MINUTES FOR
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
FEDERATION OF FLY FISHERStm, SOUTHERN COUNCIL

October 6, 2002
Ramada Inn, Mountain Home, AR

Meeting attachments not included


The Board of Directors Meeting was called to order at approximately 8:30 a.m. by the President, Brian Camp. Roll call was taken by Roger Maler, Senior Vice President/Secretary. A Sign-in sheet was circulated. Officer status and reports at the meeting:

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

The Secretary accepted the following proxy forms.

Proxy List

   
Club
 Designated  Representative

Capital City Fly Fishers
 Executive Committee

Green Country Fly Fishers
 Bob Cunningham

Texas Women Fly Fishers
 Walter McLendon

Sign-in Record (Attendance check list - Only List Clubs Represented)

   
Club
 Representative

Arrowhead Fly Fishers
 Tom Criswell, President

Capital City FF
 Executive Committee

Cornhusker FF
 Elmer Meiler, President

Fort Worth  FF
 Brian Camp, No Vote

Green Country Fly Fishers
 Bob Cunningham, Proxy

Heart of America FF
 Mike Reuck, No Vote

Kansas City Northland FF
 Charley West, President
 
 M-A-K-O Fly Fishers
 Joe Butler, President

Mid-South Fly Fishers
 Mike Stark, President

Mac Caradine
 No Vote

MO Trout Fishermens Assoc, KC
 Tom Criswell, No Vote

North Arkansas Fly Fishers
 Paul Craig, President

North Louisiana Fly Fishers
 Joan Meyers, President

Northeast Arkansas Fly Fishers
 Heath Garner, President

Ozark Fly Fishers
 Brian Flinchpaugh, President

Pineywoods Fly Fishers
 Jimmy Lee, President

Southwest Mo Fly Fishers
 Joe Curry, President

Texas Women Fly Fishers
 Walter McLendon, Proxy

Tri-Lakes Fly Fishers
 John Henry, President

President Camp opened the meeting with welcoming remarks.

REPORTS

Secretary's Report: No Report; however, request 5 minutes later in meeting.

Treasurer's Report: Treasurer Taylor presented a written report outlining the Councils current financial status. Everyone was well within budget for the year.

There has been an ongoing discussion with the hotels in Mountain Home regarding gratis rooms for use during Conclave. There is a great deal of concern regarding conclave expenses at the hotel. In 2002 we only had 1 room comped at the Ramada. In 2003 we have been told we can expect two rooms at the Best Western and two rooms at the Comfort Inn also.

Treasurer Taylor encouraged clubs to help with underwriting of Conclave expenses. The Council will no longer have an income from the club dues because of a change in the collection procedures by National. Because of this Council income will drop this coming year.

Mid-South Fly Fishers (club president, Mike Stark), pending the club's board approval, makes a donation challenge to the other clubs to do the same. A club's financial situation should be taken into consideration when determining the amount of a donation. Some of the smaller clubs are not as financially solvent as the larger clubs.

In his roll as 2002 Conclave Chair, Treasurer Taylor commended Johnny Chamness for an excellent job in keeping the tone of the Live Auction upbeat.

VP Communications: VP Ellis gave an oral report. This year the awards nominations were placed on the website instead of being mailed. This process seems to work very well. The next process is to update the contact list on the website thus it is necessary that we have the name of and contact information for each club contact.

Website is kept updated as time permits. If anyone please has comments about something else you would like to see on the site, please let with VP Ellis or Asst. VP Brant know.

VP Development: VP Slane presented a written report. Some discussion was had regarding the video being produced by the production team that was at conclave filming for Mark Van Patten's TV program on PBS. VP Slane asked if everyone had seen the short promo tape that had been sent out earlier. Most had and gave a good report on the tape.

The new tape can be formatted for each club to take to TV stations in their area. They will need to find out what format that particular station requires then let VP Slane know.

