Montana ChapterSWCS Technical Meeting
September 1st, 2015
Miles City, Montana
Members present: Stacy Eneboe, Marni Thompson, Mark Henning, Jane Holzer, Nick Pairitz, Shalaine Watson, Dick Sheetz. Visitors - Chris Mahoney,Pam Linker
Meeting called to order by President, Stacy Eneboeat 6:30 p.m.
Minutes: Minutes from last meeting were not handed out because the secretary forgot.
Treasury Report: Jane Holzer presented the Treasurer’s report which was approved at the August 27, 2015, board conference call.
Checking account $984.73
Savings account $7,142.31
Investment acct $43,681.47
Total $51,808.51
CurrentChecking 8/27/2015
$984.73
$7,142.31
$43,681.47
$51,808.51
Holzer reported that 70 people had attended the joint technical SRM-SWCS meeting Range Resource Roundup Sept 1-2, 2015 in Miles City. Income and expenses will be shared equally.
Old Business: Eneboe discussed that the chapter website had been taken down awhile back since it was outdated. The chapter has been trying to resurrect the website. Holzer presented a bid for a webmaster from Tera Ryan, who will be conducting the webpage management independently. Ryan’s bid of $25/hour will entail creating and maintaining the website. Holzer also reported that the domain name is paid for through 2017. Holzer will check to see if the new website will allow the Chapter to use credit cards.
Thompson gave a brief description on the Chapter Facebook site. All members can ‘like’ the site to follow posted news and anyone can post to the site.
New Business:
Eneboe handed out and reviewed the annual work plan. Eneboe along with other long time members gave reports of each committee and its past history. Dick Scheetz gave a brief history of the awards committee. A professional and conservationist award were the two awards that were given each year. Those who won the award received a button-down shirt with MT Chapter SWCS embroidered on it. Scheetz will email the old award form to the members.
Eneboe gave a brief description of the two scholarships awarded by the chapter annually. There was a discussion about increasing the amount of the scholarships or just giving one large one. Scheetz moved that the Chapter try getting on a list serve to advertise to every high school in the state to receive more scholarship applicants. Shalaine Watson seconded the motion.
Holzer gave a report on the Earth Bracelets. Heidi Brewer has agreed to keep organizing the kits of beads and leather bands that can be distributed to teachers and other youth programs. The chapter will have an order form on the website and will start advertising the bracelets on the website. Up to now the kits were free but there will be a nominal fee to cover expenses. The amount will be set after pricing new supplies.
Eneboe gave a report on the Soil Painting kits. Eneboe reported that they are still in need of some black, gray, and green soils for the kits. Chris Mahony agreed to get some black soil from Gallatin County to Eneboe.
Henning gave a report on the Northwest Regional SWCS Technical Meeting in Pierre, South Dakotarecently. Dr. Duane Beck provided excellent information that included a tour of the Dakota Research Farm.
The group then discussed the future of the Chapter. Eneboe reported that there were two board members (Ben Montgomery and Roger Hybner) that wanted to resign due to time conflicts and NRCS retirement, respectively. Discussion followed on possible replacements and the timing of their resignations. The Chapter is still in need of a President-Elect. The group discussed the history of SWCS and the support by NRCS in the past. Eneboe will meet with Lisa Coverdale, new State Conservationist to gage her support for the SWCS Chapter and NRCS employees attending professional meetings sponsored by the Chapter.
The next meeting will be a teleconference on October 15 at 8:30 a.m.