Members Present: Dennis Clower, Larry Klevans, Suzan Doordan, Dan Schneckenburger, Doug Hill, JoAnn Dawson, Bill Lucas, Gerald Hendricks, Jerry Newman, Bob Carroll, Phyllis Kilby, Angie Barnett, Barb Snyder. Staff in attendance: Karen Aspinwall

Members Program Report: Barb Snyder reported a very successful "Santa Hayride" on December 9, 2000. The event served approximately 50 paying guests (8-10 small children were not charged) and three memberships were gained by the event. Many guests stated they were pleased to be able to attend an event that was "non commercial".

Budget Report: Larry Klevans reported that the Foundation is currently $1,900 in red but anticipates by year end, the account will be even. There has been a total of $41,000 in donations for the year which includes the donation by the Cecil County Bar Association.

Personnel Committee: Dan Schneckenburger extended appreciation to Karen Aspinwall who was very valuable in working with Committee's task for developing organizational chart, staffing structure, and staff job descriptions.

• The revised Organizational chart was distributed for Board members review. The CEO will report directly to the Board of Directors, the Education Director will report to the CEO and the teachers would report to the Education Director. The Administrative Assistant will work primarily under the direction of the CEO, but will provide support to the educational team as well.
• The Committee presented the following slate of staff:
  • Chief Executive Officer will be hired at an annual salary of $30,000. The committee believed the Foundation should support a paid position rather than relying upon a one-year volunteer position through Vista.
  • Education Director will be paid the same salary as last year but may be required to work additional hours.
  • Teachers: 1 Senior position with extended hours and support to increasing new member programs.
  • Naturalist teacher (2-3) part time or semi part-time whose primary responsibilities are to the Nature School but will be expected to participate in the development and/or implementation of membership educational programs .
  • Administrative Assistant position will be expanded with additional duties to support the CEO, coordinating new member programs, supporting the Finance Committee and an increase in hours.
  • Total recommended budget for staff salaries is $99,144

• The Committee presented the following job descriptions for review:

  1. Teacher /Naturalist

  2. Senior Teacher/Naturalist -includes all duties as Teacher/Naturalist, but has increased responsibilities in working with curriculum, member programs, and will report to other staff, not limited to the Education Director.

  3. Administrative Assistant -key activities is critical to supporting the Executive Director, the Board in general.

• The committee also recommended the extension of Holly Hannum's contract through March 31,2001.

Discussion on the issues presented by the Personnel Committee are as follows:

(1) Karen Aspinwall suggested the job descriptions be more specific to the work expected of teaching staff in membership programs (such as the coordination, press releases, etc.). Karen also asked the Board to consider adding Nature Center coordination responsibilities to the Naturalist position. Add number 4 (Design and teach weekend nature programs for members as needed) to Teacher Naturalist position and eliminate the word "weekend".

(2) Discussion focused on the pros and cons of having the position of Education Coordinator reporting to the Board or reporting to the Executive Director/CEO. The key issues are having the clear expectations of having a CEO who is in charge of the entire operation of the Foundation; having clear lines of communication and reporting structure; establish team approach and shared responsibility for the Nature School operating in tandem with the Center and the Foundation -the School and the Nature Center need to be synonymous; and ensuring the teaching staff will continue to report to the Education Director. Committee realized need to have a clear job description for the CEO (including clear lines of communication that they are not responsible for the daily operations of the Nature School) and that their primary job duty is to fund raise for the organization, and fully execute the management of the budget and program development. Another point of discussion was to ensure the Organizational Chart clearly showed the Administrative Assistant reporting directly to the CEO.

Motion #1 made by the Personnel Committee, seconded by Joanne Dawson and unanimously passed to accept the Organizational Chart as presented.

Motion #2 was made by the Committee to accept the Job Descriptions as outlined for Teacher/Naturalist, Senior Teacher/Naturalist and the Administrative Assistant with the amendment to add to Teacher Naturalist position that they will assist with membership programs as needed. Motion was seconded by Barbara Snyder and unanimously approved.

Motion #3 posed by Committee, seconded by Joanne Dawson and unanimously passed to extend Holly Hannum's current contractual position for Director of Education through March 31, 2001.

Board presented many thanks to Barbara Snyder for her hard work in developing and implementing the gift membership program.

Commissioner Phyllis Kilby, Associate Member, was welcomed to her first official meeting.

Larry Klevins distributed a proposed budget for calendar year 2001. It was recommended that the Revenue balance with the Expense by increasing Miscellaneous expenses from $500 to $880.

Motion #4 was made by the Finance Committee, seconded by Suzan Doordan and unanimously passed to accept the budget with amended miscellaneous category to reflect $880 in expenses.

By-laws were presented at last month's meeting and were reviewed for acceptance. Recommendations were as followed:

1.2 will read . . . "maintain its office Fair Hill Nature Center".

2.2 strike "and Environmental"

3.2-A. strike "eighteen years of age or older"

3.2-F correct typographical error "Patrol" to Patron

3.2-D Strike Household and insert Family

Create an additional category after Family, before Patrol entitled Business

3.4 delete "expelled" and insert "removed"

4.3 Quorum - delete 4.3

5.5 Such petition shall be filed with the . . . strike "Chief Executive Officer" and insert President and/or his/her designee . . .

5.6-A . Insert in the first sentence, " the names of all candidates shall be arranged on a ballot in alphabetical order with the names and pertinent biographical information of all candidates".

7.2-A. President. Insert term limit of two consecutive one-year terms for President.

7.2-B. Vice President. Insert term limit of two consecutive one-year terms for Vice President.

7.2-D. Insert. . . after Chief Executive Officer, Director of Nature Center.

7-2-E. Delete entire paragraph

8.2 delete . . ."may appoint three or more Directors" and insert, the Executive Committee shall be comprised of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Past President. In the event that the Past President's term has expired, the Past President's term as Board of Director membership can be extended for an additional one year.

9.2 Fiscal Year. Delete "March" and insert "June"

Motion #5 was proposed by the By-Laws Committee that the by-laws be accepted with above stated amendments; Doug Hill seconded motion, and the motion was passed with one opposing vote.

Upon further discussion, it was agreed that the By-Laws committee will revisit the issue of term limits for Board members, to be developed and circulated by the committee 10 days prior to the next Board meeting.

The next meeting will be held on January 17, 6:00 p.m. at the Rising Sun Library.

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