1. Members present: Kristin Hodges, CJ Wettstein, Ron Temaat, Roger Masenthin, Gail Norton, John Ewy, Ed Elam, Glenda Harvey, Dale Yonker
2. Agenda approved; Ed move to approve 2005 Annual Meeting minutes, Glenda seconded, motion passed. Ed move to approve last meeting minutes, John seconded, motion passed.
3. Financial Report – Kristin made a financial review and everything looked good. Ford County Conservation District sent their 2007 dues. We received two $25 donations for the FHFH program. $160 for Ashland Day Care carried over; we are holding the money for them. We received a $200 bill for 2007 State RC&D membership. Bank sent a letter telling us they will no longer monitor how many signatures are on our checks. We discussed the importance of fundraising. Glenda and Kristin are going to work on fundraising levels to solicit different sponsorship entities.
a. Roger requested that two members attend the SW States RC&D Annual Conference and two members attend the Leadership Forum in Washington D.C. Gail and Ed are considering going to Lafayette, LA for SW states conference. Glenda and Kristin are considering Leadership Forum. The Leadership Forum does have a match program; expect $500-$800 from that. Glenda moved to send Gail and Ed and to cover registration, room, meals, and travel; John seconded motion, motion passed. Council will send a letter to state RC&D for a match because leadership is a focus of SW State conference. We will make reservations and table voting on the total amount allotted for members to go. John moved to send Glenda and Kristin to Leadership Forum with proposed budget of $2,000. Gail seconded and motion passed.
4. Year End Report
a. AFA – Gail moved to suspend scholarship for 2007 and bring back in 2008, John seconded, motion passed. Gail is contacting AFA and asking them if we may suspend our scholarship until 2008.
b. Farm Safety Day – Clark County and Area, Glenda is helping with this event
c. Adopt-a-Bike – 83 bikes in Ford County and Jim has bikes. Ed is trying to get Rotary involved. Glenda will get permission to use truck from Clark County Commissioners. Roger is talking with Sunflower about taking loads together. CJ Wettstein is checking if Liberal Police Department has a bike program. Council members are going to individual counties and asking CD to be local contact points.
d. Kansas Warm Homes – Roger has 60 boxes left. Use health department as distribution. Roger is calling state energy office and finding contacts. We located project through Great Plains Development.
e. Kismet Tree City – still waiting on Kismet Tree report
f. Windbreak Renovation – KS Forest Service committed to helping us in our council area with county inventory, condition, and ground truthing. We would be a pilot.
g. FHFH – Roger is contacting processors and getting a recipe book to give out with meat.
5. Election of Officers – Ed moved to elect Glenda as President, John as Vice President, and Kristin as secretary/treasurer and that any three officers can sign checks. Gail seconded the motion, motion passed.
6. Old Business – all but following items were tabled
a. State Association Qtrly. Meeting – November 19, Glenda said they pushed the Farm Bill and writing Congressman.
b. Non-profit management training – October 23, good presentation. We will view the PowerPoint of presentation at next meeting.
c. Alzheimer’s Memory Walk – Ed moved to table, Gail seconded, motion passed
d. Area Plan Update – Gail and Glenda are working on revisions.
e. Webpage and Newsletter – Ed has not heard from SWKS Online, CJ Westtstein contacting company.
f. Rotary Dictionary Project – Glenda moved to have a project to support Rotary Dictionary program with $100 sponsorship. John seconded, motion passed.
7. New Business
a. RC&D is onward and upward. Morale is up.
b. Conservation Districts are asking what we can do to help support the Districts after office consolidations.
8. Next meeting date: January 5, 2007 – Ford County room, Dodge City Community College 1:00pm – 4:00pm
9. Adjournment: John Ewy