Maine State Legislature
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MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE The following document is provided by the LAW AND LEGISLATIVE DIGITAL LIBRARY at the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library http://legislature.maine.gov/lawlib Reproduced from scanned originals with text recognition applied (searchable text may contain some errors and/or omissions) F 27 ,P5 B323 1992 TABLE OF CONTENTS A. DIRECTOR'S 1992 SUMMARY B. OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS AND OVERVIEW I OVERVIEW II PUBLIC RELATIONS III SAFETY IV NEW CONSTRUCTION V MAINTENANCE VI TRAINING VII SEARCH & RESCUE VIII LAW ENFORCEMENT IX SPECIAL ACTIVITIES X PROJECTION OF MAJOR P~OJECTS FOR 1993-1994 XI 1992 BSP VOLUNTEER PROGRAM XII ANNUAL REPORT WILDLIFE REPORT C. SCIENFIC FOREST MANAGEMENT AREA I FOREST ISSUES AND ADMINISTRATION II FOREST EDUCATION III PUBLIC RELATIONS IV FOREST OPERATIONS V OTHER ACTIVITIES D. INFORMATION/EDUCATION I PUBLIC PROGRAMS II EXCHANGE & PROFESSIONAL ENRICHMENT III PARK USE COMMITTEE - 1992 PROGRESS IV MT. PATROL V 1992 LOON AUDUBON LOON COUNT VI SUMMER INFORMATION/EDUCATION INTERN VII RESERVATION OFFICE VIII INFORMATION BOOTH IX OTHER NOTES FROM 1992 X RESEARCH XI LONG-TERM STUDIES E. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES I PERSONNEL CHANGES II TRAINING III CONTRACT SERVICES IV SUPPLY V DONATION ACCOUNT VI STATISTICAL REPORT VII PERSONNEL LISTING a. ORGANIZATION CHART b. YEAR ROUND c. SEASONAL F. FINANCIAL REPORTS G. DIRECTOR'S CONCLUDING REMARKS H. APPENDIX I AUTHORITY/ADVISORY LISTING/SUB-COMMITTEES II DIRECTOR'S COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE III HARPSWELL COMMITTEE IV SCIENTIFIC FOREST MANAGEMENT AREA V SCIENTIFIC STUDY REVIEW COMMITTEE VI DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT ON LOW LEVEL FLIGHTS VII TOGUE POND PURCHASE CONTRACT OF SALE VIII 1992 AUDIT LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION A, DIRECTOR'S 1992 SUMMARY Irvin C. Caverly, Jr. DIRECTOR'S 1992 SUMMARY First Day 1992 got off to a good start with nearly 230 people applying for reservations for the 1992 camping season. Over 1/2 dozen clerks worked on the counter on January 2, collecting over $37,000 in cash as well as securing nearly an additional $53,000 which came in the mail. Total income for the day was $90,015. Although the current economy may be a consideration in people's minds regard ing vacations, it certainly has not been a factor for Baxter and the record speaks well of people's appreciation and value of their vacation at BSP. Interesting enough, very few complaints were received on the substantial fee increases which were implemented on January 1st. We also appreciate the patience of the number of people who showed up on January, and their cooperation and understanding in helping us wade through the volume of work during the process which was extremely time consuming. By day's end, we had taken care of every individual who had come to our door. My compliments to all staff members who were extremely effective, diplomatic and professional. They were on their feet from early morning throughout the day. The lunch break was short and inade quate, but I did not hear a single complaint. They are a dedi cated bunch and I count my blessings each day they make up our team. This is a group of people who help to make our Park suc cessful. On January 6, Jane Thomas provided me with a complimentary copy of Chimney Pond Tales which she and Beth Harmon had authored. I congratulate. the 2 of them for their commitment in putting this most interesting book together. For those of us who had heard many of the Dudley stories passed on by others, it is an extremely entertaining and fun time to sit and read them directly from the words of Roy himself through people who knew him first hand. The book is available here at Park Headquarters and many of our visiting guests will comment on how much they enj oy it. It's a nice addition to the BSP inventory. Low Level Flights In the early part of 1992, we were informed by the Department of the Air Force that they were considering low level flights over northern and western Maine, including routes crossing BSP. Bax ter Authority Park Chairman John Cashwell corresponded with the mili tary on behalf of the Authority, expressing his concerns about the proposal as did Jane Thomas, Chair of the BSP Advisory Committee. On March 31, 1992 I appeared at the public hearing at the Northern Maine Technical College in Presque Isle and testi fied in opposition to the proposal. The hearing was well attended and evidently our concerns were heard, because on July 7, 1992 we received a note from the National Guard Bureau repre- 1 senting the Department of the Air Force advising us that our comments had helped improve the environmental impact statement, consequently the