The 2003 SERA winter business meeting was held at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Morristown TN. Appalachian Grotto did a superb job of hosting the meeting.

Chairman Debby Johnson called the meeting to order at 10:00. She thanked Appalachian Grotto. Also present were vice chair Lynn Roebuck and Sec/Treas Jim Wilbanks.

Internal organizations present were: Alabama Cave Survey, Appalachian Grotto, Athens Speleological Society, Chattanooga Grotto, Dogwood City Grotto, East Tennessee Grotto, Flittermouse Grotto, Georgia Speleological Survey, Huntsville Grotto, Nashville Grotto, Smoky Mountain Grotto, Southport Chronic Cavers, Spencer Mountain Grotto, Tennessee Cave Survey, Tennessee Central Basin Grotto, and Upper Cumberland Grotto. There were 54 attendees.

Avis VanSwearingen announced the bookstore had items for sale outside the room.

Charles Lundquist gave an extensive accounting of the Library Development Commission proposal recently made by Huntsville Grotto. The controversy over the NSS Library was discussed.

Jack Thomison talked about the gating project on Rich Mountain Blow Hole.

A video called Living On Karst by Benji Von Cramon was shown. SERA had given him money for research for the video in 2000.

Individual grottos then reported on activities for the past year. Flittermouse is surveying Blowing Springs and planning a cleanup there. Appalachian Grotto has helped the SCCI lease Rattling Pit and is managing it for them. They have been working on Soard or Fry Cave. They have an "adopt a highway" and have done three cleanups. Nashville Grotto spent most of the year on the Rumbling Falls/Spencer fight. They have also worked on re-gating Bledsoe Park Cave. In November, they celebrate fifty years as a grotto. The GSS has 87 members and is resurveying Fricks Cave for the SCCI. Dogwood City hosted the 25th annual TAG Fall Cave In. Huntsville helped gate Shelta Cave and has been working on the library commission. East TN has made contributions to Wolf River and the Rich Mountain Blow Hole gating project. They are managing New Mammoth Cave with The Nature Conservancy and having cleanups there. The Spencer Grotto has been caving and socializing.. The Smoky Mountain Grotto hosted the Summer Cave Carnival, gave $800 to the SCCI and donated to the Rich Mountain project. They are working to save Meade's Quarry Cave from a highway development project. The TN Cave Survey has been supporting the Rich Mtn project. Their spring meeting is at Sewanee on April 19th. Upper Cumberland has been working on West Cemetery Cave. Chattanooga Grotto is rebuilding and will continue to host the Munchy Stand at TAG. The SCCI has had a banner year and has more acquisitions in the plans.

The meeting was adjourned for lunch.

The meeting was reconvened at 1:45 PM.

The minutes for 2002 were approved. The treasurer's report was approved. SERA has $877.96 with $100.00 set aside for SKTF projects.

The SERA Karst Task Force reported on its' activities for the past year. They have helped with six cleanups during the year and spent all the allotted money

The chair appointed award committee members.
Francis McKinney Award: Chris Kerr, Brian Roebuck, Brent Allen;
Richard Schreiber Award: Jim Wilbanks, Holly Bunch, Curtis Ellison;
Larry Adams Landowner Award: Mark Joop, Dan Barnick and Jeannie Trowbridge;
Alexis Harris Conservation Award: Darnell Lynch, Kristen Bobo, Lee Trowbridge;

The Tennessee Central Basin Grotto reported on SERA for this year on May 16-18.

John Hoffelt reported on further efforts in the Spencer area. There has been additional dye tracing. He reported on the overflow berm at the treatment plant.

There were two grant proposals. Jack Thomison asked for $100 to help gate Rich Mountain Blow Hole. The grant was awarded unanimously.
The SKTF asked for a grant to cover the cost of a dumpster for the Stephen's Gap parking lot cleanup scheduled for TAG not to exceed $250. The grant was awarded unanimously.

John Hoffelt moved and Jim Wilbanks seconded a resolution endorsing the Library Development Commission plan. The motion was carried unanimously. A letter is to be sent to the NSS BOG asking that the NSS maintain ownership and control of the Library.

The SERA Awards Committee submitted its report. Some over the requirement that nominations be submitted before the meeting voiced strong opposition. John Hoffelt and Jack Thomison agreed to serve on the committee and report next year.


Merit Award motions were proposed and all carried unanimously:

Brian Roebuck nominated a list of persons and organizations, which were instrumental in the fight to save Rumbling Falls. They were:
Dr. Thomas Barr, Chuck Manglesdorf, John Hoffelt, Dr. Sid Jones, Chris Anderson, John Noel, Joe McCaleb, Dr. Julian Lewis, Tennessee Environmental Council, Tennessee Peers, Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association, Save Our Cumberland Mountains, The Sierra Club, and The Rumblers. Marion Smith supplied a list of the core group of Rumblers. They are: Marion Smith, John Swartz, Gary Chambers, Jack Thomison, Bill Walters, Debby Johnson, Misty Chambers, Gerald Moni, Don Reid Hunter, and Cara Chambers. John Hoffelt added Bill Overton to the list.

Jim Wilbanks nominated Dan Twilley for all the preparation work on SKTF projects during the year.

Mark Joop nominated The Blue Springs Gating Crew: Hal Love, Bill Overton and Lonnie Carr.

Lynn Roebuck nominated Bill Torode for 25 + years of service to the NSS Library

Michelle Ellison reported on the planned cleanup on Sunday.

Elections were held. Andy Porter and Mark Joop were nominated for Vice Chair. Mark Joop won a close vote. Jim Wilbanks was elected Sec/Treas by acclamation.

Andy Porter was appointed to manage the web page.

Don Hunter reported that Brian Roebuck will take over the duties of Editor for the SERA Newsletter

Brent Aulenbach reported on the map salon

Best of Show went to Terry Ragon for Glenns Hazardous Double Shot, Jackson Co,

The three remaining maps all received merit awards by meeting the required high standards:
Miss Ing Pit, Walker Co, GA by Tom Moltz
Hurt Tree Pit, Jackson Co, AL by David Cole
Lord Milo Cave, Chatooga Co, GA by Tom Moltz

Winners of the SERA Awards were as follows
Francis Mckinney: Marbry Hardin
Richard Schreiber: Mark Joop
Landowner Award: Cliff Adcock the owner of Adcock Cave, Horse Cave and Blowing Saltpeter.
Conservation Award: Kingston Saltpeter Cave Preserve.

A banquet was held in the same room as the meeting. The food was excellent. Joe Douglas presented a show on historical artifacts and evidence found in caves.

Respectfully Submitted.

Jim Wilbanks.