Minutes for Board of Directors Meeting Lindheimer Chapter NPSOT January 9, 2024
Meeting start time: Called to order by President Sara Torres at 9:34 AM, at TPML.
In attendance: President Sara Torres, Secretary Dick Bigelow, Director of Communications Bob Drake , Director of Plant Sales Debbie Kyrouac, Treasurer Sarah Mato, Director of Formal Education Craig Bruska, Director of Community Outreach Marian Henderson, Membership Coordinator Bev Willmann. Quorum requirement was met (7 directors).
Not attending: Hospitality Coordinator Charlotte Wright, Plant of the Month Coordinator Leon Dominick.
State Society: Sara Torres:
- The Spring Symposium is March 2, 2024, is at the LBJ Wildflower Center.
- Chapter Activity Report due January 25th. Sara T. to complete it.
- 2024 Fall Symposium – There are a variety of roles available on the planning committee. The next meeting is January 11th at 11:00 over Zoom. After that, plans are to meet the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month, if needed. Please let me know if you are interested in attending the Zoom meeting and are not already on the State Workplace Group for the committee.
- Deadline is February 15th to place a bulk order of signs to sell at the plant sale. Do we want to? The signs will also be available for individual purchase on State website. How many of each? As a starting point, maybe 10 English Biodiversity Signs, 2 Spanish Biodiversity signs, 10 English Member signs, 2 Spanish member signs? We will have something at our meetings and plant sales with a link to where to order the signs.
President’s Report: Sara Torres:
- Continue Board meetings at TPML at 9:30, reserved through April 2024.
- Has Society Biodiversity sign in German been installed? Any pictures to share? It has been installed and the pictures were shared with the board, looks great.
- Brauntex event. March 9th at 2:00 pm (matinee) showing the 5 short films by Fin & Fur Productions with panelist Q&A afterwards. Tickets go on sale today! If you want to help with selling sponsorships or promoting the event, let me know.
Secretary’s Report: Dick Bigelow
- Dick said that the November 8th 2023 Board meeting minutes had a correction made and had “Preliminary” removed on our web site, and that the December 19th minutes had been posted as “Preliminary”. Craig moved that the December minutes be approved, Sarah T. seconded, passed unanimously.
Treasurer’s report: Sarah Mato:
- Checking $1,261.60 and Savings $2,088.96 as of 01/08/2024.
- Bob paid $20 for our website domain name for 2024.
Director of Communications: Bob Drake:
- Bob bought the camera for $183.
- Posting on our website and Facebook was discussed.
Director of Formal Education – Craig Bruska:
- Spring Level 1 is April 27th and library has been reserved. Working on some plant substitutions for Level 1 class.
- Spring Propagation Class, possibly April 13th?
- December class results. Good attendance and well received.
- The NLCP plant list has been updated to only have Edwards Plateau and Blackland Prairie plants.
- Passed out the preliminary Lindheimer chapter education plan and discussed it.
- Discussed the plans for NLCP classes.
- We discussed the “Native Plants in Schools” program (it is a very good program).
Director of Community Outreach: Marian Henderson:
- Approval for Lindheimer Chapter to join Canyon Lake Chamber of Commerce ($100). We plan to work that network as an outreach opportunity. Was discussed. Sarah M. suggested that we provide them door prizes. Sara T. moved that we join, Craig seconded, unanimous approval.
- BBMT Grant for Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center landscaping? Was discussed. We will ask them about helping them get one.
- NICE! Plants for 2024 have been chosen and Lorraine Fries is designing the 2024 poster. Poster should be done today, Bob will order.
- Upcoming Xeriscape program at Hidden Trails HOA on April 20th from 10-2. Organized by Andrea Friend, we plan to have a table with at least 2 volunteers.
- We will develop a poster for the demonstration gardens on where the plants in them can be purchased if people like them.
Director of Plant Sales – Debbie Kyrouac:
- Date for the Spring plant sale is April 27th in conjunction with NLCP. She will prioritize NLCP plants on her plant list.
- If you have plants to donate and would like volunteers to come help dig them up, let Debbie know.
- Has a Mammon Library presentation Wednesday, Feb. 7th at noon.
- Dino Days will be Saturday, March 23rd. Discussed which plants we should have available, we will mostly be there for outreach and giving out information.
Programs: Sara Torres (acting):
- January is Jessi White from LBJ Wildflower Center.
- February is Ashley Landry from the Native Plant Rescue Project.
- March is Andy Blair, Native Plants that will Survive Summer.
- April is our annual chapter picnic.
- May is Colleen Dieter from Central Texas Seed Savers.
- June is Rufus Stephens co-author of Birds for Central Texas.
- July is Joann Hall with South Texas Growers about ornamental native grasses.
- August is possibly Ricky Linex, Society President
- September is possibly Craig Hensley, iNaturalist, September ahead of October BioBlitz for Native Plant Week
- October is possibly Dr. Shawn McCoshum, Inviting Pollinators & Other Wildlife Into your Garden
- November is our annual seed exchange.
- December will be our holiday party.
Demonstration Gardens:
Handmade Furniture Demo Garden: Craig Bruska:
- Demonstration Gardens Heritage Village – Landscaping around new Church Building
- Upcoming workdays:
- January 10 (2nd Wednesday) 10 AM – 11:30 AM
- January 25 (4th Thursday) 10 AM – 11:30 AM
- February 14th (2nd Wednesday) 10 AM – 11:30 AM
- February 25th (4th Thursday) 10 AM – 11:30 AM
Heritage Museum – Mickey Riviere & Peggy Haley.
- Workday is the first Thursday of the month, 9:30 AM. January’s workday is the 11th.
Membership: Bev Willmann:
- Bev Willmann, 132 current members, 94 list Lindheimer as their home chapter.
- The annual membership campaign is going on.
Hospitality: Charlotte Wright:
- Charlotte Wright – Chapter Picnic coming up in April. Locations were discussed, we will have it at the Heritage Museum with Marion’s house as a backup in case of bad weather.
New Business.
None discussed.
Adjournment
President Sara Torres adjourned the meeting at 11:03 AM.
By Dick Bigelow, Secretary.
