March 2017 Board Meeting Minutes

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AZTWS Board Meeting
March 27, 2017
Meeting Minutes – Final
3:00–4:30 pm

[Download the PDF]

Attendees: Kay Nicholson (President), Tiffany Sprague (President elect), Scott Sprague (Past president), Andrew Jones (Treasurer), Jessica Moreno (Corresponding Secretary), Melanie Tluczek (Recording Secretary), Holly Hicks (Board Member), Audrey Owens (Board member), Callie Hartson (Opportunities), Jonathan Hicks (Fun Shoot Committee Chair), Jon Hanna (Conservation affairs), Dean Pokrajac (Webmaster).

Board Members Absent: N/A.

Action Items:

  • Tiffany to create bylaw wording for board member removal – Ongoing
  • Andrew met with Dana to transfer names on financial accounts including PayPal, Waste Management, Go Daddy, and Capitol One. There was only one outstanding account. – Ongoing
  • Scott to send some sections out to folks that helped with last year’s JAM so he can get good revisions. – Ongoing
  • Holly sent 1 reminder to students to get their articles in to the newsletter, and has received 1 article from ASU. Will send student reimbursements to Andrew. – Ongoing.
  • All board members reviewed the continuing education survey and there were no new comments. Mike to finalize it and send it to Dean so he can send it out through Survey Monkey. – Ongoing
  • Dean will also send out credentials for Survey Monkey and Mail Chimp accounts so anyone on the board can use it. – Ongoing
  • Jessica to send out press release about awards. – Ongoing
  • Jon Hanna will ask Shelly Shepherd out of Flagstaff to send Jessica a list of media contacts. Scott will email Jessica Shelly’s email. – Ongoing
  • Audrey also has a contact list that she will send to Jessica. – Ongoing
  • Andrew to have quarterly report to board members by end of April.
  • Andrew to order portable toilets for techniques workshop.
  • Jon Hanna to edit article per board members’ suggestions. Andrew will help find quotes.
  • Dean to update website with newsletters and minutes, and arrange editing access for board members.
  • Callie will post relevant events from other organizations on AZTWS calendar.
  • Holly to send Andrew form for request and contact information.
  • Scott to contact Wilderness Brewing Company about providing beer for techniques workshop.
  • Board members to gather ideas and work on the idea of a JAM plenary on activism for wildlife through the next month.
  • Include memorial for the late founder of Coda Net Guns in the JAM program.
  • Andrew to set up PayPal link for website.
  • Scott to contact Cross-tech about sponsorship for national TWS meeting.
  • Holly to contact Babbitt Ranches and Coda Net Guns about sponsorship for national TWS meeting.
  • Andrew to contact CAP about sponsorship for national TWS meeting.
  • Jessica and Holly to talk to biologists with SRP to see if they want to be a sponsor for national TWS meeting.
  • Tiffany to get the date into the newsletter.
  • Jonathan to approach clay target center the next day to nail down date.
  • Jonathan to approach volunteer recruitment in the same way.
  • Jonthan Hicks to double check on the price of the primitive camping area and send it in an email and provide camping as an option.
  • Tiffany to find contact information for organizers and reach out to see if they are still looking for partners, and offer our assistance.

Motions:

  • Kay motioned, Jessica and Tiffany seconded to adjourn the meeting. All in favor.
  • The board voted to approve the ASU travel reimbursement of 1200 dollars (600 registration, 600 hotel rooms), with the understanding that students will write an article for the chapter newsletter to receive their $500. Jessica made a motion to approve. Tiffany seconded. Motion approved. All in favor.
  • Kay made a motion to move ahead, suggesting that if we don’t get anything we just donate the $1,000 from the chapter. Jessica seconded the motion. All in favor.

Proceedings:

Approval of February 2017 Board meeting minutes

  • Approval of the February 28, 2017 Board Meeting minutes (All) – Tabled until next meeting to give more time to go through.

Housekeeping

  • Scott clarified that as past president, he is not currently a voting member of the board.

Old Business

Action Items from February Meeting:

  • Kay to send out letter to all award recipients after the JAM – Done
  • Dana was not present so could not report on her update to the Registration section of the JAM manual.
  • Dean gave Jessica access so she can post to website. – Done

Current Business

1. Treasurer’s Report (Andrew)
a. Aiming to have quarterly report to board members by end of April.
b. Will file a 990N with IRS. Due May 15.
c. Andrew to order 3 portable toilets for techniques workshop at $390.00, and specifically request an after-hours number to give to someone in case there is an issue (failure to appear).

2. Newsletter Report (Tiffany)
a. Currently working on the next issue. Tiffany would like to save some of the articles for future issues, since this one is already quite long. There were no objections from the board.
b. Jon Hanna to edit article about contacting state representatives with the following suggestions:

  • All agreed that making the article topic broader and keeping the focus on the issues will have a more positive impact.
  • Readers should be encouraged to contact their representatives in general, but specific names of representatives will not be called out.
  • Tiffany commented that people should also be encouraged to contact representatives and thank them for supporting public lands.
  • Scott offered to search for a comment for Jon Hanna.
  • Discussed whether TWS members are allowed to lobby. Yes, but not using more than 20% of our budget, and cannot lobby for or against a particular candidate. The focus must be kept on issues.

3. Membership Report (Chris) – no new business to report.

4. Webmaster’s Report (Dean)
a. Dean to update the website with newsletters and minutes, after completing the updates for the JAM awards section. Callie has been updating that, as well as jobs. Currently the awards section of the website is the only section that needs work.
b. Dean gave Jessica editing access and will offer everyone on the board access as well so they may post and edit items. Board members should feel free to post on the website. If board members need help, send request to Dean and he will try
to fit it in despite a very busy schedule.
c. Dean to send out links.

