Draft Minutes

Friends of the State Line Serpentine Barrens Board Meeting
July 18, 2014


 

Attending: Mike Bertram (via speaker phone), Bob Gray, Anna Hull, David Ross; convened at 3:30.

A) Key Dates

1. Our next board meeting will be
            Friday,  August 15, 3:30-5:30, Lincoln University
Conference Dial-in Number: (716) 748-0224 (potential toll call)
 Host Access Code: 445962*
 Participant Access Code: 445962#

2. Grassland Restoration Days (conditions permitting)

  • Saturday          Aug. 9              New Texas               
  • Friday              Aug. 15            Goat Hill                 
  • Friday              Aug. 22            Nottingham County Park       
  • Saturday          Sept. 6             Chrome                   
  • Saturday          Sept. 13           New Texas               
  • Friday              Sept. 19           Goat Hill                    
  • Friday              Sept. 26           Nottingham County Park       
  • Sunday             Oct. 5              Chrome                   
  • Friday              Oct. 10            New Texas               
  • Sunday             Oct. 19            Goat Hill                    
  • Friday              Oct. 24            Nottingham County Park       
  • Friday              Oct. 31            New Texas               
  • Friday              Nov. 7              Goat Hill                    
  • Friday              Nov. 14            Nottingham County Park       
  • Sunday             Nov. 23            Chrome                   
  • Sunday             Dec. 7              Goat Hill
  • Friday              Dec. 12            New Texas               

 

3. Upcoming meetings

July 22 – with Chester County 20/20 (BG)
August 14 – with Ed Herr (AH, BG)

4. Hikes/Talks

  • August 20, Oxford Public Library, Serpentine Barrens Resources and Volunteer Opportunities, August 20,  6:30 pm
  • September 20, Maryland Native Plant Society lecture at Cecil College, Mike Bertram
  • September 21, Maryland Native Plant Society hike at Goat Hill, Chris Hoess
  • October 5, botanical/ecology hike at Goat Hill
  • October 21,  Oxford Historical Association lecture, Mining in  the Barrens, Mike Bertram
  • First quarter 2015, Oxford Historical Association lecture, Jane Dorchester

 

B) Action Items Going Forward

Mike Bertram:

Complete slides for August 20 presentation.

Point person for our history initiatives

Bob Gray:

Will review scanned map files on the CD and identify those that should be stored on Dropbox.

Will follow up with Joe

  • about planning for possible 2015 burn at Goat Hill (use of BoF or TNC team)
  • about reconvening the DCNR planning team for Goat Hill
  • request 30-40 Rose trail brochures

Will follow up with Ken Woodward on date/time for Jane Dorchester presentation in 2015.

Contact Ray Hayden to propose meeting early on August 15, before Goat Hill work day; ask about Scouts policy for dealing with volunteers whose conduct might endanger or tarnish our organizational image.

Contact Rocky Gleason to find a time (around a work day?) to meet with him and David to discuss New Texas.

Meet with Chester County 20/20 July 22

Meet with Henry to update site tracker – August 9 at 3pm

Meet with Ed Herr August 14

Point person for monitoring our strategic plan.

Anna Hull:

Follow up on protecting glade spurge.   Will consult with Henry after he returns August 2, then check in with Carol Loeffler; Anna to ask Henry what role he would like to play on August 20 library talk.

Contact Carey Bresler about whether we can/should provide refreshments; AV needs for projecting slides.

Adapt our workday poster to create and circulate a poster for August 20; will contact Michelle at OMI about promoting.

 

Follow up with Jen Rehill

  • Revise and send Bob’s draft press release for August 20
  • Ask for a copy of networking opportunities.

Send workday schedule to Sara at Deloitte.

Will find time to complete our application for using the PA Heritage gateway.
Will adapt workday poster to create a poster promoting August 20 talk; will post workday poster locally.

Will follow up with Chester County Community Foundation on funding opportunities.

Meet with Ed Herr August 14

Future:
            Schedule late spring 2015 search for hairy chickweed at Pilot

Point person for science, education and membership/outreach initiatives.

David Ross:

Will contact Gary Coutu about scheduling a check-in conversation with Bob.

Will suggest to WCU faculty a student project to find potential route for a trail connecting Horseshoe and Goat Hill trail systems.

Will post workday and library talk posters.   Reach out to local clergy and retirement communities.

Participate in August 14 meeting with Ed Herr; send contact information to Anna.

Will work with Bob to update Pal on our plans.

Will follow up with Lancaster County Conservancy about New Texas and Rock Springs.

David to circulate LCC strategic planning material on Rock Springs.

            Keep track of future agenda items:

  • September – discuss annual membership picnic/thank you in October at Nottingham Park.
  • October – discuss Board terms and election schedule
  • Liability waiver forms for use on our different sites

Point person for administrative initiatives.

Kent Wagner:

 

Point person for recreational uses and trail planning initiatives.

Henry Whitesel:

Workday reports with photos to Mike Bertram.

