Minutes

Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin

Board of Directors Meeting

Tuesday, October 12^th 2004, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Arlington Research Station

Arlington, WI

Board members present: Dan Undersander, Gene Roark, David Hamel

Members joining via conference call: Steve Strachota, Donna Van Buecken, Patrick Goggin, Tom Boos, Jim Reinartz, Rolf Utegaard

Also present: Angie Ashley

President, Dan Undersander, called the meeting to order.

I.    Introductions

• None

II.   Administration

• Minutes of the September board meeting were approved as submitted.
• Treasurer’s report was approved as submitted.
• The annual meeting minutes will be posted to the IPAW website.  They will be voted on for approval at the next annual member’s meeting

III.   Old Business

• Director’s and Officer’s Insurance (Roark, Utegaard) – Utegaard reported all organizations he knows of have dropped the insurance because of cost and extension of liability.  Roark reported that WI Woodland Owners Association has non-profit professional liability insurance.  $1 million limit costs $932 annually plus a $150 annual policy fee.  This policy doesn’t extend coverage to chapters.  Reinartz and Roark will check state law to see if it protects individual board members.  Another idea is to put $1,000 per year into a legal defense fund.  More discussion at next meeting.

• Ideas for newsletter articles for next newsletter - Monday, November 29^th is the deadline for articles.  Please send them to David Beckman at david.beckmann@emh2.mccoy.army.mil,
• Boos will submit some true stories of groups that have done battle against invading aliens.
• Roark will do a report on the Governor's Council on Forestry conference; how the subject of invasive plants was handled.
• Undersander will cover pending Wisconsin legislation and notify members that he wrote a letter, on behalf of IPAW, to the Governor in support of reallocating funds within DNR for invasive species control.
• Van Buecken will work on an article about how to develop a good relationship with municipalities and get ordinances made and changed by referencing the Wild Ones website.
• Boos will talk with Marsha Vomastic and ask her to write an article explaining the new features of the invasives list on the website, how to access and use it. 
• Reinartz will write an article on the cut-stump method for controlling invasive shrubs during winter months.
• Undersander will talk with someone in U.W. Extension to develop a seasonal calendar of control measures that can be taken in each season. 
• Proposal for science committee mapping project (Boos) –Mike Ullrich, an independent business owner, is willing to organize a meeting with work groups A & B of the IPAW science committee for no fee.  He will charge a fee for whatever comes after that meeting.  Boos will keep a log of activities.

IV. New Business: 

• Girdling tools for fundraiser (Boos) –-Boos is willing to make girdling tools for aspen and maples to sell as a fundraiser for IPAW.  He will check into the cost of etching IPAW’s logo on them.  Does the board or member’s have any other fundraising ideas?
• National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) grant opportunity (Boos) – Boos would like assistance writing a grant for IPAW.  Boos should talk with Kelly Kearns for some ideas.  Be sure to have a clear objective and justification.  Ideas: to increase awareness of invasive and noxious plants, public outreach and education (ask Amy Staffen), interactivity of the IPAW website.  Undersander can help as well.
• Additional matters from members – Strachota will have economic statements by month’s end.  He will be meeting with the Nurserymen on Wednesday after the field day about working with them on the impact statements.  Utegaard reported that people attending conferences would find the economic impact statements very valuable.

Lauren Ebbecke has resigned from the IPAW board.  She will continue to teach about and support IPAW.  Amy Staffen will take Lauren’s place as chairperson of the education committee.  John Exo, UW-Extension Sauk County, is a possible IPAW board candidate.  Undersander will speak with him.

Wednesday, October 13^th is the Field Day at the Mequon field station.  The Nurserymen and Seedsmen will be there.  Van Buecken, Reinartz, and Strachota will be in attendance representing IPAW.

Governor’s Council on Forestry registration forms need to be in before the end of the week.

Boos will make a spreadsheet of which conferences IPAW attends and rank them.  He will pass it on to Utegaard.

Meeting adjourned at 12:15 p.m.

Minutes prepared by Angie Ashley, IPAW Program Assistant