Tapes will also be made available for showing at club meetings. Probably length will be 15 minutes. They could be a major item in helping promote the annual conclave.

VP Education: VP Easterling gave an oral report. This year's Bill Lambing Memorial Scholarship  was awarded to Amanda Scott. This is the 8th consecutive year for VP Easterling to award the scholarship. From the reports he as received from past scholarship awardees it is making a difference. VP Easterling presented a report that was sent in by last year's scholarship recipient Lynn Hodges. It was a very impressive report regarding the blue heron consumption of trout on the White River. Copies are available by contacting VP Easterling.

VP Easterling reported that the percentage of usage of the rods and fly tying materials is slight from November to March and very busy from April through October.

Membership: Managing Director Smith made the membership report. With the new guidelines under which club dues are collected, the Council has lost one of its contact points with the clubs. In order for the Long Casts to be delivered to each club member we must have membership updates periodically throughout the year. The Council simply cannot afford to keep sending the newsletter to those who are no longer members. Plus we are charged seventy cents each time a copy turns up undeliverable. If someone moves and we don't get a new address, we have to pay seventy cents. If the address sent to us by the club is not correct, we pay seventy cents. It adds up. Currently, only four clubs keep the Council updated on membership changes. This needs to be improved on.

Long Casts, Editor: Editor Steve Fritz presented a written report. Everything is running smoothly except for meeting deadlines. All officers are encouraged to check out the deadlines and adhere to them. Also, all officers as well as conclave committee are encouraged to submit articles for the Long Casts. This is the only method other than the website that we have as a contact with Council members. We must keep communications open.

National Directors: On behalf of himself and fellow Director Chet Smith, Steve Jensen reported that once again the meeting at the National show in Livingston was long but went smoothly. There was no contention. The next International Fly Fishing Show will be in Idaho Falls, Idaho August 3 through 9, 2003. The following year the show will probably be in West Yellowstone with the anniversary show to possibly be in Eugene, OR.

Officers are again Greg Pitts as President, Keith Burkhart - Secretary and Gary Grant is Treasurer. A new position was created this term with Ken Jennings serving as VP of Administration. Other office holders remain the same.

Jim Rainey, who is the new Executive Director of the Federation, was introduced at the Board of Directors meeting. Many of you met Jim during the past few days of Conclave. Jim has some excellent ideas as to how to get the FFF on the right track.

A contingency plan is under consideration by the Board. The Board of Directors has 3 representatives from each Council. If one of the representatives cannot attend then the Council may nominate an alternate director to attend in stead. Legal Counsel is looking into the feasibility of this plan.

President's Report: President Camp gave a short report on the Leadership Seminars that he had instituted. The seminars were attended by the club presidents, membership person and the newsletter editors. President Camp read parts of the introduction to the seminars that he made at the Texas Seminar. The article dealt with the early days and the evolving of the Federation. Bob Cunningham added to that history of the early days. He encouraged the continuation of these seminars.

NEW BUSINESS

Election of New Officers: The slate of officers for the 2003/2004 term was presented by Chuck Easterling who was chairman of the nominating committee which consisted of Easterling, Lewis Goodson and Managing Director Smith.. The slate is as follows:

    
President:
 Roger Maler

Secretary/Sr. Vice President:
 Chuck Easterling

Treasurer:
 Shawn Taylor

VP Communications:
 Brian Ellis

Asst VP Communications:
 Bill Brant

VP Conservation:
 Bob Tabbert

VP Development:
 Dennis Slane

VP Education:
 Mike Reuck

VP Membership:
 Walter McLendon

National Director: 
 Steve Jensen

National Director:
 Chet Smith

Long Casts Editor:
 Steve Fritz

Archivist:
 Chet Smith

Parliamentarian:
 Duane Kelly

Motion to accept the slate as presented was made by Tom Criswell and seconded by Paul Craig. Motion carried.

