Western Division of the American Fisheries Society
EXCOM Teleconference Minutes
Date: February 25, 2003

Participants: Don MacDonald, Eric Knudsen, Tom McMahon, Lynn Starnes, Monica Hiner, Bill Bradshaw, Steve Elle, Ethan Bell, Dave Zafft, Yvonne Muirhead, Jim Tilmant, Casey Harthorn

2003 Annual Meeting (Tom)

• Mexican Connection (Eric)
  • The symposia are finalized
  • Fundraising efforts for travel awards has been successful, resulting in approximately $11K to date. Very few travel requests have been received (approximately $5,000 total). Eric has extended the deadline, and if we have a surplus of money, we will have a discussion later on what to do with it.
• Program at a Glance
  • The website is up to date, and the master schedule is full. Approximately 60 posters have been submitted.
• Fundraising (Yvonne)
  • To date, we have raised $24,200. Yvonne sent out additional letters requesting funding. Have people followed up with these funding requests? (A spreadsheet was emailed out with contact information on it)
• The hotel block is approximately 50% full J
• WDAFS EXCOM Meeting
  • Monday, April 14th from 10am – 2pm in the Islandia Restaurant.
  • Chapters that have confirmed attendance include: Idaho, Cal-Neva, Wyoming, Arizona-New Mexico, Humboldt. From the Western Division, all officers are confirmed to date.
• WDAFS Business Meeting
  • Wednesday, April 16th between 11:30 – 1:45pm in Regency B and C.
  • Yvonne will mail out the proposed agenda soon.
• Committee Reports
  • Reports will be due from each committee (remind committee chairs) and will be presented at the business meeting. Chapter reports are also needed.

• Lynn has made some contacts for plenary speakers.
• They are still working on MOUs.

• We currently have approximately $10,235 in checking and have spent approximately $9,800 in seed money related to the upcoming annual meeting. Additional bills that are anticipated include the Dana Inn (approx. 3,500) for student lodging; Contractors who are providing bussing between Hyatt and Scripps.
• Don suggested that on the master budget we add “Fundraising Expenses” as a category under Annual Meeting. Monica made the changes.
• The group discussed renting a credit card machine so the Division could process credit card purchases (annual meeting, t-shirts, etc), but no decision was made. Currently, the Cal-Neva Chapter will handle all credit card transactions for the upcoming annual meeting. If need be, we can get the Parent Society to process them for a nominal fee.
• Approval of Minutes
  • Retreat Minutes—Bill moved that they be accepted as stand, Lynn Seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous to approve the minutes.
  • December 17th and January 28th Teleconferences—Monica will email the minutes to Yvonne for distribution so a vote can be made in March.
• Mountain America Account
  • We need to restructure our account at Mountain America to:
    • Replace the existing SS# with the Western Division American Fisheries Society's EIN # (237-22-6664)
    • Remove outdated co-signers (Christine Moffitt and Jean Baldridge) from account
    • In addition to current Secretary/Treasurer (Monica Hiner), add the current Western Division officers: Don MacDonald, Tom McMahon, and Lynn Starnes as trustees
  • Don MacDonald (President) made a motion to accept these changes to allow all current officers signing authority on account. Steve Elle (Idaho President) seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved by the Executive Committee.

• Chuck moved that we approve the procedures (sent out via email). Bill Seconded the motion, and they were unanimously approved by the group.

• 6 committee members so far
• Hoping to submit an article for the upcoming Tributary regarding the positive aspects of fire suppression on fisheries.

• There has been a move by the new Governor of Alaska to streamline aquatic habitat permitting. The Alaska chapter has written a letter to stop the change, and is also asking the Division to write a letter.
• Hoping to have a draft letter to Jeff Fisher by the end of the week, then forward it to the WDAFS Executive Committee for approval via email.

• Bill and the reviewers have put together a cover letter and compiled their comments to be forwarded to the BLM regarding the Powder River Coal Bed Methane EIS's.

• A committee meeting is scheduled to be held at the 2003 Annual Meeting in San Diego
• Lynn has pitched the prospectus to two potential funding sources. In addition, Jim thinks we should be able to get matching funds from NPS)

• Bob Gresswell forwarded the scholarship application to people approximately 2 weeks ago. Scholarships (2 WDAFS awards for $1,500; 1 SFF award for $600) will be awarded at the annual meeting in San Diego.

• Eric has received a full list of nominations—at least one for every award.
• Eric may be asking people for nomination statements for each one of nominees.
• Since there are only several awards with multiple nominees, Eric would like to see all of the nominees get the awards instead of picking just one. The general consensus of the group was that this was a good idea.
• This is the last year that Eric will be Chair of this committee. However, Bill and Eric are working on procedures for the next Awards Chair that will include contact information for ordering plaques/awards from the current company in Anchorage.