AGENDA for FRIENDS OF THE NORTH FORK OF THE SHENANDOAH RIVERBOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Wednesday December 11, 2008
6:30 pm Call to Order – Ron
Approve Minutes from November Board Meeting -
Committee Updates and Action Items
Business/Governance Committee: - Financial report - Gary
- Status of Quick Books effort - Kim and Gary (discuss categories)
- Quick Books vs/used with Kintera - discussion
- Set up meeting among Kim, Lee, Gary, Leslie and poss. Susie to follow up - Dec. 29?
- 2009 Budget -
- Employee policies - Kim
- Recording of hours for CBF and Agua Fund grant - do not need to be specific (hour by hour)
- Proposal to purchase an all in one printer/fax/copier and scanner for $250
- Evaluation of progress on strategic plan and in creating a strong financial foundation for the future
of the group (per Cecily Kihn's request for an evaluation of how we are "growing" the org. using Augua Funding).
- Chesapeake Bay Funders Group training - Feb. 13-14
Work plan due dates: - November/December 2008 - monitoring and assessment process proposed for evaluating
implementation of strategic plan - Leslie
- Indemnification insurance obtained by Dec. 31, 2008 - Complete!
- Board participation policy adopted - Working
- Board orientation program implemented - Working
- Personnel policies adopted - Working
- IT Policy implemented by end of 2008 - Working
Science - see John's attached report
E. coli/Benthic Project:
- VEE grant awarded! - $23,700 over 2 years
- Chuck and Beverly Veatch pledged $10,000 to complete the match for VEE funding
- John Holmes has donated $1000 to the project.
- pursuing $10,000 grant from Shen. Co. Foundation - LOI accepted 12/7/2008 - application due
2/1/2009
- pursuing $8,500 from NORCROSS - LOI accepted 12/2008
- John will schedule a planning meeting with Woody Bousquet, Karen Andersen, Leslie Watson, and Mary Gessner to plan the implementation of this grant - January 6, 2009
- Drinking Water Study -
- Oak Hill grant awarded for $4500 over one year.
- John is working with Karen Andersen and Woody Bousquet to find a Shenandoah Univ. student to complete this project.
- Monitoring meeting - NOV. 15
- see attached report
Work plan due dates: - John will review and get back to me.
- July 2008 - meet with FOSR to asses monitoring goals - Working
- August 2008 - most important uses and users of surface water monitoring data identified and plan for presenting monitoirng info. developed - to do
- September 2008 - Monitor Appreciation day postponed until Spring 09 (May 9, 2009)
- October 2008 - FNFSR monitoirng goals revised and documented - Working
- FNFSR surface monitoring historical data available via the Friends' website -
- November 2008 - Establish anomaly sub-committee and procedure for following up with anomalies by Fall 2008 - Working
Fundraising Committee - Shenandoah County Budget FY 09-10 request.
- Holiday mailing
- Thank you calls?
- Fundraising plan discussion
- New member recruitment - list and membership renewals calendar
Membership summary - Workplace fundraising - pros and cons
- Planter calendar - takers?
Work plan due dates: - August 2008 - monthly giving program developed - Working
- November 2008 - Holiday appeal - Completed
- Funding program for businesses developed - Working
Policy/Advocacy Committee - Rally for Clean Water - Richmond on January 26
- Mary will attend and possibly take framed prints to legislators - need any help?
- Policy coordination with Potomac Conservancy for Shen. County Community Planning process.
- two letters delivered to relevant groups - Steering Committee, Board of Supervisors, Planning Committee and WRAC
- Presentation of letter to WRAC in order to encourage their adoption of a position on the County planning effort.
- Updates?
Work plan due dates: - System implemented to mobilize members through email and the website to take action on specific issues by September 2008 - Working
Education and Outreach Committee - MARPAT
- Presentation and Ed. Committee Update - Cindy
- Facebook page or blog discussion
Work plan due dates: - September 2008 - Fall newsletter sent out in late September - Completed
- Ed. Committee established - Completed
- January 09 - Newsletter - Working
Volunteer Coordinator - updates
Miscellaneous - Organizational memberships (?):
- VA Conservation Network - did not donate in 2008
- Valley Conservation Council - $50 in 2008
- Calendar
- Cleanups - Saturdays March 14; April 4; October 24; November 21
- Fall Fundraiser - October 10 (Columbus Day weekend)?
