White River Watershed Chapter 226 Trout Unlimited
Board of Directors Meeting
April 02, 2009
Quechee Inn @ Marshland Farms
In Attendance
President Chris Moore (Interim VT Council Chair)
Vice President Greg Russ
Treasurer Scott Knapp
Secretary Ed Finley
Past President Ron Rhodes
Past President David Eastman
Howard Trachtenberg
Marty Banak
Seth Dunn (Interim VT Council Vice Chair)
Member Ken Grecsek
Meeting opened @ 7:30 PM
President’s Report:
National Leadership Council – The council is concentrating on funding avenues to send as many Council members as possible to the 50th Annual National Meeting in Michigan. The National Meeting is opened to all TU members and promises to be a great time as the National is going all out to commemorate our 50th anniversary.
Dana Baker has stepped down as the Chairman of the State Council. Chris volunteered to fill the position on an interim basis as long the Council would appoint someone to share the duties. With that the State Council appointed Seth Dunn as Vice Chairman of the State Council. So now members of our Chapter are Vermont’s National Leadership Councilman, Chairman of the State Council and Vice Chairman of the State Council.
Chris noted that his and Seth’s priority for the State Council will be successfully getting the State Council and the subordinate Chapters re-chartered as is mandated by National and required by the IRS. He explained the State Council role is to set criteria and guidelines for re-chartering and the Chapters are responsible for fulfilling meeting the criteria. The State Council then makes re-chartering recommendations to the National Leadership Council who vote on adoption and submit to the National Board of Trustees for final approval. With Seth’s help he expects this to be a very smooth process.
Chapter membership now stands at +/- 415 with some expected fluctuation.
Clean-up Day: National Leadership Council is pushing for a coordinated clean-up day to be held on June 13th with as many Chapters participating as possible.
(Discussion centered on the fact that Vermont traditionally conducts a statewide clean up day on the first Saturday in May. If we participate on that day there will be trash bags available from the towns and the towns will dispose of any collected trash.)
Motion – VP Russ 2nd – Eastman
Determine an appropriate clean-up location and participate as a group on the Vermont established Green Up Day.
Motion Carried – Unanimously
At this point David Eastman asked the remainder of the agenda be suspended in order for the Board to entertain the request that has been submitted by member Rhona Dallison.
Hearing no opposition to the suspension of the agenda the President so ordered.
President Moore then explained that he was in receipt of a letter, which had been forwarded to most of the Board, from active member Rhona Dallison. In this letter she explained that she felt she could be a much more effective member of our Chapter if she were elected to a seat on the Board of Directors. She emphasized that her experience in marketing and non-profit grant writing would be available to the Board as needed.
(Discussion – it was noted that Rhona has been a very active member of our chapter, not only attending monthly meeting but also participating in several Chapter activities including the annual Chang Memorial and various tree plantings)
Motion – P. Pres. Eastman 2nd – P. Pres Rhodes
That member Rhona Dallison be elected to a seat on the Chapter’s Board of Directors.
Motion Carried – Unanimously
Rhona was then welcomed into the meeting room with a round of applause and given her seat on the Board of Directors.
Returning to the topic of streamside clean-up, Marty Banak noted that assisted by several other members they were successful in cleaning up the area below Simon Pearce on the Ottaquechee River last fall. Marty stated that he hoped this would become an annual fall event as the vast accumulation of trash follows the summer activities at the falls.
The clean up activities in the fall along the Mascoma River was addressed as part of the “Source to the Sea” project and it is anticipated that our Chapter will again be marshalling volunteers for that event.
Motion – VP Russ 2nd – P.Pres Eastman
That we participate as a Chapter in the “Source to the Sea” project with a clean-up brigade in the fall along a portion of the Mascoma River.
Motion Carried – Unanimously
Pres. Moore then appointed Seth Dunn and Steve Cole as potential co-Chairs for the “Source to the Sea” project involvement. Seth Dunn accepted. Steve Cole will be notified of the pending appointment.
Partners in Education:
We currently participate formally with the Vermont Institute of Natural Science and we have participated in the past with Casting For Recovery and informally with various Scouting groups involving various educational programs.
We also participate in the efforts of the Connecticut River Watershed Council, the Trust for Public Lands, the White River Partnership and the Black River Action Team and several members have signed on to work with the Ottaquechee River Group.
Discussion was held around whether or not we should formally designate the Partners with whom we should be concentrating our efforts. We have recently been approached by Project Healing Waters, which provides fishing activities for disabled veterans, and also by a Mr. Matt Witten, of Camp Exclamation Point, Inc. (CAMP!), who is organizing a summer camp for economically disadvantaged boys. Both groups are looking for direct participation or monetary support from our Chapter.
Motion – P. Pres Rhodes 2nd – Treas. Knapp
To officially recognize the following groups as our current “Partners in Education”:
V.I.N.S. via the Chang Memorial Fly Fishing Fest
Casting for Recovery
Boy & Girl Scout Troops within our Chapter Territory
Connecticut River Watershed Council
Trust for Public Lands
White River Watershed Partnership
Black River Action Team
All others should be encouraged to come to a future meeting, explain their program and how they wish to participate with Trout Unlimited via our Chapter.