Meet with Bob to update site tracker database – August 9 at 3pm

Point person for our conservation/maintenance activities

C) Agenda Items Considered

1. Approved Minutes from Board Meeting of 06/20/2014.

2. Approved agenda, with the addition of report on conversation with Lancaster County Conservancy.

3. August board meeting date, time and location:
            Friday,  August 15, 3:30-5:30, Lincoln University

4. Review Action Items from 06/20/2014 Board Meeting Minutes.

Mike Bertram:

Will update website and Facebook following workdays

Have the workday leader send Mike a report with photos as soon as possible following workdays.

Will update site status and review New Texas entries in Site Tracker -- Done

 

Make slide of volunteer opportunities; review website and be prepared to discuss (July 18 board meeting) volunteer needs to share at August 20 event
            Done – see (6) below

Create GIS data dictionaries for New Texas and Chrome; load GIS data into Dropbox; load all the GIS data into that folder  -- Done

Point person for our history initiatives

Bob Gray:

Continue to look for a time to talk with Joe

  • About borrowing state ATV when we work on area 20 at Goat Hill.

                        In progress

  • About how to protect glade spurge (using input from Carol Loeffler)

                        See under Anna Hall below.

  • About map scans

Bob has a CD with scanned images; Joe will return the originals to Henry;  Bob will review files on the CD and identify those that should be stored on Dropbox and shared with West Chester University (WCU) colleagues.

  • About planning for 2015 burns

Joe is up to date on our master plan conversations; Bob will follow up on question  of whether 2015 burns would use BoF or TNC team

Review and inventory W. PA Conservancy material

Follow up with Ken Woodward on date/time for Jane Dorchester presentation

            OHA Events committee will meet in August

Will contact Ray Haden at boy scout camp

  • Discuss plans for keeping trails open; trail to site 19 needs work

Ray would like to coordinate activities – include planning on trails.   Find better connection between scout camp and goat hill.   David to suggest designing such a trail as a WCU student project.

  • Jay Gregg believes scouts have a workday trailer; find out how this works as a possible guide to something we might create for our own use.

Scouts received an internal grant to buy an enclosed trailer (size of small U-Haul) for hand tools and some power equipment; transport ATV and Ambushers using a flat-bed trailer; using a pickup truck with hitch.
Ray has invited us to come down to see the set up and additional conversation.   Bob to propose doing this early on August 15, before Goat Hill work day.

Ray reports great success on green briar with 3 successive ambushers

For next conversation with Marci

  • Status of indemnification agreement

Board approved; Bob and David signed it.   Agreement specifies that our Board be elected at an annual meeting of members.   We  agreed that we want to have a celebratory membership/thank-you picnic for members in October at Nottingham Park.   Plan to discuss Board member terms and process for scheduling elections during October Board meeting.

  • PPFF input on equipment sharing agreements with NCP and BoF

See (7) below.

  • PPFF policies on volunteers whose conduct might endanger or tarnish our organizational image

Still waiting for a response.   David will check with Molly about how TNC handles this.  Bob will check with Ray.

  • General update on strategic planning initiative

Still looking for a time to connect

  • Will confirm that August 20 event is being promoted

Done – see (6) below

Will arrange a time in July after vacation to meet with Henry to update Site Tracker – Scheduled for August 9

Review website and be prepared to discuss (July 18 board meeting) volunteer needs to share at August 20 event – see (6) below.

Provide Gary with 2008 TNC strategic study and any other documents he thinks would help Gary as he gets his summer course underway -- Done

Follow up with Chester County 2020 – Meeting scheduled for July 22

Circulate notes on WCU Non-Profit Expo -- Done

Review and inventory W. PA Conservancy material – almost done

Point person for monitoring our strategic plan.

Anna Hull:

Will contact Carol Loeffler about strategies to protect glade spurge
Plans to talk with her.    Henry met with Carol last Saturday to look at the locations.  Anna to talk to Henry after August 2.

Will ask Jen Rehill to send a list of regional networking opportunities;  will share that list with Board members to identify events we can cover.
            In progress

            Update workday poster and circulate – Done/in progress

Review website and be prepared to discuss (July 18 board meeting) volunteer needs to share at August 20 event – see (6) below

Schedule meeting with Ed Herr – Done 1pm, August 14

Circulate notes on WCU Non-Profit Expo -- Done
            Will follow up with Chester County Community Foundation

Future:
            Schedule late spring 2015 search for hairy chickweed at Pilot

Point person for science, education and membership/outreach initiatives.

David Ross:

            Will check with Molly about promoting August 20 library event -- Done

Review website and be prepared to discuss (July 18 board meeting) volunteer needs to share at August 20 event – see (6) below.

Will discuss with Pal the best ways to coordinate with Elk Township -- Done

Send out email proposing a conference call involving Mike, Gary, Rachel Ralls and Bob; add Gary to GIS data folder in Chrome
Gary indicated he has all he needs for summer course.   Bob will schedule a time to check in on progress.

Circulate notes on WCU Non-Profit Expo -- Done

Point person for administrative initiatives.

Kent Wagner:

We thanked Kent for meeting with TNC and Asplundh about power-line tree work at Lower Chrome.

Review website and be prepared to discuss (July 18 board meeting) volunteer needs to share at August 20 event.

Point person for recreational uses and trail planning initiatives.

