friends of the elephant seal minutes for board of ... minutes/1908 aug 19 mi… · 1 friends of the...
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FRIENDSOFTHEELEPHANTSEALMINUTESFORBOARDOFDIRECTORSMEETING–August21,2019
CAVALIERPLAZA
Mission:FriendsoftheElephantSealisanon-profitorganizationdedicatedtoeducatingpeopleaboutElephantSealsandothermarinelifeandtoteachingstewardshipfortheoceanoffthecentral
coastofCalifornia.THEFESBOARDOFDIRECTOR’SMEETINGWASCALLEDTOORDERAT:1:00PMbyFESPresidentBridwell.DIRECTORSPRESENT:Bridwell,Arnold,O’Bannon,King,Fowles,BeckandCurtis.Kneelandwasexcusedfromattendingthismeeting.STAFFPRESENT:WendySheridan.APPROVALOFJuly17,2019BODMEETINGMINUTES:
! MotiontoapprovetheFESBoardmeetingminutesofJuly17,2019./King/Fowles/UnanimousCOOPERATINGGROUPLIASIONREPRESENTATIVESANDGUESTSPRESENT:EricHjelstrom,CSPSupervisorIII,RobSchneider,StateParkRanger,NickChase,StateParkRanger,BetteBardeen,FESDocentandMaryForbesFESDocent.BETTEBARDEEN’SREPORTTOTHEBOARD:
• BetteBardeenreportedonthenewlyformedFEScommitteeforthepurposeofdevelopingaplanforthewinterbirthingseasonspreadofelephantsealstoW.R.HearstMemorialStateBeachandArroyoLagunaBeach.BetteBardeenwillbethechairofthiscommittee.ThefirstcommitteemeetingwasonMonday(8/19/19).Bardeennotedthatwedon’thavealotoftimetogetaplaninplace,butsaidthatcanbeagoodthing.TheFESroleistodointerpretationwork.FESwantstobeinvolvedwherevertherearePiedrasBlancasRookeryelephantseals.Forthewinterbirthingseason,wewillprobablystaffW.R.HearstMemorialStateBeachandArroyoLagunaBeachonweekendsandholidays.Bardeenstatedthatwehopetohavetwopeopleateachlocationbutshenotedthatwouldrequirehavingmanyvolunteers.Wewilltrytorecruitpeoplewhomightworkduringtheweekbuthavesomefreetimeontheweekends.Wemayalsouseinterns.Itwillbenecessarytofigureouthowtomakethisanattractiveassignment.Itwillprobablybeaone-daytrainingfollowedbymentoringsessions.TheFESmentorswillneedsomeretrainingsincetherewillbemoreofafocusonwildlifedisturbancesandhumansafetyattheselocations.Wemightnotinterviewapplicants.FESwouldliketodoapressreleasethroughStateParks.Thereisaneedtocomeupwithanameforthisgroupofvolunteers.IdeallythenamewouldincludeFESandwinter.Thecommitteeisscheduledtomeetagainintwoweeks.HjelstromsaidthatStateParkscanhelpwithpublicityandthatRobynChaseisreadytoworkwithFESontraining.ThevolunteerswillneedtobeStateParkVolunteers.HjelstromplanstomeetwithBardeenonMondaytoreviewhowStateParksandFEScanworktogetheronthisproject.HenotedthatStateParkslookstoFESasStatePark’selephantsealinterpretationteam.TherewasabriefdiscussionaboutwhatwouldbethebestuniformforthoseworkingatW.R.HearstMemorialS.B.andArroyoLaguna.ShouldtheywearStateParkvolunteeruniformsortheblueclothingofaFESdocent?HjelstromnotedthathavingadditioninterpretivesignageatW.R.HearstMemorialS.B.seemstobe
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appropriate.CurtisnotedthatthedaysatW.R.HearstMemorialS.B.areveryfluid.Somedayshavemanysealsandpresentacleardangertothepublic;onotherdaystherearefewersealsandmuchlessdangerforhumaninteractionwiththeseals.Beckaskedabouttheschedulingofthisgroupofvolunteers.AseparateSignUp.compageforthisgroupofwintervolunteersmaybecreated.
