AGENDA for
FRIENDS OF THE NORTH FORK OF THE SHENANDOAH RIVERBOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Wednesday November 5, 2008
6:30 pm Call to Order – Ron
Approve Minutes from October Board Meeting -
Introductions:- Lee Jette
Committee Updates and Action Items
Business/Governance Committee: - Financial report - Gary
- Fish Fry numbers
- Status of Quick Books effort - Kim and Gary (discuss categories)
- 2009 Budget
- Insurance Update - Kim
- Worker's Comp., D&O, Liability paid to Travelers
- Employee policies - Kim
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
- Board participation policy adopted.
- Board orientation program implemented.
- Personnel policies adopted
- IT Policy implemented by end of 2008
Science Committee - E. Coli/Benthic project - John Holmes
- update and discussion
- Drinking Water Study
- Shenandoah Valley Science meeting report - Mary Gessner
Work plan due dates: - July 2008 - meet with FOSR to asses monitoring goals - to do
- 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 (April)
- October 2008 - FNFSR monitoirng goals revised and documented - to do
- FNFSR surface monitoring historical data available via the Friends' website - to do
- November 2008 - Establish anomaly sub-committee and procedure for following up with anomalies by Fall 2008
Fundraising Committee - Fish Fry 2008 update - Leslie Watson
- Holiday mailing
- Nov. 11 mail letter - Mary will coordinate effort after Leslie's gone
- Ornaments have been ordered (lowest number can order = 100)
- need committee to mail ornaments out
- Planter calendar - discussion
- Fundraising plan discussion - Leslie will prepare for December board meeting
Work plan due dates: - August 2008 - monthly giving program developed - to do
- November 2008 - Holiday appeal
- Funding program for businesses developed by the end of 2008.
Policy/Advocacy Committee - Rally for Clean Water - Richmond on January 26
- George Washington Nat. Forest Resolution - send to Megan or on own.
- Present to County BOS or not.
- Policy coordination with Potomac Conservancy - Mary Gessner/Margaret Lorenz
- County planning effort
- WRAC meeting substitute for Leslie - Nov. 20, 7pm
Work plan due dates:
- System implemented to mobilize members through email and the website
to take action on specific issues by September 2008 - to do
Education and Outreach Committee - Presentation and Ed. Committee Update - Cindy
- pod cast
- coupon book
- Herald article - next one due Nov. 21
Work plan due dates: - Posting of volunteer accomplishments on Web and Newsletter by end of 2009.
- Web and email volunteer appeals implemented by end of 2009.
__ - Committee appointed.
Miscellaneous:- Strasburg Rotary funding discussion.
- Holiday party with FOSR on Dec. 4 in Winchester - need head count
Grants:- tentative approval of VEE Grant for monitoring program.
- Agua Fund joint efforts grant - $3450
New Business:
Calendar:- November 7-24 - Leslie away
- November 8 - FNFSR Household Cleaning products workshop - Edinburg - POSTPONED
- November 10 - 5:30pm - Strasburg Rotary presentation
- November 10 (week of) - drop Year End Ask for Friends
- November 19 - Audubon presentation
- December 4 - FNFSR/FOSR Holiday Party - in Winchester
John Holmes' E.coli project update:VEE Funding Situation and Proposed Next Steps
Project History and Status
Earlier
this year we sent a funding request to VEE for the expansion of the
joint FOSR/FNFSR monitoring to address e.coli and benthics. The
original budget totaled $47,400.
VEE has committed $23,700
(50%) that must be matched. At the start of the year, Oakhill was very
supportive of us but the downturn in the value of their endowment has
caused them to slow down commitments. They did not wish to match. VEE
is giving us a few weeks to sort out where we are and whether we can
find the matching amount.
Matching Funds
Leslie and John have been in communications with Karen and George at FOSR. We have the following match funds at present:
About $5K, FOSR has already spent on E. coli equipment in August of this year.
About $3.5, which is our portion of the Aqua Fund joint project dollars that we were planning to use with FOSR anyway.
About $1.5K of the monies that we collectively got from the DEQ for the entire valley monitoring program.
Some small amount given by PWF to FOSR for the data base.
In addition, FNFSR has two other possibilities:
Ask
Norcross to fund addition sealers and an incubator…about $8.5K.
However, they would not be interested in having it be matching. We can
send a letter now but we would need to wait until January to know for
sure.
Ask the Shenandoah Community Foundation for about $10K for
supplies needed for the E. Coli and benthic sampling and our
participation in the TMDL proceedings and related community outreach,
noting the larger project and the leveraging it will afford us with
VEE.
Either way, with Norcross excluded, we are short relative
to matching the VEE $23,700. Our plan would be to submit a letter to
VEE, explaining how we got to this delima and what we propose.
We would offer two options:
Option 1 Revise the project to $20K and get $10K from VEE in that case the overall project would be:

Option
2 Ask that he wait to see if we get the SCF monies in which case the
total budget could be $40K and we would revise as follows:

We
do not know if VEE is willing to match a project of lesser scope. We
shall see. If this were acceptable and we got the Norcross monies we
would be at the total budget anyway.
