GCWG Board Meeting Minutes 12/7/07
Location: The Board met at the Haith's house. The meeting was preceded by a potluck brunch.
Attendance: Board members in attendance were: Joan Shaw, Jerry Stahl, Carolyn Manly, Al Rothenbach, Susan Ellis, Joyce Clair, Toni Wujek(late), Marshall Haith, and Jim Moat. Board member Jim Bernard was absent. Also in attendance were: Roger Shaw, Jim Clair, Carolyn Stahl, Sue Haith, and Jeri Moat.
Opening: President Al Rothenbach called the meeting to order.
The board approved the minutes from the meeting of 10/07/07.
Carolyn M. gave the board a written financial report. A copy is included with these minutes. Currently, the balance on hand is $1955.42..
The White Deer Party will take place January 27th at the YMCA in the room under the chapel. Jerry S. will bring signs to direct people to the right place. Board members will provide chili. Al R. will send an e-mail to members with the date and asking for appetizers, salads, and desserts.
A discussion about whether to invite committee chairmen to the spring board meeting followed. It was decided to invite them, but we will need a bigger meeting area; the place will be decided later.
The Spring Members' Meeting will take place April 13th. The board decided not to have a speaker, rather, to use the time to set up summer activities and for committee chair reports.
The GCWG received a request from the NFS to participate in a “Boots On The Ground” matching grant proposal. Our share was allocated at $500. The grant includes paying volunteers. In the discussion that followed, board members agreed that they did not understand the concept of “paid volunteers” and did not know what exactly the money would be spent for. The board decided not to participate. Toni W. will write a letter to Mike Ricketts at the NFS to convey the decision. A copy of the grant proposal is included with these minutes.
Jerry S. reported on a BLM meeting that he attended. There are 400,000 acres of BLM land in Grand and Jackson counties, and only one person to police the land use, especially by motorized vehicles. The consensus of the meeting was that more staff is needed to police the lands.
Katrina Alexander has contacted the GCWG asking for a donation to seek a matching grant that would provide monies to buy tree seedlings to be given to whomever was willing to plant them. The board decided not to participate, observing that “we are committed to wilderness, this doesn't feel right”.
Al R. is meeting with the new director of the Headwaters Trail Alliance in January. Joan S. has extra newsletters to give to the HTA to inform them about our activities.
Joyce C. showed two samples of fleece vests that we could imprint with our logo and sell. She asked for discussion on what we should sell. We decided to replenish the inventory of short and long sleeve T-shirts, adding size small. Carolyn S. suggested we bring the sample vests to the White Deer Party and take pre-paid orders.
Al R. observed that there was poor volunteer turnout for Smokey The Bear, with only half of the eight slots filled. Joan S. suggested we thank Stephen and Chris Lee, the Smokey The Bear coordinators, at the spring meeting. We also agreed to signup volunteers for next year at the fall members' meeting.
Al R. announced that the annual Xmas Bird Count is scheduled for January 5th.
Carolyn M. reported that 36 people responded with interest to her e-mail about the spring camping trip to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. She will reserve a group campground on January 2nd, the first day reservations for next year are allowed. The trip will take place the last week of April or the first week of May, depending on campground availabilit.
According to Carolyn M. there is still $100 remaining in the Bittle gift fund. She asked for suggestions on how to use these monies. The board decided to use the funds for the UV- protected Plexiglas that is used on the trailhead display boards. An appropriate acknowledge to the Bittles will be affixed to the display.
Roger S. noted that the get-together that the Shaws hosted for registration box volunteers last spring was only slightly successful. Those uncomfortable with the computer skills needed to tally the box sheets remained so. This led to a discussion about how to involve more of our members. Carolyn M. observed that the Monday hikes that the group led this past summer have provided a good “bonding” opportunity.
Jerry S. asked if we should plan some winter snowshoe hikes. The board thought this a great idea, and the Clairs and the Stahls agreed to organize them.
The board will ask Sue Jackson to pull together a list of the members who volunteered for cabin and trail hosting last season. We will recognize them at the Spring Members' Meeting.
Carolyn M. asked if the board would approve adding a small amount to the spring camping trip fee to use as a donation toward buying a 2nd coffeepot. The board agreed. It was observed that we need to take inventory of what the group owns and where the items are. Informally, Carolyn M. has the 28 cup coffeepot; the Schowalters have the cambros and the paper products; Joyce C. has the T-shirts; Al R. has the tent.
Carolyn M. noted that in the past, the group has made a donation to the local Search and Rescue, and made a motion that we make a $200 donation again. Joan S. seconded the motion. It carried.
The next board meeting will be sometime before the Spring Members' Meeting on April 13th.
Joan S. expressed appreciation to the Haiths for hosting today's meeting.
Toni Wujek, Secretary
|
|