Fort Collins Audubon Society
Board of Directors Meeting

Thursday April 1, 2004

ATTENDEES: Kate Bolster, Jackie Boss, Scott Cobble, Carol Fiore, Phil Friedman,
Ron Harden, Joel Hurmence, Nick Komar, Marcia Maeda, Bill Miller, Sue Miller, and
John Waddell.

OTHERS PRESENT: None

The meeting was called to order by President Bill Miller at 7:07 P.M.

INTRODUCTIONS: None were necessary.

MINUTES – March 4, 2004 – Review, revise, and approve – All:
Miller asked if there were any revisions to the minutes. Two minor revisions were indicated. A motion was made to approve the March 4, 2004 minutes as revised.  The motion was seconded and then passed unanimously.

REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND COMMITEES:
OFFICERS:
Treasurer’s Report – John Waddell (sent out earlier)

NEW BUSINESS:

A. Review Chapter Goals from 2002 – adopt for 2004 – Miller:
( Note: Review results are in parentheses and located in brackets [ ] ).
1. Programs
a) Minimum of six per year with several specific ideas to consider:
+ Focus the theme of at least one program/meeting on the Poudre River.
[Crossed out]
+ Consider one special program with possibly a banquet.
[Crossed out]
+ Have one program with a cosponsor.
[Unchanged]
+ Have one program with the purpose to reach young people.
[Phil Friedman and Marcia Maeda suggested outreach to educators. Bill Miller
suggested publicity aimed at educators. Decision: focus programs as usual but
to publicize the programs to educators as a resource that students can utilize]

b) Offer diverse programs
+ Travel and wildlife programs seem to attract the largest audiences.
[Crossed out]
+ Programs to “educate” the community in advance of the “trend” are also valuable
though not necessarily as well attended.
[Crossed out]
+ Discussed the use of catchy titles for programs to “hook” an audience.
[Crossed out]
2. Field Trips
a) At least four field trips per month:
+ Try to have 10 people or less on each trip.
[Unchanged]
+ Include non-bird oriented field trip.
[Unchanged]
+ Offer hikes
[Crossed out]
+ Provide an “activism” link.
[Unchanged]
+ Promote carpooling and good birding ethics.
[Unchanged]
b) Offer an ID workshop for field trip leaders to encourage more trip leaders to come
forward.
[Unchanged]
c) Use the field trips to attract and recruit more members:
[Unchanged]
3. Science and Conservation
a) Continue leadership for Fort Collins Christmas Bird Count.
[Include the Loveland CBC]
b) Conduct bird census/monitoring activities at Fossil Lake Reservoir and along the Poudre
River.
[Continue the Fossil Lake Reservoir census. The Poudre River survey ran for two
years]
c) Adopt one Natural Area.
[Unchanged]

d) Nominate a Poudre River Important Bird Area.
[Nick Komar suggested using the data from the Poudre River survey in nominating a
Poudre River IBA. Nick indicated that Nick Cafarro had volunteered to write the
nomination]
e) Develop an updated relationship with Janos.
[FCAS members continue the relationship with Janos]
f) Continue development of the Nature Center concept.
[In-progress]
g) Conduct a youth stewardship project.
[Continue youth stewardship as a FCAS priority]
h) Publish the CBC and survey data to document bird presence.
[Unchanged]
4. Advocacy:
a) Continue support for lobbyist at the state legislature.
[Unchanged]
b) Develop an effective communication system for advocacy.
[Replace develop with maintain]
c) Adopt a priority issue list using state legislative agenda.
[Crossed out]
d) Develop a priority issue list for local concerns.
[Crossed out]
e) Develop a policy for quick response to issues that might not be on
the 2002 priority list for local concerns.
[In progress]
f) Develop field trips to places under debate in Larimer County.
[Crossed out]
g) Hold an activism workshop.
[Publicize the annual Audubon/Sierra Club meeting in Denver]
h) Expand the Conservation committee’s membership.
[Has been done]
5. Publicity
a) Continue publicity methods used in 2001.
[Change 2001 to 2003 then add “to include educators”]
b) Develop a plan for better, more effective communication.
[Make this item a subset of (a) above]
+ Go “outside the box” of usual methods.
+ Develop relationships with people in the media.
c) Communicate Audubon successes to membership.
[On-going]
d) Consider (with Membership) celebration activity for the
membership/community.
[On-going]
(Note: Programs, Field Trips, Science and Conservation, Advocacy, and Publicity,
were reviewed at the April 1st meeting. Fundraising, Education, and Membership
will be reviewed at a later date).

