BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY

JANUARY 17, 2018

President Hillman called the meeting to order at 6 p.m.

Present were Laura Hillman, Lori Hagglund, Kris Hagglund, Bill Mees, Allison Vaughn, Douglas Miller, Eric Seaman, Eric Wood, Lottie Bushmann, Eric Reuter, Nancy Bedan, and John Besser.

The minutes from the November 15, 2017 meeting were reviewed.

Motion by Kris H:

Move that the November 2017 minutes be approved as written. Seconded by Eric S and approved without dissent.

Treasurer’s Report:

The most recent report was reviewed, and it was arranged for Eric S to send a $100 contribution to the Fairview Road Community of Christ Church for CAS use of their facilities for the post-Christmas Bird Count chili supper last month.

CoMo Gives Report:

Nancy B reported that CAS had 76 online donors and 2 who donated by mail. A total of $6,630 was raised, which was just shy of our goal of $7500 and resulted in CAS ranking 34th out of the total 114 participating organizations.

Forty-two percent of the donations received came from CAS members and 15% from Facebook friends. Sixty-two percent came from individuals who are on the CAS mailing list. Twenty-one donors were neither CAS members nor mail recipients, but people who gave because they’d heard about CAS through friends, the CoMo Gives catalog, or other means.  Nine gifts were made in memory or honor of someone, the latter including Bill M and Eric S. Four donors were less than 30 years old.

CAS will receive a check in mid-February for the total of donations received minus a 2.2% credit card processing fee. One hundred dollars had been budgeted to run this campaign. Final expenditures totaled $149.23, with some supplies remaining to be used next year. One substantial donation was made with an accompanying request that the funds be used toward maintenance of the Wild Haven natural area. A note was made to acknowledge this donor when money is spent for this site in future. Congratulations and thanks were given to Nancy B for her hard work and success on the campaign.

Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative (MoBCI) Board Meeting Report:

Bill M reported from his place on the MoBCI Board that planning of the fall meeting is progressing. As a result of the changing political climate and designation of 2018 as the Year of the Bird in celebration of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, notable speakers are being brought in from such organizations as the National Audubon Society and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. In an effort to broaden attendance at the event and encourage local involvement, Bill M suggested that CAS offer to sponsor educators from our area to attend this meeting. The cost per individual is $45 for the weekend, or $32.50 for one day.

Motion by Kris H:

Move that CAS allocate sufficient funds in next year’s budget to sponsor as many as 5 educators to attend the MoBCI conference, up to a total of approximately $225. Seconded by Nancy B and unanimously approved.

Bill M reported that Edge Wade asked him to solicit the CAS Board for sponsorship of several students and possibly their chaperones to attend the Spring Audubon Society of Missouri meeting in Arrow Rock on the first weekend of May 2018, at a cost of approximately $100 per student. Youth involvement is the theme for the spring meeting. The idea met with general approval, and will be discussed further at a later date.

Education Report:

With a goal of starting a young birder’s group, Lottie B approached Columbia Public Schools science coordinator Mike Szydlowski for advice. He responded that the best age group to target is middle-schoolers. Lottie B will talk with one of the teachers CAS sponsored to Hog Island about possible ways to reach out to interested youth. Eric R suggested that using school newsletters to provide information to parents might also be worthwhile.

Properties:

A new memorial bench has been placed at the Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary near the demonstration gardens. Dave Dittmer, Columbia Parks & Recreation forester, is donating two new Bluebird boxes and a Kestrel box to be placed on the property. A Boy Scout is bringing 4 new benches to be sited at CANS this Saturday, and these will satisfy the need for benches there at this time.

Future Meetings:

The February meeting will be a book club—style discussion of Jennifer Ackerman’s “The Genius of Birds.”  It will be held at the Daniel Boone Regional Library on Sunday the 11th from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

John B will explore the possibility of collaborating with Ragtag Cinema on a future showing of Timothy Barksdale’s documentary on the Greater Prairie Chicken. Mr. Barksdale may be available for a discussion session after the screening.

Field Trips:

Goldcrest Distributing approached Eric W asking if someone from CAS would lead a seminar on birds and bird-seed pairings at Songbird Station on Saturday, February 3rd. Allison V and Laura H agreed to do this together.

Upcoming field trips include an outing to Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary on January 27th, a trip to Eagle Bluffs led by John B on February 10th, the Great Backyard Bird Count birdfeeder crawl on February 17th, and a Columbia lake tour led by Lori T on February 24th.

Bird Counts:

Allison V will send out final 2017 Christmas Bird Count totals as soon as she receives one outstanding area report. Looking ahead to the Migratory Bird Count, Laura H reports that she needs a volunteer for Area 13.

Thirty-five people attended the general membership meeting to hear a lively and informative talk by Missouri State Ornithologist Sarah Kendrick entitled “Technology and Tracking Bird Migration: What We Are Learning and How You Can Help.”