| ATTENDEES | Directors: Bill Putnam (Chair), Kenneth Huffines (Secretary), Buddy Lane (Treasurer), Richard Blackburn, Scott Fee, Geary Schindel, John Van Swearingen, Mark Wolinsky, (Greg Eck Absent). Approximately 35 members and guests. | |
| CALL TO ORDER | Chair Bill Putnam called the meeting to order at 11:20. | |
| MINUTES | (M) | The minutes of the Board Meeting were reviewed. Scott Fee moved that the minutes be approved as read. Richard Blackburn seconded. Passed unanimously. |
| REPORTS | ||
| Chairman | Bill Putnam summarized the state of the SCC and reported we have a positive relationship with The Nature Conservancy of Georgia. The SCC has joined the NSS as an institutional member. | |
| Treasurer | Buddy Lane stated that we have 95 people enrolled in the Sustaining Contributor program and it generates $1668 per month. | |
| Secretary | Kenneth Huffines reported the Annual Report will be published and will be mailed soon. | |
| Nominations & Elections | All candidate's statements have been received and ballots are being prepared. | |
| Newsletter | Kenneth Huffines reported the Special Issue was mailed in early August, and announces his resignation as Editor. | |
| Howard's Cave | Jerry Parker reported he is replacing the boundary signs that are disappearing. | |
| Neversink Pit | Jim Hall reported the parking lot is proving to bee too small and needs gravel. The water line from the spring needs to be relocated out of the pit's traffic pattern. Some means needed to educate cavers to pad the rigging trees. | |
| Kennamer Cave | Chris Hudson reported that at least one kiosk is needed. | |
| South Pittsburg Pit | Tree tops left over from logging are still a problem. | |
| Gourdneck Cave | William Shrewsbury reported that he has had to work on the water line, and more work is needed to address some wear points. | |
| Frick's Cave | ET Davis reported we have good neighbors. Security measures are in place. | |
| Fern Cave | John Van Swearingen reported there is an average of two trips per month. | |
| Fund Raising | John Van Swearingen stated the fund raising letter for NSS members in Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia is in progress. The SCC booth was at this years SERA Cave Carnival, the Indiana Cave Capers, and will be at the Old Timer's Reunion and the TAG Fall Cave-In later this year. An "Adopt a Bat" program is in the works for Frick's Cave. | |
| SCC at NSS Convention | Kenneth Huffines reported that the SCC's presentation was well received. Attendance was not hoped due to scheduling problems. Six shirts and 21 sets of bookends were sold at Consignment Sales. | |
| OLD BUSINESS | ||
| Actions without meetings | (M)
(M) |
There have been eighteen actions without a meeting since the last Board Meeting. John Van Swearingen moved to ratify the actions as a whole as opposed to ratifying each action. Geary Schindel seconded. Passed unanimously. John Van Swearingen moves to ratify the actions. Richard Blackburn seconded. Passed unanimously. See Attachment A for these actions. |
| Fern Cave Management
Committee |
(M) | Richard Blackburn moved to create the Fern Cave Management Committee. Scott Fee seconded. Passed unanimously. This will be Act 17-065. |
| Logo | Mark Wolinsky showed several more possibilities for the logo. Chris Hudson shows a banner he has produced for the SCC which incorporates the interim logo. | |
| Brochure | John Van Swearingen reported work still in progress. | |
| Logsdon Cave Lease | Geary Schindel delivered the signed lease to the Board. | |
| Cave Management
Committees Duties |
John Van Swearingen asked that comments be emailed to him. | |
| Horse Skull/Jack's Hole | (M) | The terms have been finalized. Purchase price will be $16,500 with $500 down and quarterly payments on the principle of $1000, with 6% interest. Scott Fee move to accept these terms. John Van Swearingen seconded. Passed unanimously. |
| Fox Mountain | (M) | Terms have been finalized. Purchase price will be $89,640 ($270/acre,
332 acres), $5,000 dow, leaving an owner-financed balance of $84,640 at
6% for five years. John Van Swearingen moved to accept these terms. Buddy
Lane seconded. Passed unanimously.
