Overview
Sponsors
Our Mission
Garrett Trails is a nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to the development of a well-used network of outstanding quality trails that provide access to Garrett County’s historic, municipal, and environmental treasures which link to trails outside the county. Garrett Trails believes outstanding quality trails are important to the economic development of the county, will attract visitors, and will promote fitness and outdoor enjoyment for county residents.
Our History
In 1999, the Garrett County Commissioners requested that the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce initiate a recreational trails plan for the County. In turn, the Chamber of Commerce created and the County Commissioners appointed the Recreational Trails Task Force to review the opportunities for trail development. These early efforts resulted in the development of the Master Trail Plan for the county and on-going engagement of committed professionals around trail development in the county.
Other early accomplishments are:
With these successes and an on-going need to support trail development and raise the profile of trails in the county, Task Force Members voted on June 18, 2008 that Garrett Trails be formally reorganized as the permanent home for the work of carrying out the Trails Master Plan and more generally trail development and promotion.
Other early accomplishments are:
- Created Master Trail Plan for the County
- Established Process for Deeding Easements to County
- Raised over $35,000 through the first 5 years of The Taste of Garrett
- Developed Jennings Randolph State Park Trail
- Became a Forum for Trail Related Information Sharing
- Partnered with State and County to Install Share the Road Signs
With these successes and an on-going need to support trail development and raise the profile of trails in the county, Task Force Members voted on June 18, 2008 that Garrett Trails be formally reorganized as the permanent home for the work of carrying out the Trails Master Plan and more generally trail development and promotion.
Board & Committees
The Board of Directors has overall legal responsibility for the organization and responsible for the overall guidance of the organization. The board ensures Garrett Trails is carrying out its mission in an efficient and effective manner and supports the implementation of activities to achieve the mission. The Board of Directors are people passionate about the mission of creating a well used network of trails, but they are also mediators of the public trust placed in nonprofit organizations and as such they have specific governance and oversight duties often summarized as follows:
Board members serve 2 year terms and members may serve up to 3 terms before they must rotate off of the board for at least one year. The Board currently meets every month.
Our Board Members
Advisory Committee Members (appointed by Garrett County Commissioners)
Board Committees
We have two committees of the board of directors. You do not have to be a board member to serve on a committee. Committees and their chair person are as follows:
- Duty of Care - Member must exercise reasonable care when making decisions as a steward of the organization
- Duty of Loyalty - Member must give undivided allegiance when making decisions affecting the organization
- Duty of Obedience - Member must be faithful to the organization’s mission
Board members serve 2 year terms and members may serve up to 3 terms before they must rotate off of the board for at least one year. The Board currently meets every month.
Our Board Members
- Mike Dreisbach, Owner, Savage River Lodge, Garrett Trails President
- Mike Logsdon, Director of the Adventure Sports Institute at Garrett College, Vice-President and Chair of the Mapping and Public Awareness Committee
- Steve Green, Co-Owner, High Mountain Sports, Garrett Trails Treasurer
- Matt Taylor, Executive Director of Adventure Sports Center International, Garrett Trails Secretary
- Peggy Jamison, Economic Development/Grants Specialist, Garrett County Commissioner Representative, Garrett Trails Assistant Secretary
- Rodney Glotfelty, Health Officer at Garrett County Health Department, Trail Maintenance Committee Chair
- Bob Nickel, Bill's Marine
- Barry Weinberg, Attorney and Property Owners of Deep Creek Lake Board Member
- Titus Beitzel, Manager of Operations, Pillar Innovations, LLC
- Jay Moyer, Superintendent, Garrett County Roads
- Robin Jones, Treasurer/Secretary, Town of Grantsville
Advisory Committee Members (appointed by Garrett County Commissioners)
- Robert Gatto, Garrett County Commissioner
- Bill Atkinson, Maryland Dept of Planning, Mountain Maryland Trails
- Meg Ellis, Garrett County Economic Development Department
- Bill Devore, Garrett County Zoning and Planning Department
- Patty Mash, Retired Department of Natural Resources
- Deidre Ritchie, Garrett Heritage Area Manager
- Wade Dorsey, Department of Natural Resources, Savage River State Forest
- Cindy Ecker, Department of Natural Resources
- Barry Ritchie, Maryland State Highway
- Dave Ritchie, Garrett County Roads Department
- Robert Stephens, Director of Behavioral and Family Health, Garrett County Health Department
Board Committees
We have two committees of the board of directors. You do not have to be a board member to serve on a committee. Committees and their chair person are as follows:
- Mapping and Public Awareness Committee - Chaired by Mike Logsdon of Adventuresport Institute at Garrett College - Focuses on increasing overall awareness about available trails and how to access them.
- Trail Maintenance Committee - Chaired by Rodney Glotfelty Health Officer of Garrett County Health Department - Focuses on the process of maintaining existing trails and organizing volunteer trail clean-up days.