BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY

MARCH 21, 2018

In the absence of President Hillman, Vice-President John Besser called the meeting to order at 6 p.m.

Present were Lori Hagglund, Kris Hagglund, John Besser, Bill Mees, Eric Seaman, Lori Turner, Lottie Bushmann, Nancy Bedan, Doug Miller, Eric Reuter, and Kris Hagglund.

Society Minutes:

The minutes from the meeting of February 21, 2018 were reviewed.

Motion by Kris H:

Move that the minutes of the February board meeting be approved as written. Seconded by Bill M and passed without dissent.

Board Elections:

The following slate of officers and other board members for 2018-2019 will be presented to the general membership at the April 2018 meeting:

President: John Besser

Vice-President: Bill Mees

Secretary: Nancy Bedan

Treasurer: Eric Seaman

Third-year Board Member At Large: Lori Turner

Second-year Board Member At Large: Eric Wood

First-year Board Member At Large: Greg Leonard

Nominations from the floor will also be accepted at that time.

Treasurer’s Report:

Eric S presented a proposed budget for fiscal year 2018-2019. Various aspects of this were discussed, including projected CoMo Gives expenses and donations, the possible purchase of supplies for scheduled educational programs, and the source of funds for ongoing work on the expanded prairie restoration at the Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary (CANS).

Education Report:

Lottie B plans to conduct programs for both children and adults at the Daniel Boone Regional Library during summer 2018, followed by a field trip to exercise newly acquired skills.

No potential sponsorship recipients have been identified for either young people to attend the spring 2018 Audubon Society of Missouri (ASM) meeting or teachers to attend the summer 2018 Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative (MoBCI) meeting. Lottie B noted that the Missouri River Bird Observatory (MRBO) offers a field experience for teachers in August each year, and it was agreed that this could be of greater interest to teachers than the MoBCI event. She will obtain more information and CAS will pursue possible sponsorships for the MRBO program.

Upcoming Events:

A workday is planned at CANS for Saturday, April 28^th, to plant a large number of tree saplings that have been ordered from the Missouri state nursery. Another workday will be held at Wild Haven sometime in early May.

John B would like to hold a beginner bird walk at the 3M Wetlands on Sunday, April 29^th. The need for a supply of field guides and binoculars for new birders at such events was discussed.

Nature Areas:

Nancy B reported that the CAS Wild Haven property is located within the Hallsville School District, and that there are six science teachers in that district who could be offered use of the area for educational purposes. It may be possible to assess their level of interest with the help of Columbia Public Schools science coordinator, Mike Szydlowski. Use of the Wild Haven property in this manner could raise its profile in the community and bring benefits similar to those provided by CANS in Columbia.

New Business:

Bill M brought to the Board’s attention inconsistencies between some of the Society’s logos.

The meeting was adjourned at 7 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Lori Hagglund

Secretary