SWCS-NCC Meeting Notes
August 10, 2006Attending: Beth Sauerhaft, Chip Ramsey, Ross Braun, Bill Boyer, Larry Holmes, Gayle Norman, Melvin Womack
1. Ross gave a brief summary of the Keystone meeting. He mentioned the delegates' meeting which was primarily informational.
SWCS will host a conference on October 11-13th entitled Managing Agricultural Landscapes for Environmental Quality. This conference will take a look at how producers can take credit for environmental improvement. It will be held in Kansas City and early registration ends September 29th.
Awards luncheon - 1 Hugh Hammond Bennett award, 6 fellow awards, 2 honor awards, 2 outstanding service awards, 5 commendation awards, 5 outstanding chapter awards and the chapter achievement award. After a discussion of looking at awards that we might make nominations for, we agreed to take a look on the SWCS website at the different awards, what they're for and whom we might think to nominate for them and resume this discussion at the next meeting on September 7th.
Jim Hotaling, NE Region Rep on the SWCS Board of Directors, recruited Bobbi Bailey from Pennsylvania, to head up a Regional Workshop- if you have any thoughts regarding the workshop -send emails to Jim or Ross. Jim asked for ideas about a theme, time of year, location for the workshop, and other items.
Chapter leadership guides were also mentioned at the Keystone meeting - these are on the web and provide guidance to chapter officers for things like membership development and professional development.
2. Next discussed was our annual Fall Tour. It will include the ARS Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and NRCS Plant Materials Center. 18 people are signed up so far (10 are nonmembers). We are charging $5 - members; $10 - nonmembers; free for nonmember participants who join. No charge for bus (22 people) or van (9-10 people). Tour starts at 9 AM from the Carver Building and returns there at 3 PM. We will use the bus or van to shuttle people to Greenbelt Metro. Jeff Steiner, ARS National Program Leader for Integrated Agricultural Systems, will speak at lunch after President Beth presents Norman A. Berg Conservation Legacy award. Lunch - Ross, Larry and Bill will take care of getting the lunch platter, plates and drinks. Gayle will propose a person to receive the award; officers will approve name; she contacts awardee to join us at ARS visitors' center, the Log Lodge, for lunch or for tour. Gayle will get awardee's bio etc for pres to use in award presentation. Bill will take care of ordering the plaque.
3. 2007 Elections were discussed. Bill offered to do up ballots and tally them. Officers agreed to bring a list of members and current officers to the next meeting where we will focus on this in greater detail.
4. Larry gave an update on the status of the budget. Current balance is $10,654.06.
5. September 7th will be the next meeting. It will be held at NRCS in South Building. Gayle will look into getting Doug McKalip's office for our meeting at 11:45-12:45. Everyone is encouraged to attend but if not they can call in, 866-852-3275, passcode 359357#.
Meeting adjourned.