Draft Minutes
Virginia Audubon Council
October 19, 2002

 

Henricus Education Center

Dutch Gap Conservation Area

Blandy Farm

Virginia State Arboretum

 

 

The meeting was called to order at 9:45 AM with the President, Caroline Coe, presiding. The following VAC representatives, Chapter members and guests attended:

 

Note: I cannot find the sign-up sheet.  Please fill in the names I have forgotten.

 

Cape Henry

Andy Tate 

 

Fairfax

Manny Barrera

 

Northern Neck

 

Richmond

Ellen Ackerman, Caroline Coe, Eileen Rowan, Jeanne Menuet

 

Northern Shenandoah

Julie Simpson

  

National Audubon Society

Tom Urquhart, Dave Pardoe

 

Decisions:

 

1. Approved a requirement for two signatures on checks written against VAC funds, effective November 15. There will be 3 signatures on the bank record, the President, Vice President and Treasurer.

 

2. Agreed to start a Virginia Audubon e-mail list.  Manny Barrera will moderate.

 

3. Decided that VAC will pay the VCN dues for 2002 of $500 and request that Chapters contribute $250 each to cover 2002 dues of $500, VAC 2003 dues of $500 plus the 2003 Chapter contribution of $50.

 

4. Elected Officers for the coming year.  Caroline Coe, President, Andy Tate, 1st Vice President, Rick Skelton, 2nd Vice President, Manny Barrera, Secretary, and Julie Simpson, Treasurer.

 

5. Set schedule of meetings: Jan 25th, Henry Clay Inn, Ashland; April 26, Back Bay NWR Education Center (tentative), July 26, open, and October 25, Fairfax Audubon Society to host in Northern Virginia.

 

Key Points:

 

1. VAC has received $15,750 from the State for the IBA program.

 

2. Shirley Plantation reception follow-up: working group preparing a mini-campaign to raise $1 to 1.5 million over 3 years for the State office. National is assisting.  Mailer to all NAS members in Virginia is in preparation.  Chapters would benefit from a visit from Tom Urquhart to promote State Office.

 

3. Chapter newsletters need to give State office efforts more coverage. Get more interest from the grass roots.

 

4. IBA program up an running; office at Henry Clay Inn in Ashland. Eileen consulting with VSO on members for the Technical Committee. 

 

5. Dave Pardoe: NAS Board recognizes caution needed on funding; state of the economy is a problem. Things take time. Also need to integrate IBA program with Audubon Centers and State programs. Get Audubon Centers more focused on bird habitat conservation.  Mantra: integration not isolation.  Audubon's mission to include protection of ecosystems: Everglades, San Francisco Bay, Upper Mississippi.

 

6 Tom Urquhart will follow up on question regarding fiduciary responsibility; he is confident that National can hold funds for State office. 

 

Discussion:

 

Minutes of the previous meeting and of the April meeting were reviewed and approved.  A copy of the Treasurer's report was provided and accepted.  The Treasurer reported a balance of $15,750 for the Important Bird Area (IBA) program. A discussion followed on the need for two signatures for VAC checks. It was decided to have three signatures on the bank card.

 

Thomas Urquhart provided an update on the State office. He said the IBA was the organizing principle for the State office. As a follow-up to the Shirley Plantation fundraiser, a working group will prepare a mini-campaign to raise the 1 to 1.5 million needed over the next 3 years for the State office.  National Audubon’s VP for development will support the effort.  Part of the effort will be a mailing to all Virginia Auduboners requesting their support for the State office.

 

Dave Pardoe mentioned that Chapter newsletters were not reflecting what was going on at the State level. Eileen Rowan recommended a State-wide ListServ mailing list to elicit grass roots support.

 

Eileen Rowan reported on the IBA program. She appreciated the assistance from the NAS and added that the State of Virginia was committed to the program. The office in Ashland has been up since August 22, and the office can be used by the VAC.  Eileen added that she is now looking for Directors/Chairs for Conservation and Science.

 

Dave Pardoe noted that the IBA needed to find people with time available for work on the conservation committee. Eileen said she is consulting with the Virginia Society of Ornithology on potential members of the technical committee.

 

The nominating committee reported on the proposed slate of officers and the current officers were re-elected by acclamation.

 

Dave Pardoe commented on “how long things take”, noting that it took at least 3 years to get an Audubon Center going in Baltimore.  He added that the NAS board recognized the need to provide more funding for Audubon Centers, but the current state of the economy was a big obstacle to the provision of funds.  Reflecting concerns about scattered efforts, Dave noted that the board was emphasizing “integration not isolation” in NAS programs.  A way needs to be found to get, for example, Audubon Centers integrated into IBA programs.

 

Dave mentioned an effort to elaborate a 2nd Audubon Mission Statement, emphasizing the protection of ecosystems and focusing on public policy. He mentioned the Everglades, San Francisco Bay, and the Upper Mississippi as critical areas. In Virginia, the Chesapeake Bay is receiving increased attention.

 

After the lunch break, the VAC questioned Tom Urquhart on whether the NAS could assume the fiduciary responsibilities of the VAC over funds intended for the State office. Tom said he thought that was possible and would follow up with NAS.

 

Future meeting dates were agreed:

 

January 25: Ashland, Virginia

April 26: Education Center, Back Bay NWR

July 26: Open

October 25: Fairfax Audubon will host in Northern Virginia

 

A discussion followed on VCN dues and it was agreed that the VAC would pay VCN dues of $500 to retain and affiliate membership. The meeting adjourned at 2 PM.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Manny Barrera

Secretary