Fort Collins Audubon Society
Board of Directors Meeting

February 4, 2010

ATTENDEES: Heman Adams, Scott Cobble, Eric DeFonso, Ruth Grant, Ron Harden,
Karl Krahnke, Bill Miller, Louise Parker, Liz Pruessner, Joann Thomas, John Waddell.

OTHERS PRESENT: None.

CALL TO ORDER: President Karl Krahnke called the meeting to order at 7:07 P.M.

INTRODUCTIONS: – All:

MINUTES – Review, revise, and approve – All:
Liz Pruessner moved to approve the January 7, 2010 minutes with any corrections that
might be find.. The board approved unanimously.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: – All:
1. Karl Received notice from the League of Women Voters regarding a meeting to be held from
7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M., February 8th, 2010, at the Unitarian Church. There will be discussion
of a definition of sustainability. The public is invited
2. Joel has registered FCAS with Tech Soup. This will enable FCAS to acquire software at a
reduced cost.
3. The State Board will meet February 13th. FCAS will generate a report for the meeting.

REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND COMMITEES:
New for all: Please Bring Written Reports or Email Reports in Advance

REPORTS OF OFFICERS:

Treasurer’s Report – Waddell:
1. Checking account balance on February 2nd , 2010 was $2,346.22.
2. The total balance is $13,152.02.
3. Expenses include:
a) $445.00 to print the January newsletter.
b) $133.50 for newsletter addressing and preparation for the Post Office.
c) $111.41 to mail the January newsletter.
d) $15.84 for speaker meal.
e) $148.50 to rent the Columbine room at the Lincoln Center.
f) $145.00 to reserve a room at the Loveland Museum.
g) $110 for forwarding five National Audubon memberships.
h) $15.90 for telephone service.
i) $239.08 for the Loveland Christmas Bird Count.
4. Receipts include:
a) $10.00 for one Colorado Landscapes.
b) $268.30 for 45 Pocket Guides.
c) $10.00 for partial payment for one CD.
d) $228.74 for 13 memberships.
e) $103.50 in donations.
f) $15.00 donation for the Loveland Christmas Bird Count.
g) $60.38 for Adopting a Mongolian foal.
h) $0.12 for Checking Account Interest.
5. Current Birdathon 2010 net is $0.00.
6. Will ask for horse donations at the Loveland meeting.

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES:

A. Membership – Pruessner:
1. 275 E-Newsletters were distributed this month, an increase of 88 from last month.
2. 645 USPS Newsletters distributes this month, a decrease of 100 from last month.
3. Liz will request that the NAS Membership department collect e-mail addresses from
new members and share them with local chapters.
4. The Save the Trees plea will return to the Ptarmigan, this time on the front page.
5. Bill suggested a one page insert be placed in the Ptarmigan asking members to choose
between paper or electronic Ptarmigan.
6. Joann will ask about Postal rates at the Post Office

B. Finance – Adams:
1. No discussion.

C. Education – Thomas:
1. Joann and John are working to get the River Watch going by March. A member of
River Watch will visit in April to Supervise and offer advice on testing.
2. The January 28th Backyard Birds Slide Program was attended by 75 women.
They were enthusiastic about discussing their backyard birds.
3. Between 400 and 500 people attended the January 30th Bath Avian Appreciation
Day. Chris, Greg, Marcia, and John hosted the exhibit.
4. Scheduled programs for February and March, 2010:
a) February 26th – CSU Biology Club – FCAS Q & A.
b) February 27th – High Plains Landscape Workshop – Exhibit Program.
c) March 6th – Putnam Science Carnival – Education Program.

D. Conservation – Miller:
1. No Discussion.

E. Field Trips – DeFonso:
1. David Leatherman led a group of 15 to Cottonwood Hollow/ Running Deer Natural
Areas, Prospect Ponds, and the Grandview Cemetery.
2. On January 23rd, Connie Kogler led 10 people to various winter mountain spots.
3. On January 27th, Eric took 11 to the Denver Museum for a tour of the specimen
collections.
4. Walter Szeliga filled in for Ted Floyd’s Boulder trip.
5. Eric has an owling trip planned for February 21st.
6. Nick Komar’s gull identification workshop will probably occur in early April.
7. Either Nancy Howard or Beth Dillon will be leading a beginning birding trip in
March or April.
8. Eric has submitted a query to Boulder County Audubon to see if they’re interested
in a joint trip to Soapstone in May.
9. The CFO convention will be held in Fort Collins May 21st – May 24th.
10. Eric is considering a Birding by Ear class and field trip for sometime in the future.