ERICHJELSTROM’SREPORTTOTHEBOARD:• Hjelstrom’sreportedtotheBoardonthecurrentplanningbyStateParksfortheformerPiedras
BlancasMotelarea.StateParksiscurrentlygettingreadytoreleaseaMitigatingNegativeDeclaration(MND)foracampgroundattheformerPiedrasBlancasMotellocation.HesaidthattheMNDwilladdressmostoftheearlierconcernsreceivedfromFES.Hesaidthattherearemanyplayerswhowishtohaveinputonwhatisdoneatthelocation.TheCaliforniaCoastalCommissionisamajorplayer.IssuesthatarealwaysimportanttotheCaliforniaCoastalCommissioninclude:publicaccess,furtherdevelopmentofCaliforniaCoastalTrailandhavingasufficientnumberofcampgrounds.StateParksseesthatanadditionalcampgroundareaisnecessaryfromtheCommission’sperspective.TheonlylocationforanadditionalcampgroundbetweenCambriaandRaggedPointisthePiedrasBlancasMotellocation.Itwassuggestedthatanewcampgroundatthislocationcouldbepromotedasawildlifecampgroundratherthanabeachcampground.ThecurrentlocationhasthenecessarysupportstructureforpossiblyhavinganelephantsealvisitorcenterwithFESbeinginvolvedintheoperationofthecenter.Thecurrentplanisforasmallcampground,maybe20to30campsites.MuchstillneedstobeworkedoutandmuchcanchangefromwhatwillbeoutlinedintheupcomingMND.KingtoldHjelstromthatavehiclewasbrokenintoearlyonemorningwhenshearrivedatVP3.TheSheriffhadbeencalledandquicklyarrivedtodealwiththematter.KingaskedifStateParks’Dispatchshouldhavebeencalled.HjelstromsaidtheparkingareaistheSheriff’sjurisdiction.BecauseofthecooperativeagreementbetweentheCountySheriffandStateParks,itwouldhavealsobeenfinetocallStateParksDispatchregardingtheincident.
REPORTSandUPDATES:
• Attachedreportsinclude:BoardReport,CommunicationsReport,ResearchReport,SchoolProgramReport,SpeakerBureauReport,TableReport,TrainingCommitteeReport,andFESbalancesheetfromTreasure’sReport.
• Curtisspokeaboutherrecent2019ProgramEvaluationoftheWilliamJ.GoodgerMemorialInternshipProgram.TheProgramEvaluationwillbesharedwiththeBoard.
• ArnoldsaidthattwoStateParkinterpretersareplanningonattendingtheFESfalltraining.Shouldtheybetreatedlikeallothertraineesandgetnotebooksandgothroughmentoring?TherewasnostrongopinionexpressedbytheBoardmemberssotherefore,CamwillspeaktoRobynChasetodetermineiftheywishtobetraineeswhogetmaterialsandmentoringofiftheyprefertojustattendandauditthetrainingsessions.
• SheridannotedthatFESisplanningtobeintheCambriaPinedoradoparade.Wewillnothaveafloatthisyearbutwillneedagroupofdocentstowalktheparadewithsigns.
• Kingsaidthe“BestView”signisnowupatVP3andthetableisbeingsetuponthenorthend.• O’BannonnotedthatthenumbersinhisfinancialreportforSLOCommunityFoundationareforthe
endofJune,notJuly.• BridwellsaidthatMarcellahasbeenworkinghardtomovetheFESfinancestotheonlineversionof
QuickBooksthatheandO’Bannoncanreviewthebookswhenevertheywishtodoso.
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• TheU.SPostOfficeisplanningonsigningaten-yearleasetomoveintoCavalierPlazainaspaceveryneartheFESoffice.OurbuildingmanagementisworkingtogetthebuildingADAcompliantfortheplannedarrivalofU.S.PostOffice.