- Rain barrel workshop - Tuesday, March 17
- Other workshops -
Grants Summary - see attachment
New Business:Calendar:2008
December. 18-27 - Leslie away but will be working and communicating by email
2009
January 6 - Bacteria and Benthic Project Meeting - 10am FNFSR office
January 8 - FNFSR BOARD Meeting
January 15 - Shenandoah Valley Network Land and Water meeting - 9am New Market
January 15 - Pure Water Forum Board meeting
January 15 - Shenandoah County WRAC meeting - 7pm County Admin. Building
January 22 - Smith Creek TMDL "celebration" to introduce TMDL implementation plan to public.
January 26 - Rally for Clean Water in Richmond - Mary Gessner attending
February 12 - FNFSR Board Meeting
March 12 - FNFSR Board Meeting
March 14 - Tentative Cleanup date
March 17 - Rain Barrel workshop
April 4 - Tentative Cleanup date
April 9 - FNFSR Board Meeting
April 25 - Tentative Annual Meeting date
May 14 - FNFSR Board Meeting
June 11 - FNFSR Board Meeting
July 9 - FNFSR Board Meeting
August 13 - FNFSR Board Meeting
September 10 - FNFSR Board Meeting
October 8 - FNFSR Board Meeting
October 10 - Tentative Fundraising Event date
October 24 - Tentative Cleanup date
November 12 - FNFSR Board Meeting
November 21 - Tentative Cleanup date
December 10 - FNFSR Board Meeting
MINUTES for FRIENDS OF THE NORTH FORK OF THE SHENANDOAH RIVERBOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Wednesday December 11, 2008
6:30 pm Call to Order – Ron
Attendance - Ron Falyar, Mary Gessner, Margaret and Jack Lorenz, Lee Jette, Leslie Watson
Kim Uhl, John Holmes and Gary Proctor provided reports
Approve Minutes from October Board Meeting -
- approved
Committee Updates and Action Items
Business/Governance Committee: - Financial report - Gary
- Leslie explained Gary's latest financial report and the Board discussed the need to determine how to designate spending for capacity building grants. At this point, none of the money granted from the Augua Fund and Ches. Bay Funders for 2008 has been spent. We are still spending down the 2007 grants from these entities. Leslie will try to meet with Kim, Gary, and Lee Jette on
Sunday to finalize the budget and work this spending issue out.
- Gary suggested opening another short term CD with the "extra" funding we have right now. The
Board approved for Gary to open a short term CD for the appropriate amount.
- Status of Quick Books effort - Kim and Gary (discuss categories)
- Quick Books vs/used with Kintera - discussion - will discuss hopefully in the Sunday meeting but
basically Quick Books will be the financial management area and Kintera will be the membership
tracking database.
- Set up meeting among Kim, Lee, Gary, Leslie and poss. Susie to follow up - Dec. 29?
- 2009 Budget -
- I will send around the budget by email so that John Holmes can look at the numbers and give his approval via email.
- Employee policies - Kim will update
- Recording of hours for CBF and Agua Fund grant - do not need to be specific (hour by hour)
- Proposal to purchase an all in one printer/fax/copier and scanner for $250:
- go ahead and purchase one for $250 or less - Lee Jette will follow up with this.
- Evaluation of progress on strategic plan and in creating a strong financial foundation for the future
of the group (per Cecily Kihn's request for an evaluation of how we are "growing" the org. using Augua Funding).
- Board discussed that we have made vast improvements, laying the ground work for a stronger org.' beefing up the Board and a new volunteer coordinator.
- Chesapeake Bay Funders Group training - Feb. 13-14
- board will let me know - John Holmes possibly.
