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SERA Winter Business Meeting '98

Minutes for the 1998 SERA Winter Business Meeting

Morning Session:

The morning session was called to order by Chair Brent Aulenbach. Thirty cavers, representing over 20 organizations within SERA were present and briefed everyone on their activities for the past year. Following the introductions, Butch Feldhaus, Chattanooga Grotto, presented a slide presentation on the NCRC training program.

Afternoon Business Meeting:

After calling the meeting to order, Chair Brent Aulenbach did a roll call of all grottos and organizations present. Twenty-three organizations, representing grottos, surveys and project groups, answered the call.

The minutes to last years meeting were approved without any changes.

Next, Michael Gilbert, Chair of the Central Alabama Grotto, presented a summary of the 1997 SERA Summer Cave Carnival. He noted: 742 t-shirts were printed, including 642 for attendees; the SpeleoSpa, rented from the TAG Spa Association, was worth the rental; the band played on into the night, despite the rain; the fireworks were a big hit; and thanks to Raccoon Mtn. Caverns for keeping the campground open for those involved in the McBrides rescue.

1998 SERA Summer Cave Carnival Chair John Hoffelt then gave a presentation on the upcoming 47th Annual SERA Summer Cave Carnival, to be held at Cordell Hull Lake, near Smithfield, TN. There will be a guidebook with directions and a number of led trips; the Spa Association will be providing the Spa again; there will be a vertical contest, a munchie stand and a continuous slide show after dusk. Gerald Moni is in charge of registration. Chuck Manglesdorf took the floor and said there would be a equipment and techniques seminar on Saturday morning where distributors, manufacturers and vendors could demonstrate their products.

Following these presentations, Chair Aulenbach visited the order of first refusal for the next WBM and the Lost Mountain Cavers, next on the list, indicated that they would be hosting the 1999 WBM in the Atlanta, GA area, date to be announced.

Executive Reports:

Chair Aulenbach welcomed everyone and presented the Treasurer's report for last year. Vice-Chair Hunter spoke as the editor of the SERA Newsletter. He expressed appreciation to those that responded to his earlier request on TagNet for material and told everyone to be looking for more request this summer. Chair Aulenbach indicated that he was glad we were back on track with the newsletter and that he had little more to say.

Old Business:

The floor was opened to discuss old business. The only old business discussed was April Obderling's Scotts Gulf project. April was not in attendance but she did send a message to be read to the group. Basically, the project is on hold at this time while sensitive negotiations continue among all parties involved. She asked that all refrain from public criticism of Bridgestone at this time while issues remain to be resolved.

New Business:

Roger Haley, Huntsville Grotto, thanked everyone for coming and provided details for the pre-Convention camp that the Huntsville Grotto is sponsoring. It will be limited to 80 people and all proceeds will go to the SCCI. Volunteer trip leaders will get in free.

Bill Stringfellow, representing the DCG Fall Tag Cave-In Advisory Board, briefed everyone on new rules for this years Cave-In. These include: absolutely no dogs: no ATVs, no open fires in the field camping areas; and primary registrants must be NSS members and can have up to four guest per primary registrant.

Brent Aulenbach pointed out that there was no photo salon this year, mainly because last years organizer, Marion Ziemons, was not around this year to do it. He asked for a volunteer to take over the task for next year and Dan Barnick agreed to either find someone or do it himself.

Jim Wilbanks, Chattanooga Grotto, discussed the property boundary survey for the SCCI Fox Mountain Preserve and asked for volunteers to help on upcoming weekends.

Roger Haley, Huntsville Grotto, took the floor and brought up the subject of the upcoming CaveStock event at Smokey Caldwell's farm in Lafayette, GA. After much discussion, with input from Brent Aulenbach, Gerald Moni, William Shrewsbury, Jim Wilbanks, Richard Blackburn (who stated unequivocally that the Lost Mountain Cavers did not endorse the event), Scott Fee, Bill Stringfellow, Helen Galloway, Cecile James, Mike ??, Kenneth Huffines, Dan Barnick and Marie (Clair?), it was decided, by a near unanimous vote (all in favor except for one against and one abstaining) that SERA issue an official statement regarding the event. After discussion on the wording the following statement was approved:

"The Southeastern Regional Association does not endorse the event to be held in April known as Cavestock."

Jim Wilbanks, Chattanooga Grotto, made a motion that SERA purchase an acre of the Fox Mountain Preserve. This motion was passed.

Scott Fee took the floor to bring up the issue of the starter for Roy Whites car. It was indicated by several in attendance that enough money had been collected to buy the starter and have extra money and that the starter was on its way and would be installed by the end of the weekend. The motion was tabled.

