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SERA Winter Business Meeting '02

Minutes for the 2002 SERA Winter Business Meeting 2/23/02 (Approved)

The meeting was called to order at 1000 Central by chair Brian Williamson. Vice chair Debby Johnson and Sec/Treas Jim Wilbanks were present. Sixty-seven people were in attendance.

Announcements were made. Secretary Wilbanks reminded attendees that award nominations could still be made for the SERA awards. Dan Barnick asked for help on the photo salon, especially help in setting up judging criteria. Brent Aulenbach announced the map salon and directed attendees to the display.

Chris Kerr announced that the 2002 SERA Cave Carnival would be hosted by the Smoky Mountain Grotto on July 13,14 at the East Fork Stables near Jamestown Tennessee. The event will be held on an established campground with all the facilities needed. The link is http://www.caves.org/grotto/smg/sera2002/sera2002.html

John Hoffelt and Jody Bailey made a presentation on the hydrology study of the Cumberland Plateau surrounding Spencer, which includes Rumbling Falls Cave. The presentation was in PowerPoint with video segments. 

Diane Cousineau reported on efforts to stop the quarrying of Pigeon Mountain. She urged everyone to write the Georgia governor and handed out information sheets.

There was a lunch break with attendees crowding around a TV to view a CNN segment on Spencer.

The meeting was called back to order at 1:15 Central. The grotto role call was made. The following organizations were represented: Athens Speleological Society, Augusta Cave Masters, Central Alabama Grotto, Chattanooga Grotto, Dogwood City Grotto, East Tennessee Grotto, Georgia Speleological Survey, Middle Georgia Grotto, Nashville Grotto, Pigeon Mountain Grotto, South Carolina Interstate Grotto, Southport Chronic Cavers, Spencer Mountain Grotto, Tennessee Cave Survey, and Upper Cumberland Grotto. 

The SERA Karst Task Force reported. The committee moved:
"The SERA Karst Task Force is a committee. The chairman and vice chairman of SERA are members. The chairman appoints at least three other members who serve for that year. The SKTF is to sponsor and foster conservation activities in the SERA region. The SKTF is empowered to use the SERA name to encourage participation. The SKTF is to keep a record of conservation activities in SERA. The SKTF is to generate articles about itself and the record for use by SERA newsletters. The Yahoo group or its' equivalent is to be continued and its' use encouraged by the membership. A fund is set up for the purchase of cave cleanup supplies. This fund would take the form of a $100 set aside in the SERA treasury, which can be spent by the committee for the stated purpose with the approval of the Executive Committee." The motion was passed unanimously.

Rob Robbins moved and Wilbanks seconded that SERA endorse the conservation efforts of the event called Cavestock. There was a discussion of the surrounding issues of Cavestock. It was asked if this was not the responsibility of the just formed committee. Wilbanks stated the 1998 act "not endorsingCavestock" should be countered with one endorsing at least a part of it. The motion passed with 11 yeas, 1 nay (GSS), 3 abstentions (DCG, PMG, TCS)

The awards committees were established. They are: 
Francis Mckinney- Lynn Roebuck, Steve MacDonnel, and John Klayer,
Richard Schreiber- Brian Roebuck, Don Hunter, Jim Wilbanks,
Larry Adams Landowner Appreciation- Dan Barnick, Varie Ruskin, and Mark Joop,
Alexis Harris Conservation Award- Lee Trowbridge, George Plumlee, and Anne Elmore,

Jim Wilbanks spoke about the awards procedure as they work now. He said the original committee reports were somewhat different from the way the awards were judged now. He moved that a committee be formed to adapt the award procedures to current practice. The motion was carried unanimously. The chair left the membership up to the next chair. 

The grotto reports began with Spencer who reported on cleanups at Camps Gulf and helping with the Blue Springs dig and gate, not to mention the SWBM. TCS reported on up coming events. The meeting will be at Sewanee April 27th and a survey class will be held May 4,5. Upper Cumberland reported on management issues with Wolf River cave. Athens spoke about the importance of grottos sending landowners Christmas cards. Central Alabama talked about a brochure on sinkholes they are working on and a planned cleanup of Manitou Cave. They also talked about working at NasCar events for fund raising. East Tennessee reported a cleanup at Grassy Cove Saltpeter Cave and their battery-recycling program. The GSS announced it's meeting on April 6th at Fricks Cave. They talked about the resurvey of Fricks and reported their membership at over one hundred. Middle Georgia talked about the discovery of Flowing Stone. PMG talked about the great salamander hunt. Nashville spoke about hosting last year's SWBM, gating work at several caves, the munchy stand at the 2001 Cave Carnival, and their upcoming fifty-year anniversary. The SCCi reported on the acquisition of Snail Shell, the open house at Fricks March 16th, and the next board meeting in Atlanta on March 23rd. Jim Wilbanks read a letter from Larry Blair and Joel Sneed reporting on the grant for Kingston Saltpeter Cave from SERA the previous year. They said it was being used for the dating of material from the cave and anticipated publishing the results next year.

New Business:
Brent Aulenbach reported on additions to the new website including a calendar. Jack McCormick reported that the State of Tennessee had obtained a karst groundwater demonstration model, which could be borrowed for use in Tennessee.

Elections:
For Vice Chairman, Lynn Roebuck was nominated by Rob Robbins (Southport) and seconded by Nancy Aulenbach (DCG) and elected by acclimation. For Sec/Treas Jim Wilbanks was nominated by Don Hunter (Athens) and seconded by Dan Barnick (GSS) and elected by acclimation.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 Central. The awards committees met and the results were:
Francis Mckinney- Tom Moltz
Richard Schreiber- Kelly Norwood
Larry Adams Landowner Appreciation Award- Sarah Choate who owns Bethel Cave
Alexis Harris Conservation Award- Pigeon Mountain Grotto

The 8th Annual SERA Map Salon Results were:
Short Cave- First Place- Terry Ragon for Meek Shall Inherit the Cave
Merit Award- Tom Moltz for Chicken Slot Cave
Merit Award- Tom Moltz for Flowing Stone Cave
Long Cave- First Place and Best of Show- Terry Ragon for Horse Skull Cave 
Merit Award- Brian Williamson for Three Amigos Cave
Merit Award- Hal Love for Wanamaker Cave

The photo salon results were:
Prints- First Place- Jody Bailey for "Hanging"
Second Place- Don Hunter for "Lookin' In Lookin' Out"
Third Place- Don Hunter for "Melting Pot"
Slides- First Place and Best of Show- Chris Anderson for "Rumble Room"
Second Place- Chris Anderson for "Camps Gulf"
Third Place- Hal Love "DePriest Branch Cave"

A banquet was held in the meeting room followed by the award presentations. The program for the evening was Marion Smith telling the story of the discovery and exploration of Rumbling Falls Cave. Also Hal Love told about the digging and gating of the new entrance to Blue Springs Cave.

Respectfully Submitted
Jim Wilbanks

2002 Southeastern Regional Association Treasurer's Report

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