2010 WA-BC EXCOM RETREAT MINUTES – FINAL
25 Sep 2010
Attendees: Mark Pedersen, Mark Celedonia, Lisa Harlan, Orlay Johnson, Yvonne Muirhead, Nicole Casper
Introductions Mark P welcomed members into their new positions.
The term for officers starts and ends with the Business Meeting for the Parent Society at the Annual Meeting. This year the Annual Meeting was in Pittsburgh, PA. Mark P. read over the Chapter By-Laws describing the newly formed positions.
This years officers are as follows:
President – Mark Pedersen
President-Elect – Mark Celedonia
Vice-President – Yvonne Muirhead
Past-President – Jim Shannon
Treasurer – Erin Lowry
Secretary – Lisa Harlan
Communications Officer – Orlay Johnson
Student Representative – Nicole Casper
Several positions are either new or were modified in this past year, so the duties may need to be fleshed out more. (Treasurer/Secretary was divided into two positions, Newsletter Editor and Assistant Newsletter Editor were combined into one position called Communications Officer, and the Student Representative was created as a new position.)
Discussion of Budget – It was agreed that the bulk of the checking account balance will be transferred into savings in order to accrue interest. It can be transferred back as needed. A suggestion was made to look into hiring a bookkeeper to help with filing income taxes. Action Yvonne and Orlay will look into possible bookkeepers with experience with non-profits.
Sponsorships Excom will look into garnering support throughout the year, not just at the annual meeting.
Conference calls There will need to be a new method for conducting conference calls since Jims employer will no longer provide access to theirs. In addition to regular EXCOM conference calls, as committees are re-activated, they will also need the ability to conference. Webex is an online service that will allow up to 40 people on one call at a set fee. Action All Excom should check out Webex or other alternatives for conducting conference calls.
Official Letterhead – The official letterhead has been updated with the new 2010-2011 Excom members.
Ad Hoc Committees These committees are appointed by the Chapter President. There are currently 7 Ad Hoc committees and Mark P needs nominations for people to serve. Ad Hoc Committees focus on issues related to their particular areas and will send emerging issues, symposia suggestions, etc to the President. The committees also draft resolutions and/or positions papers. There was some discussion on possibly re-defining the purpose of the committees, maybe to include more focus on coordinating symposia related to particular aspects of fisheries. The current Ad Hoc committees are:
Forestry/Fisheries -
Continuing Education
Environmental Affairs
Marine Fisheries Mark P, Chair
Student Affairs Tad Schwager, Chair. This should probably be a Standing Committee instead of Ad Hoc.
Aquaculture net pens/sea lice issues
Native American/First Nations Fisheries
Possible Future Committees – Climate Change/Hatchery Reform/Invasive Species/Genetics/Underwater Noise/Contaminants – Committees could request special symposia put on by chapter, put forth issues, conduct educational outreach, etc.
Action Mark P will send a listserve or put an announcement on the website to solicit input from members for committees.
Action Mark P Generate procedures for Ad Hoc committees. Develop a 1-pager on AdHoc committees, expectations, support provided, etc.
Standing Committees-
Program Committee Chair is President Elect – Mark C.
Nominations Chair is Past President Jim Shannon
Archive Lisa Harlan, Chair
Action- Mark C will talk to his co-worker about scanning in archives. He now has two boxes from Larry, and Keith Underwood also has two boxes.
Membership Chair is Vice President Yvonne Muirhead
Resolutions Chair is Vice President Yvonne Muirhead
Awards Chair is Past President Jim Shannon
Agenda for upcoming year -
Meet with WDFW Director/Regional Staff to educate them about WA-
BC .
Meet with Congressional reps to put in line item to support WDFW staff support and attendance at 2011.
Management of Chapter -
Communications: Newsletter goes out quarterly currently. It was agreed this should be maintained. Action Put out a newsletter in October to include new officers, request for ad hoc committees. Newsletters should also go out in January, month after the AGM (April), and July. Newsletter is currently sent out in an email form with links to the website. We might want to move towards a pdf format with pictures and articles. Action Lisa will look at Alaska chapters Newsletter and give feedback to the EXCOM.
Website Training Bryan Bougher spent an hour training us on adding to and manipulating the website.
5-year strategic plan Mark P sent this around to everyone on EXCOM and would like feedback.
Action Yvonne will get standards for Canadian Registered Fisheries Professional.
Action Yvonne will write up a mentoring program outline and submit to Mark P.
Action All Excom review strategic plan with a view to vote on it next excom meeting.
2012 Planning
Yvonne is looking at Vancouver, Victoria, Western Bear Mountain (just outside of Victoria), Bellingahm, and Abbotsford as possible locations for the 2012 AGM. We will possibly be co-convening with Society for Ecological Restoration. Action Mark C will talk with SER to determine participation and monetary needs if they are participating. Discussion took place regarding having some kind of workshop during the same year in the state or province in which the Chapter AGM is not held. A suggestion was made to look into having locations where people can video-participate in the conferences. The symposia should be focused on relevant, vital issues, such as:
- Fisheries biologists role in encountering/transporting/planting invasive and/or non-native species.
- Climate change
One Year Workplan
Budget Mark C has a file with the one-year budget. Mark C talked to the Parent Society about automatically including the $5 chapter donation when members are signing up or renewing membership. They said they could have it check the box automatically but people would still be able to uncheck it.
Student Representative – Nicole Casper
- Nicole would like to look at UWs student subunit and use that as a guide for developing the Western University subunit.
- A suggestion was made to talk to other colleges in the Western University area.
- As this is a new position we will work with Nicole to define what the position should be and provide as much support as possible.
Action Items:
Action Yvonne and Orlay will look into possible bookkeepers with experience with non-profits.
Action All Excom should check out Webex or other alternatives for conducting conference calls.
Action Mark P will send a listserve or put an announcement on the website to solicit input from members for committees.
Action Mark P Generate procedures for Ad Hoc committees. Develop a 1-pager on AdHoc committees, expectations, support provided, etc.
Action- Mark C will talk to his co-worker about scanning in archives. He now has two boxes from Larry, and Keith Underwood also has two boxes.
Action Put out a newsletter in October to include new officers, request for ad hoc committees.
Action Lisa will look at Alaska chapters Newsletter and give feedback to the EXCOM.
Action Yvonne will get standards for Canadian Registered Fisheries Professional.
Action Yvonne will write up a mentoring program outline and submit to Mark P.
Action All Excom review strategic plan with a view to vote on it next Excom meeting.
Action Mark C will talk with SER to determine participation and monetary needs if they are participating.
Action Mark C will send Nicole a list of our members that are students.
Action Yvonne will contact Parent AFS to find out when members are dropped off the list.
Action Orlay will update the chapter listserve with the updated list from Parent Society.
Action Excom Look at respective positions under procedures and look at job description. Embellish on what is there as you see fit. (Google document) Procedures should describe the steps involved in accomplishing the job objectives.
Action Excom – Send Orlay newsletter items, and all Excom needs to send bios to Orlay by Oct 5th.
Action Excom is looking at meeting the second and fourth Tuesdays each month at 9am.
Action Mark C will look at using DoodlePolls for use in organizing meetings.
Action Excom – give input to Mark C on the 2010-2011 budget.
The next meeting will be October 12th, 2010 at 9am.