Kerrville NPSOT Board Minutes

March 8, 2012

President Bill Stone called the meeting to order at 11 A M at Riverside Nature Center. Those present were Marilyn Butcher, Mike Mecke, Trish Stone, Cindy Anderson, Diane McMahon, Nina Wagner, Edna Platte and Lonnie Childs, State President of NPSOT.

Lonnie Childs presented the current plans for the Fall Symposium to be held at YO Ranch Hotel in Kerrville on October 4-7, 2012. Kerrville, Boerne, and Fredericksburg Chapters will cooperate on the preliminary work . He handed out a fact sheet for the information of the Board and general membership. He asked for volunteers for various functions . Every board member present volunteered for at least one committee. Fredericksburg NPSOT and Boerne NPSOT will also provide volunteers. The three local chapters will cosponsor the reception on the opening night of the Symposium. Our chapter will announce our participation and ask for other volunteers immediately after the 4/28 Earth Day Plant Sale is completed. There were many suggestions about possible field trips, speakers and other activities. After Lonnie left the Board voted to allocate $500 to the Symposium out of the 2012/13 budget. The money is to be paid during the summer after we have received our share of the plant sale profits.

Trish Stone gave a brief verbal treasurer’s report. She reported that she had paid the $200 grant for the riparian trail project to Riverside Nature Center on 2/29. The current balance in the bank is $5,684.

Marilyn Butcher and Mike Mecke discussed the programs for the March and April membership meetings and the May 5^th field trip to San Antonio Botanical Gardens. Mike Mecke will present the March program and he is working on a speaker for the April meeting. Mike said that he will require equipment for a power point presentation. The board approved payment of the extra $25 video expense. The original speaker for April recently cancelled. Mike thinks that Will Pickens, a landscape architect out of Austin may speak. He specializes in the use of xeriscapes and native plants. Marilyn said that Adele Junkin will provide cookies for the March refreshments and Marilyn will provide pitchers of water and coffee as well as set up the decorations in a St Patrick’s Day theme.

Marilyn reported that the May field trip is confirmed with San Antonio Botanical Gardens. Our tour will begin at 10 AM and will be guided by Wendy Thornton, a member of the SA NPSOT. We will pay a $40 fee for the tour guide and the entrance fee will be $6 per person. The Chapter will pay the guide fee and members will pay their own entrance fee. The plan is to leave RNC parking lot by 8:30 AM for those who want to car pool or caravan. Those attending may have lunch at the Carriage House Restaurant in the gardens. However, reservations are recommended. Marilyn will provide a signup sheet for the trip at the April meeting and she will also request RSVPs through the newsletter so that she may make tour and lunch reservations.

Bill asked the Board members for their opinion on the resumption of the NICE program. Beverly Allen of the Fredericksburg Chapter has said that they will resume the program. It was decided that we would resume the program in Kerrville as well. Diane recommended that the Fredericksburg chapter handle the joint publicity for this plant promotion. Kerrville Chapter has provided joint promotions for the past few promotions and we hope that Fredericksburg is in a position to assume that responsibility now. It was suggested that Gwynn Groggel-Jackson, a member of Kerrville NPSOT would be a good person to work on the project. Bill will contact her about leading the NICE program for Kerrville.

Bill and Edna Platte reported on the progress of the Earth Day Native Plant Sale to be held on April 27 and 28. After a rocky start it seems that all plans are mostly agreed upon and in process. Edna and Andy Pesez are going to manage the purchases and pick up of all plants. Pricilla Stanley will once again schedule all volunteers for the sale. Jack Millikan, the Earth Day Committee Chairman, has scheduled a meeting for noon at RNC on March 16. At that meeting a final decision will be made about whether or not to hold the plant sale based on the status of the drought. The majority of the NPSOT Board of Directors again confirmed that they are in favor of continuing the sale, regardless. It is our only fund raiser and if we do not hold it, our ability to award grants will be severely limited.

Bill mentioned that it is time to name a nominating committee for the board of directors for 2012/13. No one volunteered; therefore Bill will have to appoint at least two members. Trish noted that we will have to hold the election at the April meeting since the May meeting is a field trip. Traditionally, new board members are asked to attend the June board meeting so that they may be introduced and given an orientation.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned about 1:30 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Trish Stone substituting for Martha Miesch, Secretary

Previous Program Attendance:

Feb. 14, 2012 at 4:30/5:00 – Wayne Este spoke on “Cooking & Eating Native Plants”

Attendance: 28 members plus 46 visitors for a total attendance of 74.