|
| National Cave Management
Symposium |
John Van Swearingen reported the SCC's bid has been accepted for hosting
the 1999 NCMS. It will be held at the Gunnersville Lodge, Gunnersville,
Alabama.
|
|
| Damage at Neversink | Bill Putnam reported the letter to the NGS has not been drafted. | |
| SCC Decals | Bill Putnam reported he is waiting for the logo to be finalized. | |
| Reprints | Geary Schindel reported another organization's now interested in reprinting
the two works on Karst Hydrology and the SCC may not have to do anything.
|
|
| Glove Pit Deed | Jim Hall reported the Glove Pit deed is now in SCC possession. | |
| NEW BUSINESS | ||
| Reimbursement | (M) | Kenneth Huffines submitted receipts totaling $610.15. Richard Blackburn
moved to reimburse. Buddy Lane seconded. Abstain: Huffines. In favor: rest.
Motion carries.
|
| LTA Dues | (M) | Buddy Lane moved to continue our membership in the Land Trust Alliance.
This year's dues to be about $600. Richard Blackburn seconded. Passed unanimously.
|
| Frick's Picnic Expense | (M) | Buddy Lane moved to approve an additional $105.93 for picnic expenses.
Richard Blackburn seconded. Passed unanimously.
|
| Logsdon | Kenneth Huffines donated one dollar to pay for the year's fee to lease
Logsdon Cave.
|
|
| Frick's Management Plan | (M) | Scott Fee moved to change the wording of item 2 so camping permits
are issued by the Frick's Cave Management Team instead of the SCC Board.
Buddy Lane seconded. Passed unanimously. The item will now read: The surface
property will be open as a day use area only. Vehicles, bicycles, and horses
are limited to existing roads and designated parking areas. Due to the
small size of the property and the proximity of houses, hunting will not
be allowed. Camping or other use may be allowed only by specific permission
of the Board.
|
| Gourdneck Cave
Management Plan |
(M) | Scott Fee moved to use the Glove Pit Management Plan (with appropriate
name changes), deleting item 5, adding a cautionary note to avoid pools
where possible to minimize aquatic disturbances, and changing the number
of people per trip from 12 to 8. Richard Blackburn seconded. Passed unanimously.
See Gourdneck Cave
Management Plan. This will be Act 17-066.
|
| South Pittsburg
Management Plan |
(M) | Richard Blackburn moved to use the Glove Pit Management Plan (with
appropriate name changes). Scott Fee seconded. Passed unanimously. See
South Pittsburg
Management Plan. this will be Act 17-067.
|
| Fox Mountain
Management Plan |
Kenneth Huffines moved to use the Kennamer Cave Management Plan (with
appropriate name changes), striking item 3 and changing item 4 to read
"park in the designated areas." Richard Blackburn seconded. Passed unanimously.
See Fox Mountain
Management Plan. This will be Act 17-068.
|
|
| Horse Skull/Jack's Hole
Management Plan |
(M) | Richard Blackburn moved to use the Kennamer Cave Management Plan (with
appropriate name changes), deleting parts in item 3 about non-owned entrances
and striking item 4. John Van Swearingen seconded. Passed unanimously.
See Horse Skull
& Jack's Hole Cave Management Plan. This will be Act 17-069.
|
| Management Plans | (A) | As the plans for Gourdneck, South Pittsburg, Fox Mountain, and Horse
Skull/Jack's Hole were developed without written copies for review, the
secretary will distribute copies for review, and minor changes will be
accepted without further Board action.
|
| 1998 NSS Convention | The use of SCC caves by the 1998 NSS convention was discussed. No board
action resulted.
|
|
| Cave Rescues on SCC
Preserve |
Diane Cousineau, Chief of Cave Rescue in Walker County (Georgia) presented
the SCC with a letter asking how to handle rescues at Frick's Cave.
|
|
| ADJOURNMENT | Richard Blackburn moved the meeting be adjourned. John Van Swearingen seconded. Pass unanimously at 3:05. |