Audubon Society of Central Arkansas Minutes for January 11

Audubon Society of Central Arkansas Minutes
Fletcher Library, Little Rock, AR
January 11, 2018, 7:00 p.m.

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by President Cindy Franklin.  Nine people were present including four Officers and three Board members.

The November Minutes were approved on a motion by Jim Dixon and second by Dan Scheiman.  The December Minutes were also approved following a motion by Jim and a second by Susan Hardin.

Cindy announced upcoming field trips to (1) Lake Dardanelle/Delaware Park and Holla Bend NWR on January 27 and (2) Two Rivers Park on February 17.

Jim presented the December treasurer’s report with income of $168.28 and $128.62 in expenses.  The final 2017 deficit was $1,712.48 versus the budgeted deficit of $1,845.

Jim led the discussion of the 2018 annual budget.  When it came to the subject of grants to rehabbers it was decided that Cindy would contact the three rehabbers who applied for and received grants in 2017 to determine if they wanted to apply for 2018 grants.  In the future ASCA’s president will contact all the licensed avian rehabbers every other year beginning in early 2019 to solicit applications for possible grant funds.

The following 2018 budget amounts were approved on a motion by DeLynn Hearn and second by Dan:

Income
$1,850 NAS Baseline Distribution
$1,100 ASCA “Chapter Only” Membership Dues
$   175 Memorials, Donations & Honorariums
$       5 Interest from Checking Accounts
$   250 Investment Interest- Bonds & CDs
$   150 Silent Auction
$3,530 Total Income

Expenses
$2,000 Ark. Audubon Society Halberg Ecology Camp
$   750 Education & Outreach ($750 for Audubon Arkansas)
$1,300 Conservation & Ecology ($500 for MoSI & $800 for rehabbers)
$     50 Office Expense
$   275 Christmas Bird Counts (December 2017 Little Rock & Lonoke CBCs)
$   600 Snipe (printing, sorting & postage)
$       0 ASCA Webpage (site maintenance & fees)
$   150 Memorials, donations & honorariums
$     50 Membership & Recruitment
$5,175 Total Expenses

$3,530 Total Income
-5,175 Total Expenses
$-1,645 Projected Deficit

Since the 2017 budget included a $275 donation to National Audubon Society to help pay expenses related to the December 2016 Christmas Bird Counts (Little Rock and Lonoke) and because that donation was never made, Barry Haas made a motion to send $275 to NAS for the December 2016 CBCs.  John Webb seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Dan made a motion that ASCA donate to Audubon Arkansas’s BIRDLR Birdathon by pledging money per species seen on ASCA’s May 12 field trip led by Karen Holliday. The dollar amount to pledge is to be determined later. That pledged donation will be part of the $750 approved for Audubon Arkansas in the budget. Motion approved.

Cindy mentioned a project in the Russellville area involving intermodal transportation which has been tied up in legal issues for a number of years due to environmental concerns.

Barry gave a brief update on the work of the Water Providers Legislative Task Force which is working on a report to the governor by year’s end regarding potential legislation or regulation to improve the ability of the state’s water utilities to provide high quality water at an affordable price to as many Arkansans as possible.

Dan mentioned Uta Meyer with Audubon Arkansas would have the Bird LR Birdathon information posted by early next week.

The meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Barry Haas
Recording Secretary