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Carroll Cave Conservancy, Inc.

Board of Directors Meeting

June 28, 2003

Rick Hines called the meeting to order at 10:12 a.m. at the Schoolhouse camp site.  He distributed a discussion outline for the meeting that is included below.

The following board members were in attendance:  Bill Copeland, Marty Griffin, Rick Hines, Ron Lather, Teddy Marsan, Jeff Page, Eddie Simmons, Carl Wagner.

The following members were present.

Brian Borton, Randy Bruegger, Greg Buckley, Jeff Crews, Terry DeFraties, Matt Goska, Peddgie Heinz, Tom Lounsbury, Dave McCool, Cathy Sumner

A discussion of Bylaws regarding proxy voting and language clarification will be presented by Jeff Page at the July 2003 membership meeting.

Rick Hines requested that the secretary be responsible for review of the web site on a regular basis and notify the web master Marty Griffin when policies such as Constitution, Bylaws, Access and Survey etc. require updating.

Treasures Report

Rose Shaw the treasurer was not in attendance due to a prior commitment, but did send her report to Rick Hines. Total assets are $3,395.15.  A five hundred dollar check and a form for matching funds was received from Phil Hanson (IBM) and was given to Marty Griffin to submit to the treasurer by Eddie Simmons.

Committee & Projects Reports

Survey Committee-Chairman Tom Lounsbury has resigned. Board President Rick Hines contacted qualified surveyors to inquire as to who was interested in the position prior to the June board meeting. Member Brian Borton was the only interested party at the time.

At the meeting Eddie Simmons stated that James Corsentino (not in attendance) was now interested in the position and sent two maps for review and requested a two weeks delay in the vote for Survey Chairman.

A motion was made to delay the vote of Survey Chairman for two weeks by Eddie Simmons. The motion was seconded by Carl Wagner. Recorded as: Motion Failed.

Brian Borton then supplied his proposal for the position. The proposal included:

Completed survey maps of U1 and U2

Survey Mission Statements and objectives

Survey Standards and policies

Survey participation data Jan. through June 2003

Survey statistics

Outline of survey projects currently underway

Biological Survey to be submitted to Lawrence Ireland (Biology Chairman) for review and consideration

Additional information supplied by Brian Borton was as follows:

In cooperation with Washington University and Earl Biffle, Brian has obtained on loan long term a Starlink DGPS system.

Brian informed the board that surveyors are starting to see impact pressure in the Upper Thunder River Passage.

Of the nine current board members 4 are currently active surveyors.

A motion was made by Ron Lather and seconded by Jeff Page to elect Brian Borton as Survey Chairman. Recorded as: Motion carried

Brian Borton Survey Chairman requested plans be developed for how and where to store survey data, as well as how to protect high impact areas due to surveying. Also it was requested that survey training continue with precision equipment and that permanent training concrete survey stations be erected at the old school house location. Rick Hines stated that this had previously been checked into and the property owner has already agreed to this.

Brian was reminded by Hines that:

1)  All biology activity should be conducted through the Biology committee chairman, Lawrence Ireland.

2)  All donations must go through the CCC treasurer, Rose Shaw.  This is important to maintain our 501 (c) (3) status.

3)  All survey data must be made available to the board. 

Rescue

Greg Miller was unable to attend. Terry DeFraties was present to discuss the progress of the Rescue Preplan. It was requested that the second draft of the Rescue Preplan be completed along with a two tier call out list and submitted to Rick Hines before the July membership meeting.

It was proposed that a finalized list be kept at both the cave entrance and the Camden Fire Department.

Greg Miller had previously requested an additional $400.00 dollars to purchase a SKED. Terry volunteered to follow up with Matt Lyon at the Mid County Fire Protection District on any additional rescue equipment the CCC may need to purchase.

We now have a cave radio graciously donated by the family of the late Mike Roos. A memorial plaque is to be made and placed in the schoolhouse after renovation.

A proposal to develop a communication plan has been requested by the rescue committee.

Access/Membership

A change has been requested to be incorporated into the access/membership policies.

All trip participants are required to sign an IN & OUT cave trip form. The new form will have space provided for IN and OUT times, Name, Member #,Emergency Contact # and Name, and a space to verify if cave release is on file. The trip leader will be responsible for verifying all participants provide a CCC member number and state that they have a signed, current year, liability form on file or that they sign one and place it in the box with the IN & OUT form.  Board approved non-members on a trip will not be required to have a Member number.  Membership and access committees are directed to add this clarification to their committee policies. 

It was suggested that a signed release be a condition of membership and that a new release be signed each year as part of the membership renewal process.  The membership committee should consider how this could be implemented and report at the July meeting.   

Eddie Simmons supplied an Access Committee Report. The report included general access information (number of visitors since the first of the year), the number of trips requested outside the project weekends since the first of the year, trip reports collected and pending, trip leader status and request for changes of policy.

Eddie will be speaking with trip leaders who need to meet their one trip a year requirement.

Only one member has qualified as a new trip leader. The new leader is Bill Gee.

