Carroll Cave Conservancy - January 14, 2001 - Meeting Minutes

The tenth meeting of the Carroll Cave Conservancy convened at 1:15 p.m. at the home of Rick Hines in Stilwell, KS.  The meeting was called to order by Rick Hines.  The attendees were as follows:
Jeff Andrews, Kim Andrews, Christie Burcham, Wayne Burnett, Bryon Carmoney, Michelle Carmoney, Bill Copeland, Terry DeFraties, Jeremy Eaton, David Foran, Gerry Gattenby, Robert Gattenby, Barry Godsey, Tom Grant, Carolyn Hartley, Mike Hartley, Peddgie Heinz, Kay Hines, Rick Hines, Lesia Horton, Lawrence Ireland, Andy Isbell, Mike Jacob, Ron Lather, Tom Lounsbury, Mike McKinney, Greg Miller, Jeff Page, Bob Parks, Bill Pfantz, Dave Porter, Terry Sherman, Eddie Simmons, LaDawna Simmons, Kathy Sumner, Ryan Thompson, Gayle Unruh, Carl Wagner, Regan Youngman,

and special guest, Bill Elliott from the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The meeting was led by Rick Hines and followed the discussion outline that he distributed to the group.
Kathy Sumner summarized the minutes of the last meeting.

Treasury Report:
Wayne Burnett reported that there is currently $4,048.42 in the treasury.  
Recent expenses include $542.50 to drill the 9" hole and $300 to construct
the steel tripod.

New since last meeting:
·A steel tripod to facilitate the jackhammer work has been constructed.
·The backhoe work trip for 1/6/01 was canceled and rescheduled for 1/20/01.  
Jason Percival from Camdenton will do the backhoe work which will consist of
stripping the topsoil down to bedrock in order to set up the steel tripod.
·Greg Fry informed us that electricity is available 150 yards from the hole
and we can bring it up to the drill site for approximately $400.
·Gerry Gattenby has acquired a silo which will be used to construct a
building over the hole. (see Entrance Hardware Committee report)
·Rick Hines received confirmation from Randy Bruegger that he has also had
successful experience creating cave entry with a jackhammer.  Rick expressed
optimism that we could possibly have a 3' diameter hole opened up with a
jackhammer by next summer.

Discussion with Bill Elliott, Missouri State Cave Biologist, Missouri
Conservation Dept.
·Bill pointed out that Indiana bats (which are endangered) are using the
natural entrance to Carroll Cave in the winter. These bats like the coldest
spot in the entrance, not too far inside the entrance.  If they're woken
artificially, such as by humans coming through the entrance, they warm up and
can use ten to thirty days of stored body fat.  They cannot survive being
woken artificially more than once or twice. The Indiana bats will benefit if
traffic through the natural entrance is curtailed.

Gray bats are using Carroll Cave's natural entrance in the summer - gray bats
do not like full gates.  Bat and fish census are recommended.  Lawrence
Ireland has experience in this area and Bill would be willing to help.

·He advised that an artificial entrance into a cave can cause a draft effect
and change the meteorology of the cave if the hole is not closed with an
airtight gate. Rick explained that installing an airtight gate into the new
entrance is a CCC priority - in fact,  MCKC is discussing the possibility of
assisting us with the gating.

·Bill further suggested that CCC may want to consider removing the debris
created from enlarging the hole, rather than leaving it in the cave.  He
explained that this method was used successfully when a jackhammer was used
to create an entrance into Honey Creek Cave in Texas. He also advised that
our jackhammer operators use hearing and respiratory protection. Rick
commented that CCC has received a donation of earplugs from a gun club for
this project, and we plan on using other hearing protection as well.

·Members asked Bill for some general guidelines CCC could follow to protect
the cave once we gain entry.  He explained that CCC has the opportunity to
demonstrate that, if done properly, exploration and mapping can be
accomplished without damaging the ecology of the cave.  He suggested that we
stay out of the stream as much as possible and establish and mark trails to
decrease the negative effects of traffic over years of time.

·He explained the importance of establishing  baseline biological surveys in
the cave - protective agencies cannot apply leverage to prevent manmade
damage without published baseline data.  Officially publishing the data is a
long term investment toward protecting the cave and the life in it.  He
suggested publishing the data in agency reports, scientific journals, and
peer review journals - the NSS Journal of Cave and Karst Studies is a good
example of such an official publication.

With a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MCKC will be conducting
biological surveys in various caves across Missouri. They will be revisiting
caves studied before to compare past data with present.  They would like to
include Carroll Cave in the study and would be available to assist and train
CCC members for the project.  When some members expressed concern over how
long such a project would take and whether it would monopolize the cave, Bill
assured us that such is not the case.  MCKC is also doing  water sample
analysis which he thinks would be interesting to do in Carroll Cave.  Water
analysis is useful to determine if events such as flooding and septic seepage
are causing damage to the cave.

Committee Reports -

·Bylaws: Jeff Page explained that he used MCKC's Constitution & Bylaws as
to create a draft of bylaws for CCC.  However he feels that CCC bylaws should
prescribe more membership involvement and allow the board broader powers to
conduct day to day business.  The main theme of the bylaws is that CCC's
purpose is to conserve and protect the cave.  The bylaws are not quite to the
final stage yet but will be complete before the next CCC meeting.

