The Board of Directors of the New York State Ornithological
Association, Inc. met at Nuthatch Hollow Nature Preserve in Vestal
on July 31, 2004. The meeting was called to order at 9:35 a.m.
Present were Brenda Best, Barbara Butler, Gail Kirch,
Berna Lincoln, Kevin McGowan, Bill Ostrander, Bill Reeves, and
Bob Spahn.
Summary of Action Items:
1. Approved minutes of previous board meeting. (Item
1)
2. Approved Shaibal Mitra as new editor of The Kingbird.
(Item 5i)
3. Appointed By-laws Committee. (Old Business)
4. Authorized purchase of decals and brochures (New Business)
1. Minutes of Previous Board Meeting –
Brenda Best – Bill Reeves made a motion to approve the draft
minutes from the April 10, 2004 Board Meeting. Bob Spahn seconded.
Approved unanimously.
2. President’s Report – Kevin McGowan
– Desktop display has been revised and was used at two shows.
Kevin attended an Atlas Steering Committee meeting. No one from NYSOA
attended the DEC meeting in May to discuss the State Wildlife Grant
(SWG), but Kevin did attend one in June in Syracuse.
3. Treasurer’s Report – Bill Reeves
– Treasurer’s Report dated June 30, 2004 was distributed.
(See Attachment A.) We now have two checking accounts to handle checks
made out to FNYSBC or NYSOA.
4. DEC Report – Kevin for Bryan Swift –
Bryan advises he will be at the Annual Meeting. Most time is spent
working on the SWG planning draft. Bryan reports that Common Tern
nesting has expanded to other islands in Oneida Lake.
5. Committee Reports
a. Archives – Phyllis Jones – No
report.
b. Atlas – Berna for Valerie Freer – No determination
of a sixth field season has been made. Next Steering Committee meeting
is in late August. The committee is working on the advertisement
for the second editor and they hope to interview before this Christmas
with the hire to begin in January 2005. There are still problems
with the artist contracts, and no payments will be made without
a signed contract.
c. Awards – Bill Ostrander and Andy Mason
– A reminder was sent regarding the Stoner award, and two
nominations have been received. Consideration will be given to making
the deadline date earlier, and to possibly including this information
in each New York Birders if there’s room. Promotion of the
Eaton award was a problem this year and there may not be a recipient.
We have received no requests for Member Club Grants. Bob Spahn and
Andy Mason are discussing and reviewing articles and working with
Manny on the Elliott award. Certificates of Appreciation should
be given promptly and announcements should be included in New York
Birders.
d. Conservation – Kevin for Andy Mason
– Andy is proposing a letter be written in support of revising
the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to protect native birds. Kevin will
advise Andy to submit a draft to the Board. With regard to feral
cats, last year’s draft guidelines have not been finalized,
but Tom Lyons of the Office of Parks has offered to speak at the
Delegates Meeting in September. A link to American Bird Conservancy’s
Cats Indoors web site can be provided in the cat article on our
site.
e. Field Trips – The Board is aware that
Bill Lee has had some health problems and wonders if Bill would
like relief from the Field Trip Committee. Perhaps someone from
the Hudson-Mohawk club could serve. We might ask various clubs to
designate one of their field trips as a NYSOA field trip and we
would advertise it. We also could put a chronological list of club
field trips with the appropriate contact on our web site.
f. Finance Committee – Berna Lincoln
– Bill Reeves and Kevin McGowan also serve on this committee
and Berna notes that at the November Board meeting, the 2005 budget
is to be approved. Let the committee know of any unusual items to
be included in the budget. Bill Reeves has not heard from the Audit
Committee and will check with Manny. The audit is done before the
Annual Meeting.
g. Nominating Committee – Tim Baird –
No report. It was noted the slate has been published.
h. NYSARC – Kevin McGowan – The
Board has reviewed the proposed revisions to the NYSARC guidelines
incorporating the name change among other items. Some of the proposed
revisions would require NYSOA By-laws changes. We felt it would
be beneficial if a NYSARC representative could attend a Board meeting
to discuss the proposed changes. Kevin will reply to NYSARC with
our comments and invite them to a Board meeting. Kevin is checking
to see whose term on NYSARC expires this year.
i. Publications – Kevin for Tim Baird
and Manny Levine –Tim advises the Speakers Bureau will be
in the January issue of New York Birders. Manny has resigned
as editor of The Kingbird due to health problems and recommends
Shaibal Mitra as his replacement. Bob Spahn made a motion to approve
Shaibal Mitra as the new editor of The Kingbird. Berna Lincoln
seconded and motion was passed unanimously. Manny remains as Chair
of the Publications Committee. Seymour Schiff is no longer serving
as the Region 10 Editor.
j. Membership – Brenda Best – There
have been nine new members since the April Board meeting. 67 final
notices have been sent. Two clubs have not yet paid their dues.
St. Lawrence/Adirondack Audubon advises they are sending theirs,
but the T. Roosevelt Sanctuary has not responded. Bill advises there
is a new director and he will contact them regarding their membership.
Brenda advised that we have received notification of the deaths
of three life members.
k. Web site – Barbara Butler –
The name change has been incorporated. Our “Objectives”
have been added and Barb would like us to review them.
6. Old Business
Name Change – The new name has been incorporated
where needed. The IRS and our banks have been informed and all paperwork
completed. New York Birders is done. The Kingbird
inside cover can be changed, but the outside covers are already
printed and will be used for two more issues. The first issue in
2005 will have the new name on the outside. Updated By-laws are
on the web site. A By-laws Committee was appointed, consisting of
Berna Lincoln, Bob Spahn, and a third to be advised by Kevin (perhaps
Phyllis Jones). It appears the remaining items are the Corporate
Seal, patches, decals, and the brochure. Kevin and Brenda will look
at the brochure and Barb will ask Carena about graphics.
7. New Business
Montezuma Muckrace – NYSOA supports a
team with Mickey Scilingo as the leader.
Promotional Items – Kevin would like
decals and brochures to be available at the Annual Meeting in September.
Berna Lincoln made a motion to authorize Kevin McGowan to purchase
decals, which was seconded by Bill Reeves. Approved unanimously.
Gail Kirch made a motion to authorize Kevin McGowan to purchase
brochures, which was seconded by Bob Spahn, and also approved unanimously.
Annual Meeting – Delaware-Otsego Audubon
Society has offered to host the 2006 Annual Meeting.
Donation – We have received a $317 donation
from the Alan Devoe Bird Club. Tim will be notified so that this
can be mentioned in New York Birders.
Our next Board meeting will be held at Nuthatch Hollow
in Vestal on November 13. Barb Butler made the motion to adjourn,
which was seconded by Bill Reeves. Approved unanimously. Meeting adjourned
at 1:41 p.m.