Lindheimer Chapter Board Minutes May 2026 (Preliminary)
9:30 AM 5/12/26. Called to order at 9:34 AM
Tye Preston Library Boardroom
Attendance: Dick _x_ Sara T. _x_ Debbie _x_ Bev _x_ Sarah M. _x_ Craig (phone) _x_
Nancy _x_ Christina _x_ Mike Laffey __ Jan Walker _x_ (Quorum not met, 5 of 6 required).
Old Business:
Mike Laffey – review proposed changes to the By-Laws. Updated version sent out April 17th, will be voted on at the May 19th chapter meeting (picnic).
John LaBonte, Canyon Lake Gorge. The Canyon Lake Gorge is interested in reconnecting as a local partner. The Canyon Lake Gorge is interested in reconnecting as a local partner. We are in the process of developing an area to showcase native plants for new homeowners moving to our area and need your help. Our goal is to educate the community about the resiliency of native plants and highlight their beauty. How can the Canyon Lake Gorge Education Center and Park become a location worthy of NPSOT support? We are looking for a leader to do it. A leader is not needed, they are looking for participation in their workdays. Workdays are every Tuesday (9-11) and second Saturdays (9-12). Will be added to upcoming events.
State Society:
Apply for a Constellation of Living Memorials grant.
• Exciting news! The CLM grants have increased from $500 to $1,000 per cemetery. Learn more about this great restoration project opportunity for your chapter.
Donate to our 45th Anniversary drive.
• Did you know we are celebrating 45 years as a Society?
• Our founder, Carroll Abbott, would be very pleased with the strides made in the native plant movement today. Years ago, Carroll gave up a career as a political advisor to devote himself to the cause of the disappearing wildflowers. By April 1981, he had recruited 420 charter NPSOT members.
• Help us pave the way for the next 45 years with an anniversary gift!
Submit your awards nominations by May 31st.
• Know someone in the native plant world that is making a difference with their work? Nominate them for one of our annual award categories by May 31st.
Lend your skills to these NPSOT committees.
• Ready to make an impact at the state level? We need your help!
• The Speakers Bureau Committee is seeking an administrative committee member and an impact committee member. Learn more about the roles on the member portal job board and contact Esmeralda Fisher at speaker@npsot.org for more information.
• The Annual Contest Committee is looking for 10-15 judges for its photo, video and chapter newsletter contests. Email bill.hopkins@npsot.org if interested.
• The NLCP Steering Committee is seeking additional members to help craft future educational content. Email bill.hopkins@npsot.org if interested.
President’s Report: Sara Torres, Acting
Continue Board meetings at TPML at 9:30, on the second Tuesday, reserved for January to April 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. Nancy has reserved a room at the Mammen Library for June, July, and August for the chapter meetings.
Please turn in your Event Liability Forms.
I had to clean up the Lindheimer Chapter Accounting folder on the State’s Dropbox account, where we have been storing a lot of chapter files. Update?
Scoops and Roots NICE Nursery event update. Went well and was fun.
Nancy has offered to update the Chapter pages on the State website, mainly the event pages.
Workday to replace storage shed flooring? Will do a pre-workday to paint flooring May 22 10 AM, at Sara Torres’s place.
Secretary’s Report:
Dick Bigelow, VOTE to approve minutes. We do not have enough directors to make a quorum. Votes on the March, April, and May minutes delayed until By-Law changes can be made.
Treasurer’s Report: Sarah Mato
The bank balance as of 05/10/26 is $4,606.63.
Jan, Sarah, and Craig worked together on NLCP Lv1 expense spreadsheet to state. Craig turned it in.
Director of Formal Education: Craig Bruska
Native Seed Library Program, upcoming workdays
May 14th (second Thursday) Mammen seed cleaning 2-4 PM.
May 21st (third Thursday) Garden Ridge seed cleaning 1-3 PM.
June 12th (second Friday) TPML seed cleaning 2-4 PM.
NLCP 4 at The Headwaters currently has 36 people signed up.
Fall NLCP will be at Mammen.
Craig is ordering new envelopes for seed cleanings.
Craig is working on long term plans for NLCP classes and mentors.
Craig is teaching a summer propagation class July 11th 1-3 PM at TPML.
Director of Community Outreach: Sara Torres, Acting
Demonstration Gardens:
Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country – Mickey Riviere, 1st Thursdays at 9:30-11:00.
Any update? Some new plants were put, garden looking good.
Chamber of Commerce demonstration garden – Sara Torres.
Our next workday is on May 20th, April 22nd at 9:00 (day after chapter meeting). There are new plants to put in.
Mamman Demo Garden – 2nd Wednesdays 9:00-11:00, 4th Thursdays 9:00-11:00.
Garden is established. Rob is building new trellises, there are new plants to put in.
Director of Communications: Open
Facebook – Nancy, as of May 7th -143 followers, 8 new followers since last month. 3284 views over the last month.
Nancy, the 3 demonstration signs that Bob built (my husband) have been installed at The Chamber of Commerce, MFPL and The Heritage Museum.
Nancy, I’m learning how to use the State website to input our chapter information. Sara gave me a lesson on zoom. I’ve been told by the state that they are working on a tutorial for users.
Send upcoming events to Dick to be updated on the website.
Director of Plant Sales: Debbie Kyrouac
Plant sale April 25th, we took in $1,955. Credit $1,244, Cash $715, Fees $37.71 for a net $1,921. (STG receipt was for $256.25).
Extra plants will be brought to the picnic for distribution. Other distribution was discussed.
Past President: Sara Torres
Program Committee Chair: Mike Laffey
May 19th Chapter Picnic
June 9th room B at Mammen speaker TBD.
July 9st room B at Mammen. Elizabeth McGreevy, author of Mountain Cedars Wanted Alive or Dead. Will order her book for a door prize.
August 18th room B at Mammen speaker TBD.
September 15th Jeff Pavalat – the Curator of Cacti & Succulents of the Zilker Botanical Garden in Austin, speaking on “Cacti & Succulents of South Texas”.
Field Trip Chair: Christina Campbell
No updates. Are the Mato’s ready for a garden tour?
Working on an Agrilife tour.
Debbie suggested looking at Inevitable Technology in San Marcos.
Membership:
As of 5-8-26 105 primary members + 38 affiliates = 143 total.
Added a Welcome Event Guest form letter to MailChimp. Will try to create Welcome New Member & Welcome Meeting Guest form letters also.
Hospitality: Jan Walker
May 19th from 6:00 to 8:00 is our chapter picnic. It will be at the Headwaters at the Comal in the garden room. I am currently looking at different restaurant and sandwich shop offerings. I could use help getting a flyer for the event ready before our chapter meeting. Bev has re sent the Signup Genius for the picnic.
May 23rd preparing for NLCP 4 at The Headwaters.
HEB gift cards balance is $260.
New Business:
A month or so ago, Joanne Hall from STG invited me to join Alignable which is a networking system. I accepted the invitation and have been very conservative with connections, but because I missed the last board meeting it was never discussed. I would like to know if the board wants to continue this or leave the group. Bev, suggests sticking to MailChimp, she says Alignable is for Business 2 Business which we are probably not qualified for. Debbie will continue to evaluate this.
Hope for the Guadalupe is a powerful and deeply moving new film on the Guadalupe River floods about a year ago. Fin & Fur made this film. Does the Board want to make a contribution? There are no showings in New Braunfels–the closest are SA & Austin. Will discuss next month.
Bev needs more seed for our give away envelopes, Craig will pick up some.
Adjourned at 11:20 AM.