Henry Whitesel:

Get workday schedule to Anna by June 27 (need to confirm NCP date with Jay Gregg) -- Done

Will keep in mind that one of our fall goat hill work days may include protecting glade spurge plants – met with Carol Loeffler

In addition to circulating workday reports, have in mind forwarding photos to Mike Bertram – in progress

Meet with Bob in July to update Site Tracker data base – meeting August 9 at 3pm

Send Anna contact info for Sara from DeLoitte -- Done

Review website and share thoughts before (July 18 board meeting) volunteer needs to share at August 20 event – Done see (6) below.

Point person for our conservation/maintenance activities

 

5. Monthly reports from board member “Leads” as applicable:

            a. Conservation / maintenance (HW)
            b. Science (AH)

Anna believes all of the current scientist site work applications have been approved.

            c. History (MB)
            d. Education (AH)
            e. Recreation / trails (KW)
            f. Membership / outreach (AH)
g. Administration (DR)
h. Strategic Plan (BG)

6. August FSLSB presentation / event at Oxford Library (AH, MB).

6:30 pm at Oxford Public Library

We agreed to just use one slide for volunteer opportunities, but have an expanded list we can share with folks attending.

Mike is responsible for the power point slides; is updating the presentation stored on Dropbox.

Anna to check with Henry about the role he would like to play.

David and Anna to coordinate on making sure there are enough Chrome Trail brochures.

Bob to contact Joe about getting Rose Trail brochures.

Bob to take a first crack at revising Jen Rehill’s press release; will get copy to Anna before the 25th to forward to Jen.

Anna to adapt our workday poster to create and circulate a poster for August 20; will contact Michelle at OMI about promoting.

David to reach out to local clergy and retirement communities.

 

7. Status of agreement with (a) NCP about “shared” equipment acquisition cost and maintenance expense, and permanent storage location and (b) TNC for storage of BoF equipment in TNC barn (DR and BG)

 

Bob suspects PPFF doesn’t have any such document.  Bob is drafting something.   As the specific details that need to be addressed become clearer, he’ll consult with Jay Gregg and Joe Frasetta.

We want an agreement that balances a desire to be clear about mutual responsibilities (e.g., hope that NCP staff might take on regular maintenance, splitting costs for outside repairs, flexibility in sharing equipment) without becoming overly bureaucratic.

 

8. Rare barrens species protection –Internal list, Site Tracker spreadsheet and map of probable / known locations (using site observations and PA Heritage Program info access per Rocky Gleason), (BG, AH, MB)

            Accumulating information in Site Tracker.
            Anna still plans to follow up with PA Heritage program gateway.

 

9. Master Plan status: (BG)– Immediate Action Items:
 - West Chester Univ mapping.
Summer course is underway with plans for additional work in fall and spring.

            David to set up a conference call with Gary and Bo.

 - Temple University planning potential;
Pauline is checking with colleagues about the best match.   Bob to follow up in August.
 - Chester County 2020;
We hope they can play a major role in bringing potential stakeholders together.   Bob meeting 7/22
 - Pal Durborow update
Pal remains the primary liaison with Elk Township for Chrome.   David and Bob will suggest a time to meet with him.

 - Ed Herr meeting re Herr lands, integrated lands concept.
Agreed to focus the meeting on big picture issues, with expectation of a follow up meeting on details of a trail from Goat Hill to NCP.

Bob will invite Joe Frasetta.

David will participate by phone.

  • Coordinate work scopes and responsibilities between parties (TNC, West Chester Univ, Temple Univ, BoF work team, Friends, etc.

 

A next step is the Chester County 2020 meeting

 - Plans for regular update / input from key stakeholders (Jay, Joe, Pal, etc)

On going

 

  • Next conference with TNC;

[Bob, Anna and David participated in a call on July 2]

Draft timeline / deliverables

On going

  • Lancaster County Conservancy  

 

David met with Tom Stahl (Director of Stewardship) and Kate Gronick (Director of Land Protection) on July 17.  Tim Draude and Joan King also attended.   

Our Board had a lengthy discussion on the history of Rock Springs.  We’d like to include Rock Springs in our strategic planning for sustaining the State Line Serpentine Barrens.

We need to find an opportunity to follow up with Tim to make sure we are coordinating our efforts at New Texas and Rock Springs.

LCC seems the logical organization to coordinate efforts to preserve New Texas.   David will let them know that we are interested in helping to broker a conversation with the Hannums once everyone’s role is clear.  We will continue the conversation about New Texas with Henry in August.

Rocky Gleason has been interested in the future of New Texas.   Bob will look for an opportunity to discuss New Texas with him.

 

10. Admin – Master Plan documents folder; (DR)
      - Review status of PPFF “Conservation” volunteer sign-up form for Goat Hill, release strategy for worksites, adapted version of the TNC form to capture contact information.
Tabled
11. Craig Cohen’s request for a letter regarding participation in workdays (Bd).

The Board approved a draft letter Bob presented

 

12. Volunteer “standards” (Bd)

We continue to look for language that maintains our flexibility while protecting the needs of all stakeholders.

13. Other business

None

14. Adjourned at 5:40.