NATIONAL SPELEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INC
BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETING
177th Regular Meeting

William F. Rice, Jr. Extension Building
Voorheesville, New York

November 8, 1997

The 177th regular meeting of the NSS Board of Governors was held on Saturday, November 8, 1997, in Voorheesville, New York. These minutes, when accompanied by corrections accepted by the Board, constitute the official record of the meeting.

The meeting was called to order by President David Luckins at 9:08 am. Lee Stevens was present as Recording Secretary.

1. Roll Call, Announcement of Proxies, and Introductions

OFFICERS:

David E. Luckins, President
Fred L. Wefer, Executive Vice President
Douglas Medville, Administrative Vice President
Thomas Rea, Operations Vice President
Paul J. Stevens, Secretary-Treasurer

DIRECTORS:

Bob Addis
Nancy Aulenbach
Dave Belski
Bill Bussey
Linda Devine
Louise Hose
Ray Keeler
Bob Liebman
Gary Moss
Philip Moss
Ed Sira
Tom Strong

On behalf of the Helderberg Hudson Grotto, Bob Addis welcomed everyone to New York and outlined the events for the weekend.

2.Approval of the June 1997 Board of Governors Meeting Minutes

Hearing no objections President Luckins declared the minutes of the June 23 and 27, 1997 Board of Governors meeting approved as published.

3.Officer's Reports

A. President's Report - David Luckins - Attachment A

In addition to the President's Report President Luckins announced that the NSS has become a member of the Center for Non-Profit Boards. Dave presented a series of pamphlets published by the Center that provide information intended to help non-profits operate more effectively. He requested that all Board members read them prior to the next Board meeting.

B. Executive Vice President's Report - Fred Wefer - Attachment B

In addition to the Executive Vice President's Report EVP Wefer announced that the 1994-95 issue of American Caving Accidents is about to be printed and mailed. The 1996-97 issue will be published in 1998. Fred noted that money for publication of this issue should be included in the budget.

C. Administrative Vice President's Report - Douglas Medville - Attachment C

Additions to the Administrative Vice President's Report are as follows:

1. NSS/Mammoth Cave National Park Cooperative Agreement: A draft proposal and statement of work have been written and sent to MCNP for comment. If the proposal is accepted, a contract will be signed early in 1998. Doug noted that this may require a mail ballot.

2. 1999 NSS Convention: AVP Medville recently attended a meeting of the 1999 convention committee. He reported that they are well organized but that they have a small pool of volunteers and may need assistance with the event.

3. Tytoona Cave: AVP Medville reported that acquisition of Tytoona Cave by the NSS is imminent. The attorney for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has reviewed the Conservation Easement and all parties are in agreement.

4. Cave Management Symposium: AVP Medville attended and reported that the United States Forest Service is trying to formulate a policy on rock bolting in wilderness areas. The USFS has scheduled a meeting in Denver, Colorado, on November 10, 1997, to receive public comment. Doug requested that either Dave Lester or Harvey DuChene, local Colorado cavers, attend the meeting and represent NSS interests.

5. Cave Fee Demonstration Project: AVP Medville attended a recent meeting called by the USFS in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to discuss the Cave Fee Demo and potential alternatives to this project. Doug reported that it is clear that the USFS intends to proceed with the fee program. He encouraged the NSS ad hoc committee on the Cave Fee Demo issue to stay actively involved and represent NSS interests.

D. Operations Vice President's Report - Tom Rea - Attachment D

In addition to the Operations President's Report OVP Rea reported that the it has become evident that the computers at the NSS office have inadequate memory capacity and speed for the current NSS software. Tom said he intends to replace them next year using money already on hand in the Office Equipment fund.

E. Secretary/Treasurer's Report - Paul Stevens - Attachment E

4.Other Reports

F. Planning for the Future of the NSS - Tom Pollock - Attachment F

Old Business

5.Fall 1998 NSS Board of Governors Meeting

Luckins Moved: The Fall 1998 Board of Governors meeting will be on November 7, 1998. The host for this meeting is the Southern California Grotto. Addis seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

6.NSS Convention Session Committee

Medville Moved: The NSS Convention Session Committee is a subcommittee of the NSS Convention Development Committee.

Liebman seconded.

Hose moved to substitute: Act 56-591 is repealed. Bussey seconded.

VOTE on the motion to substitute:

Unanimously in favor

PASSED

VOTE on the substituted motion:

Unanimously in favor

PASSED

7. Senior Membership Class

Aulenbach Moved: Bylaw I.B. is amended by inserting a new I.B. 11 as follows:

(11) A person 65 years of age or older may choose to be a senior member. Senior members have all the privileges of regular members.

