Native Plant Society of Texas
Minutes of the Quarterly State Board Meeting
January 27, 2007
Fredericksburg, Texas
President, Melissa Miller called the meeting to order. Voting members present were as follows: Kirsti Harms (Austin Chapter), John Rogers (Bandera County Chapter), Rebecca Yoder (Boerne Chapter), Joe Hoelle (Concho Valley Chapter), Duane Smith, (Cross Timbers Chapter), Bill Hopkins (Dallas Chapter), Kent Rylander (Fredericksburg Chapter), Barbara Anderson (Highland Lakes Chapter), Sandra Magee (Kerrville Chapter), Jean Philips (Lindheimer Chapter), Alvin Cearley (Lost Pines Chapter), Nell Freedman (Northeast Texas Chapter), Ed Wood (Tonkawa Chapter), Cathy Lustgarten (Trinity Forks Chapter), Randy Pensabene, (Williamson County Chapter), and State Officers: Melissa Miller (President), Phyllis Dolich (President-elect), Carol Feldman (VP Administration), Helena van Heiningen (VP Chapter Liaison), Gailon Hardin (VP Finance), and Bill Lindemann (Past President). Also present: Mike & Jennifer McBride (Coordinators), Joy Smith, Carolyn Spikch, Cynthia Maguire, Tricia Hopkins, Sue Tracy, Scott Magee, and LaVerne Wood.
Motion: Move to approve minutes of the October 21, 2006 Annual Membership Meeting with spelling corrections. 1st Cathy Lustgarten. 2nd Barbara Anderson. Motion carried.
Motion: Move to approve minutes of the October 21, 2006 Quarterly Board Meeting with revisions. 1st Bill Lindemann. 2nd Ed Wood. Motion carried.
ELECTED OFFICERS REPORTS
Past President, Bill Lindemann reported that as Past President he was the chairperson of the Awards Committee. This is a project that is just beginning and everyone is invited to contribute ideas and suggestions for the awards. A committee will be formed to work on the award selection.
VP Chapter Liaison, Helena van Heiningen reported that the organization is holding at 29 Chapters. The South Plains Chapter in Lubbock is closing, but we have a new chapter (Cross Timbers Chapter) starting up and requesting acceptance today. The average membership of all the chapters is 52. The smallest chapter has 7 members, and the largest chapter has 172 members. She would like to extend her help and service to chapters. Helena has compiled a power-point presentation designed to provide day to day practical information for Chapters. This presentation is now available on the bluebonnet link of the NPSOT web site.
VP Finance, Gailon Hardin provided a Balance Sheet Summary as of December 31, 2006 which indicated that NPSOT has Total Liabilities & Equity of $81,581.25. She also provided a Profit & Loss Statement for January through December 2006. The document indicates a Net Loss for the year in the amount of $1,783.09
President, Melissa Miller indicated that the Spring Symposium will not occur this year. In the past, the LBJ Wildflower Center staff does most of the planning, but this year they will not be able to spend adequate time on this project. Melissa indicated that she was not able to take on that task this year either.
VP Administration, Carol Feldman indicated that the unapproved minutes from October did make it to the web site prior to this meeting. I will continue to get these unapproved minutes available earlier for members to read. Also, the Standing Rules require some revisions and these proposed changes will also be put on the web site so that members can review prior to voting on them at a Quarterly Board meeting.
CONTRACTOR REPORT
Mike McBride of McBride Consulting & Services indicated that they have found that they cannot do everything that they originally had hoped to be able to accomplish for NPSOT. They would like to cut back expectations, and concentrate only on what is critical to NPSOT. Details will be outlined in the proposed contract to be presented later in this meeting.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Chairman of the Nominating Committee, Cynthia Maguire, presented a Call for Nominations. Since no person can hold a Board position more than two years they are looking for several positions. They are looking for leaders. The committee hopes to have some possibilities at the April meeting, and a complete roster of nominees by the July meeting. The NPSOT Executive Board has requested that the committee look for leaders in Coastal area, Beaumont, Galveston or the Big Thicket; Abilene or Lubbock; or the Wichita Falls area. Lonnie Childs, Joe Hoelle, and Nell Freedman are also members of the Nominating Committee.
