May 17, 2009 Board Meeting of Williamson County Chapter of NPSOT from Marilyn Perz

Present: Janet Church, Kathy Galloway, Agnes Plutino, Christine Powell, Billye Adams, Kathy McCormack, Marilyn Perz.

Absent: Mitch and Kathy Mitchamore.

Janet started the meeting at 2:14 pm and the minutes were approved from the previous Board meeting on March 29, 2009. Those minutes had been e-mailed to members for comments and corrections following that meeting and again preceding this meeting.

Kathy Galloway provided a budget and balance sheets from the plant sales (included in my notebook). She pointed out that the proceeds from the plant sales were down this year ($1,925.57 compared to the $3000 budget amount), but the Christmas silent auction was up and we received $ 400 from the sale of the sound system. We are still looking for a site for the Nina Erminger Memorial Bench. Kathy is holding $425 that was donated for this purpose. Additional expenses that she foresees are for printing new chapter brochures and business cards. The bottom line at present for the treasury is $4,191.57. To help increase income, Janet will seek better diversity in plant selection. She will try to work with Dar Richardson (offered to grow plants on consignment for us) and David Scott (Joss Growers). She also suggested that there be a committee to do the functions of the Volunteer Coordinator. Two separate people could do spring and fall Market Days and another take care of the Wildflower Center Sales thus diving the jobs and tasks. I would like to again take orders for Chapter tee shirts. We will earn a small amount on each of them. I will bring samples to the next meeting.

Billye Adams has secured Malcom Beck for our speaker in September and she will communicate with him to confirm the engagement closer to the time. He will have his new book on Paramagnetism published by then. Marilyn suggested that we see if the generic meeting notice in the Williamson County Sun can at least add our web site. www.NPSOT.org/WilliamsonCounty Billye Adams will contact the Sun about this change. Agnes will check out the cost of an advertisement in the “Homegrown Magazine” so that we will then have them to pass out at meetings (advertisers get a free box). There was a discussion of attracting and keeping volunteers. Kathy McCormack suggested a “Homegrown” subscription to each committee member. A special name tag or tee shirt was also suggested. More thoughts and discussion about these perks can be brought up at the “brainstorming” session in July.

Kathy McCormack would like to have as much informative material present at the Botany Class on July 18^th as possible. The class will draw a broad general audience and she will bring Native American Seed Catalogues. She also would like copies of the “Grapevine”, Grow Green books, NPSOT brochures and the spare TXDOT bags. She plans to invite the Tonkowa Chapter to the summer plant survey at the Gault Site on August 1, 2009. She needs all of the spring plant lists sent to Christine as soon as possible. She suggested that the new structure of the Field Trip Coordinator be done by committee. She would stay on as leader if additional committee members would see to the advertising, attending trips and writing articles for the “Grapevine”.

Christine Powell again asked everyone to get articles to her for this issue of the “Grapevine”. The deadline is NOW! Janet mentioned that the “Grapevine” has a good reputation at the NPSOT State meeting and that it is pointed to as an example of goodness. Agnes will try to get Christine and Dale added as moderators on Yahoo announce (presently only Jason, Lisa and Agnes are moderators). Kathy suggested that some computer help could be provided at a NPSOT meeting or have an article in the “Grapevine” about sending Yahoo announces. Agnes said that anyone can provide an announce message using NPSOT-WilliamsonCounty-announce@Yahoogroups.com but a moderator must clear it and send it out to the membership. She also said it is helpful if the announce messages are complete so that the moderator does not have to compose them.

The Board now identified potential candidates for open positions in the Williamson County Chapter’s officer positions.

Janet Church will remain as President, Kathy Galloway will remain as Treasurer, Marilyn Perz will remain as Secretary. Open positions are the Volunteer Coordinator, the Fieldtrip Leader, and the Program Chairmen.

Susan Waitz will be the Chairmen of the Library Committee. She is looking for book recommendations; she will pole the libraries and then see what there is in the NPSOT budget for books to donate. Janet Church and Diane Goodwin will then help with distribution.

Dennis Perz will form a committee to explore providing By-Laws for the Williamson County Chapter.

Kathy McCormack will look for committee members for handling Fieldtrips. She will contact:

Christy Barber 512-931-2217, Kathy Henderson 572-868-1183, Bob Kamper 512-238-0929, Diane Sherrill 512-259-0270, Ed Sones 512-259-5689.

Janet Church will look for a committee to handle plant sales and assist her in her Presidential duties. She will contact: Beth Blankenship 512-567-6299, Susan Firth 512-868-2441, Lynn Mann 512-863-9988, Randy Pensabene 512-868-0103, Bob Pool 512-930-1124, Bonnie & Leroy Sladek 512-352-7673.

Billye Adams will look for a committee to work on Programs. She will contact: Bev Hoffmann 512-819-9953, Rosemary Langston 512-864-0449, George Ohlendorf 512-869-8328, Charley Wiseman 512-259-4106, Bill and Shirley Sterling 512-864-0510.

Kathy Galloway will seek help from current members for contacting visitors through e-mail. She will contact: Arlene Boyer 512-244-2715, and Betty Liese 512-863-9593.

The next Board meeting will be on July 19^th from 2-4pm at Janet Church’s home. To reach her home:

Drive East on SH 79 thru Hutto

Proceed about 3 miles till you see a Hutto water tower

Turn Right at 3548 (Norman’s Crossing)

Turn Left on County Road 404 (Pecan Orchard)

House is back from road on Left-1004 CR 404