GCWG Board Meeting Minutes 6/3/18
Location: The meeting was held at the Bob Saint's. Appetizers and dinner were at 5:00 p.m. followed by the board meeting at 6:30.
Board members present: Jack Reichert, Gary Perkins, Bob Saint, Dick Sprague, Monica Sandstrom, Toni Wujek, Paisley, Bambi Stats, Beth Collins.
GCWG members: Al Rothenbach, John Stats, Ann Steers, Donna Ferber.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES. Motion by Bambi to approve the Minutes from the April Board meeting, seconded by Gary and voted approved by the Board.
TREASURER'S REPORT – Bob Saint – Balance in checking account is $4,301.99. Major expenses since the last meeting were $215 for ANRA passes and $929 for clothing. Major inflows came from dues- $400 and Clothing sales $110.
MEMBERSHIP REPORT – Bob Saint- There are currently 85 paid households and a total of 144 members.
ROGER SHAW MEMORIAL is scheduled for July 28 at 10:00 a.m. Toni will contact Bev Shaw to see if she is agreeable to having GCWG provide refreshments (lemonade) and baked goods. Toni will be in charge of that.
VOLUNTEER HOURS – Toni Wujek – The Forest Service period for reporting volunteer hours is October 1st to September 30th. There are four months left in this period. Toni reported that the reporting of volunteer hours had been going up. GCWG as informed recently that the Forest Service is now requiring a new reporting form for individual reporting of volunteer hours. The form for group activities will stay the same. The new form, entitled “Volunteer Timesheet”, covers volunteer activities for a month and is broken down by day (but not by activity as we presently do). Some Board Members expressed concern that this new required form will be more difficult to fill out and therefore would lead to fewer volunteer hours reported. On the other hand, some
Board Members thought the reporting would be simpler. There was a lengthy discussion about the requirement by the Forest Service of this form mid-year and without notice to the membership and that will result in reporting of fewer volunteer hours. Also, unlike the present form which could be filled out on line and emailed to Toni quarterly the new “Volunteer Timesheet” form can not be filled out on line, therefore it must be either printed out or a printed copy must be provided to members. The completed form has to be signed and either scanned and emailed or hand mailed or delivered. The Board discussed the best way to implement the new Forest Service requirement. It was decided that for the rest of this reporting year, the new individual Volunteer Timesheets could be printed by a member and also copies would be made available to members on hikes etc. Each month the Timesheets need to be filled out manually showing the hours volunteered daily for that month, then they have to be signed and either: (1)scanned and emailed to Toni or (2) because many members don't have scanners, they could be mailed by post or delivered to Toni. This procedure is a lot more work for Toni. Toni will write a memo on the new timesheet requirements for distribution to the membership.
CABIN HOSTING – Dick Sprague – Fewer people have signed up for cabin hosting. The speculation is that the change to Friday, Saturday, Sunday hosting with no Forest Service support to help coordinate back country permits and the training that is now required because there is no Forest Service back up on permits or questions has resulted in fewer members willing to sign up. There is a big problem imminent because there are 7 or 8 days in June and July with no one signed up to host at all. There are also dates in August in September without volunteers. All the Board members were very concerned because hosting is one of our groups primary responsibilities. It was finally decided that Dick and Al would try to identify members who have not signed up and send them a letter. Also personal calls might be made.
RADIO USE BY GCWG – Jack Reichert – GCWG now has two radios. It was moved by Beth, seconded by Bambi approved by Board that Jack would be reimbursed $300 he spent for the radios. The radios are to be used to inform Forest Service of volunteer activities (see below) and for emergencies.
REQUIREMENT TO NOTIFY FOREST SERVICE OF BACKCOUNTRY WORK-Jack - The Forest Service has notified us of a new requirement that any time an individual or group is doing volunteer work in the forest that volunteer or the leader of a group needs to notify the Forest Service when they go out and when they come back. It was discussed what this means and how to accomplish it. For cabin hosts, they need to call or radio in when arrive at the cabin and then when they are closing up and leaving for the day. Group hike or work leaders need to call or radio in and out for the group. Individuals could either take a radio on their Forest Service hike or other volunteer activity such as monofilament collection or osprey nest monitoring or call on their cell and either talk to someone or leave a message detailing their name, activity, where they are going, when they expect to be back and then, upon return that they are back. The number to call is 970-877-4100.
FOREST SERVICE EMERGENCY CONTACT LIST – Jack – To help implement the policy of keeping the Forest Service notified of volunteer activity, Jack is giving the Forest Service emergency contact numbers for all the Board members and each Board Member will have the updated list of all the members. If a volunteer member does not report to the Forest Service that they are back from a hike/work in the Forest, then a Board member may be contacted to help get information to determine the volunteer's whereabouts, that is, that they have safely returned or a search/rescue needs to be considered.
FOREST SERVICE STORAGE – The Forest Service is providing dedicated storage space accessible 24/7 for storage of radios, tools for trail maintenance, supplies for trail head hosting and other forest work and RADIOS.
HTA/GCWG TRAIL WORK COORDINATION – GCWG will be doing trail work with Headwaters Trail Alliance. The dates of these events are listed below in the Upcoming Events section. More information about these projects will be forthcoming.
GRANT STATUS – Jack thought he would be able to get a grant for the GCWG insurance expenditure. However he was not able to apply in time, but will still look for other options.
CLOTHING – Bambi – The first order of shirts have come in, and more may be ordered.
PUBLIC OUTREACH – Toni reported that she wrote an article for the newspaper, but it was not published. She called to find out why and was told that it had appeared on-line. Very frustrating.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:50.
Bob Saint reported to the group that we should be aware that nationally and locally there is more pressure to expand bicycle use into the Wilderness and there is the 2018 National Wilderness Conference October 9-12. Bob will send more information to the Board and members.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursdays – light trail work hikes
June 24 – Devil's Thumb bridge replacement (HTA)
June 29-30 – Arapaho Pass Spur – Turnpike install (HTA)
July 7- Junco Cabin hosting orientation
July 20-22- Knight Ridge tread improvements (with CDTC and HTA)
July 28 – Roger Shaw memorial dedication at Junco Cabin
August 9 – Weed Warrior Assault
August 12 – GCWG picnic at AA barn
August 24th- Lake Evelyn trail improvements (HTA)
September 6-9 – Byers Peak drainage improvements (HTA)
Fall Meeting, White Deer and Spring membership meeting TBD
Submitted by: Beth Collins, Secretary
|
|