Subsequent I.B. paragraphs are renumbered.

Devine seconded.

VOTE:

In favor: Aulenbach, Sira, Bussey, Liebman, Keeler, Medville, Stevens, Addis,

Devine, G. Moss

Opposed: Hose, Rea, Wefer, P. Moss, Belski, Strong

FAILED

Note: The above motion was the second reading of a proposed Bylaw change and required a 2/3 vote in favor to pass. The motion fell one vote short of the necessary 2/3 in favor and therefore failed.

8.Congress of Grottos

Luckins Moved: Bylaw V.B (Congress of Grottos) is amended to add a new paragraph as follows:

"(4) If the Congress, at two consecutive convention meetings passes identical resolutions calling for action by the Board of Governors, and the Board does not take conforming action before the next following election of Directors, then the Society shall conduct, in association with the Directors election, a binding referendum of the voting membership on the issue. If the action requires an amendment to the bylaws, two-thirds of the members voting will pass the referendum, otherwise a majority is required."

Bylaw XII.A is amended to add a new paragraph as follows:

"(3) A referendum of the membership as provided in bylaw V.B.4."

Devine seconded.

Stevens moved to refer the motion back to the Bylaws Committee to revise it to state that it applies only in the event the Congress distributed the motion in writing to all Internal Organizations in advance of the Congress meetings at which it had a quorum. Sira seconded.

Hose moved to amend the motion to state that proxy votes at the Congress must be certified in writing by the Internal Organization being represented.

Accepted as a friendly amendment.

VOTE to refer:

In favor: Sira, Hose, Stevens, Addis, Strong, G.Moss

Opposed: Devine, Bussey, Keeler, Rea, Wefer, Medville, Belski,

P.Moss, Liebman

Abstaining: Aulenbach

FAILED

VOTE on the motion:

In favor: Sira, Bussey, Keeler, Wefer, G.Moss, P.Moss, Devine

Opposed: Liebman, Aulenbach, Hose, Rea, Stevens, Addis,

Strong, Belski

Abstaining: Medville

FAILED

Recess

President Luckins recessed the meeting at 12:08 p.m.

Reconvene

The meeting was reconvened by President Luckins at 2:40 p.m.

9. Report of the Closed Session of the Directorate

Chairman of the Directorate, Dave Belski, reported that Paul Stevens was elected Secretary-Treasurer elect.

10. Report of the Closed Session of the Board

President Luckins reported that no formal motions were passed in closed session.

BUSINESS

11. NSS/BCI MOU

Medville Moved: A Memorandum of Understanding between the National Speleological Society and Bat Conservation International is approved. P.Moss seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

12. Cave and Karst Acquisition Committee Chair

Luckins Moved: Ray Keeler of Glendale, Arizona, is confirmed as Chairman of the Cave and Karst Acquisition Committee in the Department of the Administrative Vice President. Belski seconded.

VOTE:

In favor: Rest

Opposed: None

Abstaining: Keeler

PASSED

13. Cave Restoration Committee

Medville Moved: A Cave Restoration Committee in the Department of the Administrative Vice President is created. This Committee will administer and manage the Cooperative Agreement between Mammoth Cave National Park and the NSS as well as any other Cooperative Agreements entered into between the NSS and the NPS.

The Committee shall:

(a) solicit, select, and schedule the work of volunteers at MCNP,

(b) monitor the work of the volunteers,

(c) work with NPS staff to identify and accomplish specific restoration activities in MCNP,

(d) meet with MCNP staff on a periodic basis to review progress made under this Cooperative Agreement and identify ways in which the volunteers can be most effectively used,

(e) perform financial functions required to administer the agreement under the supervision of the Secretary-Treasurer,

(f) carry out other restoration duties that are specified under the terms of the Cooperative Agreement.

Sira seconded.

By unanimous consent the motion was amended to delete "as well as any other Cooperative Agreements entered into between the NSS and the NPS."

VOTE on the amended motion:

Unanimously in favor

PASSED

14. Convention Discounts

Medville Moved: Associate NSS members (i.e., those under 17 years of age) and regular NSS members that who are under 25 years of age that who attend an NSS Convention for the first time shall be eligible for a reduction in the Convention Registration fee of up to 25 percent. Keeler seconded.

A. Rea moved to amend deleting " Associate NSS members (i.e., those under 17 years of age) and regular" and inserting "who" for "that" in the second sentence. Wefer seconded.

B. P.Moss moved to amend, deleting "who are under 25 years of age."

G.Moss seconded.

