SCCi Preserve Manager Duties

Adopted 16 May 1998, Act 06-83

These duties apply to any designated managerial authority charged with managing a SCCi Preserve whether it be an individual Property Manager, a Management Committee, a Management Team, or other entity.

1. Documents

Management Committees shall maintain a file containing, but not be limited to, current copies of these documents for the Preserve:

1. Controlling document that shows the SCCi has authority to manage the Preserve. (Deed, lease, easement, etc.)
2. The SCCi Management Plan.
3. Survey plot (if available).
4. Topographic map with the Preserve and associated karst features identified.
5. County tax map for the Preserve.
6. Names, addresses and telephone numbers of adjoining landowners, caretakers, residents, tenants, and/or the Preserve owner (if not the SCCi).
7. Maps of all caves on Preserve (if available). h. Copies of reports to the Board.
8. Copies of leases, easements, water rights, access agreements, hunting permissions, or other documents which grants authority for use of the preserve by second parties.
9. Any other documents pertaining to the Preserve (such as articles and/or research documentation (published or unpublished), inventories, photo-documentation, etc.)

Explanation: The committee needs to have certain documents for the preserve being managed. It is understood that not all the documents listed may be applicable. However, copies of all documents pertaining to the preserve should be in the committee's possession.

2. Reports

Management Committees shall provide a report for the regularly scheduled Board meetings (as defined in Act 08-043), and shall provide a written report for the Annual Meeting. The report shall include the use, conditions, and management of the Preserve.

Explanation: When Board meetings are held, the Board would like the committee to tell what is going on with the preserve. It is not specified how the info is to be reported; in person or in writing, email or telephone call, whatever. The board has several meetings during the year; some planned, some not. Reports are to coincide with the regularly scheduled meeting of the board (which are defined in the Acts of the Board), this exempts reports from impromptu Board meetings. However, the committee must provide a written report for the annual corporate meeting.

3. Contacts

Management Committees shall endeavor to contact:

1. All surrounding residents, property owners and caretakers (if applicable).
2. All adjoining residents, owners and/or caretakers of the parking area (if the parking area is not part of the Preserve).
3. The owner/caretaker of the Preserve (if not the SCCi).
4. Tenants or other users of the preserve which have contracts, leases, agreements, etc for use of the preserve.

And provide them with:

1. Contact information for the Management Committee.
2. Contact information for the SCCi Chair.
3. A copy of the Management plan.
4. Any other information beneficial to positive relations.

And ascertain:

1. Whether Preserve visitors are causing problems.
2. Whether there are any other problems related to the Preserve. Report any problems to the Chair .

Explanation: The committee is expected to contact the preserve's neighbors and contracted users. "Neighbors" is a broad term. The land next to the preserve may be occupied by a resident/owner, or be rented (farmland or house), or may be vacant or unused (absentee landlord), or be public property (which will have an agency in charge). How do we determine who are our neighbors? By who butts up to our property line? That could be a public road. So "adjoining" or "bordering" excludes the neighbors across the road (who should be contacted). The term "surrounding" has been used for lack of a better term. Should the SCCi not own the preserve the owner should be contacted, too. There may be cases where the preserve is used by others: tenants, farmers, scientists, outfitters, etc. These users will have contracts (or at least letters of permission) with the SCCi. The intent is to contact the surrounding property owners, the immediate user(s) of the property, the person responsible for the property (caretaker, landlord's agent, etc.), second parties using the preserve, as well as the preserve owner (lease, easement, access agreeement, etc.) In some cases this may be three different parties for each parcel. We cannot force ourself on these people, we may have neighbors who don't want you around and will run you off with a shotgun (thus the "endeavor to contact"). If we do make contact, we want these people to have certain information. We want to know if preserve visitors are causing problems for them. Any problems are to be brought to the Chair's attention.

4. Inspections

Management Committees shall be responsible for inspecting the Preserve. Inspections shall be at quarterly intervals unless otherwise designated by the Board. Report any problems to the Chair .

Explanation: Regular inspections of the preserve are required. "Regular" defaults to quarterly. The language does not require inspection of "preserve and cave(s)" as some caves may be inaccessible and some preserves may not have caves. It is not required for the manager to do the inspection; it can be delegated. Problems are to be reported to the Chair.

