TOPIC DISCUSSION/ACTION FOLLOW-UP

Transcription

1 Board of Directors Meeting October 10, 2015 St. Petersburg Carlos Schomaker, President; Tom Daniel, VP Trails; Eve Barbour, VP Membership; Pam Hale, Treasurer; Leslie Wheeler, Secretary VP Governance - vacant ATTENDING Directors: Megan Digeon, Adam Wiegand, David Denham, Jan Wells, Jim Powell, Greg Knecht Members: David Waldrop, Ralph Hancock Excused: Christopher Boykin, Holly Parker Quorum established. Staff: Janet Akerson USDA-FS FNST staff not present. Alex Stigliano, TPD, Karl Borton, VPC and Jeff Glenn, RR not present TOPIC DISCUSSION/ACTION FOLLOW-UP President s Announcements AHS/Superior Trails online contest has generated good publicity for FTA. Mechanism of the voting could be better. The tower company s first mitigation offer was $5,000 but subsequently made a second mitigation offer of $10,000. First motion was to accept the $10,000 offer (it passed). Second motion specified that any mitigation funds received would be used on an FNST project. The FTA Trail Program Director would be responsible for making specific recommendations (it passed). Alex Stiglano will work with tower company. My recollection: See for more information. Carlos spoke of pressures the trails community if facing nationally and in Florida. Land and Water Conservation Fund has been derailed by Congress. Amendment 1 not managed well by State legislature. It is critical FTA become stronger in order to help influence in favor of trails. Need younger volunteers, as our core members are aging. We need to do better with fundraising. Carlos encourages Board members to like FTA Facebook page.

2 Several big celebrations coming up: 1. National Scenic Trail workshop Pensacola 11/ FTA 50 th Anniversary Meeting Deland - Sanborn Event Center- October 22-23, Megan Digeon graciously volunteered to take charge of this event. 3. Installation of historical marker at Clearwater Lake. 4. FTA Annual meeting must be held in March per bylaws. Details to be determined. SanbornActivityCenter FTA Board members will pay for marker, $2000. FTA now has full board of 15 members. Election of new Directors: David Waldrop Ausley Gage Tom Daniel moved to approve both applicants. Eve Barbour seconded the nominations. Board voted 100% in favor of both nominees. Membership, Eve Barbour Discussion regarding vetting of activity leaders. A FTA member has suggested use of background checks on Activity Leaders. Much discussion about how much checking and what if the check still is not thorough enough. Board agreed not to employ background checks. Chapters need to follow common sense approach and follow the established AL process. Chapters can refuse to let a member become an Activity Leader. Discussion regarding waiver for unaccompanied youth on FTA events (children under 18 without a parent). Jim Powell encouraged FTA not to sponsor youth only events. Ok to work with Eagle scouts because their leaders are present and carry their own liability. Jim cautioned all Activity Leaders never to be alone with a child. Jim Powell will write policy. FTA BOD Minutes page 2 of 6

3 New FTA brochures are almost ready. FTA mileage needs to match USFS publications. Our policy is not to share our mailing lists with other organizations. Membership stable at Trails Report, Tom Daniel Activity Leader Manual draft to be sent out to Board and on the FTA website for comments. Jim Powell reminded Board that Florida has a Good Samaritan law which encourages people to help someone in an emergent need, and will protect them if the outcome is not as intended. Jim recommends that FTA encourage/recommend first aid training for Activity Leaders, but do not require it. Florida Fish and Wildlife Foundation and several other groups have sued State Legislature over mismanagement of Amendment One funds. Discussion followed. Greg suggested we send a letter to the all Legislature members requesting that they follow the real intent of Amendment One. Final copy of Trails Manual on website. Includes a chapter on reimbursement. USDA-FS will only reimburse for expenses on the FNST. A hard copy of the FTA Trail Manual was distributed to all in attendance. Office of Greenways and Trails 2012 Priority map does not indicate the western loop of Lake Okeechobee or the Western Corridor of the FNST. These sections are still Greg Knecht will draft a FTA letter. FTA BOD Minutes page 3 of 6

4 pictured on the Opportunity map. FTA needs to lobby OGT to get these sections back on the Priority map next year. Priority sections get funding; Opportunities do not. 54 mile reroute to road in Madison and Taylor counties. FTA lost access from private landowners. This route was never certified as FNST. Will be hard for hikers to find camping. Map updates 18 maps out of 46 have been completed by volunteers David Costakis and Dan Mock. Jeff Glenn assisting. Kiosk marker to be installed at Northern terminus of FT at Ft. Pickens by late USDA-FS will pay for part of expense. Gulf Islands National Seashore is in the top #10 National Parks in number of annual visitors; 4.5 million every year. Marker will be great publicity for FNST. Recently hired regional rep for Central-South Florida is no longer employed by FTA. Hope to fill this position by early Michelob Ultra Superior Trails contest/ahs. Earning lots of publicity for FTA. Tom discussed how to manage Western Corridor due to lack of representative position for the Panhandle Western Corridor regions. USDA-FS and the FTA Trail Program Director suggested using an FTA volunteer. Board agreed that this would be too much responsibility FTA BOD Minutes page 4 of 6

5 for a volunteer. We need to hire a development director first. Development and Outreach, Holly Parker Carlos gave report: 1. Giving Tuesday campaign scheduled for Dec FTA needs more participation in yearend giving fund raising. Treasurer s Report Pam Hale Staff Report Old Business FY16 operating budget reviewed in detail. Pam reminded Board members of different fiscal calendars by which FTA is managed: Federal is October September; FTA is July June; USFS is Jan Dec. FTA at end of June recognized $55k net income. We will purchase SalesForce software for membership. Pam stressed importance of accounting for in-kind donations from chapters. Additional expenses expected for upcoming anniversary celebration are included in budget. Tom Daniel moved to vote on the balanced budget for FY2016 as is. David Denham seconded the motion. Board voted 100% to approve the balanced budget. Janet reported office had no phone service for 10 days. Footprint using new graphics designer. Roof repaired. Introduced new FTA brochure. Staff working hard! Carlos said USFS MOU was approved in July. Needs to be put on FTA website. MOU is on FTA website under Documents. FTA BOD Minutes page 5 of 6

6 New Business Discussion regarding reimbursement to chapters working on non-fnst trails brought up by Ralph Hancock (Suncoast). In total, chapters have $70k in their accounts. Chapters get $5 for every new member right now. Board needs to look at how rebates are distributed and spent. Possible pool of money for non-fnst trail work. Pam would like chapters to submit a budget every year to the Board for better planning. Leslie, Adam, and Carlos will review how to tie rebates to chapter performance. Adjourn Motion to adjourn by Jan, second by David. Meeting ended at Submitted by Leslie Wheeler, Secretary November 3, 2015 FTA BOD Minutes page 6 of 6