scfff Executive Committee Meeting, December 2002

MINUTES FOR
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
SOUTHERN COUNCIL, FEDERATION OF FLY FISHERS(tm)

December 14, 2002

Ramada Inn, Mountain Home, AR

Meeting attachments not included

DRAFT

The Executive Committee Meeting was called to order at approximately 4:30 p.m. by the President, Roger Maler. Roll call was taken by Chuck Easterling, Senior Vice President/Secretary. A Sign-in sheet was circulated. Officer status and reports at the meeting:

President	Roger Maler	Present	Oral Report
Secretary/Sr. VP	Chuck Easterling	Present	No Report
Treasurer	Shawn Taylor	Absent	Written Report
VP Communications	Brian Ellis	Present	Written Report
Asst. VP Communications	Bill Brant	Present	Written Report
VP Conservation	Bob Tabbert	Present	Written Report
VP Development	Dennis Slane	Present	Written Report
VP Education	Mike Reuck	Absent	No Report
VP Membership	Walter McLendon	Present	Oral Report
Editor, Long Casts	Steve Fritz	Absent
International Director	Steve Jensen	Absent	No Report
International Director	Chet Smith	Present	No Report
Archivist	Chet Smith	Present	No Report
Parliamentarian	Duane Kelly	Absent
Managing Director	Pat Smith	Present

Also in attendance:

2003 Conclave Chair

Joe Butler

Oral Report

President Maler opened the meeting with welcoming remarks.

REPORTS

Secretary's Report: No report.

Treasurer's Report: (Attachment A) Delayed till we get to budget. Everyone was under budget for the past year.

VP Communications: VP Ellis did not have a written report. He did say that the Awards deadline was June 27. The Ballots would be due back to MD Smith no later than September 15.

Asst. VP Communications: Asst. VP Brant again stressed that the Southern Council website is the Council's website not the "Bill and Brian" website. VP Brant expressed a need for the Conclave photos from 2002. MD Smith promised to send them.

VP Conservation: VP Tabbert presented a written report (Attachment B). He stated he would like to see the Council develop a separate funding method for conservation and education. He submitted a form that would be distributed to clubs, organizations and members to assist in this venture. A copy of the proposal is attached. The feeling of the committee was that he should proceed in setting up the fund.

VP Development: VP Slane presented a written report (Attachment C). He also reports that he has not received the videos from Conclave as promised. Once he does receive them, copies will be sent out the the clubs and officers. There are 5 1/2 hours of videos to be edited down.

VP Slane is also proposing that in 2004 we go to a 3-day event.

VP Membership: VP McLendon reported that we need to increase the amount of info flowing from the clubs to the council and from the council to the clubs. Ways need to be developed to increase membership.

OLD BUSINESS

2002 Conclave Report: The final conclave report was submitted (Attachment D). Due to the decrease in club income it was proposed that the clubs help underwrite conclave expenses. The Council has lost $1,380 in income due to the change in the manner of collecting club dues. This lost must be made up somewhere.

2002 Annual Report: (Attachment E) Each year all Councils in the Federation of Fly Fishers are required to submit an Annual Report detailing where moneys came from and where they went. President Maler did an analysis of the reports from the past three years and reports that the Council lost approximately $6,000 each year from the previous year. We have done a lot with our money. In the past three years we have given away $54,000.

Budget: (Attachment F) The question arose that if we make $15,000 how much do we want to spend. We gave away $13,200 last year. We need to look at each individual request and see how much of a loss we can recoup. This year the following were decided on:

	$3,000		Missouri Department of Conservation/Trout Unlimited - 4th Installment of a $15,000 commitment for the Capps Creek Project.
	$250		Arkansas Game and Fish - Collins Creek Project
	$500		Missouri Stream Team - distributed in October at Board Meeting
	$500		Heart of America - Blue River Rescue Project
	$250		Heart of America - Student Environment Learning Fair

The conservation grant amounts are to be limited to total of $4,500 with the rest of the budget items remaining as they were last year. If funds become available, then we will take another look at the conservation budget.

We received a request from Missouri Stream Team to renew the $1,500 grant for another 5-year period. It was felt that it is time for the clubs in each state to take over projects like this and help support them.

The Missouri Stream Team will be coming to Conclave in October 2003 to make a special presentation to the Council in appreciation of their continued support.

The consensus was that it is time that the club step up to help. The Council cannot afford, within today' economy, to fund large projects. The thought is to now request that we go to a matching fund process. If the requestor raises X amount of dollars the Council will match that amount within the limits set by Council. We must now get the word out to the clubs and other entities that come to the Council for assistance with their conservation and education projects.

