Minutes – 10/27/08 Board Mtg.
Sharon Hall / Penn State Shenango Campus / Sharon, Pa

• Chuck Rohrer Award – Aaron said that he and several board members visited with 95-year-old Chuck Rohrer at his home to present the recognition award from our chapter.  Chuck was very pleased with the award, and also happy to see our guys.  He donated some fishing items, which we could use in our 2009 Banquet raffles.  Aaron took a photo of Chuck with his special clock / recognition plaque award.
• Nursery Plaque – Chuck Rohrer contributed significantly to the construction of the Munnell Run Nursery, so Aaron had a second plaque made which will be permanently hung in the nursery to show our appreciation for Chuck’s efforts.

Our chapter sponsored Kyle when he attended the youth fly-fishing camp at Allenberry, Pa this past spring.  Kyle had a great time at the camp, and was happy to tell us about his experiences there.  He awoke at 5:00 AM each day just so he could go fishing before breakfast and classroom instruction.  His best catch was a 24 inch long Rainbow Trout that he hooked on a Red Zebra Midge on his last day.

Kyle had five hours of classroom instruction each day, which included casting lessons, water quality and hydrology instruction, and information about freestone versus limestone streams.  They gave him instructions on fly tying, rod building, and a stream conservation project.  He said that the balance between classroom instruction and outdoor practice was good.

• The minutes were approved as written

• Receipts & Disbursements Report – Jeff reviewed his monthly report ending Sept. 30^th
• Chapter 216’s budget report to National TU – Jeff said that his November 15^th report to National TU will be arranged according to three categories:
  1. Program services
  2. Management expenses
  3. Fundraising

A. Watershed Coordinator – Jeff Kremis/Jim Mondok

• Cool Spring Creek – Old Railroad Bed – Jeff said that the path used by fisherman and the Pa Fish & Boat Commission trout stocking truck needs to have overhead tree branches trimmed.  These low-lying branches are brushing against the stocking truck’s windshield as it travels down the path.  Jeff will add the task of branch trimming to his next scheduled chapter workday.
• MCCD Board of Directors – Jeff made a motion to nominate Donald Koontz for the position of Farmer-Director, Nick Loprire seconded it, and the motion carried. Aaron Monroe will send a letter to Mr. Koontz informing him of our intention to nominate him for another term on the Mercer County Conservation District Board of Directors.

B. Nursery – Pete Anthony

• Deer Creek Stream Project – Pete made two DVD videos, which show the creek “before and after” stream deflector construction.  He will give a set to Jerry Przybylek, chairman of the Deer Creek Consortium.  He also mentioned that Ken Tarczy and Dick Natoli stocked Deer Creek with 100 trout from our nursery on October 18^th.
• Trout Feeding Schedule – Since the price of fish food has gone up this year (from 34 cents to 58 cents/pound), the nursery team came up with a new plan to try and conserve.  They will cut down on quantity and feeding frequency, which will save automobile trips to the nursery, and fish food.
• Landowner News – Mrs. Kathryn Vogan, a Cool Spring Creek landowner, and longtime friend of our TU Chapter has passed away.  Her daughter Josephine and her brother will inherit the property.  Pete said that we would try to maintain our excellent past relationship with Kathryn’s children.

C. Banquet / Newsletter - Nick Loprire

• 2009 Banquet Dates & Location – The date for next years banquet will be April 4, and it will be held at The Shenango Valley Civic Center.  Dick Rickert presented a box full of items that were donated by friends of Bob Shuey; he suggested we use them for the silent auction portion of our banquet.  The items included fly tying materials, two used fishing rods, and three slightly used fishing vests, Fly Fishing magazines, and three new books on “hatches”.
• TV Raffle – R. Natoli reported that Carol Jochman suggested we pursue Pete Anthony’s idea to raffle off a large screen TV prior to the banquet next year.  Jeff Kremis liked the idea and said we could hold advance sales of TV Raffle tickets instead of 50/50 tickets.  Then we would sell “50/50 tickets” for $5 at the banquet, and the winner would be in attendance.  Nick will price some 40-inch TV’s so the board members could get an idea on how much to charge for the raffle tickets.
• Chapter Newsletter – Nick said that he needs articles for the mid November issue of our newsletter.  Jeff Kremis suggested sending letters asking for donations from the companies that advertise on the back of the Newsletter.

D. Membership – Tom Jochman

• Aaron reported that National TU informed him that three local NE Ohio TU Chapters would be joining together to form one unit.  He will ask Tom Jochman to check into their activities to make sure our chapter does not lose any members.

E. Youth Coordinator – Dick Rickert

• Trout in the Classroom – Two possibilities for 2009 are Rick Stephens’ Hermitage Conservation Club and Nathan Crooks’ Mercer Elementary School.  Dick talked about a conference to be held in Lock Haven, Pa in September 2009 for the purpose of instruction, and the passing out of equipment to be used for the “Trout–In-the-Classroom” projects.
   
  A representative from the school, and one from our TU Chapter should attend.  Lock Haven is located about 45 miles on the east side of Harrisburg, and the cost would be approximately $1300 for one set of project materials.  Dick will have more information on this program in February 2009.

• Nothing discussed

• Shenango River Watchers (SRW) – Sharing a Secretary – Jennifer Barborak from SRW contacted Nick Loprire about the possibility of hiring a secretary that could work for both SRW and TU Chapter 216.  That way, costs would be held down.  We discussed it and decided that we would never have enough work to keep 50% of a secretary busy.  Nick will tell Jennifer that we are not interested.