WLT Meeting Minutes 07-28-2013

WINTONBURY LAND TRUST – July 28, 2013, 52 Duncaster Road, Bloomfield  

Present:  Dale Bertoldi, Doris Johnson, Paula Jones, Vikki Reski, Vic Herson

1.      The June 20, 2013 Meeting were approved with one correction.

2.      Organizational Assessment and Strategic Plan

a)    Leaders on Board – three individuals have expressed interest in the Land Trust as a result of the July 9^th “speed date” event.  Board members have had or will be having follow-up discussions with these potential new members.

b)   Organizational assessment review of progress and final meeting with Sharon Danosky – It was noted that we need to have our final evaluative meeting with Sharon.   The Board also agreed that we need to review and update the Bylaws prior to a members’ meeting in 2014.

c)   Meeting order – We established a new protocol for meetings with the objective of keeping meeting length reasonable.  The Standing Agenda will be:  1. Approval of Minutes; 2. Committee report-outs (5 existing committees, plus grants; core group doing the report-outs plus other committee members participating as needed); 3. Board Old Business and New Business; 4. Members Open Q&A.

d)  Board Responsibilities/committees – Generally speaking, board members serve on a committee.  WLT members who are interested in serving on the Board will typically serve on a committee for some period of time to gain knowledge of the organization, and to have the opportunity to be mentored by a Board member.  The majority of the Land Trust’s work will be done by committees (with that work being reported out and not conducted at Board meetings.)

                                                                                                                     
3.      Committee Reports

a) Acquisitions:

1.      Lisa Lane – Vikki reported that the legal fee associated with the easement is $1,500.  That amount is within what was budgeted for closing costs, but Vikki thought it appropriate to bring to the Board’s attention.  The consensus was that the $1,500 was an allowable expense since it had been budgeted for, but we confirmed the approach of bringing higher expenses to the Board’s attention.

2.      Hawk Hill – We received two bids for surveying Hawk Hill and will use Alford & Associates to do the work.  The cost of the survey is covered by grant funding. 

3.      LaSalette Trail - Hartford Foundation for Public Giving awarded a $200,000 grant towards completion of this project.  The grant will provide funding for operations, and for the Hawk Hill and Maulucci projects.

b) Stewardship

1.      Thrall Farm - Lease status:  We will be meeting with Newgate Farms to sign the lease on July 30^th.  The lease effective date will be August 1^st. 

2.      Stout Fields: The maintenance day (to clean up overhanging branches and field edges) will be September 21^st. There will be a short meeting (in the field) to discuss the Stout Fields Celebration event planned for the following Saturday, September 28^th.

3.      Van Otterloo:  The grass needs to be cut on the path.

c) Financial – The 2012 tax filing is in final review.   End of June balances: 

Checking: $752.82; Saving:  $18,105.93; Restricted:  $139,154.83

d) Events

1.      August Hike - We will hike to Hublein Tower from the Speer Preserve on Saturday, August 24^th.  Meet at the top of Juniper Road.

2.      Fall Hike – A fall hike is being planned for mid-October in collaboration with the Simsbury Land Trust.   The hike will showcase trail connectivity between Bloomfield and Simsbury.  Details will be available in time for our September newsletter.

3.      Stout Fields Celebration – The celebration will be Saturday, September 28^th.  Details to follow in the August newsletter.  As noted above in 3.b) 2, a workday is planned for the preceding Saturday.  Doris offered to explore signage possibilities for this property.

4.      Lisa Lane Celebration – Doris will chair this event’s planning committee.  The date will be set after a closing date is established. 

e)   Membership/Community Outreach

1.                  Vikki Reski and Diana Hughes met to coordinate the July newsletter which was sent out on Wednesday, July24th. Paula will e-mail Diana about doing a story on the Thrall Farm project for one of the fall newsletters. 

2.      We will ask one of the individuals from the Leaders on Board event (who expressed interest in joining WLT) to help set up a Shutterfly account for a web site location of WLT photographs.

4.      Special Projects/Announcements – Doris reported that Weantinoge Heritage Land Trust, Inc. (Kentucky) received the 2013 EPA Region 1 Environmental Merit Award in the Environment, Community, Academia & Nonprofit Category.

5.      Next meeting Dates:  August 22^nd (at 7 P.M.) and September 21^st (short meeting in the field prior to Stout field work as noted above).

 

Recorded by Paula Jones