Questions for the Board:
What is your general reaction to the situation and the effort we are putting into this?
Any hesitation on seeking equipment monies from Norcross?
Do we have a better project to submit to SCF?
OK for Leslie and John to file with Norcross and SCF and negotiate with FOSR and VEE and see where it goes?
Virginia’s 2009 Rally for Clean WaterSupporter and Partner Endorsement Form
Virginia’s
rivers, streams and the Chesapeake Bay have shaped the history and the
culture of our Commonwealth. They not only provide recreational
opportunities, wildlife habitat and beautiful vistas but they are also
vital to Virginia’s businesses, industries and economy. Our rivers,
streams and the Bay must be protected now and for future generations.
Virginia
has made significant progress in recent years to reduce pollution from
wastewater treatment plants. We must continue that progress by reducing
runoff pollution. To demonstrate public support for clean water,
concerned citizens, organizations and businesses will converge on the
Capitol Lawn January 26, 2009 from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. to
ensure our legislators continue to make clean water a priority for the
Commonwealth.
I will join in this effort to encourage our
decision makers in Richmond to continue Virginia’s progress for water
quality by reducing runoff pollution. Toward that end, I agree to:
____ Officially support Virginia’s 2009 Rally for Clean Water on January 26, 2009.
My
name/my organization’s name will be added to the list of supporters who
encourage our legislators to reduce runoff pollution and clean up
Virginia’s waterways. Additionally my organization’s name will be added
to signs held during the event.
____ Become a 2009 Rally for Clean Water Partner.
I/my
organization will support the event by attending the event on January
26, 2009, in Richmond from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. and recruiting
additional individuals through email, organizational publications, etc.
I expect to bring ________ people with me.
____ Participate fully in Clean Water Lobby Day and The Rally for Clean Water.
My
organization will not only become a Rally for Clean Water Partner but
we will participate in face to face meetings with our legislators on
January 26, 2009. We will arrive in Richmond at 9:30 a.m. for issue
briefings, participate in The Rally for Clean Water, and meet with
legislators in the afternoon. The day is expected to wrap up around
3:00 p.m. I expect to bring ________ people with me.
Name: _______________________________________________________________________
Organization: _________________________________________________________________
Email:_______________________________________________________________________
Phone:_______________________________________________________________________
Address:______________________________________________________________________
City: __________________________________State: ____________ Zip:_______________
Our sign should read: ____________________________________ Supports Clean Water
The Rally for Clean Water is a project of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Minutes for FRIENDS OF THE NORTH FORK OF THE SHENANDOAH RIVERBOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Wednesday November 5, 2008
6:30 pm Call to Order – Ron
Attending - Jack Lorenz, Ron Falyar, Mary Gessner, John Holmes, Cindy Frenzel, Kim Uhl, Leslie Watson, Gary Proctor
Guest: Lee Jette
Approve Minutes from October Board Meeting -
Introductions:- Lee Jette
- introductions
Committee Updates and Action Items
Business/Governance Committee: - Financial report - Gary
- Balance on hand: $71821.48
- Need to break out grants more specifically
- Reconcile labor numbers with grant designations - sub contracted and my hours - how to designate
that. Why track it if it does not need to be. Are there specific capacity building purposes.
- try to minimize areas that need to be tracked.
- Fish Fry accounting:
- 2008 best year yet actually.
- Status of Quick Books effort - Kim and Gary (discuss categories)
- Kim needs numbers from Gary - Gary will get year to date numbers and be ready to launch at the
beginning of the year.
- 2009 Budget - discuss at the December Board meeting
- Insurance Update - Kim
- Worker's Comp., D&O, Liability paid to Travelers - all in place and active.
- Employee policies - Kim
- Kim and Mary have exchanged ideas on this topic.
- Mary was concerned about the hiring processes and the detail of guidelines - but these are
necessary - lots of questions that are out of bounds in interviews.
- Mary questioned who is in charge of the hiring process - Kim layed out the structure
for this process.
- John proposed to accept Kim's DRAFT hiring policies - Mary second.
- Kim will put these on an employee only access area on the website - will work with Susie.
- Lee mentioned importance writing a letter to insurance if employee leaves.
- Board member potential:
- Pat McCarthy - friend and church member with Cindy
- John suggested getting them involved on a committee.
- Steve Shaffer is interested but later on. We will talk with him again
in the Spring before the April annual meeting Gayle is not interested.
- Terry or John Fogle is potential as well.
Work plan due dates: - November/December 2008 - monitoring and assessment process proposed for evaluating
Nimplementation of strategic plan - Leslie
- Indemnification insurance obtained by Dec. 31, 2008
- Board participation policy adopted.
- Board orientation program implemented.
- Personnel policies adopted
- IT Policy implemented by end of 2008 - Kim will have one to circulate in two weeks
Science E. coli effort:
- pursuing $10,000 grand form Shen. Co. Foundation
- pursuing $8,500 from NORCROSS
- we are doing a lot of work to buy equipment for FOSR but that's the only way we
can do this project - analytical burden would be on them - challenging but John is confident
in the project if it is funded.
- potential for other SCF or NORCROSS options for FNFSR would be lost.