·Membership:  Bryon Carmoney outlined membership guidelines and emphasized
that CCC membership does not guarantee access.  A motion was carried for
membership dues be set at $30 per year with a $5 discount for members able to
receive correspondence by e-mail and this year membership dues must be paid
by March 1.  Final membership guidelines will be complete before the next CCC
meeting.

·Nominating:  Mike McKinney reported that he received one nomination for
every CCC officer position, Rick Hines for Chairman, Eddie Simmons for
Co-Chairman, Wayne Burnett for Treasurer, and Kathy Sumner for Secretary.  
Members approved the nominations by acclimation.

·Access:  Eddie Simmons outlined the access guidelines and explained the
logic for some of the revisions made to them since the last meeting.  

Project leaders will be appointed in three areas:  survey, science, and
restoration.  Project leaders will be responsible for developing  work
programs with stated long and short term goals which will control why and
where the cave is being used.  Weekends will be reserved for project trips
only. Weekday trips will center around work projects that don't necessarily
require expert skills and the presence of a project leader.

It will be mandatory for trip leaders to submit trip reports. A long
discussion ensued regarding how many approved trip leaders will be initially
appointed, what exactly will be considered as proper qualifications for a
trip leader, and how and when the number of appointed trip leaders would
change.

Several members expressed concern that the access policy needs to be
finalized as soon as possible. Rick asked any members with internet access
and organizational proficiency to lend Eddie a hand with the last stages of
finalizing access policy and several members offered to help.

Members recognized that in volunteering to chair the access committee, Eddie
has taken on one of the most daunting tasks we face as an organization - and
we expressed our gratitude for all the research and hard work he has put into
this project to bring it so close to finalization.

·Survey:  Tom Lounsbury is set to go with the survey procedures he presented
at the last meeting.

·Fundraising: Kathy Sumner expressed appreciation to everyone who has donated
time, services, money, materials and equipment.  

She reported that the next issue of NSS News will include a brief article in
the "News & Notes" department explaining our project and need for additional
funding.

Currently there are three grants that CCC will pursue:

Conservation Technology Support Program Geographic Information Systems has a
basic grant of computer equipment and software that can be used for mapping.

The Ozark National Resources Foundation and the L.A.D. Foundation disburse
funds to organizations benefiting Ozark natural resources.  Kathy will write
a letter the these foundations explaining CCC's conservation goals and if
their committees decide they may want to help fund our project they will send
us grant application guidelines.

Bill Copeland said that he has seen many other conservation oriented grants
listed on the internet.  Kathy explained that she is not yet proficient in
navigating the internet and asked him to forward her anything that looks like
something the CCC would be eligible to apply for.  Members working on the
meal let Kathy know they had a new fundraising idea to discuss after the
meeting.

·Landowner Relations: Rick reported that Greg Fry and Chris Danuser continue to be involved.  He reminded members that CCC's lease around the drill site is for five years only and we need to take care that nothing is done risk our chances for renewal.

·Drilling:  Rick reported that drilling is on hold until the we raise at least 20 thousand dollars - and if our attempt to enlarge the pilot hole with a jackhammer is successful we won't need to drill.

·Entrance Hardware:  Gerry Gattenby will try to acquired a silo, 40' tall and
16' diameter which will be sectioned and used to build a structure over the
hole.

·Web Page:  Marty Griffin could not be in attendance because of the weather
but he continues to remind members that the Carrollcave.org  is our best
option for centralizing information.


New Business:

·Rescue Pre-plan - Greg Miller, a 30 year caver new to the area and new to
CCC, was in attendance and invited to speak on an issue important to caving.  
Greg has coordinated many cave rescue orientation training sessions and
participated in real life rescues.  He stressed the need for CCC to have a
rescue pre-plan outline and volunteered to develop such a plan.  Several CCC
members who are rescue oriented and have received NCRC training agreed that we need to have a pre-plan in place as soon as possible and offered to assist him with this task.

·Schoolhouse Restoration- Rick reported that Greg Fry has offered to let the
CCC use the old schoolhouse which is ½ mile from the hole and near the road.  
The schoolhouse has concrete walls but needs a new roof.  Greg would like to
see it restored to look like the original schoolhouse.  He would be willing to let CCC use it as a bunkhouse along with a one acre tract around it.  Rick is confident that we have enough manpower and expertise among our members to accomplish this task at no cost to Greg.

·Cleanup of Original Dig Site- Rick reported that there is lots of junk at the old dig site that needs to be cleaned up.  Even though Greg has not complained, cleaning up our mess is the right thing to do.

·Final Thoughts to Ponder - A copy of a piece written by Jonathan Beard which recently appeared in the MCKC digest was included in the discussion outline packet distributed to members.  Rick asked that everyone take the time to read and carefully consider Jon's wise advice on cave conservation ethics.

·Next Meeting - The next meeting will be on Sunday, March 11 at Lake Ozark

Minutes by Kathy Sumner