Attachment A-4

Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee REPORT - October 2004

I took over the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee (CCUS) responsibilities in 1997 after what seemed like a dormant period in the cave register project. At that time, I was involved in many other volunteer aspects of caving that not only was part of the local region but also within the NSS. Being somewhat critical over how the CCUS Committee was deteriorating, I was offered the chance to revamp the project and put it back on track. In fact, this has taught me a good lesson not to be critical of something or you might end up with the job. Although some of my predecessors admitted to me that there was definite room for improvement, they also reminded me that they had enough. My strong beliefs on the benefits of the program within the local level convinced me that the CCUS Committee should continue on as a national project too. Therefore, I took upon the responsibility as CCUS Committee Chairman to preserve the project. My goal was to get the project up and running and to investigate where problems occurred. From 1997 to present, I was able to do the following:

• Reestablish contact with a few located past managers.
  
  
• Sent letters to most Grottos in the United States about the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee project and how to start a register project or reactivate an old cave register in the project.
  
  
• I wrote a short notice in the NSS News also noting about the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee and how to contact me.
  
  
• Re designed and printed new order and register application forms.
  
  
• Designed a cave information questionnaire for managers, so a file could be started.
  
  
• Redesigned and printed Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee register book covers and also inserts giving information about the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee project along with a list of updated contributors.
  
  
• Designed and printed a Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee hand book manual that explain how to get started in the project and what is expected.
  
  
• Started a listing on all past caves (best to my knowledge from records I have received) and caves present in the project. This included location, ownership, where the register is placed, who will service it, etc. Plus a listing of either returned data via books or on computer disk.
  
  
• Made available a supply of Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee materials (canisters, books, pens, bags, etc.) when needed. Supplies were mailed out promptly each time.
  
  
• Made data compilation available to most managers when asked in the case that they would not be able to compile their data through the DOS/Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee software or computer availability.
  
  
• Although, not required, I was able to get some small donations by managers that may have resulted in a few hundred dollars.
  
  
• Tried best to my ability to have a new stand alone Windows friendly Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee software developed so that the register managers could punch in their own data.
  
  
• Try to have most of the old data cataloged and compiled using the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee DOS software (many years worth).

My immediate goal was to get register attendants back on board, significant caves back in the project, and keep those already within the project happy. I found during this period, that records of caves, register data, current attendant's address was scattered information. Many cavers would find a neglected cave register and would either send it to one of the past CCUS Committee chairmen, the NSS office, or simply held on to them. Much data was obviously missing and some would eventually come back to me through different communication channels; some simply was forever lost. Every time I wanted to close out a cave file, a very old used register book would arrive. Amazingly, even years later, books with decade old information would pop up at my post office. I finally announced in the NSS News on how past and current CCUS personnel can contact me (and how to start up a CCUS Committee project in their area).

Tracking down past Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee attendants or managers was another problem. Many had moved away from their areas, and perhaps their grottos didn't feel obligated to appoint another person to take over respectively locally. Again, this might have been a communication problem or simply loss of ambition at a local level, but never the less the problem was existent. I did a mass mailing many years ago to most grottos pointing out the CCUS Committee project for new enthusiasts and to reactivate dormant CCUS Committee cave registers back into the system. At any rate, about 18–20 CCUS Committee attendants were to become either new personnel or from past association with the project. Digging up old records and adding new caves to the project showed if all is tallied there could be 115 caves in the CCUS Committee. Sadly, many of the caves that had at one time been part of the project were dormant. Reasons can number from simple register obligation neglect to cave closures by property owners or caving restrictions. In my efforts, I was able to get many caves back into the project. Although, numbers do fluctuate, we presently have about 46 caves listed as CCUS Committee active. While many are in the project today, we still have at times commitment problems by attendants that have plagued the project as in years past. Some book data still doesn't arrive to me on a scheduled committed time line, which makes it difficult to catalog books within yearly time frames.

My distant goal has always been to be able to provide a compilation of all the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee data into one report. An example format would be 5-year blocks of information. The problem of getting the data books (or data disks) back on time from attendants or even getting them at all, set back data entry and planning a report. Although, I had assistance with a small staff, most of my time was being used in maintaining the CCUS Committee by providing materials, maintaining depository for data books, and keeping tabs on files. Any other spare time was used in computer data entry (very time consuming) of years and years of used book data. The CCUS Committee also had a computer program that would allow anyone to punch in their own book data but amazingly few would use it to send data to me in the form of a disk. I found out from my own encounter with the software program, that it did have flaws that would cause the program to crash every so often. Being that this software program was in an old DOS format created much confusion for the average Windows computer user. Even more problems plagued the software when newer Windows OS systems become available. Simply, as newer versions of Windows come out, the old DOS program would have more problems. Many felt that is was much easier to simply send a book full of data and let someone else have the computer entry headache. This also created a bigger strain on those helping to punch in data. Although, we continued to collect and punch in data, we also had other problems such as hard drive crashes and corrupted disks to deal with. Some data was lost, others had to be retyped in all over again.