• ItwasreportedthattheefforttogettheFESwebsitetobea“secure”websitecausedmanyoftheelephantseal.orgemailaccountstobedisabledforseveraldays.AsofSaturdayallemailaccountsareagainworkingforus.
• ArequestforsomeadditionalFESVisitorCentersignagewassenttotheSanSimeonChamberofCommerce.
• CurtisreportedthattheyhavereviewedthreeproposalstoupdateourFESwebsite.OnSeptember10thtwoprovidersofservicewillbeinterviewedandmakepresentations.Onebidgaveaverydetailedproposalwithalargepricetag;anothergavemuchlessdetailwithamuchsmallerpricetag.Bothvendorsareveryqualified.Itwasestimatedthatitwilltakesixtotwelveweekstocompletedanewwebsite.
• WereceivedverymanynicecommentsonourlastFEScontinuingeducationdinner.WewilltrytoreturntoJoslynCenter.Thedifferentcostestimateswere:MorroBayCommunityCenter$406,CambriaVetsHall$350andJoslynCenter$450to$500.)
• BridwellsaidthathesubmittedagrantapplicationtoAnnenbergFoundation.BridwellsuggestedthatmakingsuchgrantrequeststakestimeandFESshouldhavesomeonededicatedtomakinggrantrequestsforFES.Morecanbedonetobringingrantmoneyifwecouldputmoretimeandeffortintotheendeavor.
• Discussionaboutthedonationtubes.Sheridansaidmoremoneyiscominginsincethenewsignswereinstalled.Withfewornosealsonthesouthbeach,wehavelimiteddocentcoveragethere.Shouldthesouthtubegooutwhenwehavenoseals?Whatshouldwedowhenatubeisgettingfull?Thesouthtubeshouldgooutifandonlyifadocentisplanningtobeatthesouthbeach.Itcanbeplacedinthecarifandwhenthereisnodocentatthatlocation.Whentubegetfull,docentsshouldfeelfreetoemptyexcessmoneybutdosointheirvehiclesoutofsightofthevisitingpublic.
BOARDDISCUSSIONANDPOTENTIALACTION:
• SheridanreportedthatFESnowhasfewerthan50boxesofE-SealNews.Bridwellhasreceivedestimatesfromthreeprintersforprinting100,000and200,000copiesofE-SealNews.60-poundpaperiswhatwearenowusingforE-SealNewsandnooneexpressedadesiretousealighterweightpaperforthenextprinting.TheBoarddecidedthatitwouldbemostcosteffectiveforFEStohave200,000copiesprintedbytheprinterthatgaveusthelowestbid.
• Myboardpacket.com.Bridwellsaidhespenttimebothreviewingtheprogramonhisownandtimewithacompanyrepresentative.BridwellsaidhedidnotseeaddedefficiencyforBoardmembersbyusingtheprogram.OtherBoardmembersconcurredwithBridwell’sconclusion.
• JoeMayrecentlygaveBridwellinformationaboutaMorroBayOpenSpaceBlockPartyonSeptember21st.KingsaidthatshewouldtrytofindatablepersonwhomightrepresentFESattheevent.
NEWBUSINESS:
• BecksaidthathenoticedpopupadsonSignUp.comthelasttimehevisitedthesite.Itwassuggestedthatwepaytheannualfeeofabout$200tokeepourbluffandschooloutingschedulesfreeofads.Nooneexpressedanyopposition.
• Therewasadiscussionondocentsworkingonthebluff.Therehavebeenafewtimeswhendocentsdonotappearforascheduledshift,arrivelateorarrivetoworkonthebluffwithoutbeingontheschedule.Sheridanhasbeenmakinganefforttotelephonedocentswhodonotappearfora
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scheduledshift.ShewillaskJoeFerrertoassistinthiseffortwhensheisnotworkingintheofficetobetterensurethatalldocentswhodon’tappearforashiftreceiveaphonecallfromtheoffice.
