ICS Meeting Minutes: 

Meeting: 12-12-05 at the home of Nick and Carita Noe

Dave brought the meeting to order at 7:50 PM.  Bruce mentioned a minutes correction.  Bruce, Ray Sheldon, Gary Walker, Keith Dunlap, and Kevin Wools are all doing HNF work. 

County Director Reports

Randy Jackson said he’s got report forms on the web and on paper but hasn’t had time to work on them.  Brian said all his online and paper forms are done and he’s about ready to delete the records from the online database.  Rob’s online reports are done.  He’s got information for Tom Rea but Tom didn’t attend the meeting.  Dave has all his online report forms caught up and deleted. 

Bruce said the index number is fixed.  He passed out an archivist report.  All 433 online report forms are now in the archive.  They are mostly corrections.  Bruce then gave the HNF report stating that they found 10 locations in Tincher Hollow and visited 132 locations.  The entrance photos are linked into a spreadsheet.  Keith mentioned that the IKC and ICS were awarded a plaque for its partnership with the forest service.

Old Business

Dave reported on the IGS.  The IGS worked with BHE to complete Karst studies along I-69.  Dave received the Monroe county information.  Dave shows every a huge stack of papers.  They aren’t ICS report forms but they have the same information.  Dave wants these to be considered ICS Report forms.  No one objected.  The IGS documented the caves that they couldn’t find.  Karst features and holes were also included.  Dave plans to enter karst features into the database.  Dave put his ICS number on each form. 

Bill Baus moved to consider the forms ICS Report forms.  Rob seconded.  No one objected. 

New Business

Jerry Litaker has asked for Green County from Dave so Dave ask how to transfer county directors but decided to defer conversation until a later time. 

            The Yahoo Group is set up.  Only Steven Collins and Ray didn’t want to be on it.  Keith thinks that emails should be BCCed to everyone.  The Yahoo Group calendar comes with advertisements.  Keith’s email program flagged the email for containing active content.  Bill Baus receives all the messages multiple times.  Dave only gets one rather than three even though he’s on multiple list.  Dave commented that the Yahoo group has a files area which has a hidden link.  Dave asked the group if we should put the ICS Notebook in the yahoo area.  Jim wanted to post the Notebook in the members section of the ICS website.  Mark Deeble questioned why not let everyone access the notebook.  Bill Baus worried that his contact information might be posted online.  Jim thought the newsletter is a perk or membership.  Bruce questioned whether exact articles from the notebook should be posted and pointed out that it’s difficult to find caves using only the ICS notebook articles.  Dave doesn’t think the notebook is a perk of membership because anyone can access it through grotto libraries.  Dave wants to publish the notebook on website without sensitive information.  Keith questioned whether very many non-ICS members would look at it.  Keith wants a hidden link so that web crawlers can’t access it.  He would also like the link posted in the members only section so he doesn’t have to look for the link.  He thought keeping the Notebooks there creates a good online archive. 

            Bruce brought up the topic of paper versus an electronic version of the newsletter.  Free copying is over; it now cost money to produce newsletters.  Bruce began calculating printing cost assuming that Keith will continue to produce the color covers.  We send the newsletter out to about 50 members.  He thought we should print 50 with 5 extras costing $53.85, $216 a year.  We receive $260 in dues from members each year.  Bruce turned his printing cost in to Keith.  Mark Deebel doesn’t mind receiving an electronic copy.  Randy Jackson prefers paper.  John didn’t think that Ted Wilson needed a paper copy.  Mark Sparks wants an electronic copy.  Bruce commented that we could send out the archivist report with the electronic copy.  He also thought we should eliminate the roster if its an odd # page meaning the page before is blank.  Randy asked if the archivist report is online and Bruce said it is.  Someone mentioned that the link to the newsletter should have a consistent naming convention. 