- Lee might be interested.
Work plan due dates: - November/December 2008 - monitoring and assessment process proposed for evaluating
implementation of strategic plan - Leslie
- JANUARY MEETING - EVALUATION!
- Indemnification insurance obtained by Dec. 31, 2008 - Complete!
- Board participation policy adopted - Working
- Board orientation program implemented - Working
- Personnel policies adopted - Kim is sending around a final version.
- IT Policy implemented by end of 2008 - Working
Science - see John's attached report
E. coli/Benthic Project:
- VEE grant awarded! - $23,700 over 2 years
- Chuck and Beverly Veatch pledged $10,000 to complete the match for VEE funding
- John Holmes has donated $1000 to the project.
- pursuing $10,000 grant from Shen. Co. Foundation - LOI accepted 12/7/2008 - application due
2/1/2009 - Mary thinks we should pursue.
- pursuing $8,500 from NORCROSS - LOI accepted 12/2008
- John will schedule a planning meeting with Woody Bousquet, Karen Andersen, Leslie Watson, and Mary Gessner to plan the implementation of this grant - January 6, 2009 at 10am in Friends' office.
- Lee will help out with finances.
- Drinking Water Study -
- Oak Hill grant awarded for $4500 over one year.
- figure out how best to sample for contamination in drinking water - treated water focus
(municipal water) since we have tested for trace orgs. in drinking water.
- Margaret thinks well water should be tested in addition to municipal water.
- John is working with Karen Andersen and Woody Bousquet to find a Shenandoah Univ. student to complete this project.
- Monitoring meeting - NOV. 15
- see attached report
- cumulative effect, no regulatory levels for most pollutants
- be prepared to fight for story of this as well as bacteria.
Work plan due dates: - John will review and get back to me.
- July 2008 - meet with FOSR to assess monitoring goals - Working
- August 2008 - most important uses and users of surface water monitoring data identified and plan for presenting monitoirng info. developed - to do
- September 2008 - Monitor Appreciation day postponed until Spring 09 (May 9, 2009)
- October 2008 - FNFSR monitoirng goals revised and documented - Working
- FNFSR surface monitoring historical data available via the Friends' website -
- November 2008 - Establish anomaly sub-committee and procedure for following up with anomalies by Fall 2008 - Working
Fundraising Committee - Shenandoah County Budget FY 09-10 request.
- ask for $4,000 again and will work on what we need it for in January.
- Holiday mailing
- Thank you calls to Holiday donors - Leslie will send list around
- Fundraising plan discussion
- New member recruitment - list and membership renewals calendar See chart at bottom of the page
- Margaret recommends increasing number of recruitment mailing and renewal mailings
.
Membership summary 
- Workplace fundraising - pros and cons
- United Way for VA state workers - does not require an audit (Lee will find information).
- Planter calendar - takers?
- Margaret would like a calendar if that is possible.
Work plan due dates: - August 2008 - monthly giving program developed - Working
- November 2008 - Holiday appeal - Completed
- Funding program for businesses developed - Working
- concentrate on individual
Updates:
- John is going to work with Jack on funding from the Mellon Foundation - up to half million
dollars….. Jack and John will visit
- $200,000 to run Friends' org.
- $300,000 could be used for purchasing development rights - Stonewall Jackson land conservation project. Jackson celebration next year or 2010
Policy/Advocacy Committee - Rally for Clean Water - Richmond on January 26
- Mary will attend and possibly take framed prints to legislators - need any help?
- $60 a piece to frame at Ben Franklin with plaque (less than $100 per print)
- ordered four frames - Gilbert, Vogel, Obenshain, Auction item for Strasburg Rotary.
- need to develop an agenda for the visit.
- need to visit with Todd Gilbert - along with Jeff Kelble - to discuss specific legislation
- poultry litter, stormwater regulations, DEQ budget
- do this between now and Jan. 26.
- Mary will contact Jeff Kelble.
- Policy coordination with Potomac Conservancy for Shen. County Community Planning process.