! MotiontoAdjournMeeting:3:53PM./Arnold/O’Bannon/Unanimous.
Submittedby:StephenBeck,FESSecretary–September16,2019
August2019
BoardReport
Docents/Office/VisitorCenter
SubmittedbyWendySheridan
August18,2019
SHOP/OFFICE
• TheJulyshopincomewas$6,925with937visitors.• Todate(8/18)theshopincomeforAugustis$4,038withavisitorcountof624.Totalshopincometo
dateis$45,574.00withatotalof5,531visitorsintheshopfortheyear.• WehaveanewT-shirtintheshop.Eachoneismadefrom6.5recycledplasticbottles.• WereceivedtheseconddonationfromSockSmith.Itwas$774.00.SockSmithtotaldonationtodateis
$2,526.00.OurpurchasestodatefromSockSmithtotal$4,532.37.
DOCENTS
• TheAugust10thdinnerwasasuccessonalllevels.Weshouldreceivetherefundofthe$1,000.00depositcheck,infull,byAugust23rd.
• TheNovemberdinnerisconfirmedattheMorroBayCommunityCenterforNovember16th.IamworkingwithPresidentTimBridwellonarrangingaspeaker.
• DianeNathanwillbecoordinatingtheCoastalClean-UpDayonSeptember21st.AsavethedatenoticewasplacedintheAugustDocentCommuniquétorecruitvolunteers.IwillrepeatthatintheSeptemberCommuniqué.
• NewsletteritemsfortheSeptemberCommuniquéshouldbesenttotheofficenolaterthanAugust25th.AdraftcopyforproofingwillbeemailedtotheboardbyAugust27th.
• DOCENTHOURS&CLICKERCOUNTREPORTATTACHED.
MEMBERSHIP
• Ourcurrenttotalmembership,asof8/19,is841.Thatincludeslifemembers.Ihaveattachedthelifememberlisttomyreport.Pleasereviewitforaccuracy.Istheresomeoneyouthinkshouldbeonthatisn’t,orissomeoneonthelistwhohaspassedandshouldberemovedfromanymailings?Thankyouforyourhelpwiththis.
August2019SchoolProgramReport
SinceourlastboardmeetingonJuly17th,wehavehosted2outing.OnJuly26thagroupfromKernCounty,CommunityActionPartnership(K-12)brought85studentsintwogroups.Thestudentsclearlyhadnoprep,somanywerenotasinterestedastheycouldhavebeen.Therewereafewineachgroupthatwereveryinterested,sowefeltgoodaboutthat.Theirbusdrivershadissueswiththeparkinglot.Theseconddriverrefusedtoenteranddroppedthekidsoffonthehwy!!!Theparkinglotwassummertypical,withlotsofRV’sandcars.Wewerewonderingifthismightbeoneofthereasonsthatpreviousschoolgroupcoordinatorsdecidednottoscheduleschoolgroupsinthesummer.Somethoughtthatperhapswecoulddirectthemtothenorthparkinglotinstead.WealsohadanotherGirlScoutvisitonAugust3rd,thistimefromFresno.Stephenmetthisgroupof5studentsandpresentedourprogramtothem.Finally,Brandtcontactedmeaboutthe“ForEducators”pageonthewebsite.Iforwardedhimthedocumentsfromthefolder“foreducators”thatwerenotalreadyonthepage.Healsoaskedforsomephotosofschoolgroups,soIsenthimafew.
SubmittedbyMaxFowles,August2019
2019-2020SchoolYearTotalstoDate
#ofStudentsVisiting #ofSchools #ofDocents119 3 13
FES Board Meeting August 21, 2019
Research Report 1. Citizen Science Program
The Citizen Science team reported 21 tag or mark resights in July, 2019. Of these, 18 included full or partial tag or mark reports. Several were resights of the same marked adult male seals on successive days, in different locations. This reflects an increasing rate of success in tag/mark reports, reflecting over 85% success in individual seal identification.
