West Virginia Council Trout Unlimited

Winter Meeting – Days Inn Conference Center
Flatwoods, WV

February 11, 2012

Attendees: Philip Smith - KVCTU (Chair), Larry Orr – KVCTU (Past Chair), Robb Dittmar - PPKTU (Vice-Chair), Steve Young - KVCTU (Vice-Chair), Dave Fulton - BCTU (NLC), Jonathan Paine – MCTU (Secretary), CD Caldwell – KVCTU, Ernie Nester – KVCTU, Todd Taylor – KVCTU, Brad Henry – PPKTU, Bill Thorne – PPKTU, Stephen Saluk – BCTU, Steve Sattler – KVCTU, Ken Yufer – KVCTU, Jeff Nelsen – KVCTU, Dennis Cottrill – KVCTU, David Bott – PPKTU, Larry Harris – PPKTU, Gary Berti – MCTU, Lee Orr – KVCTU, Al VanHoey – PPKTU, Randy Kesling – MCTU, Clint Ferguson – KVCTU.

Special Guests: Chris Wood – CEO Trout Unlimited, Graham Simmerman – Virginia Council TU Chair

  • 10:15am Call to Order – Phil Smith, Chair
  • Approval of Minutes –Fall Council Meeting 2011
  • Council Report & Updates (Slideshow) – Phil
  • F3T Festival
  • No motion needed for Fly Fishing Film Tour (budget)
  • April 7
  • General Updates
  • Mountain State Trout Fest
  • 2013
  • Fly Fishing School, WVAngler.com Campout, Cleanup integrations
  • Seneca Rocks Discovery Center
  • New WVTU.org Website
  • Graham Simmerman – VCTU beta.troutunlimited.com
  • Social Media Interaction
  • Dave Fulton – NLC Report – 11:00am
  • Real Property
  • Financial Report – Phil (via Bubba written report)
  • Available balance as of Fall Council Meeting - $18,018.24
  • Current available balance as of February 1, 2012 - $15856.79
  • Financial Report attached
  • Fly Fishing School
  • 10 Students already, expects 20 students by May 18
  • Advertising locally
  • Sandy Creek Farms donating food for the weekend
  • Dozen volunteers
  • By Laws
  • NLC Representative Larry Harris – suggestion not to “handcuff” NLC rep makes amendment
  • Bob Bittner 2nd Amendment
  • Open Discussion – Phil Smith, Lee Orr, Larry Harris, Randy Kesling, Bob Bittner, Larry Orr, Steve Young, Dave Bott, Bill Thorne, Robb Dittmar, CD Caldwell, Ernie Nester, Dave Fulton – Neutral
  • “NLC shall act and vote in the cooperation and coordination on relevant NLC policies”
  • Amendment Larry Harris – “The NLC representative shall act and vote with the coordination and cooperation of the council” (As 9 in favor – 4 opposed) 2/3 vote
  • Unanimous on By-Laws vote
  • Chapter Re-charting – Larry Orr
  • 2 inactive chapters not receiving rebates for (Greenbrier and Upper Guyandotte)
  • Larry Orr proposes to move forward to notifying chapter members for potential decharter, Steve Young will assist
  • Committee Reports
  • Fisheries Management – Lee Orr
  • Update on NLC stocking over native trout
  • WVCTU – Developed a committee to speak on behalf of concerns of the latest and submitted to Larry Harris, NLC. Virtually prohibiting all stocking in WV because of wording “seasonal and migratory” trout.
  • Dave Bott – recommends to not stock specific waters
  • Council has concerns B2 water quality protection, will review stream by stream
  • Forestry – Needs a Committee Chair
  • Meeting with Highlands Conservancy – Ban on clear cut in the MNF (Larry Orr/Don Gasper)
  • Going to TU National for legal support – they said its up to WVCTU to take this on
  • Gary Berti – Big Run – Controlled burning concerns with Forest Service
  • Law Enforcement Committee – Robb Dittmar – Interested in purchasing spotting scopes for poachers
  • Awards Chair Committee – C.D. Caldwell –Forming new committee, refocus on awards for who deserves them
  • Marcellus Shale Update – Randy Kesling –– Written report
  • Chris Wood – CEO Trout Unlimited
  • Chapter Reports
  • BCTU – Dave Fulton
  • Upcoming Calendar Events – see Written Report
  • Grant from Dupont for TIC, Requests $9,000.00 loan from WVCTU, Robb Dittmarr Motion to front money to BCTU, Dave Bott seconded motion. Unanimous passage. (WVCTU expected to be reimbursed after 60 days)
  • KVCTU – Jeff Nelsen
  • Activities update – 606 active members
  • $33,000.00 budget
  • 20 days of chapter events scheduled (Stocking, youth, SOS, etc).
  • 40 members working hunt/fish show (CD Caldwell led operation)
  • PHW – Forming
  • 63,000 Brown Trout fingerling total to be stocked (primarily in southern WV over 9 different days. Since late 70s, 1.3 million brown trout stocked).
  • See written report for more details
  • MCTU – Randy Kesling (via Chris Byrd)
  • Roaring Creek monitoring and restoration, grant proposal
  • See Chris Byrd’s email (sent to Jonathan and Phil)
  • PHW going great
  • PPKTU – Brad Henry
  • Banquet fundraiser
  • Seneca Rocks Discovery Center clean-up
  • 3 schools on TIC, 1 for next year
  • Donated $3,000 to limestone fund
  • Stockings in May (15,000 -18,000 fingerlings)
  • UOVTU – Judy Emailed Phil updates
  • KYOVA – Todd Emailed Phil updates
  • Elk River WWTP – Larry Orr/Ken Yufer– Still in the lawyers hands, 62 deficiencies that must be fixed
  • Site 7a – submitting to DEP informally
  • Then submitting formally on the 20th (a week early)
  • By 27th, DEP will have project recommendation from Pocahontas County PSD
  • AMD Task Force – Bill Thorne – Abandoned Mine Drainage
  • Goal is to restore 10 or more miles of Brook trout streams.
  • 2 streams has been restored
  • Temperature monitoring with DEP
  • Eric Coberly is re-forming Task Force back together this fall.
  • Three Forks in the works with “Save the Tygart” group and DEP – not brook trout water
  • Youth Updates – Phil Smith
  • Calendar of Events – Phil Smith
  • Motion to Adjourn: Dave Fulton, Larry Orr seconded motion.

END OF MEETING 4:23p