Miscellaneous:

Club Training Seminars: Training seminars as begun by former President Camp were discussed. The feeling is that they should continue; however, Conclave might not be the best time to try to do it. One suggestion was that it be done on Thursday morning prior to the start of Conclave. No decision was made.

Oblander Fund: Due to difficulties with All Fish All Waters Foundation and the limits set on amounts contributed ($15,000 required to set up a fund), it was agreed that for the time being the fund would be held within the Southern Council.

Long Cast Contingency Fund, Wayne & Catherine Moore Youth Fund and the Moore Award Fund: There was much discussion about dissolving these funds and moving the balances into the general fund. Another suggestion was to remove the restrictions on the Moore Youth Fund to make the funds more accessible by the clubs. President Maler is to talk with those involved with the Youth Fund to determine what might be done.

Ambassador Program: VP McLendon has conceived the idea of an "Ambassadors Program" with the purpose of bringing the Board to the clubs to generate FFF membership. The thrust is that each officer is to visit at least 3 clubs in a range of 250 from his home base within a 2-year period. He is putting together a list of folks to go do programs for clubs. The ultimate reason behind this is to get the message to those who haven't gotten it.

The programs need not be on the FFF. However, it is hoped that this opportunity can be used to put in "plugs" for the FFF. In this vein, VP McLendon plans to create a Speaker's Bureau - either building on what Hod McIntosh begun several years ago or asking Mr. McIntosh to take on the chore of organizing the Speaker's Bureau.

Bunkhouse: (Attachment G) President Maler proposes to build a "Bunkhouse" somewhere in the Mountain Home area. President Maler submitted attachments that detail the project. The entire project is to be done with donated funds. It is hoped that we can secure the funds from corporate sponsors, clubs and individuals.

The bunkhouse under current plans will have office and storage space for the Council. It will, up completion, be able to sleep 33 individuals and have kitchen and bathroom facilities. It would also be the future site of all Council meetings with the exception of the Conclave.
The facility would be available to clubs, organizations, church groups, etc for a fee. There will be a sliding scale for FFF members and non-FFF members.

Insurance protection for the facility has been checked into. There are too many variables to say how much it will cost as that will be based on location and the capabilities of the local fire department.

A press release and a questionnaire has been send to the clubs requesting their support.

Conservation-Education Fund: VP Tabbert suggested the form requesting donations for this fund be placed in the Long Casts and/or sent out to FFF members (Attachment H). After discussion, a test will be made by submitting the request to the Southwest Missouri Fly Fishers, a 100% club. If the results are positive, then we can proceed with putting it in front of other members.

Long Casts: Editor Fritz has resigned. The current issue will be his last. (Attachment I)

The process has begun to find a new editor. There are several contenders but as yet no winner. One of them is Harvey Ragsdale who has a long history in the council and has done the newsletter in the past. Another is Dan Brown of Mid-South who was editor of the Mid-South newsletter for many years. A decision must be made by January 15 as that is the deadline for articles for the next issue.

Advertising placed in the Long Casts has not generated the looked for funds; therefore, the feeling is that advertising should be discontinued for at least one issue to see what the results are.

There had been some interest in changing the publisher of the newsletter; however, we have been unable to find anyone that can print it for the amount currently paid.

There was a suggestion that we send the hard copy only to the FFF members and have an electronic version available for non-FFF members

Conclave 2003: VP Development Slane began the report by saying that we hope to have large banners spanning the streets that lead to the Baxter County Fair Grounds in an effort to let the local folks know of the Conclave.

He also suggested that we have an information booth separate from the registration desk for people seeking information. It was felt this would be a good location for VP McLendon to set up a recruiting station.

Conclave Chairman Joe Butler reports that Jason and Gary Borger will be the keynotes for 2003. His conclave committee includes the following:

	Auction/Raffle	Jim Murphy
	Fly Tyers	Steve Jensen
	Vendors	Harvey Ragsdale
	Programs	Joe Butler
	Welcome Party	Acadiana Fly Rodders
	Social	M-A-K-O Fly Fishers
	Banquet	Pat Smith

He is still working on a Facilities' Chair and a Youth Conclave Chair.

In order to balance out the cost, the fee for the banquet will probably be raised to either $17 or $18.

Currently fly tyers are admitted without paying a registration fee. It was a unanimous decision that from now on tyers will pay the full rate "just like everyone else."

Commercial booths are to remain 10'x10' as they currently are however each booth will be allowed only 2 attendees per table. If more are needed than two then they must pay the registration fee.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:50 P.M.