2. Keith Mueller- Resight Data Base Many thanks to Keith Mueller for his on-going efforts to keep the resight database current. He has revised the current log sheet to assist docents to consistently use a standard format for data entry in each column.
3. Be On the Lookout for more instrumented seals (search concluded)
The efforts to locate the missing instrumented seals have now concluded. Leo DeWinter completed one additional radio survey on August 4, 2019. No radio signals were located.
4. William J. Goodger Memorial Internship program The 2019 program evaluation has been completed. Tyler Peck-Burnett and Abrielle Goodwein met all the objectives of the program and appreciated the opportunities to become FES docents, participate in FES activities, assist with Cal Poly research activities as well as work in marine mammal stranding response and animal care at The Marine Mammal Center.
5. Wildlife Disturbance Conference November 4, 2019
An abstract about the observations of wildlife disturbances and human safety issues during the 2019 season at William R. Hearst Memorial State Beach has been submitted in response to a Call for Abstracts for the Wildlife Disturbance Conference on November 4, 2019 at the William Penn Mott Jr. Training Center in Asilomar. Authors are Kathleen Curtis, Abrielle Goodwein and Tyler Peck-Burnett.
Submitted by Kathleen Curtis Aug 16, 2019
FES Board Meeting July 17, 2019
Communications Committee Report 1. Goals:
Goals in the last month have been to: (A) continue to develop our user base on social media accounts (B) edit and produce the Summer Edition of Among Friends. (C) receive bids from vendors for the website revision
The status toward these first steps:
A. Social Media accounts Facebook: The top post in July (Still photos of a molting adult male elephant seal on July 16) reached 12,700 people. Next highest were other photographs of adult male proboscis on July 25 (1928 people reached) Total page likes: 3903. Followers: 4039. Twitter: On hold Instagram: Not established yet
B. Website Revision:
Three vendors responded to the RFP for website revision. Review of the proposals was completed on August 9, 2019 with invited presentations scheduled in September, 2019.
C. The Summer Edition of Among Friends is in press and should be mailed soon.
A graphic designer created a new look and feel for the newsletter. 3. Among Friends deadlines The schedule for the member newsletter, Among Friends, for the remainder of 2019 follows:
2019 WINTER EDITION Planning Meeting - week of September 16, 2019 Copy Due - November 4, 2019 Print - November 18, 2019 Mail - December 2, 2019
4. E-seal News (Bluff Newsletter) in revision E-Seal News, the bluff newsletter is being reviewed and revised for the next printing. In response to the high number of English as a second-language speakers and students who visit the Piedras Blancas rookery, the revision will simplify the reading level of the written text. These revisions will insure that more visitors will be able to read and understand the information in this free newsletter.
5. Terminology Confusion
I revised
a. Trip Advisor listing. Elephant Seal Rookery- added written content but map location is still at Arroyo del Corral, as it requires a street address.
b. Inspirock.com has an accurate description and location! Will keep working on it: Elephant Seal Viewing Area (preferred) Piedras Blancas Rookery (visitsansimeonca.com) Map points to gift shop Elephant Seal Vista Point (SLO-Cal) (Map is accurate) Vista Point (multiple signs on Highway1, pointing to various areas) Friends of the Elephant Seal (SLO-Cal) Friends of the Elephant Seal ( 3 or 4 separate duplicate Yelp sites)
*Maps points to Visitor Center location and to Arroyo del Corral) Elephant Seal Docent Talks (SLO-Cal) Elephant Seal Rookery (Trip Advisor duplicate site)
*Map location points to Arroyo del Corral and Arroyo Laguna locations Cambria-Elephant Seals (Trip Advisor duplicate site) Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery (californiabeaches.com)- map location close (in
dunes) 35.661870, -121.255540 Piedras Blancas SMR & SMCA, Cambria SMP and White Rock (Cambria) SMCA (State
Parks) -map locations are in the ocean California State Parks (Search for elephant seals on the state parks site mostly finds Año
Nuevo information) Information (especially population size) is outdated on many sites. Submitted by Kathleen Curtis Aug 16, 2019
Aug 18, 2021
FES Board Meeting August 17, 2019
Training Activity Report
• Current Activity: o Fall 2018 Class Peer Review in final process o Training/Mentoring follow-up o Review plan for fall training o Nine pending docents for Fall 2019 Training
• Julie Ann White • Beverly Kurtz • Amy Handle • Steven MacGregor (fast track) • Ella Ver • Karen Graves • Laura “Raeann” Haggard • Robyn Case • New Interpreter
Winter Disturbance Training
• Terry Sullivan, West Linn, OR (Lives in SLO winter)
• Upcoming Activity: o FES Fall Training Dates - September 21 – Fall Basic Training
! Three mentoring sessions between Sep 21 and Oct 19 ! Peer review @ four months – Feb/March
o October 5 – Advanced Training 1 o October 19 – Advance Training 2
From: Misty Wycoff [email protected]: Re: Speaker Bureau Board report-July 2019
Date: August 20, 2019 at 12:58 PMTo: Tim Bridwell [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], Docent [email protected], [email protected]
Hello everyone.
