Fort Collins Audubon Society
Board of Directors Meeting

January 7, 2010

ATTENDEES: Heman Adams, Scott Cobble, Eric DeFonso, Ruth Grant, Ron Harden,
Lynne Hull, Joel Hurmence, Karl Krahnke, Jessie Meschievitz, 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 7:08 P.M.

INTRODUCTIONS: – All:

MINUTES – Review, revise, and approve – All:
Liz Pruessner moved to approve the December 3, 2009 minutes as submitted. Joann Thomas
seconded the motion which the board approved unanimously.

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 January 6th, 2010 is $2,346.22.
2. The total balance is $13,455.73.
3. Expenses include:
  a) $465.00 for the December newsletter.
  b) $133.01 to process the December newsletter.
  c) $111.12 to mail the December newsletter.
  d) $25.50 for three name badges.
  e) $15.90 for telephone services.
  f) $120.25 for dinner for the Fort Collins Christmas Bird Count.
4. Receipts include:
  a) $35.00 from National Audubon for a new membership.
  b) $71.40 for 12 Northern Colorado bird folders.
  c) $105.00 for six memberships.
  d) $3,064.72 from cashing out one CD at Wells Fargo Bank.
5. Current Birdathon 2009 net is $3,333.64.
6. Current Habitat Garden Tour net is $963.30 with three invoices totaling $75.00
unpaid. Lynne Hull indicated she would check on this.
7. FCAS has yet to receive a Safety Net Payment from National Audubon for 2009.
The payment is expected to be about $1,700.00.

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES:

A. Membership – Pruessner:
1. Liz Pruessner is working to encourage FCAS membership to receive the Ptarmigan
newsletter by email. She is being supported in this effort by Joel Hurmence, John
Waddell, and Louise Parker.

B. Finance – Adams:
1. Heman Adams asked why the collaborative funding had not been received yet. The
funding is sent after the Annual Report has been submitted to NAS.

C. Education – Thomas:
1. Joann Thomas indicated she is awaiting River Watch to decide on a spot along the
Poudre River for sampling.
2. Scheduled programs for January, February, and March of 2010:
  a) January 28th, Backyard Birds – Slide Program (Red Hats).
  b) January 30th, Bath Bird Days – Exhibit Program.
  c) February 26th, CSU Biology Club – FCAS Q&A.
  d) February 27th, High Plains Landscape Workshop – Exhibit Program.
  e) March 6th, Putnam Science Carnival – Education Program.

D. Conservation – Miller:
1. Audubon of Colorado was the recipient of $200,000.00 to be used for restoration
along the South Platte River in 2010 and 2011.
2. Bill Miller asked the Board to consider areas FCAS should nominate for NAS Land
and Water Conservation funding.
3. The Next AoC Board meeting will be February 13th. AoC would like a report from
FCAS.

E. Field Trips – DeFonso:
1. Three field trips are lined up for March.
2. Eric DeFonso will add field trip dates and titles to the FCAS calendar.
3. Fort Collins Bird Notes is new to the Ptarmigan as of January 2010.
4. Eric will give a presentation at Wild Birds Unlimited on Thursday, January 21st
at 6:00 P.M.

F. Newsletter – Jones:
1. No discussion.

G. Programs – Meschievitz:
1. John Waddell indicated FCAS sent the Rocky Mountain Cat Conservancy $100.00.
2. Thursday, January 14th. Rick Harness, Wildlife Biologist, will present Wild Horses
and Raptors of the Mongolian Steppe.
3. Thursday, February 11th. The annual joint meeting with the Northern Colorado Native
Plant Society. Whitney Cranshaw, Professor of Entomology at the CSU, will present a
program on Insects in Gardens and Native Habitats. Also that evening, Douglas
Kibbe, Region 15 Coordinator, will give a brief update on the status of the Colorado
Breeding Bird Atlas II (CoBBA II) Project in 2009.
4. Thursday, March 11th. Scott Rashid, Author and Photographer, will be giving a
presentation on his recently released book, Small Mountain Owls.
5. Contacted as potential speaker: Rob Palmer, Colorado photographer, and grand prize
winner of “Nature’s Best Photography” featured in the Jan/February Audubon
magazine.

