Attendees: Mario Gangemi, Holly Hannum, Doug Hill, Larry Klevans, Dan Schneckenburger, Hinda Smith, Barbara Snyder, Dan Speakman, Rick Waterhouse

Dan Schneckenburger called the meeting to order at 6:34 P.M.

The minutes from the February Board meeting were approved.

Spring Fest: Barb Snyder

Discussion:

Non-profits can come and display for free. Vendors pay $25 plus a silent auction item or $50. Dan has some verbal commitments but will not list them until money comes in. Holly has ordered toys. Fifty/fifty tickets were distributed to people to sell. Money should be given to Hinda at the next Board meeting. These will be printed as we need more. Call Hinda if you need more. Rick will make announcements as we go through the day. Hinda will bring walkie/talkies to use during the day – but anyone who has one can bring it. [Larry asked if anyone has yet contacted a band for Fox Trot. Dan will work on that.] We will not run as many copies of the large posters this year. Dan has leads on cable station ads which he will follow up on. Silent auction items are being pursued by Ralph. [Ralph dropped off information from CCC about board development and board member’s position description.] Volunteers – Cathryn Harjung has contacted the high school organizations. Wine and cheese evening activity is in Doug’s hands. Doug wants to know how invitations should be addressed and who else should be invited. We will invite some of the people from Upper Bay, vendors, and commissioners/politicians. Donors should be offered the opportunity to bring a guest. Dan Sc. will contact Jayco about liquor donations. Dan Sc. suggested that Doug plan on 50 people attending. Barb cautioned against accepting hot h’or deorves, because they have to be kept hot and “served” by someone, requiring more volunteers. If anyone has any other leads on food donations, please call Doug. Dan Sp. suggested video-taping this year’s event so we could show it next year.

President’s Report: Dan Schneckenburger

Rick Waterhouse has sent a letter of resignation, which is effective May 2, 2004.

Jerry Hendricks sent out a question about continuance of the Memorial Garden. So far, we have had to pay for some of the cost of each of the plantings for this program. There was discussion about whether this was intended to be open to the geeral public or just for people connected with the Nature Center. Larry brought up the point that we do not own this land. We will ask Jerry to come to a Board meeting to discuss this further, since he has the details about the program.

Nominations for new Board members were discussed. Dan would like to get a pool of several people with the hopes of getting four new members. Please send him names.

Heritage Greenway is a possible contributor, whom Dan Sc. talked with. This will be pursued more.

We trained four people to do frog surveying/counting. Dan Sc. is now officially trained. The herpatologist who did the training will come to Spring Fest and will be invited to Frog Frenzy.

Treasurer's Report/Finance Committee: Larry Klevans

1. In February 2004 expenses ($6399) exceeded income ($4749) by $1650.
2. The majority of income items were $2500 from County Commissioners, $ $816 United Ways of DE & MD, $540 from Membership, $408 from private schools, $240 for Outreach, and $230 in donations.
3. Major expenses for January 2004 were $4666 for wages, $1144 for office expense, $408 for payroll taxes, $172 for postage(stamp), and $250 for consulting.
4. As of Feb. 29, 2004 our Year to date Income (YTD) totals $ 6238 vs a budget of $17082, while YTD expenses total $11568 vs a budget of $17082. Thus, our YTD net income is - $5329
5. The Fund Balance as of Feb. 29, 2004 was $10,802, down $1753
from Jan. 31, 2004
6. We have submitted a request for a $10,000 appropriation from Cecil County Government to support the hiring an an Executive Director in the 3rd Quarter of 2004. We will need to get some increases in donations and grants before then !

Larry Klevans, Treasurer

Discussion:

As has been stated before, we need donations and contributions to raise our fund balance, which is down to two months available funds.

Larry will make a contribution to the Memorial Garden Fund and encourages other Board members to do the same, to raise this total.

Dan Sc. and Larry will ask for $10,000 from the County Commissioners.

Program Committee: Barb Snyder

Coming programs:

Personnel Committee: Hinda Smith

The committee met last week and developed a job description for a Development Director. Hinda asked for comments on the document. Holly would like to know how she would be included in or excluded from the grant writing process, since she and the rest of the teachers have done a lot of this already. She wants to avoid the problems that developed when we last had an Executive Director, and there were problems with the “chain of command”. Several people expressed the opinion that fund-raising should be the major focus of this position, and programs (Nature School, camp, etc. ) should not be in their realm of control. Doug suggested that we have a quarterly review of this person, to monitor how well they are meeting their goals. Doug will help with setting this up. The committee is planning to have a meeting with Theresa Clower on March 27, to see what candidates she already knows of. Information will be brought to the April meeting about how we should advertise the position. People should forward ideas about this to the committee.

Nature School Report: Holly Hannum

Outreach programs were completed on March 4. I will attend a Wildlife Habitat Council symposium with Jerry on Thursday. I will attend sessions on invasive plant species, pollinators, bats and raptors. Outdoor programs will begin on March 18. Cathryn will be out for about two weeks for carpal tunnel surgery. Chris Haight will substitute. Dawn Preske will be filling in some this spring as well.

Road repairs will begin again soon. Wayne will update us on how buses will be able to access the Center. The new Fair Hill maps are out. They will cost $6. We can purchase 100 maps for $5. Each and sell them for $6 and keep the difference. I asked if we could purchase a smaller amount. He said that we could have a slip of paper that would enable people to send in and get a map sent to them.

The maple sugaring and bluebird workshops were well attended on Saturday. We got 6 new memberships, one renewal and $204 in fees in addition to memberships. Jerry used donated wood to make houses so expenses were lower than usual. The next program will be astronomy on March 19.

Trail Day is March 20 from 9 to 1. We have about 10 volunteers signed up so far in addition to Troop 443. We plan to build Bernate a new home, put up a NO HORSES sign at our water site, mulch the island trail and clean up sticks around the yard.

Eagle Scout candidate, James Clerkin is in the approval process on building a post and rail fence along the road in our picnic area. He will lay down black plastic and mulch so whomever mows will not have to trim. This needs to be in by the time camp begins, to keep kids out of the road.

I received a call from Judy Price, Executive Director of the Waterfowl Festival at Easton. Everyone requesting a grant this year is being asked to make a presentation. I will make our presentation on March 31 at 8:35 am. I will show our video, talk for 10 minutes about the 5th grade program and have 10 minutes to answer specific questions from the board. I will be able to return in time for the leadership conference at 1pm. I may not make the SpringFest meeting that afternoon.

Plans are underway to host an ACES workshop on April 14. I have met with Wayne Suydam and Kathy Kunda is supposed to send me information about our target audience.

We are planning to add a worm bin display this spring.

Pat, Janet, and I will all be away this coming week. Pat leaves tomorrow and will return on the 17th. Janet leaves Thursday and will return Tuesday. I am going on Friday to New Hampshire to photograph the maple sugaring. I will at the Center on Tuesday.

Discussion:

There was discussion about buses using the entrance that takes them past the horse barns. The buses are to be allowed to use this entrance but rangers need to ticket buses that speed on this road.

Holly asked if we want to spend $500 to buy 100 copies of the new Fair Hill map. Holly will ask if we can purchase 50 instead.

Holly is uncomfrotable about presenting to ACES. Dan Sc. will talk with Holly about this.

Holly worked hard to get the camp information into The Buzz for this issue. Thanks, Holly!

Community Relations: Doug Hill

No report.

Membership: Joe Janusz

No report because Joe is moving into his rebuilt house tonight.

Next Meeting: April 13, 6:30 P.M., at the Nature Center.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 P.M.

Respectfully submitted by Rick Waterhouse

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