- two letters delivered to relevant groups - Steering Committee, Board of Supervisors, Planning Committee and WRAC.
- gear up to help the county support low density - as there are already 7,000 lots by right
- will likely be a struggle to get the low density passed.
- 20 acre parcels with cluster
- keep 3.5 year timing practice as well.
- use existing 7,000 lots as a tool, timing (1 lot every 3.5 years), low density, etc.
- key advocacy project for Friends in 2009 - use Friends' email list to get members to right letters to the BOS to support our cause.
- need to set up a system for getting the right info. to members - i.d their supervisors, give their own supervisor's address; Vince Poling; and County Staff,
do by zip code.
- major good effect for river quality
- where do farmers stand? Farm Bureau agreeable to this plan (but in minority). Others
are extremely focused on property rights.
- Rotary meeting - Obenshain was speaker - state legislature big issues = personal property
very big.
- Presentation of letter to WRAC in order to encourage their adoption of a position on the County
planning effort. - Leslie (and Margaret possibly) meeting with Patrick to discuss this on
Jan. 8 at 10am.
- Updates?
- Stormwater behind Walmart -
- Woodstock is due for a stormwater by DCR.
- Leslie will take pictures tomorrow and send to Jim Echols.
Work plan due dates: - System implemented to mobilize members through email and the website to take action on specific issues by September 2008 - Working - SEE ABOVE discussion.
Education and Outreach Committee - MARPAT - granted $20,000 for 2009
- this will allow Cindy to increase to a 20 hour work week.
- Presentation and Ed. Committee Update - Cindy
- presentation update discussion - one standard presentation but try to flavor the presentation for particular group rather than making 6 versions of the presentation.
- New idea from Lee will include a series of slides showing a cow pooping in the river and illustrating how long it takes to move down river and what is passes through along its way (your faucet).
- Facebook page or blog discussion - table for January meeting
- Mary read about homeowners in Strasburg that want to install a rain garden at their house. She will find out who this is and if they would be interested in working with Friends to do this.
Work plan due dates:
- September 2008 - Fall newsletter sent out in late September - Completed
- Ed. Committee established - Completed
- January 09 - Newsletter - Working
Volunteer Coordinator - Lee Jette discussed the need to develop a definition of membership - dues (only) based; include people that attend the Fish Fry but haven't paid dues; time period to keep them as "active" members, etc.
- Database:
- Lee is exploring the "Volunteer Center" option with Kintera - currently Friends does not have this component through Kintera. Lee is exploring the option to see if it would be worthwhile to add to our portfolio.
- Lee is also trying to figure out how to delete or hide non-active members
- Lee brought up the possibility of developing a Report Card for the organization for reporting on volunteer involvement.
- give volunteers a quick summary of activities (with letter grades - regarding how we are doing) = contemplate rating system.
- attach monetary amount to actions within organization - your donation of such and such an amount buy this.
- would be interesting to ask membership to rate us.
- way to highlight our accomplishments.
Miscellaneous - Organizational memberships (?):
- VA Conservation Network - did not donate in 2008 - $50 to them
- Valley Conservation Council - $50 to them
- Calendar - Cleanups - Saturdays March 14; April 4; October 24; November 21
- need sites
- Fall Fundraiser - October 10 (Columbus Day weekend)?
- target this but look for options - get Diane to work on this.
- Laughlin Auction place in Edinburg
- Annual Meeting -
- Board would like to do an awards program for farmers at this event
- get names of farmers who have done conservation practices on their own (not necessarily cost share).
- will also do the volunteer of the year award and Diane G. will be this years winner.
- possible presentation by Sen. Warner with old photos.
- sent a briefing statement to Warner in December.
- possibly at annual meeting.
- Jack has a history with Warner via Izaak Walton League - may be helpful.
- organization - day - inside/outside/sit down dinner - not sure - will discuss in committee.
- need to form a committee immediately (include farmer reps on the awards committee)…..Mary will find out farmers who have done conservation practices on their own.
Proposed FNFSR 2009 Budget.pdf
New Business:
none at this time.
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