Air Force/National Guard "intends to maintain a minimum altitude of 2,000 feet above ground level over wilderness areas and designated wildlife refuges"... This was a perfect example we have of how we were able to make a difference by com municating. My thanks to Authority, Advisory, Volunteer John Gondek, staff and many others who assisted in providing informa tion and responding to this subject. Find in the Appendix section of this report my public statement at that public hearing in its entirety. National Historical Register Early on this year, I received a notice from George Kerivan, a high school history teacher from Harvard, MA, of his interest in including Daicey and Kidney Pond Camps on the National Historical Register certification list. After I received his original re quest, I did considerable research on the appropriateness of that proposal and concluded it would be inappropriate to set a prece dent. As we looked into the deeds of trust and the overall ob jectives of the Park as they relate to management, it was clear that the Authority should not be impaired by the involvement by another layer of government. Paul Stern, Legal Counsel to the BSP Authority, also researched that issue and supported my con clusion in a written statement that he sent to the National His torical Register. In May of this year at the BSP Authority meeting, the Authority voted unanimously "at this point in time, that we not recommend the camps be included in the National Historical Register." Removal of Russell Pond Camp In 1883 Tracy and Love commenced operations on the Wassataguoik Stream, and established Old City Camps, just below Grand Falls. A few years later that area known as Old City was destroyed by fire. The camps were rebuilt and called New City north of Grand Falls between Turner Brook and the Wassataguoik Stream. Those also burned years later. In about that time period, Tracy and Love dissolved partnership and young Bill Tracy constructed a set of sporting camps on the shore of Russell Pond. Those buildings consisted of the diningroom, kitchen facility, a staff cabin, livestock hovel, sawmill powered by a "one-lunger" near the dam at Turner Dead Water and 6 cabins located on the west and northwest shore of Russell Pond. Around 1941 former Governor Percival Proctor Baxter purchased lands within T4R9 which included Russell Pond and Tracy's camps. Bill Tracy was appointed campground ranger. The arrangement was short-lived and in 1948 Bill Tracy moved out and Park staff were sent to Russell Pond to dismantle the majority of the cabins, retaining only the dining and kitchen facility which became the Ranger camp, the staff cabin which became an 8-person bunkhouse and the old hovel as a workshop. After removal of the cabins, staff constructed 4 lean-tos, 2-4 person, 1-6 person and 1-8 person lean-to. Three tentsites were also constructed and the title of Tracy's camp at 2 Russell Pond was to be known from then on as Russell Pond Campground. Ralph Dolley was the first Campground Ranger after Bill Tracy. He served until 1960 when I was appointed to replace him. Until this year, the existing building had served the Park in several different capacities. In 1972 a Ranger camp was built on the west shore of Russell Pond. The old Ranger camp became a 12 person bunkhouse, the old bunkhouse became a workshop and the hovel was dismantled. Park Carpenter Gerald Merry, Ranger Barry MacArthur and Campground Ranger Roger Chase accomplished this task with total professionalism and pride. The following year a new bunkhouse was constructed near the new Ranger camp. That building was used for a couple of years prior to being converted to a crew camp facility for the Assistant Campground Ranger. Subsequently a new bunkhouse was built back on the southeast side of the pond at the site of the old hovel. Upon completion of that building, the workshop was dismantled. Consistent with our goals to minimize the number of buildings at Russell Pond, we had now replaced all of the obsolete buildings with new facilities. The leant-tos had been upgraded and the only remaining need was to construct a workshop. This was accomplished in 1991. On April 10 and 11 I personally joined a work crew with the objective of removing the last remaining camp at Russell Pond from the Bill Tracy era. The task was accomplished within the 2- day period with the assistance of the people at the Asbestos Division of the Bureau of Public Improvement and assisted by the Maine Army National Guard in transporting people and equipment to accomplish the task. After the hazardous material had been removed, contained and transported out of the Park, we took necessary precautions with adequate snow cover and burned the camp. It was a humbling moment for me personally, because that was the facility that I lived in for 4 years when assigned to Russell Pond in the spring of 1960.