Minutes of GSS Annual Meeting for 2007

Georgia Speleological Survey
Member's Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2007
Frick's Cave Entrance Area
10 am Eastern

Attendees:
Carl Anderson
Brent, Scout, and Nancy Aulenbach
Steve and Sharon Brewer
Obadiah Brooks
Scott and Kristen Carmine
Dane Creel
Eric and Jenny Crisp
ET Davis
Dave Hughes
Allen Padgett
Jonathan Roberts
Chuck Rollins
Marion O. Smith
Joel and Sharon Sneed
James Stephenson
Doug Strait
Jerry Wallace
Brian Williamson

After members were given the opportunity to renew memberships and purchase materials, Nancy Aulenbach started the meeting at 10:36 am. She welcomed everyone and thanked several people for their support and hard work through the year.

Old Business:
-Jerry Wallace, who is in charge of landowner relations, brought the Cave Owner Report Forms to everyone's attention and encouraged all to take some this year to have available.
-Nancy Aulenbach discussed the responsibilities of an Activities Coordinator, suggesting that someone might love to take it on.
-Nancy gave special thanks to Brian Williamson for the Bulletin, as well as, IMO for donating free mapping notebooks to those who wanted one, Carl Anderson for the electronic data handling, and Foxy Furgeson for the donation of Byers Cave survey books.
-Ginny Crisp volunteered to take over the 80s Bulletin Compilation Project that Holly Bunch has worked so hard on.
-Brian Williamson assured everyone that Tom Moltz was back to his cave hunting activities and is doing good.
-Brent Aulenbach, treasurer, gave his report as is summed up as:
Beginning balance $3,091.16 (includes +$52 that could not
Adjustments $ 24.00 be accounted for)
Revenue $2,131.45
Expenses $2,480.61
Ending Balance $2766.00

-Obadiah Brooks brought up the issue of indexing the archives and the huge task that it will be. In 2002"ish", all of the archives had been scanned, approx. 3000 pages and were put onto CDs, which Carl and Brent have copies. There was discussion about starting the project of indexing all the files to make them more accessible. It needs to be done in a spreadsheet program, with one person leading and others helping by doing a file or two, here and there. There was some discussion of copyrights.
-Brent Aulenbach gave a Fricks Cave Report. Fricks now extends 2.14 miles with leads that need to be checked and mapped. A more detailed report is included in the Bulletin.
-Jerry Wallace has the mapping instruments, which are owned by the GSS (1 set, tape and book) and loaned out for $10.
-Allen Padgett and Jerry Wallace volunteered to work on the bumper sticker project by evaluating the costs and design, communicating with the treasurer on his progress. The goal was to stay between $3-$5 with the round logo and 200 total being printed depending on price savings in bulk.
-Carl Anderson will check on the book by Jeff Harris, "30 Best Caves of Georgia." Last heard Holly Bunch had the latest compilation.

New Business:
-Nancy brought up the job of Activities Coordinator position that really needs someone.
-ArchivesWhat makes an archive important enough to be included as an archive? Carl includes all pictures sent to him in the archives. It was decided that archives should concentrate on Science, Exploration, Survey, Discovery, and Accidents. Points of Interest such as who found it, history and description.
-The discovery of Stone Mountain Cave, which has 72 feet of passage and 3 feet of vertical extent, was discussed. The fact that it is so accessible and yet was not turned in was amazing being so close to a busy trail and road.
-Eric Crisp discussed the waterfall loop, PJ, and Byers cleanup at TAG.
-Allen Padgett discussed brochures for PJ and how that there was a direct correlation between litter and graffiti and the presence of the brochures or the lack thereof.
-Allen Padgett motioned to support the brochures with the amount of $100-$150 being put towards the bills incurred in printing. Steve Brewer seconded and the motion passed. Nancy is to communicate with PMG and DCG to see how we might be an on-going support for the PJ brochures printing.
-Jerry Wallace cleared up some misinformation about Hurricane Cave. He informed everyone that the culvert entrance is permanently closed with an immovable obstruction, which was installed by the DOT, for the time being. There is some discussion on trying to create another opening but only discussion.
-The gating of Case Cave was discussed and the possible access through the park service. Kristen Bobo (at an earlier breakfast meeting) said that the ladder at the entrance had been removed and a gate was soon to be installed. Case Cave will be a vertical drop, requiring vertical gear.
-Allen Padgett motioned that we give $400 to SCCi. Steve Brewer seconded and the motion passed.
-The Bartow Caves book including 34 caves will be going to printer this week. It was decided that due to the nature of the book and other books like it, which highlight Georgia Caves, we would do what we could to offer our members books at a discount through negotiations with the authors and our treasurer, since there is a direct correlation between the subject matter and the GSS.
-Dave Hughes brought up the threatened status of Yarborough and Mudhole Caves.
- Allen Padgett gave an update on Pigeon Mountain. Noel Holcomb is working hard to increase Georgia land holdings and the State of Georgia is investing a lot of money in improving Pigeon Mountain roads.
-Elections for the 2007-2008 Executive Board were held and are as follows:
Chair-Nancy Aulenbach
Vice Chair-Brian Williamson
Secretary-Sharon Brewer
Treasurer-Brent Aulenbach
-Meeting Adjourned and closed at 12:37 p.m.
Submitted by Sharon Brewer May 24, 2007
Possible articles for next years bulletin
Jerry Wallace- Hurricane Cave
Nancy Aulenbach-Stone Mountain Cave


Back to GSS Annual Meeting Minutes & Treasurer's Reports

Back to GSS Home Page


The URL for this page is http://www.caves.org/survey/gss/MMin2007.html.
If you have any questions, comments, or corrections about this page, please contact the GSS website maintainer at gssweb@bellsouth.net.

Last modified: Thursday, 24 April, 2008 bta