The grand problem happened with the advent of 2000 or better known as Y2K. While the century date change had little effect opposed to what was being predicted on computers around the country, it did have an effect on the already problematic Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee DOS software. The CCUS Committee software was written with two-digit compilation, so entering 2001 would have the software figuring it as 1901. Although this didn't affect the entire software, it did have a profound effect on the calculations for reports. It was at that time that I decided to stop using the old DOS software and put on hold any data entry until a new Windows-friendly program could be developed.

I tried in earnest to find anyone who could write a whole new software program for the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee data. The program would have to be user friendly and in a stand alone Windows format so that every CCUS Committee attendant could use it. The idea was to turn around data entry back to the attendants, which would save a lot of volunteer time here. Over the course of three years, I contacted software developers and technical schools. I used list servers in this request and also personal phone calling. The main problem in trying to get someone to write a program was money. I had estimates from $600 to $2,600. I had mentioned it different times to past NSS AVPs that we would need a substantial amount placed in the CCUS Committee budget if we wanted to buy a custom-made program. The other option was to try and find someone who could do this work pro bono in his or her spare time. It seems the NSS is always in a crunch for money and I certainly didn't want the Committee associated with a dues increase, so I tried to get new software pro bono. One developer started a nice program but admitted he didn't have time to finish it. This occurred after many months of patience. Another developer wanted to tackle the job using Microsoft Access, but this would be prohibitive for most home computers without Microsoft Office. Besides that, there were still some problems in trying to set up formulas that would equal the reports from the old DOS software. A technical school wanted to help by looking at the old DOS program and creating a new one. All they did was make a Microsoft Access template with no calculations or reporting capabilities. Another developer, whom I had much hope in, worked on creating a very nice windows-based software for the Committee. However, after he had all the "bells and whistles" in place, he didn't finish the program part for calculations and final data reporting. Three months went to six, then a year, and so on of waiting. Even though I was reminded of the volunteer effort on spare time only, I finally confronted the nice fellow a year and half later to please finish the program. He then simply gave the commonly-used reason that he had no more time to spend on it and should try to find someone else to either pick it back up or develop another program from scratch. My last attempt was from another fellow who spent some time in studying all the software that was started and of the old Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee DOS format. Not having all the codes, etc. made him revamp everything and begin with new software from the ground up. His application was not one that everyone in the general public could use and it was a spin-off of using another computer language that involved many steps in any attempt to get the same results as the old program. Although that program never was completed either, he did spend considerable time and was a very nice person to communicate with. Perhaps he has moved or changed address, but I have not heard from him in a long time, so I can't even thank him for the work he already put into it. What all was really needed was an upgrade to the old DOS program that would fix the Y2K problem and work in compatibility with a windows OS system. In each case, each developer wanted to rework a whole new program that somehow was never completed. Again, with no money involved, it was strictly at the mercy of those willing to donate their time. Perhaps there was too much involved or problems in creating the proper programming. At any rate, while I was being expected by the NSS to show results, my hands were tied with software problems and at the gratitude of anyone willing to help.

Another nail in the coffin happened this year. Although, I was never clear as to how the NSS budgeted the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee, I was asked each year to submit a budget plan. I don't believe the Committee was ever a big-ticket item if you consider the CCUS Committee over two decades. Budget requests were declining once the project was back in running condition. Even though a small budget is in place for this year, I was told that the money has run out even before the budget was used up. Apparently, many years ago, the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee was funded by a restricted fund. I never fully understood how this fund evolved and was told conflicting amounts remained. Although, I have worked with many AVPs over the years, some were more supportive of the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee than others. This year was sobering to find no money left for the Committee. It leaves no other choice but for a major decision to be made by the Board of Governors. Fund the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee to preserve it or end the project entirely.

After seven years in the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee and being a loyal servant of the NSS, I propose the following:

Assuming, the NSS will want the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee to continue:

• Some type of funding needs to be in place.
  
  
• I will resign the position as Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee Chairman on February 2005 or continue on as directed by the AVP until another replacement is found. If needed, I will gladly work in another capacity within the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee to help the new Chairman and the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee.
  
  
• New data entry software must be developed for the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee that is user friendly to all in the project network.

If the NSS decides to walk away from the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee project entirely, then it should be known:

• A way for grottos to continue their own register projects or maintain registers currently in the project.
  
  
• I would send out notifications to all Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee involved to the result of the situation by February 2005.

Presently, there are enough materials on hand to satisfy Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee demands for this year. There are also a few costs for reimbursement (postage of materials, etc.) that was well within the budget limits for the present fiscal year that need to be addressed. I can continue to act as a data collection/materials provider until materials run out.

It is with great honor that I volunteered and dedicated my time for the NSS. I believed in the Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee before and I still do now.

Respectfully, the decision rests upon you as to where we go from here.

Garrett Czmor, NSS 22709(R)(FE)
NSS/Contemporary Cave Use Study Committee Chairman

10/10/04