            Keith asked the ICS if it wanted to help Bat Conservation International find old Indiana bat caves.  BCI has money to fund the project.  Keith said BCI wants to identify 12 – 25 caves that show evidence of having good Indiana bat potential and provided Saltpeter caves as an example.  He assumes the ICS will share its information.  BCI is looking for volunteers or paid employees to look at potential bat caves.  It will pay $10,000 in compensation for 2-3 weeks of full-time, field work.  It’s necessary to check the caves in the winter time.  BCI is looking for a cave temperature of 3-8 degrees Celsius; most caves are 12 degrees C.  Volunteers will also look for guano stained walls.  The organization hopes to find 2-3 caves with good potential and improve them for bat use.  Dave said the ICS should help by providing the required information.  Dave isn’t opposed to providing statewide data.  Bill wants to provide whatever information that we can though he’s skeptical that we have useful data.  Dave wants to work with Keith to collect the data.  We won’t began enlisting volunteers until BCI figures out what they’re doing.  Bill moves Dave and Keith be authorized to provide reasonable information.  Bruce seconds.  Approved.  Bruce ask that we solicit information back from BCI afterwards. 

            Mark Sparks talked to Bernie Zacolski about receiving back issues of the NSS News.  Mark commented that the Arcview grant acquisition process isn’t that hard.  Mark Sparks has received a student license already.  It will be very easy to import the ICS database into Arcview.  Mark passed around example cave location maps.  Dave asked if we could obtain an agreement that will license a specified number of machines to use the software.  Mark will check on that.  We could possibly used internet software.  Mark stated that we needed Arcview software with the 3D analyzer.  Dave thought Mark should look into the grant process.  He commented that we might just need one license to create layers Bruce moved that Mark began writing the grant proposal.  John Seconds.  Approved.  Keith mentioned that most grants require board authorization and stated that the board should look at the grant before it’s sent to Arcview. 

            Bruce said that the HNF spreadsheet is a GIS layer with scanned maps and entrance photos links.  It’s currently missing a linked text article with description.  It also needs a link to topozone.com.  Bruce has been exporting the HNF spreadsheet to topo software.  It needs a 16 south for the UTM zone.  IT also needs a 6 letter name for GPS.  GIS may help eliminate topo software.  Everyone took a food break.

            Rob stated that the online database is nearly ready.  He proposes we purchase SSL service from Go Daddy Software.  They have turbo SSL services for $19.95 a year.  Once the service is in place he’ll add the certificate.  He’ll need a breakout and 2 weeks later it’ll all be online.  Then the CD will approve online report forms as they’re submitted.  Rob said we’ll be able to access data through a browser like we do now.  We won’t be able to build custom reports but rob can build them for us.  Bill moved that Rob go ahead and buy the SSL service.  Randy seconded.  Approved.  Data will eventually move to the members only area but members won’t be able to edit the information.  The report form database will be gray and the main database will be blue.  You will be able to create a replica offline that can sync with the online database.  Bill wants somebody else trained to be work with the database in case isn’t available.  Rob said he will train someone how to work with the online database.  Rob will send out an email to get CD breakouts.  The online database will be up and running by march.  Rob wants the online report forms database cleared before the transition.  Keith asked if Rob had figured out how to add the indexes to map files.  Rob hasn’t. 

            Keith has 1,000 our of 2,000 maps scanned and completed.  Keith thinks there should be one entrance photo per entrance.  Mark asked what to do if the maps were larger than 8 x 11.  Keith said he scanned them in full size. 

            John Benton suggest another non-alcohol location in Crawford county for the next symposium site.  Dave would be glad to organize speakers again.  It was suggested that Milltown is free.  Bill said Easter is on the 16^th of April.  Earth day is the next weekend.  We don’t want to conflict with NVOR.  The Symposium was on April 30^th last year.  We may have the Symposium on the 22cd, Earth Day.  Bill suggest the 22cd.  Approved.   Milltown works well as a location.  The HNF office in Bedford is also an option though the meeting room may not be big enough.  Camping is available nearby at Sullivan.  Blue Spring provides a pay, in-cave facility.  Dave will look into locations and get back with us.  Keith will purchase food.  Mark Sparks has a grill. 

            Keith gave the treasurers report.  As of 9-30-05 the ICS had $2,950.  Keith will be collecting dues at the end of the meeting. 

Elections

            Keith nominates Dave Everton as president.  Dave is approved.  Rob nominated for Vice President; approved.  Dave nominates Brian for secretary – Approved.  Bill nominates Keith for treasurer; Approved.  Randy Jackson and Bruce Trotter were both approved as board members. 

            The next meeting will be at Bruce Trotter’s house in Columbus on 3-13-05.  Meeting adjourned at 10:16 PM. 

{Secretary's Note: These minutes have not been approved. Members present at the meeting may send corrections to the Secretary.]

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