Smoky Mountains Hiking Club (SMHC) Appalachian Trail Maintainers Committee (ATMC)
Officers
Chairperson
- Schedules meetings of ATMC after coordinating with ATMC leadership and partners, then notifies ATMC membership.
- Maintains a current email list of Committee members and agency partner contacts.
- Prepares meeting agenda and distributes to membership prior to meetings.
- Facilitates meeting and takes attendance (for database).
- Serves as central “clearing house” for questions and information distribution, to and from Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM), Nantahala National Forest (NNF), Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) Southern Region Office (SORO), and maintainers. Due to the number and variety of contacts, good communication and prompt response are important.
- Prepares a report for SMHC Board of Directors (BOD) on monthly basis (personally or via BOD member) regarding ATMC activities and plans. Advocates for ATMC with SMHC BOD.
Vice Chairperson
- Performs any of the Chairperson’s duties that may be delegated by the Chairperson.
- Assumes the Chairperson’s duties temporarily in the absence of the Chairperson.
- May serve as Recording Secretary, Volunteer Coordinator or District Supervisor concurrent with the Vice Chairperson role.
Recording Secretary
- Prepares ATMC meeting minutes and distributes after the meetings.
- Reads the minutes for the prior meeting and makes any needed corrections.
- Maintains a record of all ATMC meeting minutes, Chairperson Reports to SMHC BOD and RPC Representative Reports to ATMC.
- Coordinates with SMHC Historian for archiving of ATMC records.
ATMC Treasurer
- Maintains ATMC Checking Account and reports balance and trends at ATMC meetings.
- Issues check payment for ATMC expenses.
- Deposits ATMC income into Checking Account and mails appropriate thank you notes to donors (donations of $200 or greater require letter from SMHC Treasurer for tax reporting purposes).
- Reports to SMHC Treasurer monthly to share ATMC financial activities for reporting to BOD.
- Coordinates with ATMC Finance Subcommittee.
ATMC Leadership
District Supervisor - NNF
- Coordinates with section maintainers to identify issues that may need larger or specialized crew involvement:
o Large blowdown removal.
o Annual Konnorock Crew.
o Special projects
- Ensures that section maintainers know and adhere to any US National Forest (USNF) and NFF rules and procedures.
- Attends annual meeting with USNF representatives regarding activities related to the NNF:
o Annual Budget information.
o Annual Konnorock crew support.
- Provides regular updates to Shelter/Structures Committee regarding condition of shelter/privies in NNF.
- Reports to ATMC at regular meetings.
District Supervisor - GRSM NORTH- Cooperates closely with the other GRSM District Supervisor to eliminate overlap.
- Coordinates with section maintainers to identify issues that may need larger or specialized crew involvement:
o Large blowdown removal.
o Special projects.
- Ensures that section maintainers know and adhere to any GRSM rules and procedures.
- Attends regular meetings with GRSM representatives regarding activities related to the park:
o Annual Budget information (Friends of the Smokies (FOTS) and GRSM).
o Annual crew support: SWEAT Crew, Rocky Top Crew, National Trails Day (NTD), LeConte airlift.
o Ridgerunner Program.
- Provides regular updates to Shelter/Structures Committee regarding condition of shelter/privies in GRSM.
- Reports to ATMC at regular meetings.
District Supervisor - GRSM SOUTH
- Cooperates closely with the other GRSM District Supervisor to eliminate overlap.
- Coordinates with section maintainers to identify issues that may need larger or specialized crew involvement:
o Large blowdown removal
o Special projects
- Ensures that section maintainers know and adhere to any GRSM rules and procedures.
- Attends regular meetings with GRSM representatives regarding activities related to the park:
o Annual Budget information (Friends of the Smokies (FOTS) and GRSM).
o Annual crew support; SWEAT Crew, Rocky Top Crew, National Trails Day (NTD), LeConte airlift.
o Ridgerunner Program.
- Provides regular updates to Shelter/Structures Committee regarding condition of shelter/privies in GRSM.
- Reports to ATMC at regular meetings.
Volunteer Coordinator
- Endeavors to recruit new volunteers and develops new means of recruitment.
- Welcomes and orients new volunteers with introductory email, including procedures, ways to participate, etc.
- Mentors and encourages new maintainers. Facilitates training in the field or recruits an experienced maintainer to assist.
- Recruits new section leaders, as needed or requested.
- Works with GRSM and NNF to get up-to-date Volunteer Service Agreements.
- Works with GRSM and NNF to get up-to-date Job Hazard Analyses signed by maintainers.
- Prepares annual volunteer hour reports for GRSM, NNF, ATC using ATMC database.
- Coordinates with ATMC Database Maintainer to produce required reports of volunteer hours.
ATMC Finance Subcommittee
- Develops and tracks annual ATMC budget.
- Works with ATMC Trust Fund Liaison regarding fund diversification and annual distribution.
