NAI Region 6 Board meeting
Call to order by Kelly Farrell 3/25/06 4:07pm
100 registered thus far, no LA people- mostly due to hurricane Katrina effects. Houston Zoo and downtown aquarium donated all of their time, food and services.
The board members thanked Tara and Pam Tooley for their efforts in pulling this workshop together.
Roll call
Board members present
were:
Director Kelly Farrell,
Deputy Director Sarah Keating
Treasurer Jay Schneider
Secretary Dana Hoisington
State Coordinators:
Awards, Cyndi Cogbill
Visions Editor Pam Tooley
Board members unable to attend or vacant
positions:
State coordinators:
Committee Chairs and Service Coordinators unable to attend or vacant position:
Elections, Don Simons
Scholarship, vacant
Membership, vacant
Webmaster, Eric Leonard
Visions editor Lisa Cole
Kelly Farrell thanked previous leadership of Region VI for all their guidance in the years.
Directors report
Three at large members went to
Regional Procedure manual to be redone and is in draft form.
Key donor program to raise funds by the purchase of keys for the new national building. Additional fundraiser is the Pioneer Exhibit, 15 squares honoring pioneers in interpretation can be purchased. Region VI purchased one honoring Bob Jennings. All space is sold. A room can be named for more money.
Leadership resources on NAI website
Staff report, bios, reach staff members breakdown of resources. Encouraged to use it
Review agenda-Sarah Keating
Additions, deletions, adjustments to agenda
Award for Best Workshop Program- deleted at workshop?
John Miller made a motion to approve agenda with additions seconded by Jay Schneider
Agenda voted and motion passed.
Present and approve minutes.
Dana Hoisington presented the 2005 minutes
John Miller made a motion to accept; seconded by Jay Schneider.
2005 minutes approved, motion passed.
Treasurers report, Jay Schneider
Last quarterly report December 05
Checking account balance-$6750.01 Janus investment account $19,542.11 down about $4000
Report available to review if wanted.
John Miller makes a motion to accept the treasurers report, seconded by Sarah Keating.
Motion passed.
Newsletters Pam Tooley
Going out on time good about sending stuff in Lisa Cole and Pam would let someone else take it on, but will continue for now. Kelly asked how printing was paid; it is direct billed. 550 sent out for conference. Pam passed on that if you have an address change you must update the national office since that is where they get their mailing labels.
Webmaster report Eric not available
Kelly reported Eric is often out in the backcountry a great deal of time and not in the office. Eric would relinquish it, should someone else like to take it on. The region 6 webpage should be more interactive.
Awards Cyndi Cogbill:
Came in under Budget, and it is easy to use plaques from LA.
We are getting more nominations, but still not all categories are filled. Thanked committee for their work on the evaluation of nominations. Tara Tucker-TX; Ted Cable-KS, Judi Sneed, Amber Moeschelli-AR; Lora Motley- OK committed members from awards. Cyndi is stepping down as awards chair. John Morrow felt should be more turnover. She has a lot of info to pass on to next chair.
Scholarship committee.
All 3 were filled one graduate and two undergraduate ususal # of applicatants. Very close and competitive, do spring and fall mailing to schools. Advised by email and mailings. Neil Garrison was surprised about the sloppiness and lack of grammar of some applications. All ot the winners were from Arkansas. Half of applicants were Arkansas.
Elections committee report Kelly for Don Simons
520 ballots mailed out only 111 returned Don’s report said this was a good showing. Talk of combining sec. and treas. into one position
elections could be staggered and should be considered. Electronic voting
2007 NIW report
Last years board voted to not have regional workshop with no meeting until fall 2007. This relieves stress on budgets and people. Jay We are in better financial shape than region 5 but this is just something to be aware of.
2008 workshop
Kelly for Dave Latona
LA will do it and “We can do anything!” Dave Latona
Talk not to hold a region workshop, but still have a region meeting to do awards etc.
Texas Parks and Wildlife-
At fiscal years end TPWD team of regional Interpretive specialist have researched, written and published over 40 interpretive brochures, taught roughly a dozen CIG and CHI workshops, and completed about 40 interpretive master plans. This team along with other professionals in State Parks Interpretation and Exhibits Branch also conducted five full day training sessions on interpretation for TPW park managers where each manager had to do a 10 minute interpretive presentation. Two additional state sites have been added to the World Birding Center complex is being opened in the next year. Hurricane Rita did considerable damage to Village Creek and Martin Dies Jr. State Parks, but are still forging ahead to improve interpretive programming in the Houston Region of Texas State Parks. A group of state park interpreters from the Houston region organized a group that meets quarterly for an idea exchange, fellowship, and to practice presenting interpretive programs for peer critique and review which was deemed a success. The budget situation remains critical for historic sites in the NE Region of TX Parks and Wildlife, but they will have a new interpreter/ranger at Purtis Creek State Park before summer. Texas parks and Wildlife interpreters Dave Owens and Frank Roberts have contributed their talents to open NAI!!
At the Houston Zoo spring break has brought some days with over 13,000+ guests! A baby giraffe was born on March 15. The zoo has been involved in many conservation education projects, including a partnership with NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The Attwater’s prairie chickens have been transported to land they own and they grow browse for Koalas and other animals. A great opportunity for interpretation at both sites.
