IDAHO TREE FARM PROGRAM
Idaho Tree Farm Committee Meeting
9:30 – 12:00, Thursday, January 21, 2016
Idaho Department of Lands
3284 West Industrial Loop, Coeur d’Alene ID 83815
MINUTES
1) Call to Order
ITFC Chair Funk called the meeting to order at 9:34 a.m.
Those present were:
Steve Funk, ITFC Chairman/NOTFOY
Russ Hegedus, ITFC Vice Chair/Tree Farmer
Steve Cuvala, ITFC Treasurer/Tree Farmer
Madeline David, ITFC Acting Secretary/Tree Farmer
G. Kirk David, ITFC Inspector Training & Recognition/Tree Farmer
Andy Eckberg, ITFC District I Chair
John Lillehaug, ITFC District III Chair
Doug Bradetich, ITFC Past Chair/IFG
Ara Andrea, IDL
Steve Bloedel, Consulting Forester
Mary Fritz, IDL
Ray Getchius, Tree Farmer
Robert Keefe, UI College of Natural Resources
Kurt Koetter, Tree Farmer
Joe Larson, Stimson Lumber Co., proxy for David Brummer
Dave Luther, Inspector
Excused: Frank Gariglio, USDA-NRCS, Savannah Miller, ITFP Administrator, David Brummer Stimson Lumber Co
Unexcused: Gretchen Lech, SFI
2) Anti-Trust Statement
Chair Funk reviewed the anti-trust statement.
3) October Meeting Minutes
With a correction by John Lillehaug, changing the word Duck to the word Trout, under Old Business, Doug Bradetich moved and John Lillehaug seconded to accept the Minutes from the October, 2015 meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
4) 2015/16 Treasurer Reports/Budget Review
A) Steve Cuvala gave the Treasurer’s Report and Past Chair Bradetich reviewed the 2015 budget against actual income and expenditures as of December 31, 2015. Cash balance was $7,191.17 as of January 1, 2015. The 2015 Year-end balance and beginning balance as of January 1, 2016 was $20,523.32. The cash balance as of January 19, 2016 is $20,487.47. Kirk David moved to file both the December 31, 2015 and the January 19, 2016 Treasurers reports for review. The motion was seconded by John Lillehaug. The motion passed unanimously.
B) The Financial Review Committee will meet prior to the April meeting to review the 2015 financial reports.
C) Past Chair Bradetich will apportion OTFY sign costs differently and will route the revised budget to the Committee by email for final approval.
5) OLD BUSINESS
A) 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Update. Vice Chair Hegedus talked informally with an attorney regarding first steps to accomplish this goal. The attorney asked if ITFP would qualify as a subsidiary of the parent ATFS 501(c)(3). From past conversations with ATFS, it is the understanding of the Committee that this is not possible. Russ will further explore the legal and accounting costs associated with applying for non-profit status.
B) Replacing District II Chair: To date, no one who has been asked has accepted the District II Chair position. Rob Keefe will talk with Tom Biltonen at Bennett Lumber for suggestions.
C) Tree Farm Yearly Membership Charge: The Research Committee (Mary Fritz, Steve Bloedel, Russ Hegedus) has not yet met. Discussion revolved around the existing large backlog of inspections. The immediate focus of the Committee changed to exploration of a postcard mailing to determine which backlogged Tree Farmers still wish to remain Tree Farmers and if so, do they have forest management plans. The Research Committee will meet and report back.
D) Nomination of Oscar Baumhoff for Regional Tree Farmer of the Year. The Committee confirmed the nomination. John Lillehaug and Tim Kennedy (tkennedy@idl.idaho.gov) are assembling the application. Kirk David and Bill Love will email past applications to John and Tim to help them with content and format. The deadline for submission is February 1.
E) Confirmation of Idaho Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year and Idaho Outstanding Tree Farm Logger of the Year.
1. The Committee confirmed the choice of the Wood Family as the 2016 Outstanding Idaho Tree Farmer of the Year.
2. The Committee confirmed the choice of Gary and Luke Finney as the 2016 Idaho Outstanding Tree Farm Logger(s) of the Year.