5. Signs

Management Committees shall be responsible for installing and maintaining kiosks, boundary markers, signs, and other items designated by the Board.

Explanation: Certain signs/displays/etc. may need to be installed. The Management Committee is in charge of having this done.

6. Maintenance

Management Committees shall be responsible for scheduling events related to the upkeep and maintenance of the Preserve. (Examples: trash clean-up, trail construction/maintenance, historic preservation, vandal remediation, etc.)

Explanation: The preserve is to be maintained. This includes any upkeep or improvements: trash pick-ups, parking lot and/or road construction/maintenance, trail

building/maintenance, removal of junk, erosion control, etc. It is not specified who does the work, but the Management Committee is responsible for it.

7. Permits

Unless otherwise indicated, Management Committees shall be responsible for approving and issuing any permits required by the management plan.

Explanation: If there are permits required to visit or use the preserve, and the board is not in charge of the permits, the committee is to oversee it. Examples: the Fern Cave Management Committee is responsible for permits for visiting the Fern Preserve; the Board was issuing permits for use of the Fricks Preserve (since delegated back to the Fricks Management Team). It is not specified who does the permitting as long as the committee is responsible (for committee-controlled permits).

8. Caving Events

Management Committees shall coordinate access with organizers of nearby caving events. In general, the Management Committee shall act as a contact person for those persons seeking access to SCCi managed Preserves.

Explanation: The committee is to coordinate use of the preserve during nearby caving events (even if the event doesn't want to use the preserve), and to be the contact person for the preserve. This is not a task that can be delegated.

9. Other Events

In the event the SCCi is aware of a visit to the Preserve which is beyond the scope of normal visitation, a member of the Management Committee shall accompany and supervise the visit. (Examples: photography/film crews, news media, educational trips, government inspections, scientific surveys, etc.) If the member of the Management Committee has any economic interest in the activity, or the Committee is unavailable, the SCCi Chair must be notified, and the Chair shall appoint a representative to act on behalf of the Management Committee for the visit.

Explanation: If there is knowledge of something happening at the preserve beyond the scope of normal visitation, an SCCi representative is to be present and managing the situation. This representative is to be biased in favor of the SCCi. This is not a delegated task. And only one member of the committee need be present. If the representative has a conflict of interest another committee member will represent the SCCi. If the committee is unavailable an alternate is to be used and the alternate will be given full management powers. (The earlier proposal read "Accompany and supervise trips by non-cavers." That is too broad, there may be hundreds of such visits, and who knows when a non-caver is visiting? If a bird-watcher shows up, or a family on a picnic, or the neighbors, do we really want an SCCi representative there? No. But if the National Geographic or a team of biologists show up, we'd better have someone there.) Note that "normal" gives some room for interpretation. There is no attempt to tell the committee what's normal for the preserve; the committee (and the rest of us) will know.

10. Locks

For Preserves with gates, Management Committee shall maintain a repository of keys (or combinations) and may loan or issue keys/combinations for authorized trips. The Management Committee shall keep a list of those who have been issued keys/combinations.

Explanation: If there are locked gates which visitors need to open, the committee is given authority to deal with it, and must keep records. This is a task that cannot be delegated.

11. Surveys

If deemed necessary by the Board or the Management Committee, the Committee shall be responsible for conducting a survey of Preserve visitors to determine the normal use of the Preserve, and to gather data that may be used to determine management issues. Details of the survey will be determined as needed.

Explanation: Sometimes it is useful to know who is using the preserve, and how the preserve is being used. (For some preserves visitation may be so low it doesn't matter.) The type of survey, how long it runs, the data collected, etc. needs to be tailored for each preserve. The board may request the survey, or the committee can initiate it.

12. Interim Representative

The SCCi Chair shall appoint an interim representative should the Management Committee be unavailable to perform its duties.

Explanation: There are certain duties that are the responsibility of the Management Committee and cannot be delegated. If there is no committee, or the committee is unavailable, this sets who is responsible.

13. Landlord

Unless otherwise specified by the Board, the chair of the Management Committee shall be the principal contact for any tenants on the preserve and shall act as landlord on behalf of the SCCi.

Explanation: If there's a tenant on the property, the Management Committee Chair get to act as landlord for the SCCi. All relations with the tenant go through the management committee, unless the Board has said otherwise. This does not give the Management Committee authority to enter contract on behalf of the SCCi.