Marjorie Reservoir Trail Committee Advisory Committee Meeting 17 - May 21, 2026
Marjorie Reservoir Trail Committee Advisory Committee Meeting 17 - May 21, 2026
This was the 17th meeting of the Marjorie Reservoir Trail Committee Advisory Committee, called to order at 6:32 PM. The meeting was limited to administrative tasks: receiving and accepting the conceptual feasibility materials from Barton and La Guidas (BNL) and authorizing their transmittal along with the committee's recommendation memorandum to the City of Danbury and the Town of New Fairfield. The meeting was properly noticed; no public comment was on the agenda, as extensive public engagement had been conducted previously.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the last meeting were approved by voice vote (all in favor, none opposed) without reading, as they were distributed in advance.
- Rescind Prior Motion: A procedural motion was made and seconded to rescind the motion from meeting number 16 that suspended future meetings, solely to allow this properly noticed meeting to proceed. The motion carried (all in favor, none opposed).
Discussion Items
- Feasibility Materials from Barton and La Guidas: The committee received and discussed the conceptual feasibility materials, including the trail alignment, environmental constraints, engineering analysis, public input, and preliminary conceptual cost estimates. The materials were distributed to members in advance. Committee member Peter Hearn noted he had asked his questions prior to the meeting. The materials remain subject to refinement during future design phases.
- Recommendation Memorandum: The chair (Holly Robinson) explained that a draft memorandum had been circulated in January and would be finalized by June 25, 2025 (note: the year was stated as 2025 but the meeting date is 2026; the transcript says "January" and "June 25th" in context of a timeline for submission to the city council. The summary uses the dates as stated.) The memo will include the committee's process, discussions with BNL, the full feasibility study, outstanding questions, recommendations for segmentation, total construction costs for phase one, and operations and maintenance costs. The memo will be submitted to the City of Danbury by June 25th for the July 7th City Council notice packet.
- Timeline and Cost Information: The committee expressed concern about receiving cost data from BNL in time. The chair will push BNL to provide the promised cost information (construction and O&M) before the memo deadline. If not received, the submission will proceed without full dollar figures, and the municipalities can obtain estimates via their own RFPs.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to Receive and Accept Feasibility Materials: A motion was made, seconded, and passed (all in favor) to formally receive and accept Barton and La Guidas's conceptual feasibility materials presented at this meeting (meeting 17), including the conceptual alignment and preliminary conceptual cost estimates.
- Motion to Authorize Transmittal with Recommendation Memorandum: A motion was made, seconded, and passed (all in favor) to authorize the chair to transmit the accepted feasibility materials along with the recommendation memorandum to the City of Danbury and the Town of New Fairfield. The memorandum will be approved substantially in the form distributed in January, with non-substantive edits allowed by the chair, and incorporating any emailed comments from committee members received by June 25th.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned with no further discussion.
Meeting Transcript
It is 632. I am calling the I'll call it meeting number 17 of the Marjorie Reservoir Trail Committee Advisory Committee to Order. This meeting has been noticed in accordance with the applicable requirements and meeting materials were made available online. The purpose of tonight's meeting is limited and administrative. Specifically, we're here to receive and formally accept Bartonland La Guidas's uh conceptual feasibility materials and to authorize their transmittal along with this committee's recommendation to the city of Danbury and to the town of New Fairfield. Um I will roll call. I have Jeff Main. Yep, uh Peter Hearn here, David Day, and myself, Holly Robinson chair. Um before we go to the agenda, um I just have a housekeeping thing. Wanted to note for the record that there is no public comment on tonight's agenda. Um we've conducted extensive public engagement throughout the process, including multiple um publicly noticed meetings, written submissions, and outreach efforts. Um tonight's meeting is limited to the administrative receipt and transmitted of materials, and which is why public comment is not part of the agenda. Um the next item is the approval of the minutes from our last meeting. Do I have a motion? I will not read the minutes because I'm assuming that they were sent well in advance and everybody has read them. Will somebody make a motion to approve the minutes as presented? I can make that motion. I'll second it. Um discussion on the minutes and accepting the minutes. Hearing none, I will try your minds. All those in favor signify saying aye. Aye, aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. The minutes are accepted for the record. Um before we go into the presentation of materials. Um procedural matter at the last committee meeting. Motion was adopted that suspended future meetings unless directed otherwise by the municipalities. Um to ensure that the record is clear and procedurally consistent. We will take a limited action to permit the properly noticed meeting to proceed for the purposes outlined herein. So I would, if I would entertain, somebody would entertain a motion to rescind the motion adopted at meeting number 16 that suspended additional meetings solely to permit this properly noticed meeting 17 to conduct the limited business on tonight's agenda. I'll make that motion. Thank you. Motion made by David Day. Is there a second? Second. Thank you, Jeff. Um, any discussion on that motion. Hearing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion carries. Thank you for entertaining housekeeping stuff. Um this is a we received the Barton and La Guidas uh feasibility study um materials. They will be properly submitted online. Everyone, the committee members were able to receive a copy of this in advance. Um, there's nothing here that is any different, I think, than what we've already received from them. I want it. Um basically the presentation itself reflects the trail alignment developed through the feasibility process that incorporates the environmental constraints, the engineering analysis, and the public input. Um it also includes preliminary conceptual cost estimates.
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