTON COUNTY FIRE TOWER CHALLENGE

WHEREAS, in the Town of Long Lake, on lands owned by Cedar Heights Timber, LLC (CHT) exists the Buck Mt. Fire Tower owned by Cedar Heights Timber, LLC, and

WHEREAS, Hamilton County has a very successful Fire Tower Challenge, and WHEREAS, the Town of Long Lake wants to add this Fire Tower to the existing Fire Tower Challenge, and

WHEREAS, Cedar Heights Timber, LLC is willing to enter into a 10 year agreement to open the Fire Tower to the public, and

WHEREAS, Hamilton County possesses or has access to the resources and partners to implement this project, now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Chairman of the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors is hereby authorized to enter into a 10 year access agreement with Cedar Heights Timber, LLC with the approval of the County Attorney, and based on the following: Cedar Heights Timber, LLC/Finch Forest Management will have proposed South Sabattis Road Parking Area cleared and stumped (Tom Donnelly Logging of Long Lake to do the job).

Hamilton County will assist with trucking of gravel from CHT-Grampus Pit to cover Parking Area (Tom Donnelly to grade).

Hamilton County will assist with trucking of Cobb rock from Mitchell’s Tahawus Mine to Parking Area for top cover (Tom Donnelly to grade).

Hamilton County will coordinate/contract with Adirondack Mountain Club and Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation Crew to brush, sign and construct 1.2 mile of hiking trail from Parking Area to Buck Mt. Fire Tower.

The Town of Long Lake will contract with Michael Vilegi to paint, replace steps, replace landings, replace Cab roof as well as install safety fencing on the stairs and landing areas on Buck Mt. Fire Tower.

Town of Long Lake will provide the seasonal porta-john, monitor Parking Area for litter/trash and do light trail maintenance. Any major trail repair necessary will be the responsibility of Hamilton County.

Town of Long Lake is to provide roadside signage at Parking Area for Buck Mt. Fire Tower Trail, No Camping signage and Trail Head Kiosk.

Hamilton County will provide enforcement of the No Overnight Parking and No Camping provisions of the agreement.

Cedar Heights Timber, LLC (CHT) will agree to a 10 year, no fee, and recreational access lease with Hamilton County for the Parking Area, Hiking Trail and Fire Tower. The Parking Area, Hiking Trail and Fire Tower will remain in the ownership of CHT.

Hamilton County and the Town of Long Lake will indemnify, defend, and hold harmless CHT free and harmless from any loss, injury, damage, claim, lien, cost or expense, including without limitation attorney’s fees and costs that result in exercise of lease, breach of Agreement, or lack or compliance with laws of the State of New York.

Hamilton County and the Town of Long Lake shall maintain General Liability Insurance which policy shall have minimum limits of $1,000,000 combined single limit and $2,000,000 general aggregate and shall name CHT as Certificate Holder and Additional Insured. The County will also provide coverage under their Umbrella Liability at $5,000,000 per occurrence and $10,000,000 Aggregate.

and be it also

RESOLVED, that the Town of Long Lake and Cedar Heights Timber, LLC be so notified.

MOUNTAIN CLUB AND HAMILTON COUNTY PARTNERSHIP

WHEREAS, Hamilton County and the Adirondack Mountain Club began to partner together around our two Fire Tower Challenges several years ago, and

WHEREAS, the parties expanded that partnership, looking at opportunities to collaborate on trail work, and

WHEREAS, that has prompted joint review of several trails, and the exploration of training opportunities for our Soil and Water team and volunteers, and

WHEREAS, these partnerships have involved the exchange of many hours of partnership on the Buck Mt. and other trails, working to combine our effort to enhance trail work capacity in Hamilton County, and

WHEREAS, this partnership has been dramatically enhanced through the County contract with Hamilton County Soil and Water, and

WHEREAS, specific to the Buck Mt. Fire Tower project, this partnership has already had the County, Soil and Water, and the Adirondack Mountain Club investing many hours of combined time, and

WHEREAS, we are now at the point where we have to define and complete the more intensive work of getting a trail built on a tight timeline, and

WHEREAS, Soil and Water has been on site several times with the Adirondack Mountain Club to define the specific areas of trail work for Soil and Water, as well as the Adirondack Mt. Club, now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors hereby determines the following: Neither Hamilton County, nor Hamilton County Soil and Water have the technical expertise to build the steepest part of the Buck Mt. Fire Tower Trail

The Adirondack Mt. Club has the technical expertise to do this work, and has proposed a design/build model for same in an amount not to exceed $31,500.

Hamilton County wants to codify the existing partnership in a more formal agreement.

The Adirondack Mt. Club is the sole source for this work, on this particular trail project because of their expertise, but also because of the current and existing partnership on this trail, where they have provided significant volunteer work and where we also have integrated their training of Soil and Water, with both portions of the trail work and also be it

RESOLVED, that based on the determinations above, that the Chairman of the Hamilton County Board of Supervisor is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement with the Adirondack Mountain Club to both formalize our partnership and contract for the one specific portion of the Buck Mt. Trail in an amount not to exceed $31,500.00, with the approval of the County Attorney.

BUCK MT. RIGHT OF ENTRY AGREEMENT

WHEREAS, the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors has authorized a 10 year agreement which will open the Buck Mt. Fire Tower owned by Cedar Heights Timber, LLC and a trail across lands owned by Cedar Heights, LLC, and

WHEREAS, the project is proceeding ahead of schedule, and

WHEREAS, the teams representing Hamilton County (Soil and Water, as well as ADK) need immediate access to begin the trail work, and

WHEREAS, the Hamilton County Highway Department would benefit significantly from the flexibility to get the hauling of materials for the parking lot done at their convenience, without delay, now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Chairman of the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors is hereby authorized to execute the Buck Mt. Right of Entry agreement with Cedar Heights Timber, LLC on behalf of Hamilton County with the approval of the County Attorney.