Eddie will govern keys to the cave and distribute them to the most active trip leaders at this time.

The access committee is looking for a combination safe to house the keys at the cave site, for future use.

Eddie Simmons to clarify and rewrite access exceptions policy to be turned into AC and be presented to the board for approval.

A deficiency has been noted recently receiving trip reports within the 10 day requirement. It has been requested that the current policy be changed or reworded to include a possible consequence regarding late trip reports if the problem continues.

Smoking, Alcohol and Human Waste

There is currently no policy regarding Alcohol, Smoking and Human Waste in Carroll Cave. Matt Goska has volunteered to research the issue with the appropriate committees such as safety and biology to present suggested new policy to the board..

Matts suggestions will be available to review at the July membership meeting.

Web Master

Marty Griffin has requested $250.00 to acquire a new web page provider that will better suite the evolving needs of our web page, reduce advertisements and give us more flexibility.

Board members request that an updated membership list be kept on the website. Membership chairman will be responsible for supplying the web master with an updated list.

The Board is interested in finding a way to insure the accuracy and appropriateness of our web postings.  The current method relies on the common since of the person posting the material and an informal review by the Web master.  The matter was discussed but no practical improved methods were suggested.  The mater is still open for suggestions.

Photo Committee

Rick Hines proposed that a photo committee be formed. The committee would develop and oversee a central location for photos, set standards for photo trips and develop a calendar to generate interest and raise funds. They would also organize and archive Andy Kraemer photographs and slides of before and after shots as well as future Carroll Cave photographs.

Their mission would be to support the restoration, conservation, geology and biology sections through archived photographs and slides and other visual medias

It was agreed by all attending that the board should appoint this committee.  If you are interested in being Chairman of the Photo Committee please make your interest and qualification known to the board. 

Volunteer Jobs

A work trip needs to be scheduled to add more bolts to the entrance ladder.

Brian Borton will supply a special drill for the job if notified in advance.

No trip was scheduled at this time.

Cable and ascender discussion placed on back burner for now.

A safety policy needs to be developed for the ladder platform. Possible hardware changes need to be discussed to make the ladder safer. Brian Borton volunteered to draft a policy for submission to the board.

Our 501c3 status expires in December; we have reorganized and will need to fill out a new one. Bill Copeland volunteered to fill out the forms and submit them.

Eddie Simmons volunteered to obtain grills for the July 26th celebration.

Teddy Marsan volunteered to help obtain lighted helmets for the thank you trips.

Marty Griffin and Ron Lather to lead effort with help from Bill Pfantz to work on and obtain MSS Research Grants.

CCC Board of Directors Meeting

June 28, 2003

 

Discussion Outline

 

Ø Need new Survey Chairman

o     Brian Borton has volunteered

§   Brian discuss

o     Survey committee like all other committees reports to the board.

o     Survey committee will provide survey data requested by the board.

o     Board could appoint acting chairman for 3 mo. 

Ø Bylaws

o     Need to get Bylaws from the Jan 03 meeting on the web

o     Page – discuss Page/Maris proposed changes

Ø Rescue

o     Terry DeFraties will discuss

o     Miller has provided second draft of  Rescue Preplan

o     Request and $400 in addition to $600 earmarked for Rescue

o     We now have Mike Roos cave radio

Ø   Membership/Access changes

o     I suggest

§   You must be a paid member with a member number before a trip

§   Member numbers must be on Trip request and Sign in sign out list

o     Trip leaders responsible for verifying that each person on trip has a member number (sees card or list on web or talks to membership chairman).

o     Trip leaders must verify releases have been signed for all trip participants. 

Ø Access

o     Eddie report

o     Are we going to stay dependent on the web.

o     Sign in /out box

o     Keys

o     Combination Safe

§   Hartley may donate

o     Review policy and modify as needed

Ø Need Board Policy on smoking and alcohol in cave

Ø   Needed Board Policy on Human waste in cave

Ø Web issues  -- Marty discuss

o     Funds for web hosting

o     Membership on the web?

§   Sam Clippinger  --Introduction free membership

o     Content/posting controls

o     Post trips on web

§   Fry needs to know

§   Everyone needs to know


 

Ø I suggest we form a Photo committee

o     Support restoration/conservation

o     Organize Andy Kramer slides for before and after shots

o     Support geology

o     Support biology

o     Calendar to generate interest and raise funds

o     Central location for photos

o     Set standards for photo trips

o     Dan Austin could lead

Ø   Secretary

o     Take on the job to see that current approved policy documents are on the web

§   Constitution

§   Bylaws

§   Access

§   Survey

§   Etc.

Ø Novice Trips

o     Jeff & Ron Discuss

Ø Jobs that need a volunteer

o     Bolt ladder

o     Cable ascender

o     Ladder safety policy

o     501 c 3

o     Grill for July 26th

o     Gear for Thank you trips

Ø Gate natural entrance

Ø Cave rights donation 

Ø Survey – work with MSS—be pro active--  and get them maps

Ø MSS Research Grant

o     Marty or Ron lead effort with help from Bill Pfantz

Ø Open Discussion

  

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