Friday, January 22, 2010 Minutes – Page 2
Rutgers EnviroStewards Alumni Association
(RESAA) Executive Board Meeting Minutes
Friday, January 22, 2010
ATTENDANCE: Bill Curzie, Jim May, Dionne Polk, Barry Draycott, Irene Sabin, Bruce Barbour
President Bill Curzie called the meeting to order at 10:20 a.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES;
The following amendment was made to the October 28, 2009 RESAA minutes: “Bruce announced that Cook College – now called the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences - will feature EnviroSteward projects on its website throughout the month of December.”
The minutes were approved as amended.
CORRESPONDENCE – None
Barry Draycott (EcoComplex ’07) was welcomed to his first RESAA meeting since completing the RES course. Barry owns Tech-Terra Organics, LLC, http://www.techterraorganics.com in Mt Laurel, NJ. (609-468-1905). Tech Terra is a distributor of natural plant care products for tree, landscape and lawn-care customers, both commercial and residential. On January 11 and 12, Barry and a colleague from MA, Chip Osborne of Osborne Organics, presented a two day course in Integrated Nutrient Management held at the Rutgers EcoComplex for lawn care professionals. The $300 course (which included lunches) was well received by the professional audience and Barry plans to offer a one day course, as well. The group felt that ANJEC, local Environmental Commissions, Sustainable Jersey groups and Rutgers Continuing Education office should be made aware that this type of course is available.
RES PROGRAM COORDINATOR’S REPORT
· The 2010 RES classes have started with a total of 57 students in four locations:
1. Atlantic County – 12
2. EcoComplex – 13
3. Essex – 12
4. Duke – 20
At the end of 2010, there will be about 275 RES alumni. Bruce promotes RESAA in all the classes. There was a discussion of the use of the “Steward” title for students who complete courses of much shorter duration than the RES Program (some for only one day). The general consensus was that this was not a fair practice to the RES Program and alumni, who have spent at least 120 hours in class and as volunteers.
· Two alumni educational events are scheduled in the South Jersey area:
1. A Rain Garden Workshop on March 27 or April 17, 2010 is planned by Amy Menzel, Coordinator of the Atlantic County RES class
2. “Reclam the Bay” and how to do it will be held in July or August by Cara Muscio, Marine Extension Agent of Ocean County. This event is part of the Barnegat Bay Shellfish Restoration Program (www.reclamthebay.org)
· The NJDEP is in the process of re-organizing after the recent elections so the proposed annual meeting for all alumni with DEP speakers is currently projected for May, 2010.
· Bruce said that he has been offered the position of Warren County Extension Agent upon the retirement of the current Agent. He would also continue to direct the Rutgers Environmental Stewards Program, as well.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
I. Computer Communications/ RESAA Website Committee
Dionne reviewed previous discussions of content for the website. Bruce suggested that we divide our goals into first and second levels of difficulty and begin working with the easiest to achieve. For example:
· “Networking” is one of our main objectives and includes:
1. First Step: Posting RESAA meeting dates, the meeting minutes, announcements and descriptions of general alumni meetings, and certified alumni, class/year, photo and their projects. (An email listserve would also fall into this level of networking)
2. Second Step: Arranging links to all projects in a given category, such as “watershed” or “land preservation” and links to alumni that worked within those categories. Once this is achieved, the next step could be the formation of a database of volunteers
· “Continuing Education”
1. First Step: Simple listing if events in the minutes and on a “continuing education” page. Using the Rutgers calendar format for listing events is a possibility.
2. Second Step: Links to other organizations and their calendars of events.
Dionne will write a working document explaining functions which will lead to a ladder or flow chart for obtaining our objectives. Who will perform the functions also needs to be determined.
OLD BUSINESS - none
NEW BUSINESS
The current email list for RESAA meeting materials contains 22 addresses. Irene will include a message with the next meeting materials asking if anyone wants to be removed from the list. Bruce added the four RES class coordinators to the list:
· Jan Zientek (Essex)
· Rosalie Kelly (Duke)
· Laurie Magee (EcoComplex)
· Amy Menzel
Display Table Materials that have been used at public events include photos of alumni projects class photos, posters of intern projects and their impacts, printed handouts of projects/impacts, RESAA mission statement, Bylaws, Questionnaires, RES brochures and RES banners. Bill suggested that we have a master set of these materials available at each of the four class locations to be checked out for use. Bruce will check on the feasability of storage and accessibility at each location, especially Duke Farms because of its entrance gate. Irene will send Bruce any materials she has collected and he will have the four master sets reproduced.
New Projects: Bill would like to approach the Burlington County Community College about cooperating with RESAA on some projects. He will contact them and report at the next meeting.
The Next RESAA Meeting is at the EcoComplex on Friday, March 12, 2010:
9:30 – 10:00 idea exchange; 10:00 to Noon – business meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at noon.
Respectfully Submitted,
Irene O. Sabin
908-806-8895