6) NEW BUSINESS
A) Idaho Outstanding Tree Farm Inspector of the Year. Kirk David nominated Robert Barkley as IOTFIOY both for the inspections performed in 2015 and for his 15 year service as District II Chair. Steve Cuvala seconded the nomination and the Committee affirmed the nomination with a unanimous vote.
B) ATFS National Leadership Conference, February 10-12 in Seattle. ITFC will be represented by Steve & Janet Funk, Kirk & Madeline David, Russ Hegedus, Andy Eckberg, and Savannah Miller.
C) ITFP Annual Meeting, March 28, in Moscow. The ITFP meeting will include appetizers prior to the award presentations and business meeting. There is no room charge by the Best Western for the meeting, but Savannah will need to order the food for the meeting. Chair Funk will determine if Savannah plans to attend the FFLC and to “man” the ITFP display. Due to the anticipated late hour, consideration is being given to a “dessert and champagne/wine” event rather than a full dinner for the awardees following the meeting.
D) ATFS/ITFP MOU: The version before the Committee contains negotiated changes requested by the ITF Executive Committee in the time period since the MOU was sent to us in November 2015. Ara Andrea cautioned this MOU is a contract, a commitment to perform. Discussion revolved around Page 1, Number I, bullet point 3, Verifying landowners’ management under the ATFS Standards of Sustainability. The concern is that the ITFP does not have the Inspector capacity to bring all Tree Farmers into a 5-year rotating compliance. Chair Funk will contact ATFS Vicki Leigh to ask directly the consequence of signing this contract and then not being able to perform this requirement. The Committee approved the remainder of the MOU.
E) 2016 ATFS Required Inspections have not yet been determined. ITFP has fifty-eight 2016 six-year optional inspections to perform. This does not take into consideration the much larger backlog of optional inspections pending for ID. Implementation of a “postcard program” will be an effort to clean up some of this backlog.
7) OTHER BUSINESS
A) Administrator Hours: Making progress with database cleanup may well require more administrator hours than currently funded by SFI-SIC. Chair Funk will work with Past Chair Bradetich to craft a request for at least temporary increased funding to be presented at the SIC’s February 5 meeting. ITFC may also need to contribute funds for extra hours of the Administrator’s time.
B) Forestry Day at the Legislature: John Lillehaug reported that FDAL was much better attended by legislators (approximately 80) this year. John, Oscar Baumhoff, Debra Marks, Bonnie Fry and Ed Koch represented both ITFP and IFOA. Displays were more visible because they were placed at the front of the room. John suggested that next year brochures/information be placed on the lunch tables to make them more available to the attendees.
C) One Plan Update: Mary Fritz requested an ITFC volunteer to help review the One Plan (Stewardship/NRCS/Tree Farm) Template. Past Chair Bradetich volunteered.
D) FORI: Mary Fritz asked for guidance as to what ITFP wants from IDL and/or ILRCC regarding FORI. The ensuing discussion helped Mary narrow down the issues, and she will do further research to see what information IDL can provide.
8) Next Meeting & Adjournment
The next meeting is scheduled for April 21, 2016 at a location to be announced.
The meeting was adjourned by Chair Funk at 11:47 AM.
ACTION ITEMS:
1) Financial Review Committee will meet to review the records prior to April 21, 2016
2) Chair Funk and Past Chair Bradetich will circulate a revised 2016 budget by email for approval.
3) Vice Chair Hegedus will explore the legal and accounting costs of 501(c)(3) application.
4) Rob Keefe will talk with Tom Biltonen regarding a potential District II chair.
5) The Membership Research Committee will plan implementation of a post card update campaign.
6) Administrator Miller will order refreshments for the ITFP annual meeting.
7) Chair Funk will speak with ATFS representative Vicki Leigh regarding the MOU wording and responsibilities.
8) When the Required Inspections are announced by ATFS, Administrator Miller will immediately notify the District Chairs of the inspections in their districts.
9) Chair Funk and Past Chair Bradetich will prepare a presentation for SFI SIC for funding of the ITFC Administrator.
10) Chair Funk will confirm with Administrator Miller that she will attend the Annual Meeting.
Submitted by Madeline David
ITFC Acting Secretary
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