VOTE to amend deleting "who are under 25 years of age."

In favor: Rest

Opposed: Liebman, Rea, Medville, Belski

Abstaining: Aulenback

PASSED

VOTE to amend deleting "Associate NSS members (i.e., those under 17 years of age) and regular" and changing "that" to "who."

In favor: Rest

Opposed: None

Abstaining: Liebman, Aulenbach

PASSED

C. G.Moss moved to refer the motion back to the AVP for further consideration of the mechanism for implementation. Hose seconded.

VOTE to refer:

In favor: Rest

Opposed: Bussey

REFERRED

15. International Secretary

Luckins Moved: John Moses of Houston, Texas, is appointed NSS International Secretary. P.Moss seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

16.UIS Delegate

Luckins Moved: The NSS International Secretary shall be the United States Delegate to the Congress of the International Union of Speleology.

P. Moss seconded.

VOTE:

In favor: Rest

Opposed: None

Absent: Hose

PASSED

17. Research Advisory Committee Budget

Wefer Moved: The Fiscal Year 1997-98 budget for the Small Grants Awards line item in the Research Advisory Committee is increased by $2,050.00 to a total of $5,800.00 to cover grant award expenses from Fiscal Year 1996-97 that did not make it into the system before the Fiscal Year 1996-97 books were closed. The income item for National Speleological Foundation Funded Research Advisory Grants is likewise increased by $2,050.00, to a total of $3,550.00, due to income available from the Stone Fund. Rea seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

18. Cave Education Pamphlet

Sira Moved: Up to $2,000.00 is transferred from the Save-The-Caves-Fund to complete funding needed to publish the Guide to Responsible Caving. Bussey seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

19. Cave Vandalism Deterrence Reward Commission

Luckins Moved: John Wilson of Richmond, Virginia, is appointed a commission member for a three-year term. Addis seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

20. NSS News Restricted Fund

Wefer Moved: The NSS News Restricted Fund is established to receive donations for the purpose of augmenting the publication of the NSS News. At the end of the fiscal year any unexpended NSS News advertising income may shall be transferred to this fund. This fund may be spent by the NSS News editor, subject to approval of the Executive Vice President. Stevens seconded.

Liebman moved to amend, deleting "may" and inserting "shall" in the third line. Belski seconded.

VOTE to amend:

Unanimously in favor

PASSED

VOTE on the amended motion:

Unanimously in favor

PASSED

21. Journal Restricted Fund

Wefer Moved: The Journal Restricted Fund is established to receive donations for the purpose of augmenting the publication of The Journal of Cave and Karst Studies. At the end of the fiscal year any unexpended Journal advertising income and page charges shall be transferred to this fund. This fund may be spent by the Journal editor, subject to approval of the Executive Vice President. Liebman seconded.

Hose moved to amend, inserting "and page charges" in the fourth line.

Accepted by unanimous consent.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

22. International Science and Engineering Fair Award Program

Wefer Moved: Act 43-512 (NSS Science Fair Award) is rescinded. The EVP is directed to establish, in the Research Advisory Committee, a program of grants to be awarded to cave and karst researchers under 22 years of age young NSS members. P.Moss seconded.

A. Hose moved to amend, deleting "young NSS members." and inserting "cave and karst researchers under 22 years of age." Liebman seconded.

B. Keeler moved to amend deleting the entire second sentence.

Medville seconded.

VOTE to amend deleting the second sentence:

In favor: Rest

Opposed: Liebman, Wefer

PASSED

C. Addis moved to refer to the Executive Vice President.

Strong seconded.

VOTE to refer:

In favor: Addis, Strong

Opposed: Rest

FAILED

VOTE on the motion as amended:

Unanimously in favor

PASSED

23. NSS Outreach Committee

Luckins Moved: The NSS Outreach Committee is established in the Department of the President. The committee will seek to present the conservation, scientific, and exploration accomplishments of the NSS to segments of the public interested in caves. The committee will emphasize the resource potential of the NSS and seek to encourage philanthropic support. The committee shall strive to promote goals and objectives of the Society without encouraging non-cavers to become cavers. Liebman seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

24. Outdoor Group Liaison

Luckins Moved: Act 86-405 is rescinded.

P.Moss seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

25 . Publications Coordinator

Wefer Moved: Act 83-538 is rescinded and the responsibilities described therein are transferred to the Special Publications Committee.