- other potential is Strasburg Rotary.
- worth pursuing
- Drinking Water Study -
- Oak Hill took the proposal but has not responded
- Mary talked to David Alvarez - interested in using virtual fish to study drinking water but
John not interested at this point.
- Shenandoah Valley Science meeting report - Mary Gessner
- mostly USGS scientists presentations
- Monitoring meeting - NOV. 15
- please let John know of any changes or addition to the monitoring meeting agenda.
- Fish Kill task force meeting on Nov. 17-
- John forced the issue - most DEQ and DGIF work is going on with task force.
- DEQ summary of fish kill research points to a cool water disease associated with trout farms.
- logically it shouldn't be able to summer over here but there are lots of questions.
- John doesn't think there will be money for research this year.
- Potomac Riverkeeper's office director - how much of Arlington's drinking water comes from
sewage treatment plants?
Work plan due dates: - John will review and get back to me.
- July 2008 - meet with FOSR to asses monitoring goals - to do
- 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 (April)
- October 2008 - FNFSR monitoirng goals revised and documented - to do
- 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
Fundraising Committee - Fish Fry 2008 update - Leslie Watson
- do something nice for Diane Gould?
- drew some new people in and the Wain's improved their property with some Best Management Practices.
- Holiday mailing
- Nov. 11 mail letter - Mary will coordinate effort after Leslie's gone
- Ornaments have been ordered (lowest number can order = 100)
- need committee to mail ornaments out
- Planter calendar - discussion
- cost is $20 bucks per calendar.
- timing is bad for doing it for a fundraiser.
- other options for photographs - Xmas cards?
- Fundraising plan discussion - Leslie will prepare for December board meeting
Work plan due dates: - August 2008 - monthly giving program developed - to do
- November 2008 - Holiday appeal
Policy/Advocacy Committee - Rally for Clean Water - Richmond on January 26
- Mary will attend and possibly take framed prints to legislators
- Policy coordination with Potomac Conservancy
- packet of info. for steering committee
- also met with Patrick and Rosemary Walinger and Shenandoah Forum
- Bryce rezoning - LID wherever possible - we should push them on this if it is actually passed.
Work plan due dates:
- System implemented to mobilize members through email and the website
to take action on specific issues by September 2008 - to do
Education and Outreach Committee - Presentation and Ed. Committee Update - Cindy
- Education committee meeting - went well and satisfying strategic plan (end of December)
- Pod Cast - would we want to pursue this?
- concerned about accuracy or scripts - John would be willing to help with this and thinks
it’s a good idea. Suggests having them submit an outline.
- build a page that would have a link to their site
- Board will have editorial oversight - to avoid misrepresentations
- Coupon Book - a way to get people to act out good water behaviors. Coupons would be related to
businesses that would promote good water behaviors - septic pumpouts, organic fertilizers,
etc.
- is someone willing to approach businesses to ask for discount.
- concern - professionalism, quality of things like septic pumpouts - want people to be
reputable - Board needs to be involved and approve businesses that will be
approached.
- native plants, rain gardens, septic pumpouts, rain barrels, solar water heaters.
Work plan due dates: - September 2008 - Fall newsletter sent out in late September
- October 2008 - Arrange presentation for WRAC and County staff by Chris Anderson - to do?
Miscellaneous:- Strasburg Rotary funding discussion -
- is there a dollar neeed
- specific project - benthic portion of the monitoring?
- last year they gave $5,000 away.
- Holiday party with FOSR on Dec. 4 in Winchester - need head count - 8-10
- Volunteer coordinator - Lee Jette - phoneman@shentel.net
- John would like to know who is interested in science and what specific interests do
they have.
- Fundraiser in March - wants to know who would help with this event and also
looking for a venue.
- Cindy has some contacts.
- Need to match people to jobs.
- Who gives what dollar wise and what's in it for me?
- miles traveled - tax benefits
- Kintera - liquid
Grants:- tentative approval of VEE Grant for monitoring program.
- Agua Fund joint efforts grant - $3450
New Business:-
Ag community outreach - statewide ag. Expo in Fishersville in 2009. RC
and D presents at this occasion - potential to partner with them to do
some kind of specific outreach. Mechanism for us to use their access to
get to the farming community - 3 days.
- joint message of water quality - herd health option.
- Award for farmer - cash award maybe (small amount) - lots of good press.
- LFSWCD does a clean farm, and conservation farm from each County.
- could honor similar farmer
- OR, we could feature a farmer in the paper.
- Jeff Ische - radio, VA Farm Bureau meeting in Hot Spring. Local food and protection.
- Jeff Kelble - has a store front - John suggested having a meeting to discuss what to do with store front
in Front Royal.
Calendar:- November 7-24 - Leslie away
- November 8 - FNFSR Household Cleaning products workshop - Edinburg - POSTPONED
- November 10 - 5:30pm - Strasburg Rotary presentation
- November 10 (week of) - drop Year End Ask for Friends
- November 19 - Audubon presentation
- December 4 - FNFSR/FOSR Holiday Party - in Winchester
- Shenandoah University - Mary, John, Kim, Ron, Cindy, Gary, Margaret and Jack
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