At this point in the meeting President Camp presented the gavel to President Maler

Missouri Stream Team: Mark Van Patten, Stream Team Coordinator, thanks the Council for its continued support. This is the 5th year of a 5-year commitment made to fund $1,500 to the Missouri Stream Team. His report included the information that the Stream Team program began in Missouri and now has 1989 stream teams on 216 streams within the state with approximately 40,000 volunteers. All the funding from the Council has gone to purchase water quality kits and training materials. He requested that the Council consider renewing the 5-year commitment.

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission: Tom Bly, biologist with the AGFC, submitted a request for assistance in funding specific areas of a cooperative project between the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, specifically the Collins Creek Project. The project is to create an area on Collins Creek similar to the Dry Run Creek area on the Norfork. It will ultimately be a "kids only" fishery. The current funding is 75% from the Corp with a matching 25% from the State of Arkansas; however, 80% of the state money can be in kind and labor. The four different areas needing funding are footbridge - approximately $2,000; benches - approximately $1,000, handicapped accessible fishing platforms - approximately $2,000 and parking lot - approximately $15,000. As with other request, Mr. Bly was informed that no decision would be made until the December Executive Committee meeting.

Don Oblander Memorial Youth Education Fund: The Council to sponsor the establishing of a fund in honor of the late Don Oblander. There are currently several funds already established within the All Fish All Waters Foundation - The LaFontaine Education Fund which funds a scholarship and the Scott Sanditen Fund which is also a youth education fund. The minimum amount necessary to create the Oblander fund is $5,000. The ultimate use for the funds would be established by the Oblander family. Until the necessary amount is collected, Managing Director Smith will hold the funds.

St. Jude'sHooked on a CureCelebrity Fly Fishing Classic: President Maler submitted a request he has from April Conrad, the Event Coordinator for the above named event. To quote from the request: "celebrities from the world of flyfishing, entertainment and professional golf will team up for a non-competitive gathering benefitting St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN." Level of participation will be determined at the December meeting.

Other Items:

Membership - President Maler requested that each board member visit at least 3 clubs to promote FFF.

2003 Conclave - Joe Butler of M-A-K-O Fly Fishers will advise within 1 month as to whether or not he and his club would chair the conclave for 2003.

December 14, 2002 is the date for the Executive Committee meeting. It will begin at 4:00 PM in the upstairs meeting room at the Ramada Inn in Mountain Home, AR.

(Text of introduction given by  Brian Camp used at the Texas seminar in 2000 sponsored by the FFF Southern Council)

What is the Federation of Fly Fishers? Can anybody tell me?

History

The FFF began as the Federation of Fly Fishermen with an organizational meeting in 1965. Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation and a tax exempt filing with the IRS followed soon thereafter. When the Federation was formed, it was a federation of clubs. Each member club had a place on the Board of Directors. Individual Councils evolved and, eventually, a cap of 100 Directors was made, allocated by Council. More recently, the formula currently in place of 3 Directors from each Council was adopted. Next year, the size of the Board will likely be reduced with Councils being represented by 2 Directors because the number of Councils has enlarged significantly over the last 10 years. (Did not happen.)

During the 70's, the name of the organization was changed to the Federation of Fly Fishers to reflect the changing times and our desire to reach out to all fly fishers. A decision in the early 90's to not allow single gender clubs to affiliate with the FFF completed the transformation to full gender equality within the FFF. In the late 80's, a major structural shift was made. Up until that time, the clubs controlled the FFF. With the change in the bylaws adopted at the 1988 Conclave, the FFF became a membership driven organization. As president of your club and a member of the Council Board of Directors, your voice becomes the voice of your members.

The goals we had in mind in 1965 were simply stated in the first Conclave announcement mailing: It read, "To bring together those who dedicate a portion of their lives to flyfishing as a sport and a method of conservation, and explore means of preserving our angling resources on a National basis. ..A National Federation of flyfishing clubs will be formed. This alliance will give conservation minded flyfishermen utility of purpose, collective strength and a means of quickly exchanging ideas and information."