President-elect and Chairman of the Symposium Planning Committee, Phyllis Dolich, presented a rundown of the Symposium planning. They have a full list of confirmed speakers, hotel information and offer sponsorship and vendor opportunities. They are also offering a photography contest to get people out in the field prior to the meetings. Sponsors and vendors have a great opportunity for exposure to publicity since the planning group has started early. Sponsors can fund specific events. Del Webb has committed to a sponsorship. There will be publicity in local newspapers and the committee has acquired some PBS time.
BUSINESS MEETING
Issue: Duane Smith, a longtime NPSOT member of other chapters requested the Board to accept a new Chapter forming in Weatherford calling itself the ‘Cross Timbers Chapter.’ The group started with 12 members, has adopted By-Laws, and elected officers with Duane Smith as President. They have grown quickly, with a Jan.26 count of members at 23.
Motion: Move to accept the Cross Timbers Chapter (Weatherford) as a new chapter of NPSOT. 1st Carol Feldman. 2nd Helena van Heiningen. Motion carried.
Issue: Nomination of Nancy Masterson and Jason Spangler to the Audit Committee.
Discussion: Carol Feldman cited her notes from the October 22, 2005 Annual Business Meeting (no official minutes for this meeting have been compiled). According to notes, then President, Belinda McCoy McLaughlin announced that the Audit Committee would have three members and that one member would rotate out each year. The newly appointed Committee was to consist of Bob Pickens, Chairman, with a one year term, Sue Tracy with a two year term and Ron Loper with a three year term.
Bill Lindemann confirmed the original appointments and committee structure, but felt that this structure could be amended or changed if it was in the best interest of NPSOT.
Sue Tracy indicated that she would like to see the Audit Committee have a minimum of three members but not a set number. She felt that it was a benefit to have additional people on the committee that had shown positive interest in the workings and responsibilities of the Audit Committee.
Motion: Move to accept Nancy Masterson and Jason Spangler to the NPSOT Audit Committee. 1st Rebecca Yoder. 2nd Cathy Lustgarten. Motion carried.
Issue: South Plains Chapter treasurer’s request for earmarking funds. This Chapter was closed with about $500 in the bank. Treasurer wants assurance that the money will be returned to the Chapter should the South Plains Chapter be re-started.
Discussion: There is precedence in this issue; several years ago, the Tonkawa Chapter closed and requested that their monies be held in case they restarted. The Board voted on this issue and approved to return the money to this chapter if they reactivated. The Tonkawa Chapter did restart and the chapter money was returned to them from the State office.
The State Officers have recommended that this issue be addressed as a Standing Rules change and allow all Chapters the option if they are forced to close.
Gailon Hardin and Mike McBride felt that it would not be difficult to set up the accounting to accommodate holding funds in escrow for Chapters if needed.
Ed and LaVerne Wood, representatives of the Tonkawa Chapter indicated that getting the money back has helped their ability to restart their Chapter. They did feel that the amount of time between Chapter closing and restart might need to be 2 or 3 years.
Past President, Bill Lindemann pointed out that the biggest issue is to get the club back on the ground if possible. He suggested that we be very flexible to give the Chapters all the help that we can to give them the ability to restart. He thought the time limit should be three years.
Motion: Move to change the Standing Rules under part V to the following:
V. INACTIVE CHAPTERS
A. Any chapter which has had no NPSOT-related activity for a period exceeding 12 months (activities including but not limited to organization meetings, speaker programs, field trips, member services or community activities promoting NPSOT) and/or which has neglected to return the financial statements required by the NPSOT State Office shall be deemed inactive. Inactive chapters shall not be eligible for membership rebates until they have requested reactivation status from the State Board, and their request has been approved.