F. Newsletter – Jones:
1. No discussion.

G. Programs – Meschievitz:
1. Thursday, February 11th: The annual Joint meeting with the Northern Colorado Native
Plant Society. Whitney Cranshaw, Professor of Entomology at CSU, will present
a program on Bees and Wasps of Colorado. Also, Douglas Kibbe, Region 15
Coordinator will present the status of the Colorado Breeding Bird Atlas ll project.
2. Thursday, March 11th: Scott Rashid will give a presentation on his book, Small
Mountain Owls. He will have his book for sale.
3. Thursday, April 8th: Rob Palmar, Colorado photographer and grand prize winner
of “Nature’s Best Photographer” featured in the January/February Audubon magazine.
4. Thursday, April 29th: At the Loveland Museum, beginning at 7:15 P.M. Rich Harness,
Wild Horses and Raptors of Mongolia.

H. Volunteers – A. Waddell:
1. No discussion.

OLD BUSINESS:

A. Retreat Follow – up – Group Reports – All:
1. Karl distributed the summary of his Group’s suggestions:
a) Revise the membership application.
b) Prepare and make available a list of the benefits of FCAS membership.
c) Have more Board members at the greeting table – greet and small talk.
d) Hand out membership applications at the greeting table.
2. Liz sent the summary of her Group’s suggestions:
a) Feel that combining committees into larger groupings, reconstituting them by function,
would bring more energy and cohesion to the Chapter efforts. Suggesting the new
larger group would need the structure of a committee chair with clearly defined
sub-chair responsibilities to function efficiently. Current chairs would become
committee chairs within the larger group.
b) Three questions identified:
i) Where does the Finance Committee fit?
ii) How would the new committees hold meetings?
iii) Does the CBC belong in the Conservation/ Public Policy Group

B. Mongolian Horse Adoption – All:
1. Will collect money at the Loveland program.

C. Monitor Purchase – Harden:
1. The Board authorized the purchase of a monitor.

D. River Watch – Thomas:
1. Joann received permission to find a site. Hopefully, something by Shield Ponds.

E. Feral Cat Issue – All:
1. Discussion:
a) Do not attack the Trap, Neuter, Release groups.
b) FCAS needs to be prepared to make a science-based presentation to governmental
bodies if TNR groups attempt to get legal sanctions from the governmental bodies.
c) Develop a standard letter to respond with.
2. Ron’s Presentation:
a) Nico Dauphine, Zoological Society of London – range of bird kills per year from
different studies – 100 million to 1 billion.
b) Most conservative estimate is that cat predation is one of the most damaging
anthropogenic causes of bird loss.
c) Free-roaming cats serve as disease vectors for diseases that can be conveyed to humans
and to other animals.
d) Exotic birds vs. native birds – exotics are in higher numbers where feral cat colonies
exist.
e) TNR needs to be put into the environmental review process.

NEW BUSINESS:

A. Recognition for Lynne Hull – All:
1. $100.00 gift certificate from JAX.
2. Plaque.
3. Scott to see if he can get an idea how long Lynne has been on the Board.

B. Brochure – Pruessner and Thomas:
1. Joann suggested creating an Ad hoc committee to redesign the newsletter. Joann, Louise,
and Bill volunteered.
2. Karl suggested adding benefits for being a FCAS member to the brochure.

C. Fossil Creek Reservoir NA Adoption – Krahnke:
1. The Board consensus is to adopt the natural area.

D. Tongass National Forest – Letter – Harden:
1. Ron asked if he could sign FCAS onto the Alaska Coalition. The Board agreed.

E. Audubon Colorado Public Policy Committee – Legislative Issues – Harden:
1. HB1001 Renewable Energy Standards – increase the generation of renewable energy from
20% t0 30% by 2020. Position – support if amended.
2. HB1051 – Adds annual reporting requirements concerning water saved and the taps
provided in each sector served under the conservation plan already required of water
providers. Position – support.
3. Defense of the Oil and Gas development regulations adopted during the 2009 legislative
session. Defending the wildlife provisions are a top priority.
4. Cotter Mining Company is seeking to re-open a facility to handle radioactive material.
A bill will be introduced to require no permit until its previous site is cleaned up.
Position – support.
5. S98 will propose taking lottery money of the Conservation Trust Fund to do noxious
weed control. Position - oppose.
6. The Governor’s update of Colorado’s Road-less Rules should be out soon. No big
surprises are expected. The final form does not preclude wildlife interests from
seeking additional protections from federal provisions.

F. Fundraising Opportunities – Grant:
1. Tabled.

OTHER ITEMS:
No discussion.

ADJOURN:
The meeting adjourned at 9:10 P.M.