Broad River Watershed Association Annual Retreat

January 18, 2009

Present at Meeting: Sam Linhart, Victor Johnson, Pat Kelly, Michael Moody, Mary Freeman, Paul Webb, Jean Smith, Debbie Lester, Bud Freeman, Robbie Griffith and Jeff Pentz

Sam thanked Bud Freeman and Robbie Griffith for agreeing to serve on the board again.

Sam introduced Jeff Pentz, a member who has agreed to help out with the webpage.

Minutes of last meetings minutes were reviewed. Paul Webb moved to accept the Nov. 13, 2008 minutes as written with the correction of typo RIS to IRS. Motion was seconded and approved unanimously.

Nominations for officers: Mary offered to serve as chairman if Robbie would agree to serve as co-chair. Robbie agreed to serve as co-chair. Victor offered to stay on as treasurer and Pat offered to stay on as secretary. Bud made a motion to appoint Mary Freeman as chairperson, Robbie Griffith as co-chair, Victor Johnson as treasurer and Pat Kelly as secretary. Motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

Sam agreed to ask Jeep Gaskin if he wants to resign from the board since he has not been to a meeting in a long time.

Victor explained the Nov. and Dec. financial statements. Bud asked if BRWA could maybe switch our accounts to Immigrant Direct, an online bank, FDIC insured, has a debit card is fee free, and is currently paying 3%. Victor says the transactions would need to be from his work because it has high speed internet connection. Victor says that the accounts would need to have a checking account. Victor and Bud will look into this further and report back later.

Sam handed out a draft of a summary of the Watershed Committee meeting on Jan. 8.

Victor asked if we wanted to continue having board meetings every other month. Mary suggested that we go back to monthly meetings if the committees were not meeting in the month between. Sam said that the committees are in disarray. Robbie said that he thinks that monthly meetings would work better. Victor made a motion to have the board meetings every month on the second Wednesday at 7PM. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously.

The website is not functioning. Jeff became interested in working with computers while getting his forestry degree. He was able to acquire significant skills and has worked with computers ever since. He now heads up the computer department at UGA Health Services.

There was discussion about how we want the website to function. Jean said that the data base is very primitive. Mary suggested that we transfer administration of the site to Jeff, work with what we have through Jeff for awhile, and then assess where we want to go. Victor made a motion that we authorize Jeff Pentz to work on the website. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

Victor said the 2009 Legislative Breakfast for the Georgia Conservation Voters is Wed. Feb. 4 in Atlanta. We have been asked if we want to sponsor the breakfast. Mary said that if Victor went she thought we should sponsor the breakfast at the $150 level.
This would entitle us to one copy of the legislative monitor and two tickets to the breakfast. Mary moved to sponsor the Ga. Legislative Breakfast for the Georgia Conservation Voters at the $150 level. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

Robbie said that the hunters at Purvis Woods are not renewing their contract next year and he has something that needs to be discussed at the next meeting.

Jean said that she sends out renewal notices to members who have let their membership lapse. She has been doing this for a long time and that has not resulted in any increase in membership. If we want to increase membership we will need to do something new that gets our name in front of the public.
Jean suggested that we look at the landowners along the river and contact them to let them know we are there and what we do. Jean is willing to continue managing the membership data base along with the mailings for events and membership including letters introducing BRWA to landowners on the river if someone will get a list of landowners.

Victor handed out a form that showed how much of our income has come from membership over the last ten years.

Michael Moody moved to adopt the conflict of interest policy. It was seconded and passed unanimously.

Victor will be doing Get the Dirt Out training in Madison County this spring.

The Georgia River Network Annual Conference is in Athens, at the Classic Center Feb. 20-21 this year. There is money in the conference budget for several people to go. Early registration ends. Feb. 1.