H. Volunteers – A. Waddell:
1. Ashley Waddell has posted the volunteer opportunities listed in last month’s
Ptarmigan at a number of online sites. There has been no response as of yet.
2. Joann Thomas will send Ashley information on the four people who will help
at Bath Nursery's Avian Appreciation Days.

OLD BUSINESS:

A. Senior Center Contract – Miller:
1. According to Bill Miller, FCAS has tentatively agreed to a rental contract with the Fort
Collins Senior Center for the use of a meeting room from September to May, excluding
December, for the hours of 6:30 P.M. to 9:30 P.M. However, FCAS is only charged
$40.00 per hour for the period from 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
2. The room section with the stage has a drop down screen and seats approximately 100
people.
3. For a December Potluck dinner program, the Senior Center can provide hot water and
an audio/video cart. There will be no issue with bringing food.
4. The Senior Center said it would be ok for FCAS to bring program flyers.
5. Ruth Grant moved to accept the rental contract with the Fort Collins Senior Center for
September 2010 through May 2011 to include a December meeting. Joann seconded the
motion which the Board passed unanimously.

B. Christmas Bird Count - Results – DeFonso:
1. Results are posted to Cobirds and to the FCAS Yahoo Group.
2. President Krahnke suggested Eric present the results and the January Program meeting.
3. Eric will put a note in the Ptarmigan newsletter pointing readers to the FCAS website
for Bird Count results.

C. Monitor Purchase – Harden:
1. Ron Harden and Eric DeFonso will continue to work on this project. They will determine
what items should be included on and with the monitor.

D. River Watch – Thomas:
1. River Watch will send Joann Thomas a list of sites that are vacant and available for
testing.
2. Joann would like to discuss the River Watch at the January Program meeting.

E. Retreat Follow-up – All:
1. Highly ranked points. The Board got into groups to discuss the following items:
  a) Finish vision and mission review - Ruth Grant, Bill Miller, and Lynne Hull.
  b) Streamline committees/re-evaluate - Eric DeFonso, Ron Harden, Liz Pruessner.
  c) Begin executive committee meetings - Jessie Meschievitz, John Waddell, and
Joel Hurmence
 d) Board of directors/personal outreach at monthly programs to find out about people
attending - Karl Krahnke, Heman Adams, Joann Thomas, Louise Parker, and
Scott Cobble.
2. Other Points. There was no formal Board discussion of the following items.
  a) Committee leaders email and their notes.
  b) Develop annual calendar.
  c) Create manuals.
  d) Write job descriptions.
  e) Communicate with marketing/PR committee (updates).
  f) Create BOD policy on inclusions/exclusions for newsletter.
  g) Create marketing function.
  h) Conduct a SWOT analysis.

NEW BUSINESS:

A. 2010 Budget – J. Waddell:
1. Ruth Grant suggested the Board discus fundraising opportunities. President Krahnke
asked for this topic to be included for the February 2010 Board meeting.
2. The 2010 budget is approximately $5,000.00 in deficit.
3. Ruth moved to accept the budget as presented by John Waddell. Liz Pruessner
seconded the motion which the Board then passed unanimously.

B. Loveland Audubon Program – Meschievitz:
1. Jessie will pursue an April 2010 Program meeting for Loveland.

C. Who Will Staff the Bath Nursery's Avian Appreciation Days – A. Waddell:
1. Discussed earlier.

D. What will be the Process at the January Program Meeting for the Elections – All:
1. Bill Miller will announce the slate of candidates during the business portion of the
January 2010 Program Meeting.

E. Mongolian Horse Adoption – All:
1. The FCAS foal adoption would cost a minimum of $100.00. The horse would be
registered in an international stud book.
2. Bill suggested the $100.00 be taken from the Conservation Committee funds.
3. Joel Hurmence moved to approach membership at the January Program meeting
to donate towards the adoption program identified by Rick Harness and that the for the
FCAS foal adoption be taken in equal amounts from the Program and Conservation
Committee’s budgets. Lynne Hull seconded the motion which the Board unanimously.

OTHER:
No discussion.

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