Motion Carried – Unanimously
Treasurer’s Report:
Treasurer Scott Knapp advised that we have approximately $1,600 in our checking account at this time and there were some small printing expenses still to be paid.
Scott then went to advise that his investigation of the availability of a Credit Card Machine for use at our upcoming Annual Banquet revealed that such use would require the outlay of $200.00 to the processing company plus 3% of all charges. He proffered that he believed the banquet attendees would be more likely to spend more money if they could just swipe their credit card. Several other members who have attended other sport banquets/auctions/raffles agreed that the spending seemed freer when the use of a credit card was available.
Motion – Treas. Knapp 2nd P. Pres Rhodes
Pending the availability of having phone line access at the Coolidge Hotel we secure the use of a credit card machine for the Banquet.
Motion Carried – 1 nay
Membership Services
President Moore brought up the idea of creating an officer’s position within the Board of Directors that would be the Membership Officer. This officer’s duties would be to officially welcome all new members and to make inquires of departing members to determine the reason for their departure. This officer would also be expected to coordinate membership drives and distribute recruiting materials.
Rhona Dallison volunteered to assume the duties of the Membership Officer should such a position be created.
Motion – VP Russ 2nd – Trachtenberg
To establish the officer position within the Board of Directors to be known as the Membership Officer with the specified duties of greeting all new members, interviewing all departing members and actively participating in the recruitment of new members and to perform such other duties as assigned by the President. Further that Rhona Dallison be appointed as the inaugural Membership Officer.
Motion Carried – Unanimously
Committee Reports:
Activities Committee – Tom Ames, Author, will be the Guest Presenter at our May 7th General Membership meeting to be held at the Quechee Ski Base Lodge @ 7:00 PM
Possibility of a White River to Connecticut River Float Fishing Trip will take the place of our June meeting. Details pending.
Banquet Committee: Tickets sales have been encouraging with 60+ out of 100 sold to date. Numerous prizes have been donated with a value exceeding $6,000.00 although the Grand Prize Bamboo Rod raffle is going slowly.
Ron Rhodes advised that one of the prize trips is a Ladies Only Guided Trip for four. He asked that we designate half of the proceeds from this trip raffle to be donated to Casting for Recovery.
It was so Moved and seconded by Finley and the Motion Carried without opposition.
Conservation Committee: P. Pres Rhodes reported that he Greg Russ and David Eastman participated with the White River Partnership on March 29 in a willow cutting.
The willow bottoms will be staked along the Broad Brook and the remainder will be used on Ayers Brook.
Volunteers are need for the Black River stocking on April 30th thru May 19th. Information will be posted on our web site for those interested in participating.
Mill Brook culvert retro-fit will be done this summer as a Chapter joint project along with the US Fish & Wildlife and the White River Partnership.
Members have volunteered to assist with fly tying instructions at the So. Royalton School the week of Apr. 13 – 17.
Education Committee: We have once again been invited to participate with VINS in the annual Chang Memorial Nature Study and Fly Fishing Fest at the Callens Pond in West Hartford on Saturday May 30th.
Motion – Treas. Knapp 2nd — Banak
To continue our participation with VINS in the Chang Memorial.
Motion Carried – Unanimously
Treas. Knapp brought up the possibility of participating with the Randolph Rod & Gun Club @ their annual Kids Fishing Derby. Scott will feel them out and report back to the Board.
At this point the Chairman of the Education Committee, David Eastman, explained that the main purpose of establishing the committee was to coordinate our efforts with area teachers in establishing, funding and furthering “Trout in the Classroom” projects. Unfortunately not one single teacher has agreed to participate.
Lacking any teacher interest he felt the Education Committee should be folded into the Conservation Committee. He would continue to be our point person if any teacher interest was expressed regarding the “Trout in the Classroom” project.
It was so moved by Eastman, 2nd by Finley and the Motion carried without opposition.
David Eastman then advised the Hartland Conservation Commission would be hosting a program presented by Ken Cox of the Vt. Fish & Wildlife about the fish count in Lull’s Brook in Hartland. Lull’s is a direct tributary of the Connecticut and possibly a vital spawning area. David encouraged all to attend this presentation. The presentation will take place at Damon Hall on May 13th @ 7:00 PM.
President Moore then advised that Joe Norton our local Home Waters Initiative Project Coordinator has requested funding for the purchase of river data loggers. His approached was made through the State Council and several local chapters are donating monies to purchase data loggers. A discussion was held concerning Joe’s project and whether or not we should support same by funding the purchase of data loggers.
Motion – David Eastman 2nd – Rhodes
To commit the funds to purchase one data logger at this time and if the Banquet is successful to provide funding for up to two more data loggers.
Motion Carried – Unanimously
President Moore requested that Board members give some thought to good areas for an “Embrace-a-Stream” project for the next Board meeting, scheduled for June 18th.
Meeting adjourned at 9:40 PM
