Board Minutes Feb 2025

Minutes for Board of Directors Meeting Lindheimer Chapter NPSOT Feb. 11, 2025.

Meeting start time:  Called to order by President Sara Torres at 9:40 AM, at TPML.

In attendance:  President Sara Torres, Secretary Dick Bigelow, Director of Plant Sales Debbie Kyrouac, Director of Formal Education Craig Bruska, Director of Communications Marian Stasney, Past President Mickey Riviere, Facebook Coordinator Nancy DeMarco, Membership Coordinator Bev Willmann, Field Trip Coordinator Christina Campbell, Plant of the Month Coordinator Leon Dominick.  Quorum requirement was met (6 of 6 required directors present).

Not attending:  Treasurer Sarah Mato, Hospitality Coordinator Charlotte Wright, Director of Community Outreach (Open).

Old Business:

None.

State Society: Sara Torres:

• State Board Meeting on February 1^st over Zoom.  It was interesting and inspiring, as always.
• March 8^th Spring Symposium at Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center.  Registration is nearly full, if you want to attend in-person, register now.  Registration for the Virtual Spring Symposium is also available.
• State is sending out items to promote (such as the symposium, scholarships, NLCP, etc.).
• Invasives week is coming up.

President’s Report:  Sara Torres:

• CLACC Community Awards January 17^th at the Holiday Inn resort on FM306.  The Startzville VFW won for hosting the Fourth of July Parade.
• Continue Board meetings at TPML at 9:30, reserved through April 2025. 
• Please turn in your Event Liability Forms.
• Our BBMT grant request has been submitted.
• Programs:  Ideas for July, September and October?  Invasive Plants has been suggested, we can have Cheryl Hamilton again unless anyone knows of another presenter.
  • February 18^th is Michael Eason.
  • March 18^th is Debbie Kyrouac, Ecological Succession, need to request presentation description, bio, and photo.
  • April 15^th is Susan James, “Ungardening”, need to request presentation description, bio, and photo.
  • May 20^th is annual chapter picnic and volunteer appreciation event.
  • June 17^th is Monica Maeckle, Plants with Purpose, her new book being released May 15^th.
  • August 19^th is Haeley Giambalvo, Chair of the Society State Committee Native Plants in Schools.

Secretary’s Report:  Dick Bigelow

• Dick moved that the January minutes be approved, Craig seconded, unanimous approval.

Treasurer’s report:  Sarah Mato: 

• Wells Fargo Checking $506.00, Wells Fargo Savings $339.14, and Chase Checking $1,399.00 for a total of $2,244.14 as of 2/10/25.
• New debit cards for Sarah M. and Sara T. have arrived.  Used to pay for A2 Webhosting renewal $19.99, and added as payment method to MailChimp and Zoom accounts.  Thanks to Marian Stasney for updating the payment methods!!
• Sara T. to close Wells Fargo account.
• Does anyone need reimbursement?
• When Sarah Mato gets back, we need to review 2024 books.

Director of Formal Education – Craig Bruska:

• Emailed Linda Foss re: NLCP Rebates and Expense Reimbursements for 2024 classes.  Approved, but needs to be transferred.
• February 18^th 1:00 Garden Ridge Library seed Cleaning
• February 20^th Lunch and Learn at Garden Ridge Public Library.
• February 22^nd Grand Opening of Garden Ridge Native Seed Library.
• March 29^th 1:00-3:00, Spring Propagation class at TPML, register at TPML.ORG .
• April 26^th NLCP Level 1, Texas Wildflower Day (22 of 30 spaces already signed up).  We are looking to provide 2 scholarships for the class.
• NLCP Level 4 will be taught at the Headwaters of the Comal in the Fall, once construction is complete.

• Seed Events
  • Tye Preston Memorial Library (2^nd Friday of each month)
  • 2/14/25 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
• Mammen Family Library
  • 2/13/25 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
• Garden Ridge Public Library
  • 2/20/25 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
  • Seed Library Grand Opening – 2/22/25 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Seguin
  • 2/15 1:00 PM -3:00 PM
  • Seed Library Grand Opening – 3/1/25
• Educational
  • Plant Propagation Series – Spring 3/29/25 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Director of Community Outreach:  Open:

