Attendees:

Attendees: Bob Carroll, Mario Gangemi, Holly Hannum, Doug Hill, Larry Klevans, Dan Schneckenburger, Barb Snyder, Rick Waterhouse

Dan Schneckenburger called the meeting to order at 6:36 P.M.

The minutes from the November Board meeting were approved.

Program Committee: Barb Snyder
Spring Fest meetings have been held and are on-going. Hiking-Biking and “Antiques Road Show” are both new and are very promising fund-raisers. WXCY’s sponsorship will also help. The next meeting is on January 29.

There is a Program Committee meeting scheduled for next week to set programs and activities for the spring.

Finance Committee: Larry KIevans Both November and December reports are included since we did not have a business meeting or minutes from December.

Report as of November 30, 2002

1. In November 2002 expenses($12.197 exceeded income($8151) by $4046. The majority of income items were $4500 from a grant from Cecil Soils Conservation. $2005 from Cecil Partnership Grant, $1200 from Board Donations, and $290 from membership dues. There is an accounts payable from the CCPS for about $3500 which we should receive in December. For the last three months we have not received any individual or corporate donations. (except Board Donation)

2. Major expenses for November 2002 were $9185 for staff, $1065 for payroll taxes, $693 for office expenses, and $329 for Workman_s Comp. Insurance. Staff who plan to work in December were given an additional 10 hours pay in November. There will be no payrolls in December.

3 As of November 30, 2002 Year to date Income (YTD) totals $102,828 vs a budget of $102.538, while YTD expenses total $110,960 vs a budget of $102,828. Thus, our YTD net income is now - $8132.

4. The Fund Balance as of November was $9839.. This is reduced (from $13884) because of the negative cash flow in November. In December we will have to pay $2500 in tax and annuity liabilities, but they are already included in the Fund Balance. They will have a negative effect on the Profit and Loss statement.

5. To conserve cash, there will be no payrolls issued in December. What little work is required has been prepaid, or will paid in January 2003.

6. We are now down to two months operating expenses. This is not satisfactory. We need to double our Fund Balance to get back to where we started the year 2002.

Larry Klevans, Treasurer

Financial Report as of December 31, 2002

1. In December 2002 income($5676) exceeded expenses(-$536) by $6212. The majority of income items were $4362 from the CCPS, $650 from Board Donations, and $639 from membership dues. For the last four months we have not received any individual or corporate donations. (except Board Donation)

2. Major expenses for December 2002 were $-820 for payroll taxes, $222 for office expenses, and $62 for repairs. There were no payrolls in December. The negative number for payroll taxes reflect an adjustment for errors that accumulated throughout the year.

3 As of December 31, 2002 Year to date Income (YTD) totals $109,646 vs a budget of $111,860, while YTD expenses total $111.566 vs a budget of $111,860 (good work all). Thus, our YTD net income is now - $1920. In 2001 we had an income of + 2095.

4. The Fund Balance as of December 31 was $16051 This is increased (from $9839) because of the positive cash flow in December and the accounting corrections.

5. We need to get our fund raising into high gear to get our fund balance over $20,000.

Larry Klevans, Treasurer

Discussion:
Larry changed accounting techniques so CCPS money was counted as income.

The books have been looked over by our accountant and everything looks good. He will be here soon to work on taxes and payroll.

We should do well with the Spring Fest fund-raiser, but Dan Sch. suggested that we may need to reinstate the fall fund-raiser next year.

Nature School Report: Holly Hannum

We have our first Delaware public school (Keene Elem.) using the visiting kindergarten program. Fifty classes in twenty schools will be visited altogether.

Personnel Committee: Hinda Smith (reported by Dan Sch. and Holly)

IMLS Grant has been prepared. It is a matching grant – the organization will pay half of the grant funding, while we pay the other half, in cash or in kind donations. $21,465 is the total of the grant, with FHNEC contributing $22631 as the matching portion. The grant is to continue educational programs, write new educational books to be used with students, start new member activities and programs (to be extended to outreach programs, after development), and expand our web site. We will hear about the grant’s acceptance in September 2003.

If anyone has any other questions or comments, please contact Holly Hannum.

Special Appeal : Mario Gangemi

We have new legislators to get in touch with. Dan Sch. will be meeting with them when they begin the budget-making process this spring. Mario will have an updated version of last year’s letter requesting funding from the County, from Dennis Clower, within two weeks.

Public Relations: Doug Hill
Doug presented a list of the organizations, which are already being contacted by Board members. This list will be sent to board members who are not present tonight. Each member should sign up for three organizations.

The Buzz will go out again in February. Doug would like to have input for this edition.

Doug reported that Nancy Simpers knows a person who can help us do an E-bay sale of the bottles that were donated.

Doug suggested that Pat contact the Cecil County Library system and New Castle County Library system to get addresses for local newspapers, so we can send publicity announcements.

Membership: Bob Carroll
$1825 was raised in the Board Contributions campaign.

32 new members were gained through the gift memberships program. We should begin this project earlier next year.

We should give gift memberships to the new legislators.

Bob talked with Dennis about the calendar idea. They will meet to discuss this soon.

Dan Sch. requested a graphic of the zip code locations of our membership for the next meeting.

Buildings and Grounds: Mario Gangemi reported
Dan Sp. has completed the railing for the meadow steps.

President’s Report: Dan Schneckenburger
The Strategic Plan Overview from January, 2002 was distributed by Dan Sch. for the Board members to review. Please look at our objectives and how well they have been met, as well as where we should go from here. He will also send an electronic copy to absent members.

New Business: None

Next Meeting: February 11 at 6:30 P.M., at Gilpin Manor School.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:58 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Rick Waterhouse