B. Any chapter that requests an inactive status can also request that chapter funds exceeding $100 be held in escrow by the State for a period of three years. If the chapter reactivates within three years, the money can be returned to the chapter. In doing so, the chapter forfeits the $100 ‘newly formed’ chapter contribution from the State. All interest accumulated on the escrowed funds will be retained by the State organization.
1st Barbara Anderson. 2nd Joe Hoelle. Motion carried.
Issue: 2007 Budget
Discussion: Mike McBride presented 2007 projected costs for operations of the State Office. There is an increase in dues revenue due to increased dues rates now in effect. There also are increases in chapter rebates because of this change. Web site costs are increased because more chapters are making use of the web site space and more hosting space is needed to accommodate these changes.
It was pointed out that this is not a full budget, because it only has the items for which the Coordinators have responsibility and the ability to forecast 2007 needs. There are other line items in normal yearly budgets for which the Board Officers should offer proposed costs and cost decisions. Decisions yet to be made are for line items such as, but not to be limited to, Donations to other organizations, and Travel costs for the VP Chapter Liaison. In past years, the State Officers and Coordinator have met in December to discuss and establish the following year’s budget for approval by the NPSOT board in January.
Motion: Move to accept the Projected Revenue and Expense for 2007 as a Temporary Budget until a 2007 Budget can be compiled for approval at the next Board meeting. 1st Bill Lindemann. 2nd Helena van Heiningen. Motion carried.
Issue: Contract with McBride Consulting & Services for services as contract Coordinators of the NPSOT State office.
Discussion: The McBrides indicated that they now have a year of experience to better determine what they can realistically accomplish as contract Coordinators for NPSOT. They have had to cut back on what they can do, but have focused on keeping duties that are critical and have a high value for NPSOT. Some duties that they recommend dropping from their contract: Some Symposium duties such as selling products at the Symposium, the ‘store’ sales at the office, and newsletter advertising.
Motion: Move to accept the contract with McBride Consulting & Services as presented. 1st Bill Hopkins. 2nd Kent Rylander. Motion carried.
Issue: Closing the NPSOT Store.
Discussion: Jennifer McBride presented a case for closing the NPSOT store. Cited were the following reasons: 1. Too time-consuming and expensive to operate. 2. Not enough demand for the products. 3. It’s not making money. 4. Too much money tied up in inventory. 5. More effective ways to generate revenue. 6. More effective ways to promote NPSOT.
Motion: Move to close the NPSOT store, and have the Coordinators liquidate the store inventory in an appropriate manner. 1st Cynthia Maguire. 2nd John Rogers. Motion carried.
Issue: Long Range Planning
Discussion: President, Melissa Miller presented the issue of long-range-planning as a need that has been considered and attempted by the organization in the past but with little result. She feels that it is wise for us to pursue a long-range plan at this time. There is a need to process our needs and as a final result, come up with a plan that the organization can carry forward. She has negotiated with an outside consultant that has provided us a proposal to work with the NPSOT organization to develop a new strategic plan for the growth and development of NPSOT. She provided a full proposal from Ed Conroy for the project with a total cost of $2,000. The meetings would be scheduled in coordination with the quarterly meetings. There is a concern over the process which in the past has been painful. With the use of an outside consultant, we might be able to discourage some of these problems.
Phyllis Dolich opposed the proposal because of concerns that NPSOT volunteers don’t have time to put time into this project. It will require additional travel time and additional expense to members. She questioned the need for long range planning for the organization.
Cynthia Maguire spoke in favor of the proposal and felt that strategic planning would be a good thing for the organization.
Duane Smith and other members inquired as to how this planning process might help the chapters. The answering discussion considered that the main need is for NPSOT is to grow a strong membership base. There were questions as to how to reach the market and get the word out to potential members. Another thought about the planning was that the Long-term planning would increase the effectiveness of the State organization and as a result, provide more assistance to the chapters.