February 2018 Board Meeting Minutes

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AZTWS Board Meeting

Conference Call Meeting Minutes

February 26, 2018

3:00–4:45 p.m.

[Download the PDF]

Attendees: Tiffany Sprague (President), Jessica Moreno (President Elect), Holly Hicks (Corresponding Secretary), Valerie Horncastle (Recording Secretary), Andrew Jones (Treasurer), Melissa Merrick (Board Member), Kay Nicholson (Past President), Clarissa Starbuck, Scott Sprague, Callie Hartson

Board Members Absent: Audrey Owens (Board Member)

Action Items:

  • Tiffany will remind committee heads about reviewing revised sections of JAM manual
  • Andrew will pay for the additional 50th anniversary t-shirts
  • Andrew will call the conference call company to find out if there is a base fee.
  • Andrew will send check to Erika for the workshop
  • Holly will send out new PO box number
  • Holly will follow up with student chapters for information to submit to the newsletter (March 16th deadline)
  • Tiffany needs photo from everyone for the newsletter and website
  • Officer form needs to be sent to the parent society (send corrections to Tiffany by Thursday)

Motions:

  • January 2018 board meeting minutes approved. Andrew motioned. Jessica seconded. Passed unanimously.
  • Andrew motioned to adjourn the meeting. Jessica seconded. Passed unanimously.

Proceedings:

Old Business

  • Tiffany to create bylaw wording for board member removal. Ongoing
  • Scott to review revised sections of JAM manual to determine what revisions are still needed; incorporate existing revisions into manual. Ongoing- Scott passed out revisions to committee heads
  • Tiffany will ask Richard Ockenfels, Tice Supplee, and Dave Brown if they would submit newsletter articles reflecting on the history of the chapter. Ongoing – New newsletter editor will take the lead
  • Scott will ask Dean to provide website administrative access to Jessica. Done
  • Scott will ask Dean if he wants to continue as webmaster. Done – Clarissa Starbuck has taken over as webmaster
  • Tiffany will send award info to Jessica so she can prepare a press release to distribute immediately after JAM. Done – information on website, but waiting for quote for press release
  • Jessica and Chris will work to set up an online membership and communication system for our chapter. Ongoing
  • Jessica will create sign for JAM advertising the new membership portal – potentially set up sample profile to display on screen. Cancelled
  • Tiffany will contact BLM for additional information on the Leave No Trace workshop to determine if it’s appropriate for AZTWS to host. Done
  • Kay will coordinate 50th anniversary t-shirt creation. Done
  • Kay will send Jessica past meeting minutes to post on the website. Done
  • Jessica will send webmaster report to Kay. Done
  • Kay will send out announcement for donating to scholarship fund. The PayPal link should be reposted on the website for donations. Ongoing