• NICE Committee
  • Lorraine designed the poster, need to compile feedback and ask for one last set of changes.
  • Posters are to be ordered using Vista Print, 6 copies of corrugated plastic signs to be ordered.  4 existing nurseries, plus Ecosystem Regeneration Artisans (joining in 2025), plus 1 for chapter display or additional new nursery.
  • Order additional paper poster for Joanne @ South Texas growers again?  Yes.
  • Are we going to have information tables at each of our NICE Partners again this Spring?  Yes
    • Ace Spring Fling
    • King Feed, a Saturday morning in Spring
    • South Texas Growers, Spring Kickoff Party
• Upcoming Outreach Events
  • January 31^st Volunteer Fair at TPML from 3-4pm, chapter table and information.  Went well, passed lots of brochures.
  • March 15^th 10:00 – 2:00 Pollinator Fiesta at Guadalupe River State Park, information table.  Marian will tell them yes again.
  • Dino Days is March 29^th.
  • April 5^th Agrilife Open House, from 9:00-1:00 – In addition to our information table, we will also host a kid’s activity table, Debbie’s idea for them to make origami pots to plant seeds in.  May need to purchase potting soil.  Sara made a motion to buy 2 bags of potting soil for up to $50 (there was a discussion that it would probably a lot less), Dick seconded, unanimous approval.

Director of Communications:  Marian Stasney:

• Facebook – Nancy, any updates? The new site has 21 followers, Nancy wants to promote the new site in the next Newsletter, we will have a QR code with the link to the new site at the next chapter meeting, and Nancy will close the old site.
• Website – check out our new chapter website.  Big thanks to Bob and Marian for updating it.
  • Newsletter archive page in the works.  Bob has is ready, but isn’t sure where Marian wants to put it on website (it will be on the Resource page).
  • Send content for website Chapter Posts to Bev Willmann.  Specifically, we want to be sure and document all chapter activities this way, then share on Socials.
• Software Renewals
  • A2Z Hosting – $19.99 domain renewal notice.  Changed payment method to Chapter Chase debit card.
  • Elementor Pro – $59/year used for chapter website.  Still need to change payment method.  If it isn’t changed before the 15^th, we will need to reimburse Bob.
  • MailChimp – monthly subscription, Marian updated payment method
  • Zoom – annual subscription, Marian updated payment method
• Send newsletter ideas and feedback to Marian@stasney.org.
• There was a discussion on what to do with our AV equipment.   Craig will ask the Headwaters of Comal if they want the speakers.  Options were discussed for some of the other equipment (such as offering items to other chapters at the symposium).  Marian will inventory what is there and we will make a determination.

Director of Plant Sales – Debbie Kyrouac:

• Spring Plant Sale – April 26th.  Plant digs are being looked at (TPML, Linda Chang, and others will be asked in the newsletter and chapter meeting).

Demonstration Gardens:

Chamber of Commerce demonstration garden. 

• Bring Back the Monarchs to Texas grant application has been submitted by Debbie Kyrouac, $600 for plants
• King Feed and Ace have both agreed to donate some plants for the project.  We may ask Ace for a gift card to cover supplies and things that are not plants. 

Texas Museum of Handmade Furniture – Craig Bruska

• Demonstration Gardens Heritage Village – Landscaping around new Church Building, any update?
• Upcoming workdays: any updates to the time?
• February 12^th (2^nd Wednesday) 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
• February 27^th (4^th Thursday) 10 AM – 11:30 AM
• March 12^th (2^nd Wednesday) 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
• March 27^th (4^th Thursday) 10 AM – 11:30 AM
• Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country: Mickey Riviere, 1^st Thursdays at 9:30-11:00, unless otherwise noted.

Membership:  Bev Willmann:

• 149 total members, 100 home chapter members and 49 affiliates.

Hospitality:  Charlotte Wright:

• May 20^th at 5:30 Annual Chapter Picnic at the Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country.  Chapter will provide sandwiches, with members asked to bring side dishes to share.  Setup will be at 4:30, for those who wish to help.
• Charlotte has been providing monthly door prizes and would like to inform the Board she plans to continue in 2025.

Field Trip Coordinator: Christina Campbell:

• any update on a date for our first field trip?   Proposed field trips were discussed.  Central Texas Mycology Fungi Ecology Walk, we discussed that October would be better than May due to no weekend dates being available in May.  Dowell Ranch Annual Nature Walk April 6^th looks like being the first field trip

New Business.

None

Adjournment

President Sara Torres adjourned the meeting at 11:30 PM.                                           

By Dick Bigelow, Secretary.