Board Minutes August 2025

Minutes for Board of Directors Meeting Lindheimer Chapter NPSOT August 12, 2025

Meeting start time:  Called to order by President Sara Torres at 9:36 AM, at TPML.

In attendance:  President Sara Torres, Secretary Dick Bigelow, Treasurer Sarah Mato, Director of Formal Education Craig Bruska, Director of Communications Marian Stasney, Membership Coordinator Bev Willmann, Field Trip Coordinator Christina Campbell, Hospitality Coordinator Charlotte Wright, Plant of the Month Coordinator Leon Dominick.  Quorum requirement was not met (5 of 6 required directors present).

Not attending:  Director of Plant Sales Debbie Kyrouac, Past President Mickey Riviere, Facebook Coordinator Nancy DeMarco, Director of Community Outreach (Open).

Old Business:

None.

State Society:

• Fall 2025 Symposium will be in Salado 10/3-10/5, hosted by the Tonkawa Chapter.  Registration is open.
• Fall NLCP Classes are open for registration.
• Force of Nature Research Competition – opens 8/15, for middle schools.

President’s Report:  Sara Torres:

• Celebrating 25 Years! See “Wildscapes Workshop” Plan sent to the board by email.
  • Tentative date September 27^th, date has been officially confirmed. 
  • Online registration form draft is complete, waiting for meal options and approximate cost before going live.  Would Marian like to work with me on a Zoom to finalize it?
  • I can order copies of our speaker’s book.  If they are not returnable, I will only order 20?  If they are returnable, then I think 40 would be a better number. I emailed to find out if returnable.  This was agreed to.
  • Dick – update on speakers, speakers are set.
  • We will plan on $20 per person for food, lunch will be from HEB, breakfast will be like NLCP (Marian will pick up things from CostCo).
  • T shirts will be $13.65 each from Big Frog, we will enable people to order larger sizes than XL when they register.
  • Event poster distribution was discussed.
  • Christina has a number of organizations bringing tables.
  • We will use MailChimp to get feedback on the workshop from participants.

• Continue Board meetings at TPML at 9:30, on the second Tuesday, reserved for September to December at TPML.  During construction our Board can meet in the Chamber of Commerce meeting room.  We will hold our chapter meetings at Mammen Family Public Library during construction.  Craig said construction would not begin until next year and there would probably be only one month we would be affected.
• Please turn in your Event Liability Forms.

Secretary’s Report:  Dick Bigelow

• Craig moved that the July minutes be approved, Sara seconded, unanimous approval.  Debbie and Mickey will be asked via email to approve since there was not a quorum.

Treasurer’s report:  Sarah Mato: 

• Chase Checking $4,636.42 as of 8/11/25.
• Budgeted donations to NPSOT State Programs include $300 for BBMT and $100 to I-35 Monarch Waystations were made.  Fall Symposium fund of $200 to be paid closer to the event.  We sent $100 to Friends of TPML and $125 to the Canyon Lake Area Chamber of Commerce for memberships.
• We have $1,000 in donations budgeted to give out.  Suggestions? 
• Does anyone need reimbursement?

Director of Formal Education: Craig Bruska:

• NLCP Level 4 will be taught Nov. 8^th at the Headwaters of the Comal in the Fall, once construction is complete.
• NLCP 3 will be taught by Craig and Leon Oct. 11^th at TPML.
• Native Seed Library Program, what are the August Seed Cleaning Workdays?
  • August 14^th Mammen seed cleaning 2-4 PM.
  • August 21^st Garden Ridge seed cleaning 1-3 PM.
  • September 11^th Mammen seed cleaning 2-4 PM.
  • September 12^th TPML seed cleaning 2-4 PM.
  • September 18^th Garden Ridge seed cleaning 1-3 PM.
• Fall/Winter propagation classes being locked down.

Director of Community Outreach:  Sarah Torres, acting:

• NICE Committee
  • We are planning to have information tables at each of our NICE Nurseries in the Fall, Spring was just a little too busy.
• Outreach Events 
• Chamber of Commerce CLACC – Here is the list of upcoming Chamber events.  Would anyone like to attend with me?
  • AUGUST – DATE TBD GVTC to host joint event for CLACC, Bulverde SB and Blanco Chambers.
  • SEPTEMBER – 9/23/25 CRRC and Hope Hospice.
  • OCTOBER – 10/11/25 WORD/COE to host Canyon Lake Area Chamber 26th annual BBQ Cook Off at Canyon Park.
• Leon is looking at plants of the month for 2026.

Director of Communications:  Marian Stasney:

• Online Store for T-shirts using CafePress.  The sample shirt was not acceptable.  We will use Big Frog for the workshop t-shirts.
• Facebook – Nancy, any new updates? 56 likes, 81 followers, up from 51 and 73.
• Website – goal to clean up the resources page and update links.
• Send upcoming events to Dick to be updated on the website.

Director of Plant Sales – Debbie Kyrouac:

• Fall plant sale will be held at our Wildscapes Workshop event in September.
• Does anyone need plastic pots to pot up plants for the plant sale or know of someone who does?  This was discussed.

Past President: Mickey Rivere:

Demonstration Gardens:

     Chamber of Commerce demonstration garden. 

• We have $259.94 left to spend (needs to be spent by October) on plants and $87.23 to spend on supplies. 
• Our next workday is on Wednesday, August 20th at 9:00 (3^rd Wednesday)

Texas Museum of Handmade Furniture – Craig Bruska

• Upcoming workdays: any updates to the time?
• Tomorrow, August 13^th (2^nd Wednesday) 9:00 AM
• August 28th (4^th Thursday) 9:00 AM
• September 10^th (2^nd Wednesday) 9:00 AM
• September 25^th (4^th Thursday) 9:00 AM
• Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country:Mickey Riviere, 1^st Thursdays at 9:30-11:00.

Membership:  Bev Willmann:

• 134 total members, 94 home chapter members and 40 affiliates.

Hospitality:  Charlotte Wright:

• Do we want to spend chapter money to buy some things for September chapter anniversary raffle?  This was discussed.
• Charlotte is researching food options for Wildscapes Workshop.  Decision to be made before end of month, so we know the food options to offer on registration.  This was discussed, see President’s report above.
• There was a discussion of the Christmas party, tamales with chili will be the entrée.

Program Committee Chair:  Sara Torres, acting.

• August 19th is Haeley Giambalvo (via zoom), Chair of the Society State Committee Native Plants in Schools.
• September 16th is Ashley Landry of the Native Plant Rescue Project.
• October 21^st, need a speaker, suggestions?  Christina made a suggestion which Sara will look into.
• November 18th is our annual seed exchange
• December is our annual holiday party.

Field Trip Coordinator: Christina Campbell:

• Any updates?
  • August 23^rd 9-11:30 is a come and go tour of Debbie Kyrouac’s place.
  • October 18^th 9-11 is a tour of Leon Dominic’s arboretum.
  • Looking at a tour of the Meadows Center in September.

New Business:

            None.

Adjournment:

President Sara Torres adjourned the meeting at 11:38 AM.                                            By Dick Bigelow, Secretary.