SE EPPC Conference Call - August 21, 2001

Participating:

Brian Bowen
Kris Johnson
Bob Parrish
Dan Brown
Kristen Gounaris
Joyce Bender
Johnnie Randall
Margaret Shea
Susie Morton
Wayne Owens
Ken Langeland
Amy Ferriter
Tim Allison
Stratford Kay
Laurie Albrecht
Dan Thayer

Brian Bowen: Coordinator’s Report

• Group exception paperwork was sent to IRS on July 25^th and is presently under review. It includes TN, FL, MS, NC, MICH, KY and GA and requires that annual reports be turned in for each affiliate. These should be sent to Susie each year to be turned in together.
• Florida and Tennessee chapters have updated their webpages; Other chapters are encouraged to review their pages and add the necessary information.

Symposium Report

• Location and dates of 2002 symposium was approved by the board.
• The 2002 symposium will be held in Nashville on April 3^rd -5^th. The location has been selected. If the Symposium can fill 70 hotel rooms, the conference room rental will be free of charge. Hotel rooms are $72/single and registration will be $90 before March 1^st ($110 after March 1^st).
• Registration mailers will be sent 2-3 months before the symposium.
• Wayne Owen will work with Brian on USFS financial participation.
• There was discussion of having the symposium fulfill pesticide recertification credits. There was no action on this item.
• Brian will send a mock agenda to the board via email for comment.
• Kris Johnson is heading the agenda committee. Potential speakers should be suggested to her by September 30.
• Last year’s symposium budget is still awaiting checks from DowAgro and the NPS, however the budget is $17 to 18 thousand in the black.
• The location of the 2003 Symposium was approved by the board and will be held in Kentucky. The location of the 2004 Symposium will be decided on at the April meeting.

Susie Morton: Treasurer’s Report

• Net financial balance is presently $14,000.
• Each chapter has a September 30 fiscal year end.
• Each state chapter must send check stubs, including a detailed explanation of what check was for, and all balance statements from inception to Susie by October 30^th.

Bob Parrish: Budget Report

• Referred to an email sent to the board which summarized budget developed at August 12^th committee meeting.
• The committee’s recommendations were as follows and were approved by the board:
• If any committee or state chapter needs money during the upcoming fiscal year, they must have it approved by the board or Ways and Means committee.
• The $5000 deposited into the SAMAB account be placed in the SE EPPC account for use only printing/improving the Vegetation Management Manual.
• Up to $5000 should go toward the newsletter; $4000 should go to the Coordinator’s salary and $1500 toward the Coordinator’s expenses.
• Committee also drafted a committee mission and five goals which were also approved by the board.

Brian Bowen: Newsletter Update

• Summer Newsletter is nearly ready for printing.
• Articles and chapter updates were due to Brian on September 1^st.
• Wildland Weeds has been sent out.
• State chapters should continue to send new member names to Jackie. However membership will be discussed at the April meeting with Jackie’s comments. State chapters should bring a member list to cross reference against Jackie’s master list.
• Publications committee will discuss how to reimburse the Florida chapter for the postage of Wildland Weeds. Decision will be presented to both the Florida EPPC and SE EPPC boards for approval.

SE EPPC Goals

• Dan Thayer and Brian sent out goals to the board for comment and discussion:
• Education awareness campaign targeting Walmart type wholesalers.
• Write position papers.
• Target agencies still in the business of selling exotics.
• Support state chapters.
• There was discussion that these goals better described committee action rather than the goals of the council. Council goals should be taken from the mission statement.
• Discussion of these goals will continue over email and at the April meeting.

Presidential Resignation / Coordinator Reorganization:

• Due to his inability to devote the necessary time to the job, Dan Thayer regretfully wishes to resign his position as president and wishes to nominate Brian Bowen to step up to the position.
• Brian Bowen suggested that the coordinator’s salary be removed from the budget, and that the coordinator be compensated in needed supplies and equipment and for travel on behalf of the council.
• Discussion of these two items will be continued during a conference call to be scheduled.

For additional discussion at April meeting:

• Chuck Bargeron suggested that he produce a CD of invasive exotic photos to cover the cost of his work on the SE EPPC Webpage.

**Next Board Meeting will take place in Athens, GA on April 29^th.

Supplementary Conference Call to Discuss Presidential Resignation and Coordinator Reorganization - September 6, 2001

Participating:

Joyce Bender
Brian Bowen
Susie Morton
Kris Johnson
Bob Parrish
Johnnie Randall
Wayne Owens
Amy Ferriter
Tony Pernas
Ken Langeland
Kristen Gounaris
Dan Thayer
Dan Brown

The Board approved the following items:

• The Coordinator position will continue with the same duties and compensation for travel, however coordinator’s salary will be removed from the budget.
• The Coordinator will be considered an active board member.
• Dan’s resignation was accepted, however he will remain an active board member.
• Joyce Bender, Vice President, will act as president until further discussion at November meeting in Athens. Board should be thinking of potential candidates for discussion at that time.

Additional Discussion:

• There was discussion of whether or not we still need a coordinator. Coordinator’s roles could be defined, and then can be divided between other officers and committee chairs.
• Roles of Officers and Committee Chairs need to be better defined.
• These items will be further discussed at April meeting.