Summary of Deliberations, Discussions, and Reports
AAMN Board of Directors Retreat
Held at Rancho Escondido, Kendall County
14 July 2012
[Summary Report by BoD Member Ron Tullius]
8:30
Informal native plant and bird walking tour of Rancho Escondido
10:00 Presentation
Jennifer Youngblood, Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District
Synopsis: The mission of the TGRGCD is to protect and conserve groundwater in a portion of
Bexar County and in Fair Oaks Ranch. The groundwater district is funded from fees paid by golf courses,
businesses, quarries, etc. In order to meet the requirements stipulated by the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality and the Texas Water Development Board, the district is developing a 5-year
management plan to include desired future water conditions.
The district is seeking the help of conservation-oriented groups like the Texas Master Naturalists
to educate the public about environmental concerns and water conservation issues. The area under
consideration for master naturalists is located north of Loop 1604 and includes Fair Oaks Ranch.
Landowners with larger tracts of land will be targeted.
The AAMN Board of Directors will consider a request for activity approval of the relationship
with the TGRGCD.
10:30 Presentation
David Reichert, Chairman, Media and Technology Committee
Synopsis: The current AAMN monthly newsletter contains many lists of people and events. There
is little space for write-ups, reports, event photos, etc. Questions to be considered further include the need
for a hard-copy newsletter; reduction of the current, repeating sections of the newsletter through the use
of links; what to do about members without home computer access; and re-establishment of the blog.
David will prepare a report regarding newsletter changes and present the report at the August board of
directors meeting.
11:10 Breakout committee meetings
11:30 Lunch
1:00
Whole Group Session with Standing Committee and ad hoc Committee Reports
State Representative—Ron Tullius
The annual TMN State Meeting and Advanced Training will be held October 26-28, 2012
at Camp Allen, Navasota, Texas
Outreach Committee—Lissa Martinez
Deliberations and concerns: making improvements in outreach events; evening/weekend
volunteer opportunities; chapter outreach strategic overview; member input for community outreach
opportunities; opening monthly AT meetings to the public.
Historian—Peggy York
Seeks to establish duties for Historian; public displays of scrapbooks and chapter
organizational documents will be housed in a future PHP classroom/office; chapter documents currently
housed in a binder in the storage unit.
Hospitality Committee—Nancy Brown
Training class facilitators will no longer be used—the Hospitality Committee will handle
classroom duties-members will leave after the “break;” member-provided lasagna and/or pot-luck dinners
will be twice yearly events, in January and September; committee member Sharon Kilmer will be in
charge of snacks at the monthly board meetings—snacks will be set out at 5:30 pm; there is a call for
coordination between Hospitality and Program Committees to plan member-only programs as well as
programs open to the public.
Marketing and Technology Committee—David Reichert
A second-party site has been selected as the vehicle for the Phil Hardberger Park Resouce
Guide and possible other uses.
Membership Committee—Nancy Thoss
A new person to enter member hours (alphabet letters N-Z) has been selected: Deb
Balderaz; the chapter has 228 active members in 2012; questions to ponder: how to retain members, how
to encourage immediate hours reporting for training class members, nametag possibilities for trainees, a
chapter mentor program.
Training Committee
A suggestion was made to eliminate the minimum number requirement for training
classes.
City Council District 2 Beautification Project
The money available, $15,000, is to be spent in an area with proximity to Ft. Sam
Houston; a first client, Mt. Zion Church, has been identified—the church has connections with the local
homeowners association and a nearby elementary school; plants will be purchased for private residences
only, with homeowner care for the tree/plants; final approval is pending from City Council Member Ivy
Taylor.
Alamo Forest Partnership—Lissa Martinez
City Arborist Mark Bird is the chairman of the AFP, which is participating in discussions
about open space planting for SA-2020.
Headwaters Coalition—Howard Homan
The coalition is taking the summer off before continuing with the removal of large,
invasive species in the fall.
Phil Hardberger Park—Wendy Thornton
4th Saturday presentations coordinated by AAMN chapter continue—July 28: rainwater
harvesting; SAPAR-NA botanist Wendy Cooley Leonard has been coordinating Wednesday workdays to
remove invasive species, especially Malta Star Thistle and Tall Mustard (Bastard Cabbage); there will be
no presentation in August; presentations for the rest of the year may be held on various weekends, not
only 4th Saturday.
San Antonio River Authority-Environmental Advisory Committee—David Reichert
SARA is reporting a variety of projects underway; one project is a river index public
report in the media to include water levels and water recreation possibilities.
Pictures
Photos of member activities are desired for the newsletter and the scrapbook.
San Antonio River Authority—Ron Tullius
Chapter members continue to support SARA’s REWIND program for high school
students; the next event will be held on July 25th.
San Antonio Botanical Garden—Ron Tullius
Chapter members supported junior gardener and junior naturalist summer camps in June
through presentations and volunteer help; members are also committed to support the Young Women’s
Leadership Academy to be held the first week of August.