KSS Meeting Minutes: March 16, 2016

Attendees: Howard Kalnitz, Josh Brewer, John Cassidy, Amber Yuellig, and Steve Gentry

 

1)      Announcements

a.       Welcome to new Board

Howard Kalnitz- Chair

Josh Brewer- Vice Chair

John Cassidy- Treasurer

Amber Yuellig- Secretary

Steve Gentry- Director at Large

Jim Currens- Director at Large

 

b.      Robert Sperka, donor of cave data to the KSS passed away. Howard suggested that Jim Currens might be interested in writing an obituary, as he knew him.

               

2)      Reading of Previous minutes

No minutes exist from the previous meeting so there were no minutes to accept.

 

3)      Treasurers report

·         Current balance $7,461.08

·         IRS- we asked if we should be collecting sales tax on the search fees we charge.  They responded that it was not necessary

·         Cassidy will email the treasurers report.

·         Need to locate a copy of our current fee schedule. Cassidy will post on the website.

 

4)      Committee Reports

a.       Database Committee:

- Filemaker Pro Advanced purchased (one copy available), there may be a need in the future to buy an additional copy of Advanced,

-Second copy of Filemaker will be distributed to Josh to help with database management

- Runtimes produced and shared with 3 County coordinators

- Full database shared with KSS board through Dropbox

- Some requests received, no updates at this time

- Dropbox continues to grow

- Still need to close out Ball State intern work

Current Members: Kalnitz, Brewer, Gentry, Currens

b.      Data requests committee

- Are we up to date on requests?

- We need a new way to handle requests (more in new business)

- Should we put requests on hiatus until we solve request problem?

- Need to make official voting policy that data requests are sent to current board

- Need to update website with data request committee contacts

- Yuellig will join committee and be able to assist with requests once she has a new work computer with GIS

Current Members: Currens, Kalnitz, Gentry

 

5)      Old Business

a.       Schedule Meetings for rest of year:

                                                               i.      Board Meetings Monthly 3rd Wednesday of every month using WebEx (access by Amber)

                                                             ii.      Paper and Face to Face. Every other month 2nd Sunday

b.      We want to have a set meeting schedule we can plan against. We decided to have a WebEx meeting on the 3rd Wednesday of the month twice a quarter. We also want to have Paper caving meetings once a quarter, and set the dates on those, but need Jims agreement on these dates:

April 20th             WebEx Meeting @7:30 Eastern

May 14th             Paper Caving @ KGS

June 22                 WebEx Meeting @ 7:30 Eastern

July 20                   WebEx Meeting @7:30 Eastern

August 17            WebEx Meeting @7:30 Eastern

Sept 17th             Paper Caving @ KGS

Oct 19th               Webex Meeting @7:30 Eastern

Nov 11                  Paper Caving @ KGS

Dec 21                   WebEx Meeting @7:30 Eastern (Possibly to be canceled due to Xmas)

c.       Drop box will be updated regularly with all treasurer reports, meeting agendas, and meeting minutes

 

6)      New Business

a.       Update Bylaws: Amber Yuellig

                                                               i.      List of things to try to fix:

- Define Board Positions- standardize the committees, members, roles and how functions are carried out

-Define grottos positions

- Fix voting policy- how is the board and members at large elected

- Update data Policy

                                                             ii.      Look at other organizations?

b.      Define the role of standing committees: HJK

                                                               i.      Specifically how to deal with data requests:

- How to fill

 

 

c.       Database: Brewer, HJK

                                                               i.      FIlemaker rollout

                                                             ii.      Better interactions and updates by county coordinators. Start getting rid of deadwood

                                                            iii.      Start driving more general caver interaction and better communications

1.        

d.      Newsletter – Walden, no updates. Please send materials so a newsletter can be published.  This is one of tangible items we provide our membership

e.      Annual Survey Meetings – Josh, date and location TBD

f.        Website (Lee and Amber) – Lee started a new website www.ksscaves.org/test that we may wish to build upon

g.       KSS receptions at events (more official then now) (Amber)

                                                               i.      We should try to create opportunities in which members can interact

1.       Sponsored KSS surveys

2.       Member receptions at caving events

h.      Face to face meetings with coordinators (Josh)

                                                               i.       

i.         Interactions With Cavers:

                                                               i.      Newsletter (Walden)

                                                             ii.      Annual Meetings: Brewer

                                                            iii.      WebEx Meetings (open to public) :Yuellig

                                                           iv.       

1)       Paper files What to do about our paper Files

What do we need to do, especially with Jim’s upcoming retirement?

We can renew at Ball State – the contract will be transferred to Amber who will oversee the student assistant

2)      What to do about the KYTC request (Kalnitz) What to do about KY Transportation Cabinet

We were approached about how to reduce our workload on data request by the KYTC. At the time we talk about an intern at KGS 'working' for us. However, especially with Jim retiring in the near future, this does not seem a great plan. However, we still need to be responsive. I think we need to come up with another plan