WA-BC – AFS Chapter
EXCOM Teleconference Meeting Minutes
May 10, 2011
Role call: Mark P, Lisa, Orlay, Mark C, Jim
Email in: Nicole
Absent: Yvonne, Erin
Minutes: Approved minutes for April 26th teleconference.
Officer Reports (20 minutes)
President – Mark Pedersen: Circulated WDiv emails and documents, working with Eric Knudsen on 2011 fundraising; made contacts with local VIP for 2011 ambassadors, and reviewed the 2012 MOU and budget.
President Elect – Mark Celedonia: Keeping very busy with Master Scheduler for 2011.
Vice President – Yvonne Muirhead: She sent out the draft 2012 MOU and budget for comment. See the 2012 discussion. She and Mark P will discuss late this week for next steps.
Past President – Jim Shannon: Has three candidates for open Excom positions.
Treasurer – Erin Lowry: No report. Received two checks from parent society – one for membership chapter dues and a member rebate, adding about $2600 to our budget.
Secretary – Lisa Harlan: Reviewed and commented on draft 2012 MOU agreement and budget.
Communications Officer– Orlay Johnson: Will be sending out elections via email end of next week. Jim will set up webpage with candidate bios on the chapter website. There may be a gmail address set up specifically for elections. Working on summer newsletter focusing on national meeting, which will get out by end of June. Stephanie is interested in being assistant newsletter editor.
Student Sub-Unit Representative – Nicole Casper (via email): Our AFS chapter at Western continues to meet and plan events. We had a visiting speaker and 2 new people attend our meeting last week, bringing our mailing list up to 36 people, although most of those people do not regularly attend meetings. Below are the meeting minutes. We had a great meeting on Wednesday with Sue Aspelund speaking. She is the Deputy Director of the Division of Commercial Fisheries for Alaska Fish & Game. She gave a really interesting and informative talk on how Alaska successfully and sustainably manages their commercial fisheries. She discussed some key historical factors as well as what they are dealing with currently that contribute to a long-term vision for sustainability rather than short term profit. Thank you to member Lindsey Aspelund for bringing her mom in! If anyone else has someone they think would be a good speaker on fisheries and sustainability/restoration issues – bring them in!
- For our next meeting, Wednesday May 18th, we will be showing the award-winning environmental documentary ”Red Gold’ which tells the story of the proposed mine in Bristol Bay and the effects on the sockeye fishery as well as the people who depend on it. The movie will be shown in VU 552 at 7pm and we will be opening the meeting up to everyone! Emails will go out to all Biology and Huxley undergrads and grads, so join us and bring your friends! “Fish” snacks and refreshments will be provided. Mark your calendars now!
UW Student SubUnit Caroline Storer: There is not much new on our front. Al Giorgi from BioAnalysts is coming in on May 17th for our third installment of the Career Development Seminar Series. We just ordered AFS UW pint glasses to sell at the SAFS spring picnic and other events to fundraise money for club and student travel awards. Keep your eyes peeled for this “hot spring item”!
Old Business: (35 minutes)
Nominations for Chapter awards – Jim: see above.
Chapter Scholarship program implementation – Applications have been distributed to colleges throughout BC and Washington, and will be collected by John Morgan at VIU. He, Mark Celedonia, and one other from BC and WA will be the committee to review and recommend winners to the ExComm. No one has received any feedback yet. Mark P will send Orlay an updated announcement and Orlay will send it out on the listserve.
2012 AGM @ UVic – Discussion on MOU and budget, and theme title. MOU needs more specifics on how finances will be managed. Budget needs work: registration fees seem high, meal costs were double counted, break costs high, etc. ExComm to get comments to Mark P and Yvonne by Thursday so she and Mark can discuss and take next steps.
WDiv scholarships and grants available – please check out the WDiv website for details. There is $2,500 going unclaimed.
Time/place for our 2011 Chapter business meeting: Mark C is working on getting estimates for chapter business luncheon.
Current membership list – Updated list from Eva – Bylaws state all AFS members residing in WA or BC are chapter members by default and should check the application box. 398 checked the box: 264 were regular members, 13 life members, then students, professionals, etc. We requested National send a list of WA-BC residents (Yvonne has?). Emails should be on our listserve list. The 2010-2011 OCA application has 869 members listed, which is based on residence.
USFWS Youth Fisheries Academy Day Camps – Mark C indicated this is happening again this year. The chapter has budgeted $1000 to sponsor it.
Website update – Orlay would like to have a meeting with Brian Bougher.
Newsletter – Orlay: Needs articles focusing on 2011 in Seattle.
New Business: (10 minutes)
Nominations for WDiv awards: Need Borovika conservation award (non AFS person), Conservation Achievement award (group). Award of Merit (a nomination letter with 2 support letters)
Habitat enhancement support grant: would like to require the grant be used for post construction monitoring of a fish habitat project. Would like $5,000. Jim will write up a paragraph outlining the goals of the award.
New award for Chapter: Habitat Restoration Project of the year. To be submitted to ExCom for review with other annual awards. Jim will write up a paragraph outlining the goals of the award.
Sponsorship of 2011 – sponsoring for around $1000 was proposed.
2011 MOU – Mark is hoping to have this signed with Parent Society within a month. Working out differences still.
Action Items for next meeting:
Action: Orlay will be sending out elections via email end of next week.
Action: Jim will set up webpage with candidate bios on the chapter website.
Action: Mark P will send Orlay an updated announcement of the Chapter Scholarship and Orlay will send it out on the listserve.
Action: ExComm to get comments to Mark P and Yvonne by Thursday so she and Mark can discuss and take next steps.
Action: Mark C is working on getting estimates for chapter business luncheon.
Action: Excom to send Orlay articles focusing on 2011 in Seattle for the June Newsletter.
Next Teleconference: May 24 2011, 9:00am – 10:15pm, via WebEx