Current Business

  • Treasurer’s Report (Andrew)
    • Andrew is currently working on reconciling from JAM
      CURRENT SUMMARIES:
      Silent Auction                                                                $939
      Raffle Ticket                                                                 $1035
      5k Run                                                                             $40
      AZTWS Chapter Dues                                                         $6
      AFS Chapter Dues                                                              $6
      On-Site Registration (All Types)                                      $225
      AZTWS 50th Anniversary T-Shirt                                   $100
      AZTWS SWAG                                                                 $60
      Drink Tickets (Check #1447 from NMTWS)                      $250
      TOTAL                                                                          $2661
      $549 of unaccounted cash that can be counted as raffle proceeds
    • Paid Little America the final amount ($44,000 in total)
    • Brought in $54,000 in registration
    • Reimbursements will be made for the 5K run and plaques
    • Andrew will be completing the audit at the Phoenix headquarters sometime during the first or second week of April. Holly offered to help.
    • Discussion on whether we should keep the old conference call company since the new line requires a weeks’ notice to book. If the old company doesn’t have a base fee then we will keep it.
    • Request to sell a couple of the road kill calendars. A pay pal invoice will be set up to charge for these.
    • Discussion on whether bank accounts need to be updated with the new officer information. Andrew will double-check. Usually the new treasurer and president-elect are on the credit card so information only needs to be changed every other year.
    • Need all TWS board members to have a national membership. Send a receipt to Andrew and he will reimburse you.
  • PO Box (Holly)
    • We currently pay for the largest PO Box, but only get about 7-8 letters/month. We decided to get a small box as long as we can get mail forwarded from one PO Box to another. We will need to change the header on all letter head documents to reflect the new address.
  • Newsletter Report (Tiffany/Jeremy)
    • Holly will follow up with student chapters for information to be submitted to the newsletter (March 16th deadline)
    • Tiffany needs photo from everyone for newsletter and website. Preferable submit one photo clearly showing your face and another photo of you doing something outdoorsy or related to wildlife.
    • Officer form needs to be sent to parent society. Send corrections to Tiffany by Thursday.
  • Membership Report (Chris)
    • Update on moving the membership list (Jessica)
      Jessica will import the new membership list. Andrew will send Jessica the list of new members since December 15, 2017.
    • Once Member Planet is updated, we can start using it
  • Webmaster’s Report (Jessica and Clarissa)
    • Board member section needs to be updated
    • Send Clarissa any updates for the website
    • Appears that we only have one person signed up to receive volunteer announcements. Jessica will look into this.
  • Opportunities Report (Callie)
    • If we want anything posted, send information to Callie at her work email and the AZTWS Opportunities Gmail account.
  • Student Liaison Report (Holly)
    • Not much to report since JAM. Holly is mostly preparing for the techniques workshop.
  • Techniques Workshop (Holly)
    • Holly sent announcement to student chapters
    • Workshop is already full with 5 people on the waitlist
    • Potential classes: map/compass class, aquatics course, bat/mist netting, bird/herp walk, and bird id
    • April 14, 2018
  • Conservation Affairs (Jon) – not on call, no updates
  • Continuing Education
    • What do we want to do with the results from the Continuing Education survey from last year? Potentially start offering classes biannually or quarterly.
    • Survey results will be resent since not everyone on the board received them.
    • Stan does not have the time to do this on his own.
  • Nominations and Awards (Tiffany)
    • No new updates. Tiffany will send Jessica information and tips for next year.
  • Borderlands Institute for the Study and Conservation of Understudied Animals (BISCUA) (Kay)
    • David Brown submitted proposal
    • Purpose of BISCUA is to fund studies to do research
    • BISCUA will be housed under the SW Wildlife Conservation Center (has some equipment and volunteers that can be used)
    • TWS will have a committee to assist with program
    • Board of Advisors – voting on projects for approval One member of the board will be from TWS
    • Looking for other partners (Universities, Zoo, AZGFD, Ornithological Society, Sonoran Desert Museum, etc.)
    • BISCUA will not be starting their own journal
    • Kay working on changing original charter and defining roles
    • Contact Kay if interested in working on the committee
  • Ideas raised at business meeting (Tiffany)
    • BioBlitz (Scott Sprague lead)
      • Petrified Forest will be having a BioBlitz in August 2018. Park Service (Andy Bridges) will be leading the event. Scott will contact Andy to find out what role he sees us playing. TWS could help determine taxonomic leads and participate in the event. Valerie, Clarissa, Tiffany, Mel, and Jessica are all interested in helping. Charlie Painter BioBlitz might be a possibility for next year.
    • Outreach
      • Outdoor AZGFD Expo – We could set up a table with TWS chapter information. Potentially free if we sign up way in advance. We could have information and an activity set up at the table. This could be an opportunity to bring student chapters in to help out.
      • Education kit – put together a kit that student chapters could use at their events
      • Other opportunities – send ideas to Tiffany
    • Youth engagement
      • Envirothon – would need coaches to help teach and lead classes Tiffany will find out more information about this.
      • SARSEF – Southern Arizona Research, Science and Engineering Fair They are looking for people to judge and sponsor awards. Jessica has been involved with this program with Sky Island Alliance and it has been a success. Prizes could be shirts, cash, honorary membership, or a day with a biologist in the field. Jessica will send out more information. Event is happening April 11-14 this year.
      • FFA – Future Farmers of America Tiffany will find out more information
    • Diversity
      • National TWS has Ethnic and Gender Diversity Working Group They have a Facebook page that we could gather information from.
      • Potentially add statement to our website
      • Think about changing or increasing social media. Younger adults are using Instagram instead of Facebook and Twitter.
      • Reach out to Carol Chambers about WOW Symposium is being put together for national meeting.
      • Doris Duke Foundation
      • Small scholarship for tribal student (travel grant or books)

Adjournment at 4:45 p.m.