SERNW Monthly Board Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

6PM- 7PM Conference Call

Conference call number: 605-475-6711 Access code: 315192

Rolf G., Jim H. (Signed off at 6:30), Dave P., Laura P. (signed off at 6:30), Samantha R., Allison W., Regina W., David S., Rodney P., and Rory D.

  1. Board Administration
  2. August 16 Meeting Minutes Review. Board will wait to approve Aug minutes at a later meeting to ensure that discussion was adequately captured.
  3. Treasurers Report (Samantha)

Conference Fund - $35,907.54

General Fund - $1,750.06

Scholarship Fund - $3,825.57

Investments - $69,000.77

  1. Old Business
  2. Board welcomed David Sabaj-Stahl to the SERNW Board of Directors position #2 vacated by Barry Sutherland.
  3. Invitation to Matt Dunkle from the University of Idaho to become Student Representative. Rolf has put a call in but not reached him yet to discuss his availability. Regina offered to help identify another student if Matt is not available.
  4. Approve student scholarship amount of $4,500 for 2017. Use some of money not previously expended to supplement 2017. We had postponed decision until 2017 annual budget was prepared. Allison asked about amount expected from endowment. Samantha stated that the financial adviser has said that the endowment would return enough funds for this size of scholarship. Rolf moved that we allocate the $4500 for the 2017 scholarship cycle. Motion unanimously approved. Jim and Laura will work on advertising scholarship.
  5. New Business:
  6. Rory reported on his involvement in the Washington state Recreation and Conservation Office’s Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program. He would like to start compiling information on the various funding sources for restoration around the region so that SERNW can start tracking those funding sources and assessing their effectiveness.
  7. Rodney reported that he met with UWBG regarding No need for MOA as there is not a proposal, provide connection to students, guidance regarding SER certification standards, potential instructors, not a formal partnership, UWBG will be moving ahead with a couple of classes although death of Sarah Reichard may slow process down. Rolf thought that it will make sense for SERNW to develop standards for our involvement with in these type of educational programs in the future.
  8. Recurring Business (6:20)
  9. Board Committee Reports
  10. Program Committee (Rolf) Discussed possible locations for next conference, and possible partner organizations. Michael is working on riparian workshop for Klamath region.
  11. Finance Committee (Samantha) is developing plan for using conference proceeds and will become recommendations to board, still divesting from carbon fuel, recommending $4500 scholarship funding, developing yearly baseline operating budget, Allison commented that there should be a conference year and non-conference year operating budgets. Allison stated that we need to submit final report for USFS grant for conference by September 30, 2016.
  12. Grants Committee (Jim) – update covered in discussion above.
  13. Board Development (Allison) still need to fill a director at large position. Allison nominated Regina. Regina accepted and mentioned also that she will be serving SER Certification committee. Rolf called for a vote. The board unanimously approved having Regina fill the vacant director at large position.
  14. Strategic Communications (Allison) Newsletter was sent out to membership. Allison asked for articles for the next newsletter in October. Need to update Chapter roster.
  15. Student Representative (Regina) Education workshops being hosted by UW Student chapter.
  16. SER Rep report (Dave Polster) Certification Committee is moving ahead, new SER website. Looking forward to conference in Brazil in 2017. SER Western Canada is planning conference at SFU in late Feb. 2018 and possibly as North American conference.
  17. Next meeting Tuesday, October 18, 2016, 6:00-7:00 pm