Minutes

Minutes of the Kentucky Speleological Survey

January 15, 2012

    1. Meeting held at Wayne County EMS

    2. 111 Jim Hill Service Rd.
      Monticello, KY 42633

 

President Jim Greer called the meeting to order at 1:09 pm.  

 

Officers and Board Members Present:  

President, Jim Greer; Vice-President, Howard Kalnitz; Treasurer, John Cassidy; Secretary, Kim Gentry; Membership at Large Representative, Steve Gentry; Membership at Large Representative, Amber Yuellig.

 

Organizational Representatives

Present:  Greater Cincinnati Grotto, Howard Kalnitz; Kentucky Geological Survey, Jim Currens; Bluegrass Grotto, Jim Currens proxy for Randy Paylor; Dayton Underground Grotto, John Cassidy proxy for Don Conover.  

 

Absent:  Dayton Underground Grotto, Jim Perkins; ESSO Grotto, Johnathan Lewis; Hart of Kentucky Grotto, Peggy Nims; Louisville Grotto, representative unknown. Western Kentucky Speleological Survey, Preston Forsythe.;

 

KSS Members and Cavers/Guests in Attendance:   Richard Gilliam, Bill Walden, William Duke Hopper, Janeen Sharpshair, Harry Goepel, and Keith Widmeier.

 

Welcome and Introductions/ President’s Report (Greer):  Everyone was welcomed to the meeting and the officers and cavers/guests in attendance were introduced.   

 

Minutes from the last meeting were not read, copies were available at this meeting, and had also been posted on the KSS web site as well as through the KSS Yahoo Group.  Jim Currens made a motion to approve the previous meeting minutes.  Steve Gentry seconded the motion.  The motion was carried.  

 

Treasurer’s Report (Cassidy):    

  • Total of 40 members, 20 are lifetime members

  • Three new lifetime members-Harry Goepel, Jim Greer, Anna Greer

  • Current Balance of   $3909.95

  • 4th Quarter 2011 began with 3658.51 balance

  • Total for 2011-began with $3,327.07 balance, ended with $3909.95.  Total debits $185 for Arc GIS software and Kentucky Tax Return.  Total gain $582.88.  

  • Discussion of obtaining savings account to earn interest.  John Cassidy has researched ING Bank, they have checking and savings account options for business account.  Savings could be transferred back to checking account online if needed within a business day or two.  Limited transfers, unlimited deposits.  John Cassidy made a motion to move $2900.00 into a savings account, leaving $1009.95 for expenses in checking.  Money for projector purchase will be earmarked in the checking account.  Howard Kalnitz seconded the motion.  The motion was carried.  

 

Data Access Committee Report (Currens):

  • Request from Tammy Johnson on Coral Cave was referred to Jerry Nichols.

  • He has had a few requests during the last quarter.

  • Recent request has been received from Jim Borden for survey books on Northtown Cave, he is checking to see if the data is available before requesting data form be completed.

  • Will start working with Cory Blackeagle in the next 2-3 weeks.  

  • Most requests that come in are from consultants.  Need to move forward with changing billing method for consultants, but bylaws will need to be amended.  Discussion of changing primary contact for data requests-no change needed at this time.  Committee members can work out organization and handle requests in an efficient manner.  Discussion of making sure all requests are sent out for review.  Suggestion to draft email listing for Jim Currens to use to send to committee which consists of Howard Kalnitz, Steve Gentry, Jim Currens, current officers, and also sent to Coordinator for that county.  

  • Request from Keith Widmeier from Wayne County EMS.  Keith was present at meeting and gave a brief summary of his request for all cave data in Wayne County for purposes of using data for cave rescues in Wayne County.  Wayne County EMS is hosting NCRC training in Monticello in July-they want to cooperate with local cavers.  They are agreeable to signing a MOU.  Discussion of the group regarding this request.  The KSS has no agreement with any other county at this time.  Concerns regarding the accuracy of cave locations in the data were expressed.  There were also concerns with protecting data and liability.  It was suggested to add columns when logging data for when location verified, and to note equipment needed.  Howard Kalnitz suggests working with County Coordinator and to set up a call list for EMS, would be more beneficial that cave data that may be out of date.  Suggestion that this effort be a trial l basis for a possible statewide protocol for interacting with EMS.    