B. Review Tickler List – Prioritize and assign responsibilities – Miller:
( Note: Review results are in parentheses and located in brackets [ ] ).
1. Chapter Forms: Do we need to print more?
a) Membership Brochures/Applications
[Review pending]
b) Stationary (Letterhead) and Envelopes
[Scott Cobble will distribute to the board, via email, the redesigned letterhead. Also,
he will investigate printing costs]
2. Policy on Extended Field Trips
[Phil Friedman, Nick Komar, and Gary Lefko to discuss]
3. Web Site updates
[Tabled until a later date. Joel Hurmence will investigate the possibility of linking
to Amazon.com and the potential for income generation]
4. Ptarmigan: Do we wish to put out an electronic version:
[Unchanged]
5. CSU CHAPTER OF THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY:
[Crossed out]
6. SCHOLARSHIP - TRAVIS HOWARD AND RMBO SUMMER CAMP:
[Phil Friedman suggested making this a general scholarship]
7. CHAPTER POLICIES – OWNER
a) Field Trips and Tours (has been started) – Friedman
[Unchanged]
b) Ptarmigan - backup of publication procedures
[Unchanged]
c) Reimbursement policy (dinner with a guest, etc.)(Debit Cards)
[Unchanged]
d) Scholarship program (under Education?)
[Unchanged]

e) Venders at our programs
[Unchanged]
f) Advertisements in Ptarmigan (paid and otherwise)
[Joel Hurmence indicated possible Postal and IRS issues with advertisement.
Bill Miller suggested a committee look into potential legal and content issues]
g) Classes of memberships
[Unchanged]
h) Officers and Directors Liability Insurance – Dillon
[Phil Friedman suggested adding field trip insurance to this item]

C. Natural Area Cleanup – Miller:
1. May 22, 2004

D. Chapter Name Change? – Miller:
1. Nick Komar suggested creating a committee to investigate issues surrounding changing the
chapter’s name.

E. Bylaws Changes – Miller:
(Bill Miller suggested working on the bylaws over the summer)
1. Chapter-only memberships – discussion put off until a later date.
2. Chapter name change – discussion put off until a later date.
3. Electronic version of Ptarmigan – discussion put off until a later date.

OLD BUSINESS
1. Bill Miller requested that Board members create a very detailed description of their
responsibilities that includes, but is not limited to:
a) Individual tasks
b) Others who may be involved
c) Contact information
2. Canoe field trip
a) To be advertised in the May Ptarmigan.
b) Nick Komar suggested that Gary Lefko ask field trip leaders to announce the trip.
c) The field trip company wants the balance of the payment by May.
d) Ron Harden suggested presenting the promotional video at the April meeting to be
followed by a pitch to the audience.

e) Phil Friedman moved that FCAS pay the trip fee for one leader on the canoe trip if the
free trip provision is not met. The motion was seconded by Jackie Boss and was then
passed unanimously.

STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS
(Reports not discussed during the meeting should be distributed by email to the full Board)
1. Conservation – Carol Fiore:
a) Carol Fiore is hosting a Conservation Committee meeting at her home on May 3 at
7:00 P.M. All are invited. She distributed her address, phone number, and email address.
b) The Conservation Committee now has four members. They are:
+ Carol Fiore
+ Dr. Todd Ringler
+ Ed Levering
+ Danelle Okeson
c) Todd Ringler had drafted a statement of support of legislation currently in the U.S.
Congress which would pay ranchers not to graze cattle on land leased from the
government. At least 46 state and local chapters have endorsed the legislation.
d) Phil Friedman indicated the legislation is progressing slowly in the Congress. He
suggested there is adequate time for the FCAS Board to gather more information
regarding the legislation.
e) Carole Fiore indicated she would report any update at the May Board meeting.
2. Programs – Jackie Boss
a) Jackie Boss indicated she would not be present for the April program meeting. She
Joel Hurmence if he would introduce the guest speaker. He agreed to.

AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORTS
1. AOC Update – Ron Harden:
a) AoC wants to know if chapters will return the Legislative fund portion of the
distribution.
b) FCAS has the best rate of chapter recertification.
2. Nature Center Committee – Miller/Komar/Friedman:
a) No discussion

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Marcia Maeda indicated her email address was backward on the board list.
Nick Komar indicated he would not be available for the Fossil Lake Reservoir survey.
Nick also mentioned he had been to a retreat on how to run a board. He suggested creating a policy and procedures document.

ADJOURN:
President Miller called the Board meeting to an end at 9:25 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Scott Cobble
Secretary