- Identifies short-term and long-term funding needs with input from:
o Shelters and Structures Committee
o USNF District Supervisor
o GRSM District Supervisors
o ATC Regional - Capital Budget Planning
o ATMC Treasurer
- Identifies other areas of funding, as needed, and oversees and tracks grant requests and grant-funded projects.
National Trails Day Subcommittee
- Assembles a team of individuals from inside and outside ATMC to plan the annual Appalachian Trail Work Day in the Smokies on National Trails Day (NTD).
- Coordinates with GRSM.
- Designs the registration form and coordinates with SMHC web master.
- Recruits crew leaders and assigns volunteers to each crew.
- Coordinates with ATMC regarding work locations and types of work needed (both general maintenance and special projects).
- Plans the NTD morning welcome event. Plans for tables, signs, coffee and doughnuts, etc.
- Plans the NTD picnic, including making venue reservation well in advance. Confirms picnic caterer.
- Designs and procures commemorative tee shirts.
- Seeks sponsors and door prize donors. Thanks sponsors and donors after the event.
- Coordinates with Tool Manager for appropriate number and types of tools to be available for NTD.
Shelters/Privies/Assets Subcommittee
- Maintains a record of existing shelter designs and materials for reference.
- Monitors reports of damage or wear to the shelters via the District Supervisors and reports to the ATMC regularly.
- Plans long-term improvements to the shelters and privies and coordinates with ATMC.
- Plans short-term repairs to the shelters and privies. Assigns volunteers and procures materials.
- Ensures that all shelter designs and construction comply with GRSM or NNF guidelines.
ATC Regional Partnership Committee (RPC) Representative and Alternate
- Attends RPC meetings (Spring and Fall)
o Reports SMHC accomplishments and challenges to RPC.
o Represents SMHC topics that may need broader oversight.
o Communicates ATC topics to the ATMC and SMHC BOD, as appropriate.
o The RPC Representative is a voting member of RPC. The Alternate may become the voting member if delegated by the RPC Representative.
- Attends Club Leadership Conferences organized by ATC, or delegates other SMHC members to do so.
- RPC Representatives and Alternates shall serve a maximum four-year term. RPC Representatives and Alternates shall be appointed during the annual ATMC Officer election.
- It is desirable for the RPC Representative positions to rotate among the ATMC Leadership.
- It is desirable that the RPC Representative agree to serve in RPC Leadership as Vice Chairperson or Chairperson, as the biannual rotation occurs within the five ATC Southern Region (SORO) clubs.
Tools/Maintenance Shed Manager
- Maintains an inventory of SMHC tools, both in the shed and in remote toolboxes.
- Ensures that SMHC tools are kept clean, safe and sharpened.
- Cleans and organizes the tool shed.
- Determines tool needs and reports to ATMC. Procures needed tools.
Mulch Operations Coordinator
- Coordinates with GRSM regarding wood chip supply and mulch tent condition and location.
- Works with mulch bagging person(s) to relay information regarding mulch needs, as required. Tracks mulch supplies at Cosby Knob, Tricorner Knob, Icewater Springs, Mount Collins, Double Springs and Spence Field via Ridgerunner reports, maintainer reports and in coordination with GRSM District Supervisor.
- Plans team mulch haul trips. Coordinate with horsemen or airlift to get mulch where needed.
Sawyer Coordinator
- Maintains a list, contact information, sawyer certification rank and date information for certified sawyers who participate in ATMC trail maintenance activities.
- Coordinates sawyer certification/recertification opportunities with ATC and disseminates training opportunity information to certified sawyers and active maintainers desiring to obtain certification.
- May help plan chainsaw/crosscut saw trips in coordination with section leaders.
Awards Coordinator
- Coordinates with ATMC Database Maintainer and Volunteer Coordinator for year-end reports of volunteer hours.
- Prepares an annual Awards list for maintainers, based on Database reports.
- Prepares a Rewards Report for the SMHC Installation Banquet.
- Procures and maintains award inventory.
- Distributes awards to recipients.
Special Projects Coordinator
- Plans and organizes special work parties (e.g. spring break crews, special trail rehab crews to work as hot-shots on tread rehab tasks, etc.)
Newsletter Editor
- Prepares monthly ATMC Newsletter, including upcoming monthly work trips, special projects, notifications, recruitment information, as well as a list of submitted work trips within previous 30 days (with photographs if available), both as information and education.
Ridgerunner Liaison
- Works with ATC Southern Region Office (SORO) and GRSM District Supervisor to update list of people to receive Ridgerunner reports and take people off list who no longer wish to receive reports.
- Report any urgent needs surfacing in weekly calls to appropriate ATMC subcommittee personnel for response actions.
- Assists ATC in ridgerunner candidate interviews.
- Procures necessary Ridgerunner supplies (e.g. sanitation products, tarps, brooms, shelter registers).
ATMC Database Maintainer
- Maintains Database (currently Access) and logs into it all maintainer activities and hours.
- Advises ATMC regarding upgrades to the current software.
- Maintains the ATMC laptop computer.
END OF DOCUMENT
Revised Jan. 11, 2025