 

Membership Committee Report (Cassidy):   Not much activity.  Updated KSS PowerPoint is on the Yahoo group for anyone who wishes to use it.  

 

Data Administration Committee (Database) Report (Kalnitz/County Coordinators):  

  • Kalnitz updated Database report presentation-71 cave bearing counties, 38 completed counties

  • Success’s:  Ben Millers work, Preston Forsythe’s area, Steve Gentry's work, Andrews Maps, and Don Conover’s take over of orphan counties.  

  • Updated counties since October 2011 (Barren, Butler, Caldwell, Hart).  Discussion of scanning topos.

  • Issues-no data from Lee Florea, Mike Crockett, and Horton Hobbs.  Incomplete Data-Jim Greer, Jim Currens.  Howard will send out copy of presentation.  He will also send out updated copy of database.  

 

KSS Newsletter:   Bill will complete in the spring.

 

Annual Member’s Meeting:  Not needed to discuss at this time.

 

County Coordinators Update:

  • Lee Florea/Amber Yuellig-In progress.   

  • Jim Greer-Has added a few new locations in the past 3 months.    Grayson County has been updated with GPS points.  

  • Jim Currens-working on Barren County.  Quite a few locations to add in.  

  • Steve Gentry-has been working topo maps, has added approximately 49 caves.  Has also been scanning old grotto newsletters with cave names and information.  

  • Harry Goepel-Wayne County-updates in progress and will send to Howard.  Discussion of how to record a location not found.  Suggestion to list as not a recorded location.  Discussion of sinks vs. cave vs. springs –suggestion to list in description as spring, cave, etc.  Training by Eric on GPS should probably be revisited.  Suggestion to add GPS standards list on website.  

 

Old Business (Greer):  

  • Charging fees for data requests for consultants-see new business  

 

New Business:  

  • During the meeting, Jim Currens wrote up proposal for bylaws changes in regards to charging fees for data services to consultants.  Proposal:  Data requests made to the KSS from for-profit organizations shall be accompanied by a fee of $25.00 to be paid as verified by the Treasurer of the KSS prior to any search.  Additional fees may be charged to recover costs for data searches involving exceptional use of KSS resources.  This proposal will be voted on at the next meeting for amendment to the bylaws.  Jim Currens to review current bylaws for accuracy.  The application form will also need to be revised to include the fee required.    

 

Officer Elections:

President-Jim Greer and Lee Florea (via Skype), put their names on the slate for President.  Jim Greer left the room and a vote was taken by show of hands.  

Votes for Florea-6

Votes for Greer-1

 

Vice-President- Howard Kalnitz and Jim Greer, put their names on the slate for Vice-President.  Jim Greer and Howard Kalnitz left the room and a vote was taken by show of hands.  

Votes for Kaltniz-5

Votes for Greer-1

 

Secretary-Kim Gentry is not re-running for office.  Jim Currens nominated Jim Greer.  There were no other nominees for the slate and Jim Greer was elected by acclimation.

 

Treasurer-John Cassidy is not re-running for office.  Steve Gentry nominated Kim Gentry.  There were no other nominees for the slate and Kim Gentry was elected by acclimation.

 

Member-at-large representatives:  Current positions held by Amber Yuellig and Steve Gentry were re-elected by acclimation.

 

It was noted that Organizations Representatives need to provide any updates of changes to current representatives on file.  

 

Future Work Sessions at Kentucky Geological Survey Mining & Minerals Building:  

2/5/12 from 11 am to 4 pm

3/4/12 from 11 am to 4 pm   

 

Next Quarterly meeting:  Tentatively at Kentucky Geological Survey Mining & Minerals Building (Currens to verify) on 4/22/12 at 1 pm.

 

Jim Currens motioned for the meeting to be adjourned, Amber Yuellig seconded.  The motion carried.  The meeting was adjourned at approximately 3:15 pm.

 

Respectively submitted,




Kim Gentry, KSS Secretary