September 2018
In Attendance: Jim Zyla, Kelvin Connor, Greg Baughman, Gordon Baughman, Dave Parker, Jud Street, Conrad Sordu
OLD BUSINESS:
Donations:
Michigan Trout Unlimited - $2,000
Clinton River Watershed Council - $1,500
Conservation Resource Alliance - $3,000 (paid summer 2018)
Brotherhood of the Junglecock - $1,500 (paid, spring 2018)
Cedars of the AuSable - $1,000
Great Lakes Superior Coaster Brook Trout study - $1,000
(Consider donating Coaster Brook trout prints also)
NEW BUSINESS:
Annual Budget:
Being prepared by Mollie Proctor. Checkbook balance is $14,242.24
PayPal is being reconciled back to beginning of the year – almost done. One $300 credit to Alan Neely that is unresolved.
New fiscal year imposed by TU National may affect timing of Annual Report.
Membership outreach:
Apply for new folks (or changed email addresses) through the web site for easy addition process. Note sent to Dan Keifer asking why I can’t get in to see invitation replies, even though i am a Moderator.
Add Alan Neely Sr to our Yahoo Group via our web site.
Use Mailchimp also for all correspondence also – reaches complete TU National list.
Use Facebook more often to reach those who use it often (I don’t use it, but will try to incorporate it into our communication efforts).
Domain name renewal:
Ron Peckens sends the Treasurer a notice when renewals are due.
Ogden Pleissner print:
Dan Cronin has our print at the moment. Chapter to explore the feasibility of selling it on the open market. In the past, the chapter has given the print to the President to display while he or she was serving as president.
Merger with another chapter:
Explore the possibility of meeting with the PHY board at one meeting, and then the Vanguard board at another if necessary. The goal being to create a larger chapter with more members who want to participate in the TU mission statement. Invite Tom Quail (MTU) to speak to our chapter.
Outing attendance:
Attendance has fallen off dramatically which is presenting a challenge. One of the issues is payment for the lodges – they usually require a minimum payment. We used to require advanced payment to reserve your space, but slim attendance has undermined that practice. If somebody signs up and then isn’t able to attend, it creates a financial strain – either on the chapter or the members attending who are asked to pony up a little more money. We need a policy. Or we need to cut back on the number of outings? Gordon Baughman has put several alternatives out there for consideration and we should discuss them with the general membership.
Future meetings:
Proposal to have the October and November meeting at the Rusty Bucket on Telegraph Road in Bingham Farms. They have a meeting room with a door that is large enough for our group.
Proposed meeting speakers/topics:
October - Joe Hemming (Anglers of the AuSable president) to talk on the recent fish kill resulting from the fish farm in Grayling.
November – Presentation on fishing in Canada?
Meeting adjourned at 8:45 pm