Liebman seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

26. Contributions

Luckins Moved: Act 28-300 is revised as follows:

AmountDesignation

< $100 Contributor
< $500 Supporter
<$1000 Friend
<$2000 Mentor
<$5000 Sponsor
>$5,000 Patron

And the following is added:

The President, upon approval of the Board, may designate a member as a Benefactor of the NSS for lifetime, substantial financial contributions.

Liebman seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

27. International Exploration Fund

Wefer Moved: Act 18-454 is amended to delete the following:

The International Exploration Fund is established to assist Society sponsored speleological expeditions to be supported by contributions raised for this specific purpose. Applications for grants from the International Exploration Fund will be directed to the International Exploration Committee which will develop appropriate guidelines and require an accounting of how money is utilized by expedition organizers. It is not the intent of this Act that the fund will be subsidized by dues income or that grants will be routinely awarded for expeditions within the United States or Canada... Hose seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

NEW BUSINESS

28. New Business

A. White Chief Cave

Keeler moved that the NSS donate up to $5,000.00 from the Save-the-Caves Restricted Fund towards the purchase of White Chief Cave (Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park) by the U.S. National Park Service.

Strong seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

B. NSS Board of Governors Manual Revision

P.Moss moved that pages 5.21 through 5.24 be deleted from the Board Manual and replaced with a reference to the appropriate World Wide Web page for current International Union of Speleology information.

(http://rubens.its.unimelb.edu.au/~pgm/uis/.) Bussey seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

Recess

President Luckins declared a short recess at 4:30 p.m.

Reconvene

The meeting was reconvened at 4:40 p.m. by President Luckins.

29. Suspension of the Agenda

Luckins Moves: In accordance with Act 04-472, the agenda is suspended for informal discussion among all present for up to 45 minutes.

Devine seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

The following topics were discussed:

1. Onesquathaw Cave - Bob Addis announced that in the near future, the legislators of Albany County, New York, will give Onesquathaw Cave to the Albany County Land Trust. The cave will be managed by the NE Cave Conservancy. This culminates an eight year effort by NE cavers and spearheaded by Emily Davis Mobley and Thom Engel to preserve the cave.

2. "Gift" NSS Memberships - Lee Stevens suggested that current NSS members be encouraged to donate "gift" memberships to those NSS members who need financial aid. The recipients could be identified through their grotto or could perhaps apply to the Membership Chairman or the NSS Office for assistance.

3. Board Travel Expenses - Philip Moss recommended creation of a "pool" of donated frequent flyer miles to assist Board members who may need help with the travel expenses associated with Board service.

4. NSS Membership Brochure - Thom Engel reported that he has heard numerous unfavorable comments about the current NSS membership brochure. It is felt that the brochure needs a more global perspective to address the many facets of caving and that the photos are not interesting to non-cavers.

5. NSS Membership - Janet Thorne suggested a number of way that NSS members can encourage their non-NSS caving friends to join the NSS: a)Be sure that the NSS is represented at major caving events across the country and that membership information is readily available; b) Local grottos and other Internal Organizations could levy a surcharge for membership or event fees for non-NSS members; c) The NSS could offer an annual rebate to each grotto for every NSS member in their grotto.

Thom Engel recommended against penalizing grotto members who remain outside the NSS fold. He felt that the grottos should welcome them and try to exert a positive influence toward cave safety and conservation.

Cheryl Jones felt that the NSS must market itself more effectively in order to create the desire among non-NSS cavers to join.

Bill Bussey recommended marketing ourselves more effectively to non-cavers who may never go caving but be willing to support the goals of the Society.

Philip Moss expressed concern about the potential negative organizational changes on increasing membership. He felt that smaller organizations were more homogenous and therefore more effective in accomplishing goals.

6. NSS and the Old Timers Reunion - Ray Keeler asked those present whether or not they believed it was important for the NSS bookstore to have a booth at the Old Timers Reunion. Pete Johnson replied that he liked the convenience of purchasing books at OTR. Janet Thorne felt that the bookstore should be at OTR to give the Society visibility and solicit memberships. Most felt that it is valuable to have an NSS presence.

Tom Rea noted that the NSS will have a presence at OTR '98 but that it will not be at the same level as prior years. Tom said that the NSS loses money when the bookstore is shipped to OTR since sales of books and memberships do not offset the cost of shipping and staff wages incurred.

President Luckins closed the informal discussion period at 5:30 p.m.

30. Appreciation

Liebman Moved: The NSS Board of Governors expresses its appreciation to the Helderberg-Hudson Grotto for its warm hospitality and excellent meeting arrangements. Hose seconded.

VOTE: Unanimously in favor

PASSED

President Luckins declared the meeting adjourned at 5:33 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Lee Stevens

Recording Secretary