How well have we succeeded? To properly answer that, we must remember what the flyfishing world was like back in those days. There were no flyfishing magazines. Few flyfishing books had been published and fewer yet survived more than one printing. Good fly tackle was not widely available and very few fly shops existed outside of the largest cities. Good fly tyers were few and far between and finding quality fly tying materials was an impossible dream. Legislators totally ignored the concerns of sports fishermen. Catch and release was a bizarre aberration. Wild trout were in serious decline nearly everywhere and flyfishermen were generally regarded as well heeled elitists.

What a contrast today! With flyfishing being one of the fastest growing sports, even politicians are taking it up with enthusiasm. Magazines, books and videos dedicated to flyfishing proliferate. Flyfishing is big business and an ever-growing market is served by a fly tackle industry, which boasts it's own trade publication and annual trade show devoted exclusively to flyfishing retailers.

With the resources available today, a beginner can quickly attain a level of skill and knowledge, which once required many years of effort. I doubt that any of us back in 1965 imagined that flyfishing would ever attain the status it enjoys today.
Perhaps it is only coincidence that this growth in flyfishing parallels the growth of the Federation. But I think not. The FFF with its annual Conclaves exerted a tremendous magnetic force drawing in more flyfishers that anyone ever knew existed. And these flyfishers left the Conclaves, full of enthusiasm, and created hundreds of new clubs allover the world whose local efforts in flyfishing education and resource conservation have had an incalculable impact on this sport. Plus most, if not all, of today's flyfishing professionals whose books and videos play a significant role in the promotion of flyfishing rose to prominence through exposure at our Conclaves.

Indeed, flyfishing is so popular and is being promoted so relentlessly by every sort of commercial enterprise, that one may well ask if we have not succeeded too well. Between the books, videos, TV shows and ranks of professionals out  there plugging the sport, flyfishing will likely continue to grow whether we're here or not.

So, as the Federation moves into the 21st Century, flyfishing seems to need our help less than we, the FFF, need increased support from the growing ranks of flyfishers. If our main purpose were simply to promote flyfishing and to get together at conclaves once or twice a year, we wouldn't need that help. But the Federation has a much larger responsibility, to flyfishing and to future flyfishers. So we should not be asking, "What does the FFF do for us?" We should, instead, be asking, "What can we do to help the FFF?"

The generations who built the FFF are rapidly fading away and if the FFF and its clubs have a future, it rests with this burgeoning new crop of recruits. At this moment in time most of them are too busy out there fishing to pay us much attention. But the younger generation is very conservation minded. If I have learned anything in all of my years plugging membership for the FFF, it is that we can command their allegiance only if we come across as an active force for resource conservation.

Education is an important function but our efforts in that sphere should transcend, not duplicate, what is being done by others. And we are doing a good job with this. The finest fly casters in the world are a part of our Casting Certification program. The finest fly tyers in the world teach their considerable skills at FFF events. The Borger's, Kreh's and Whitlock's, in short, the best flyfishing teachers in the world, are all powerful supporters of the FFF. But unless we find a way to allocate more of our resources of money and manpower into conservation, we are in danger of trivializing the Federation and all flyfishing clubs into oblivion.

The FFF has a great heritage and a great purpose. If we can do a better job of telling our story, our best years lie ahead.

So exactly what is the Federation today?

Facts
My sincere hope is that by the end of this seminar, you will each understand your place in this organization, your responsibilities to it and the rewards gained by being an integral part of it. And each of you do play an integral role, make no mistake about it. In addition, I hope that you will each be able to learn from your fellow Federators here and take this newfound knowledge back to your respective clubs so that you can all become stronger, larger and more active in your community. If we can accomplish these goals, then the ultimate winners will be the fish that reside in the wonderfully diverse waters of Texas and the flyfishers that pursue them now and in the future. And that's what the Federation of Fly Fishers is all about.