COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY

 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

 January 18, 2023

 MEETING CONDUCTED VIA ZOOM

Present: Lori Turner, Judy Lincoln, Louise Flenner, Greg Leonard, Jim Gast, Lottie Bushmann, John Besser, Allison Vaughn, Shelby Thomas, Kevin Wehner, Eric Wood,  By invitation Eric and Joanna Reuter attended the meeting.

Time called to order: 5:35 pm.

Previous Minutes

The November minutes were not sent out to the Board members. Louise Flenner will send them and the Board will vote on approval at the February meeting.

Treasurer’s report

Treasurer’s report was sent by email to all Board members. In the COMO Gives, category the total spent was $1186.80 after a minor correction.

Committee Reports

 Membership

Shelby Thomas reports we have approximately 100 members.  There have been several renewals and 2-3 new members.

Nature Areas

 John Besser reports that Bill Mees got information from the city of Columbia on the deer hunt at Bonnie View near CANS. The archery hunt yielded 8 bucks and 4 does.

• Bill and Allison are going to monitor deer impact on plants at CANS
• Several people helped to burn brush piles of removed invasive species (mostly autumn olive) at Wild Haven. The concentrated effort to remove invasives has improved the area around the picnic shelter.
• John reports they plan to focus on the outhouse at Wild Haven in February. Either they will put a top on the existing one or build a new one.
• This Spring they hope to fix the parking area so they don’t have to unlock the gate to get into the parking lot.
• No decision has been made yet on installing the owl box
• Lori and John sent a letter of support to the City for the new park area at the end of Vandiver Dr. to be established on a land donation from the Alspaugh family.
• Louise Flenner reported that progress is being made on the moss trail and it should be ready soon

Field Trips

Eric and Joanna Reuter were present to report on their new role as Field Trip Coordinators.

Eric reports that the field trips they have had so far have been well attended with 10-20 people. There is much enthusiasm and new birders are coming to them.  They seek feedback to get a better idea of what trips people want.

 2022 CoMoGives Fundraiser

 Lori Turner sent out a report on the COMO Gives 2022 fundraiser:

• Funds raised were $11,712 – ranked 53/153 organizations.
• Number of donations was 108.
• Number of pledges: 1. Dean Ravenscraft pledged to provide 2023 mowing services at CANS
• Postcards mailed: 433
• Thank you letters sent: 108
• Donations in honor of or in memory of:

Nancy Bedan (2), Thomas Charles Bacon, Bill Mees, Cynthia Diane Kerr, DD Rymph, Bill and Jan Mees, Paul Rexroad on what would be his 97th birthday, Carolyn Terry, Eleanor Stensby.

• Expenses: Budget was $1000 and we spent $1186.80. An excess of thank you cards and envelopes were purchased and can be saved for next year.

Old Business

 The club purchased a Microsoft Home and Student laptop.

• Jim Gast reports he had 10 people on the First Friday hike in January.

New Business

 A group of amateur astronomers has asked CAS to help fund an observatory at the Nature School.

• Lori Turner will ask the membership if anyone would like to attend the Wetlands Summit being held at the Lake of the Ozarks Feb. 1-3. Allison Vaughn will be attending, but not as a representative of CAS.

Next Meeting

The next board meeting is scheduled for February 15 at 6:00 pm.  Meeting will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church.

Adjournment

 Eric Wood moves that we adjourn the board meeting. Judy Lincoln seconds the motion.  The motion carries. The meeting is adjourned at 6:30 pm.