Bill Bussey took the floor and asked if it would be appropriate to establish a discretionary fund to handle issues such at Roy White's starter in the future. John Hoffelt took the floor and suggested that these kinds of things should be handled locally. The matter was tabled.

Elections:

John Hoffelt nominated Dan Barnick for Vice-Chair. Gerald Moni nominated Rob Robbins, who declined. Dan Barnick was elected as the Vice-Chair for next year.

Bill Bussey was once again elected as Secretary/Treasurer.

Last Minute Statements:

Bill Putnam thanked everyone for their support of SCCI and Bill Bussey reminded everyone to get copies of the "Guide To Responsible Caving" before leaving.

Awards:

After the meeting adjourned, the committees for the four SERA awards met and selected the 1998 recipients. They were:

Conservation Award: Southport Chronic Cavers and Rob Robbins for Hubbards Cave Clean-up and Cavers Resource Workshop

Landowner Award: Arista Gainous, Gracious Host at Glory Hole Cave, GA

Richard Schreiber Award: Brian Roebuck

Francis McKinney Award: Joel Buckner

Respectfully Submitted,

Don Hunter

1998 SERA Winter Business Meeting Notes

After a fine Chinese buffet lunch, the regular business session was called to order by Brent Aulenbach, this years Chair. All the routine business was taken care of and new business was addressed. The following items were discussed:

Michael Gilbert gave a summary of the 1997 SERA Cave Carnival, hosted by the Central Alabama Grotto and was followed by John Hoffelt, Nashville Grotto, who presented a briefing on the upcoming 1998 Summer Cave Carnival, to be held the weekend of May 8-10 at Cordell Hull Lake, near Smithfield, TN.

A pre-convention camp will be hosted by the Huntsville Grotto the Friday, Saturday and Sunday immediately prior to convention week. There will be spots for 80 people. If you volunteer to lead a trip, you can get in free.

TAG Fall Cave-in new rules: No dogs, no ATVs and no open fires in the field camping areas. All primary registrants must be NSS and can register up to four guest. Look for registration forms to go out by June.

No photo salon this year. Dan Barnick agreed to volunteer to find someone to volunteer for this job.

The SCCI survey of the Fox Mountain property is under way and in need of volunteers to help the surveyor on the first weekend in April. Anyone interested contact Jim Wilbanks for arrangements.

Cave Stock: A motion was made that SERA go on record regarding the upcoming Cave Stock event. By a near unanimous vote of all persons attending the meeting the following statement was approved:

"The Southeastern Regional Association does not endorse the event to be held in April known as Cave Stock."

Following the meeting Bill Putnam, Chairman of the SCCI presented a fine program on the SCCI at the banquet, which was also attended by folks in town for the NSS Board of Governors meeting. 100 people attended. The four annual SERA awards were given out at the banquet, but at the request of several attendees, who accepted awards for those not present, these winners will not be announced at this time so that the winners may be notified, in person, by their fellow grotto members and friends. Alan Cressler was the winner of the map salon.

Thanks to Brent Aulenbach for a great job the past year. I am looking forward to serving my stint as Chair during the year to come.

Don Hunter

During this years SERA Winter Business Meeting, four awards were given in the traditional categories. I have been withholding posting the winners of this years awards until I was certain that the Francis McKinney award winner had been properly notified. Having determined that this had occurred, I would like to announce the winners of all four awards. The following are the winners of the 1998 SERA awards:

SERA Conservation Award - This year's award was given to the Southport Chronic Cavers and Rob Robbins for the Hubbard Cave Cleanup and the Cavers Resource Workshop.

SERA Landowner Award - Arista Gainous, or Granny, as she is known, has always made an effort to make cavers more than welcome to Glory Hole Cave, GA and usually has cookies waiting for them when they exit the cave. She put her foot down, years ago, and forbade her husband from filling in the sinkhole in which the cave is located, thus preserving it for the cavers of the future.

Richard Schrieber Award - Brian Roebuck, primarily with his association with HR Cubed, was awarded the Richard Schrieber Award for his record of achievement in mapping and exploring many of the caves of the Highland Rim area in Tennessee.

Francis McKinney Award - This year the award goes to Joel Buckner. His achievements in discovering, mapping and exploring many of the major long caves and cave system of the Cumberland Plateau and other areas in Tennessee are too many to list here.

Congratulations to all of this years winners. They are more than deserving.

Don Hunter, SERA Chair

1998 Southeastern Regional Association Treasurer's Report

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