Work continues on the now combined data bases for both post presentation reporting and our target list. I have one more training session for myself to make sure I know how to use it all and to make final fine tuning on the setup. I can tell you already, it will make a HUGE difference in the ease in booking for the future. By years end, I should be able to cut my current 40-50 hours a month working on this project to about half of that.
We are on course to meet all goals for the Speaker Bureau set by me last December when presenting to the Board.
I am now back to booking. July we did not have any bookings but we have completed one this month but have a total of 9 on the books for the rest of August and September, October and November to date.
All is well. I would like to request being on the board agenda for November this year to give my annual report as I plan to be traveling in December.
Thanks for all you supporting my efforts in this process. Especially Tim who has been a magician at making some of my obstacles disappear. Thanks again.
B. Misty Wycoff, Administrator,Friends of the Elephant Seal775 [email protected]
From: Sue King [email protected]: Table report - August 2019
Date: August 20, 2019 at 11:35 AMTo: Tim Bridwell [email protected], Cam Arnold [email protected], Michael O’Bannon [email protected],
[email protected], Stephen Beck [email protected], Kathy Curtis [email protected], Bill [email protected]
We have several more pairs of docents sharing taking the table out so on the days the table goes outto the bluff it stays out longer.I retrained a docent this month who is returning after medical leave and she has scheduled multipletable dates. The price/tally sheet has been updated to reflect current pricing and availability of items.I am currently working on getting full coverage on the table over the Labor Day weekend.
Submitted, SueSent from my iPhone
Cash Valuation-Non GAAP Jul 31, 19
ASSETS
Current Assets
Checking/Savings
Restricted Checking Account
2018 SSTA Grant 8,150.00
Speakers Bureau 200.00
Restricted Interest 69.40
Translation System 75.00
Inservice for Docents 650.00
Coastal Trail Develop/Signage 672.14
Restricted Checking Account - Other 10.84
Total Restricted Checking Account 9,827.38
Heritage Oaks Money Market Acct 47,780.72
Bank Cards -129.70
Cash On Hand 335.00
Heritage Oaks Checking 8,900.67
Total Checking/Savings 66,714.07
Total Current Assets 66,714.07
Fixed Assets
Fixed Asset 12,991.50
Office Equipment 2,063.63
Accumulated Depreciation -15,055.13
Total Fixed Assets 0.00
Other Assets
Vangard 93,431.69
SLO Comm Foundation 40,754.18
Total Other Assets 134,185.87TOTAL ASSETS 200,899.94
LIABILITIES & EQUITY
Liabilities
Current Liabilities
Other Current Liabilities
Docent Jacket Deposits 1,885.50
Payroll Liabilities 1,877.36
Total Other Current Liabilities 3,762.86
Total Current Liabilities 3,762.86
Total Liabilities 3,762.86
Equity
Unrestricted Net Assets 190,308.04
Net Income 6,829.04
Total Equity 197,137.08TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY 200,899.94
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