Ivory update- they have not been sighted this year. Interp sponsored special license plate of Ivory billed woodpecker. Tourism has jumped on with “Conservation works” A multi-agency task force developed
1/8-cent tax Education department built 3 nature centers at Pine Bluff, Jonesboro, and Ft. Smith. With one in Little Rock in the works. Interagency working together very well. Several vacancies and opening on May 1, the new lodge on Mt. Magazine.
Kansas report no one
here many opted to go to CIT training instead of here.
AMI is now an official chapter of NAI control of treasury was an issue. Was turned over to NAI John Miller apologized for any lack of communication or problems that happened. Taum Sauk reservoir failure, and the interpretation possibilities at Johnson Shut-Ins State Park.
DNR received award for seasonal training program from NAI opened the eyes of many with DNR that did not even know of the training DNR does. CIT at Burr Oak Woods, very challenging. George Kastler is looking for seasonals and fulltime folks, CD sales article review by NAI of it prompted a sale to Canada.. John Miller was nominated and accepted as NAI awards chairman on the national committee. Copies and criteria available nom. John would like to see more people nominated from Region VI for the national level. There is a May 31 deadline for national nominations.
Budget cuts loss staff, folks too busy to send in stuff. Keeps file folder of stuff to send in.
Thoughts from Dave- no LA people Turn to the person on your left and repeat after me, “I miss Louisiana”, now turn to the person on your right and repeat after me, “I miss Dave”.
Exciting opportunities to interpret about history, as it is happening. Lots of thanks to everyone for thoughts and calls.
Sarah Keating pleaded for new pictures for region display.
Regional scorecard Kelly
Action plan for the board used to help all do better for leadership counsel some regions really struggle we are in good shape
Strategic plan to follow the national boards operations
We need to have an additional board meeting. Summer/fall board meeting either in person or conference call. Arkansas may comp lodging. August 7 and 8.
Budget -so we all can know where we stand at a given time. Second largest membership region wise.
Cyndi Cogbill makes motion act on action items. John Miller seconds. Motion approved.
Awards guidelines- Cyndi -shifting more towards national standards. Changes last year. Split out duties of chairperson, Name Meritorious Service Award after Bob Jennings (new) great strides to streamline the applications.
Jay Schneider makes motion to adopt Cyndi’s awards updates and Sarah Keating second. Motion passed.
CD sales price adjustment. John Miller. Reduce price to $10.00. Cyndi makes a motion to reduce price of CD to $10.00 Sarah Keating seconds. Motion approved.
Date of workshop
Oxley Nature center would like to move workshop earlier than late March. Late February or early March. Depends on state and committee members available. John Miller proposed putting it in newsletter to ask the membership for feedback as to what month to have the meeting. Neil Garrison brought up weather creating travel problems earlier in the year. Unwritten rule to keep it in March. Lots of factors involved consensus was to not take action at this time and leave it up to the individual committees. Tabled for discussion at business meeting.
Financial aide –Kelly establish merit based not need based. AMI funded runners up and also need based applicants. Should the region fund those? Decided if enough was raised it is feasible to do it. Move forward and make the funds available to send. Help to encourage volunteers to come. John Miller removed from table motion from 2005 to discuss the motion to give financial aid at 50% or registration fee to attend the workshop. 2nd by Jay Schneider, all in favor , discussion ensued. Number funded as “funds are available”, who decides who is selected? Need based, priority to need and involvement in NAI. Deputy director will take on this responsibility. Up to 4 50% registrations could be awarded. Min $4400 balance needed to fund these.
Amending motion to budget 4 50% registrations that will be the responsibility of the deputy director to administer from excess CD sales, auctions and future fundraises. John Miller makes motion to amend the motion to give up to 4 50% registrations as long as we have a minimum balance of $4400 to fund them. Cyndi Cogbill seconds. Approved as amended.
Discussion items.
Chapter status- 2 types of chapters, student chapters are common, AMI Chapters are being looked at to keep up with national.
New board members-chapters have representative at NAI.
By laws changing to allow staggered elections with three terms- John Miller thinks we should go to staggered system allows 2 members to be in at all times. E-balloting and paper ballots both available with vote-now.com. some sections are combing sec. And treas. How is it sent to members. Will be discussed at business meeting. What is the cost involved in e voting? Kelly will ask nationals. Possible 30% increases in voters. Move to agenda for business meeting.
Region/sectional/national overlapping in providing services- liability office, competition with national. Overlapping CIG and regional training taking away from region people coming to us.
Send info for InterpNews to Kelly Farrell
Direct billing national for expenses.
Deleting best program workshop award-Pam Tooley-
voting on best award during workshop does not work that well, people tend to pick the last one attended. Some leave before workshop is over. Kelly will check with other regions as to what they do. Region 5 does not do it nor does national. Sarah looks at it as an incentive to do well in front of your peers. Justification to come again with supervisors. Discussion on what adjustments could be done. Do guidelines need to be in place? Continue as is for now. Duly noted and discussed.
Jay Schneider makes a motion to adjourn, seconded by Sarah Keating adjourned 7:03pm