September 2019

Date: Thursday | September 19, 2019
Time: 7:00 | EST
Location: E.L. Johnson Nature Center

I.                    Welcome & Call to Order

A TU Challenge Chapter board meeting was held September 19, 2019 at the E.L. Johnson Nature Center.  It began at 7:00 pm and was presided over by Mollie Proctor, with Dave Lockwood acting as secretary.

II.                  Attendees
Members Present:  Mollie Proctor, Jud Street, Ed Coe, Dave Parker, Kelvin Connor, Dan Cronin, Conrad Surdu, Jim Zyla, Dave Lockwood
Member Apologies: Dave Baumhart
 

III.                Approval of Previous Minutes

A motion to approve the minutes of the May 7, 2019 meeting was made by Mollie Proctor and seconded by Jud Street.

IV.                Agenda

Chapter Calendar:
Led by Mollie Proctor.

Key Activities:
 
·         Cast-n-Blast Weekend is September 27-29

·         Next chapter meeting Thursday, October 10 (Mike Sipkowski confirmed speaker - Boardman River transformation)

·         Need to develop master list of presenters across MI TU chapters and fly fisher organizations

·         Discussion of potential future speakers

·         Agreement reached that Challenge Chapter meetings take place the first Thursday of the month (except in October and January, when they will be the second Thursday of the month)
 

Action Items                                                                                                            Owner(s)       Deadline           Status
Forward C-N-B e-m to Dave L, Dave P and Ed and add names to Yahoo mailing list       Mollie              Sept 20             COMPLETE
Develop master speakers list                                                                                    Mollie             Ongoing             IN PROGRESS
Explore Nicole Watson’s availability to speak regarding reintroduction of Grayling           Dan               Oct. mtg            COMPLETE

Reserve Lockhart’s BBQ for chapter meetings                                                             Jud                Oct mtg             COMPLETE

MITU Quarterly Meeting Recap
Presented by Jim Zyla

Key Elements:
 
·         Priority in coming months will be to grow membership in MITU’s Aquifer Club

·         Discussion of “potential major impacts” on cold water fisheries of EPA’s ending of Obama Administration program called “Waters of the U.S.”

·         Annual budget and goals were reviewed (MITU year-end appeal must raise $161,000)

·         Riverboat donation and raffle generated approximately $14,000 in net revenue

·         Brian Burroughs recommended using videos produced by state council, available at www.ForestsForFish.com, for fund raising at local chapter meetings

·         Discussion of sunsetting of 2019 UP brook trout bag limit regulation

·         Kalamazoo Chapter kids camp was success in 2019; group is seeking $700 in Challenge Chapter support next year and assistance recruiting campers and counselors

·         Discussion regarding possibility of Mio Dam removal on Au Sable

·         Jim’s full notes are available here: MITU state council meeting 9-14-19.pdf
 

Action Items:
None
 

Treasurer’s Report:
Presented by Mollie Proctor.

 Key Elements:
 
·         Currently approximately $16,000 in Challenge Chapter account

·         Mollie created spreadsheet to track dealer financial invoices and augment existing book sales tracking system

·         Chapter has a new mailing address (PO Box 7665, Bloomfield Hills, MI  48302) that needs to be updated on website and among donors
 

Action Items                                                                                                          Owner(s)          Deadline           Status
Update address on chapter website                                                                       Kelvin                Oct mtg            COMPLETE
Integrate sales tracking system                                                                             Mollie                Oct mtg            IN PROGRESS
 
 
Dealer Sales
Presented by Jim Zyla.

Key Points:
 
·         Jim presented analysis of book sales (by river/channel/dealer, over time) – need to sell 238 books by year end to match 2018 sales/revenue

·         Group discussion of sales growth ideas/opportunities and past success

·         Key success steps: develop holiday e-mail campaign, update/integrate e-mail lists of potential book buyers, compile lists other MI chapter leadership/flyfishing             groups/fly shop owners for outreach

·         Look for new uses for Prosek print (possibly as incentive for multi-book sales)

·         Need to reactivate update of Manistee River book in order to have inventory to sell at next spring’s Expo
 

Action Items                                                                                                         Owner(s)           Deadline          Status

Retrieve Prosek prints                                                                                         Jim                     Oct mtg            COMPLETE

Create board sub-group focused on marketing                                                       TBD                    Nov mtg           IN PROGRESS

Compile a list of TU chapter leaders and addresses                                                 Mollie                 Oct mtg            COMPLETE

Clean/merge e-mail CC member lists                                                                     Kelvin                 Oct mtg           IN PROGRESS         

Update list of target fly shops/dealers                                                                    Dave P               Oct mtg           COMPLETE

Create sub-group focused on Manistee update                                                        Jud                    Oct mtg           IN PROGRESS

Reach out to Graphics East re: printing schedule                                                     Dave P               Oct mtg           IN PROGRESS

Get Prosek print framed/placed at Gates                                                                 Jud                    Oct mtg           IN PROGRESS

 
Other Business
The following resolution was adopted: Dave Lockwood volunteered to serve as Board Secretary

Action Items                                                                                                     Owner(s)               Deadline          Status
Dave to share draft of meeting minutes with board members for accuracy           Dave                       Next week        COMPLETE

V.                  Announcements and Reminders

Continue to think about possible future chapter speakers and ways to stimulate book sales/revenue

VI.                Next Scheduled Meetings

Chapter Meeting                                                    Thursday, October 10                             Lockhart’s BBQ, Royal Oak

Board Meeting                                                        Tuesday, October 29                              Rusty Bucket, Bloomfield Hills                              

VII.              Adjournment

Mollie Proctor moved that the meeting be adjourned, and this was agreed upon at 8:30.

Minutes Prepared By Dave Lockwood

Secretary