ROARING CREEK VALLEY CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

Minutes of December 18, 2008 Monthly Meeting

Meeting was called to order by Vice-President Kristen Vitkauskas.

Meeting was held at the stone house at the McWilliams Reservoir. A covered dish supper was held in conjunction with the meeting and was attended by 26 members and guests.

Weiser District Forester Mark Deibler gave a talk on the 17 Weiser State Forest tracts and also provided some historical information on the 9000 acre tract that was formerly owned as the Roaring Creek Water Company.

The November minutes were read and accepted as read. To follow-up on a November action, the secretary had written a letter, thanking Bob Rush for his leadership as president. This letter was signed by the current officers of the Association following the meeting.

The treasurer’s report was given by Wayne Petro. Motion to accept the treasurer’s report was made by Mike Zackowski, seconded by Ralph Evans.

Three Association bylaw amendment proposals, which were proposed at the November 2008 meeting, were voted on at this meeting:

• The ‘dissolution clause’ was voted to be added to the bylaws by a majority of the members present.  There were no ‘No’ votes.
• This bylaw amendment to add a 3^rd sentence to Article VI, Section 4 was voted to be added to the bylaws by a majority of the members present.  There were no ‘No’ votes.  The 3^rd sentence states, “In the case that the office is vacated, the newly elected officer will fill out the remainder of that term”.

• This bylaw amendment to add wording to Article IX, Section 1 was voted to be added to the bylaws by a majority of the members present. There were no ‘No’ votes. This bylaw amendment will allow proposed amendments to the bylaws to be received prior to the July meeting and bylaws can be amended, repealed or altered at the July meeting.  This will allow the Association greater flexibility to change the bylaws. Previously, such changes could only be acted upon prior to and at the annual meeting. The December meeting is the annual meeting.

Wayne Petro was elected president of the Association to fill the remainder of Bob Rush’s term. Mr. Rush resigned as president in November 2008. Mr. Petro’s term will expire in December 2009. Mr. Petro ran without opposition and was elected by a majority of the members present.  There were no ‘No’ votes.

Vickie Zackowski was elected treasurer.  Mrs. Zackowski ran without opposition and was elected by a majority of the members present.  There were no ‘No’ votes.  Mrs. Zackowski’s term will expire in December 2010.

Wes Fahringer, Regional Adviser to the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, DCNR gave a talk on DCNR grants. The grants include money for planning,

acquisition and development / construction for projects such as parks and trails.  The Bureau of Recreation and Conservation works with organizations to buy land and then turn the land over to municipalities, state parks and state forests.  Trail projects are currently ‘hot’ and studies have shown that trails help to sustain communities. The 64 mile Pine Creek trail has brought in over $5 million to businesses along its corridor. Locally, the Bloomsburg Town Park tennis courts received funding from the Bureau.  Also, work is being done to establish a trail along a former canal towpath between Danville and Bloomsburg.  The RCVCA has an open $7500 grant from the DEP that will close in June of 2009.

Old Business:

Cathy Haffner reported that the Coldwater Conservation Plan is almost completed. Cathy also provided copies of a research paper titled, “Resurrecting the In-Stream Side of Riparian Forests”.

Dan Brassington noted that the logbook boxes are completed and will need to be installed along the state forest trail between Routes 42 and 54.

New Business:

Bob Martynowych, Forester, Weiser State Forest District, told the group that a fall foliage tour will be conducted in October. Also, a tree identification and forestry walk is an option for one of the Association’s meetings in 2009.

Motion to adjourn was made by Dave Prescott, seconded by Barbara Prescott.

Respectfully submitted,

Wayne Kashner

Secretary