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Western Division of the American Fisheries Society
EXCOM Teleconference Minutes
Date: June 21, 2005

Chapter Participants: Lori Martin (Colorado-Wyoming), Doug Olson (Oregon), Tom Pettingill (Bonneville), Matt Powell (Idaho), Leanne Roulson (Montana).

Officer Participants: Lynn Starnes (President), Tom McMahon (Past-President), Joe Margraf (President-Elect), Bob Hughes (Vice-President)

The May minutes were approved with the amendment that Mark Gamblin was employed by Idaho Fish and Game.

Starnes reminded chapter officers and committee chairs that their annual reports were due to Lynn by August 10. Please e-mail those reports to her at Lynn_Starnes@fws.gov . The report should articulate accomplishments by Strategic Plan elements. This format isdesigned to facilitate compilation at Division and Parent Society levels.

A fund-raising committee call was scheduled for 1100 PDT on 28 June. The Western Division has a sizeable goal for fund raising for the 2005 annual meeting and we have little to no progress to-date. Starnes will send a call in number to the officers and other committee members.

Monica Hiner reported that 112 electronic ballots for the WD elections had been submitted to date. Members are reminded of the 8 July election deadline.

Hughes reported on his analysis of chapter membership trends and encouraged all subunits to bill nonmember meeting registrants 1.5 times the member rates and provide those new members with membership benefits (Fisheries, Chapter newsletter, etc.). Martin mentioned that the Colorado-Wyoming Chapter staffs a membership recruitment table in its registration area that attracts new members. Margraf noted that some chapters allow affiliate members who pay reduced membership fees, belong only to a chapter, and contribute much to that chapter. Starnes indicated that the Mexico Chapter will actively recruit members working with aquatic systems to balance the current preponderance of marine members.

Margraf provided an update on the 2005 WD-Parent Society annual meeting in Anchorage , Alaska . Approximately 1800 presentations are scheduled, including about 400 posters in two separate poster sessions. Most nearby hotels are already fully booked.

Roulson summarized progress with the 2006 WD meeting in Bozeman, Montana, 15-19 May. The contract has been signed and a deposit provided to Montana State University . Space has been reserved to accommodate six concurrent sessions, a trade show-break room, and an evening trade show-poster session-social. Dormitory space will be available. The first call for contributed papers and special sessions will come out in the September Tributary.

Olson indicated that the Oregon Chapter remained willing to host the 2008 WD annual meeting in March in Portland , Oregon . Hughes moved and Margraf seconded Olson's bid, and it received unanimous approval. The 2007 annual meeting is scheduled for 2-6 September in San Francisco, California .

McMahon reported that there are now candidates for all WD award categories, although competition was fierce in some and minimal in others. Following a few preliminary calls to nominators, Tom will ship the nominee information to the officers for voting.

tarnes noted that the Parent Society was seeking an increased role of the WD in the National Fish Habitat Initiative. Discussion centered on just what that entailed given WD members' current roles in the Initiative, and its still fluid strategy sessions. Starnes will seek further clarification from President Knuth

Next Call will be July 19 th at 12:30pm (Pacific Time)