5. Opportunities Report (Callie)
a. Callie is currently pulling events from other orgs websites to advertise on the site. Will have a list of things to update by the end of the day.
b. Calendar was fixed so that it will only show event on the day it is scheduled for.
c. If anyone has events that come up Callie will post them on the calendar. Use Callie’s work email: [email protected] to send job or volunteer opportunities.

6. Student Liaison Report (Holly) – Holly will meet with Prescott college student group this week to get student articles so that they can get their money back for travel.
a. The board voted to approve the ASU travel reimbursement of 1200 dollars (600 registration, 600 hotel rooms), with the understanding that students will write an article for the chapter newsletter to receive their $500. Jessica made a motion to approve. Tiffany seconded. Motion approved.
b. Holly to send Andrew the form for request and contact information.

7. Techniques Workshop (Holly)
a. All workshop spots booked up with 15 people on wait list.
b. Agenda is finalized. There will be a fish class this year for the first time in a couple of years.
c. John Hicks will teach wildlife field craft, which will be new.
d. Portable toilets are ordered and instructors are lined up.
e. Scott suggested that Wilderness Brewing Company might be interested in coming out and bringing beer. No one would object. Scott to follow up with an email to WBC.

8. Conservation Affairs (Jon Hanna) – Wildlife Federation said if we wanted to get more into lobbying they would provide some guidance.

9. Continuing Education (Stan) – Not present.

10. Continuing Education Survey (Mike) – Already addressed above.

11. JAM 2018 (Kay)
a. Location will be in Flagstaff. Kay is working with Carol to help look for a venue.
b. Plenary Ideas – Kay asked if anyone had ideas for plenary sessions

  • Activist for Wildlife – Jon Hanna
    1. Good to have a topic that both states and fisheries would be interested in.
    2. It would be helpful to have broad representation on the panel, such as a political representative, someone involved in the pipeline, and/or a political activist.
    3. Questions such as: “What is the best way for an activist to spend their time and efforts?” “What can and can’t be done by a state employee.”
    4. Jessica suggested Steve Farley, Jon Hanna suggested Deborah Hall. Jessica offered to help and will email ideas to Jon Hanna. Jon Hanna stated that it is important to know that our chapter has resolutions, specifically in regard to “Sagebrush rebellion”, that members should be aware of. These are on the website.
    5. Kay suggested board members gather ideas and work on this through the next month.

c. Scott – Raised the question of whether we should go back to holding the JAM on 1st weekend in February, or leave it open to other weekends? The group agreed to keep the language in the JAM manual the same, which specifies the first weekend in February. Scott pointed out that the JAM manual is really a guideline, so exceptions can be made if necessary.
d. Jon Hanna asked if we can put out a memorial for the founder of Coda Net Guns. Perhaps an “In Memory Of…” piece in the folder that each person receives upon checking in to the conference. Jon Hanna to work on this with Scott.

12. National Meeting (Kay)
a. Student sponsorship

  • Kay opened the discussion about asking members to help sponsor students to go to JAM, and our Chapter will provide matching funds up to $1,000.
  • Kay made a motion to move ahead, suggesting that if we don’t get anything we just donate the $1,000 from the chapter. Jessica seconded the motion. All in favor.
  • Andrew to set up the PayPal link and work with Dean to link to website.

b. Sponsorship for the national meeting.

  • Scott talked to Wilderness Brewing Company and BOR. No decision yet.
  • Scott to contact Cross-tech.
  • Holly to contact Babbitt Ranches and Coda Net Guns.
  • Andrew to contact CAP.
  • Jessica and Holly to talk to biologists with SRP to see if they want to be a sponsor.
  • Logan Simpson contributed already.
  • AZGFD will be a bronze sponsor.
  • Scott contacted engineers at Granite Construction and will follow up.
  • Board members agreed that our chapter does want to support the TWS national meeting, probably below the $3,000 mark. The topic was tabled for discussion at the April meeting. Board members should read through the email sent to board members with information on supporting the national meeting, and think about it for next meeting.

13. Fun Shoot (Kay/Jonathan)
a. The fun shoot date was tentatively set for May 21st.
b. Tiffany to get the date into the newsletter.
c. John Hicks to approach clay target center the next day to nail down date.
d. Jon Hanna offered suggestions for getting volunteers, stating that there are a couple of volunteers who had firearms at stations who provided expertise.

  • Some members were there to help as well. The local wildlife manager gave presentation. Jon Hanna also asked shooting staff at the range to help out that day. They handled everything, Jon Hanna simply made request.
  • John Hicks to approach volunteer recruitment in the same way.
  • John Hicks to double check on the price of the primitive camping area and send it in an email and provide camping as an option.

14. March for Science
a. March will take place Earth day, April 22nd.
b. Six marches are planned in Arizona.
c. Board agreed that it makes sense to be involved. Tiffany had reached out to TWS parent society to ask about our chapter’s involvement and they said we may participate, as long as we don’t get involved in anything overtly political. Each march is organized by different people.

  • Phoenix march: there will be a rally, a march, speakers, and tabling options.
  • Tiffany to find contact information for organizers and reach out to see if they are still looking for partners, and offer our assistance.

d. Because the March will take place before our next board meeting, the board will discuss over email.
e. Discussion revolved around whether we should table, and whether we should have t-shirts made. The t-shirts would not be for sale, but specifically for the march and members would pay for their own. Board members could look at March for Science Website and be thinking of a slogan for the t-shirts if we decide to do this.

Good of the order/Other?

  • Other committee reports as needed – none
  • Other Current/New Business? – none

Adjournment

  • Jessica motioned to adjourn
  • Tiffany seconded
  • All in favor.