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Secretary’s Report - Green Mountain Club Northeast Kingdom
(NEK) Section Business Meeting -
Saturday August 19, 2000
By MICHAEL CHERNICK
Introduction: The Green Mountain Club's newest section, the
NEK Section, convened for its second potluck supper/business
meeting on Saturday evening August 19 at the East Burke Club
House. While the attendees, including Chris and Caroline Bechard,
Beth Dugger, Jay Collier, Mary Ann Riggie, Michael Chernick,
Daisy McCoy, Jean Haigh, Joe and Judy Anastasia, Luke O'Brien,
Jim Fearon, Dave Hardy and Edmund Guest were enjoying a delicious
array of edibles, the assembled group discussed future activities
and completed important administrative requirements in preparation
for the section's anticipated formal acceptance into the Green
Mountain Club at the board of directors' quarterly meeting
on September 23, 2000 to be held at club headquarters in Waterbury
Center.
Opening Discussion: The business meeting started with a discussion
of previously proposed activities. These include a two program
series that the section will sponsor (a lecture in December
followed by a field trip in January) that Susan Morse of the
Keeping Track Organization will present on tracking wildlife.
A second proposal is for the section to cosponsor, with the
Northern Forest Alliance, a series of talks by local guides.
These programs would occur during the winter of 2000 and Matteo
Burani of the NFA staff will take the lead in arranging the
speakers. Finally, there remained Keith Weaver's the Conte
Refuge's ranger's invitation for a hike on the refuge this
fall. The section confirmed its commitment to the Keeping
Track and local guide programs and, accepted Michael Chernick's
offer to lead the refuge hike and serve as liaison with Keith
Weaver in arranging for a permit and soliciting suggestions
for the hike's route.
Adoption of Section Bylaws: At the section's inaugural June
24 meeting, Beth Dugger distributed a proposed set of bylaws
based on the Montpelier Sections' recently adopted revised
bylaws. Beth had drafted several modifications to reflect
the smaller initial size of the NEK section. The membership
decided in June to postpone a decision on the bylaws until
the August meeting in order to afford everyone the opportunity
to review the document. Michael Chernick commented on the
advisability that the section adopt bylaws prior to the September
23 consideration by the main club's board of directors of
the section's petition for formal acceptance into the club.
Caroline Bechard questioned the three year term limit for
an individual to serve in any one office. She was concerned
that an unqualified person might be forced to replace a veteran
officer who was performing well. After further discussion,
the membership decided to retain the clause on the premise
that other persons can be prepared to assume a post, and that
after a year, the prior office holder may return to the previous
position. However, in order to ease the potential burden on
an initially small membership, the clause permitting the treasurer
to serve as membership coordinator was deleted. This was intended
to permit more flexibility for dual office holding. The accidentally
omitted position of the secretary was added to the list of
officers in Sec 4A.
In recognition of the section's geographic location outside
of the Green Mountain Range, the educational purpose was amended
to refer instead to the mountains of Vermont, a phrase that
can include both the Greens and the ranges in the Northeast
Kingdom. The membership threshold for calling a special meeting,
provided for in Sec. 9B, was changed from 15 to „10
or 20 percent of the membership whichever is greater.
Having accepted these amendments, the section approved the
bylaws with unanimity and enthusiasm Beth Dugger will e-mail
the bylaws to Sylvia as a way to encourage other area hiking
and trail enthusiasts to join the NEK section.
Election of Officers: With the adoption of bylaws, the section
proceeded to elect its first set of officers. Section President
Chris Bechard, who was elected in June opened the nominations.
The following persons were nominated to serve for a term as
provided in the bylaws of the section and the main club:
Director to the Main Club: - Beth Dugger. (Beth was designated
at the June meeting to serve in this position on an acting
basis and her nomination and election by the section officially
designates her to assume an initial 3 year term. pursuant
to the main club's (the corporation) bylaws upon the main
club's approval of the section's petition for acceptance into
the main club.
Vice President - Daisy McCoy
Secretary -Michael Chernick
Treasurer - Caroline Bechard
Membership Coordinator - Cynthia Barber
Trails & Shelters Coordinator - Luke O'Brien
Mary Ann Riggie moved that the nominations be approved and
they were ratified on a single unanimous vote.
Non-elected Positions: Jay Collier accepted the newsletter
editorship in conjunction with his previously accepted role
as the section's webmaster. Publicity duties were assigned
to Caroline Bechard.
Orleans Trails: Stan Phaneuf will be invited to present his
Orleans (town) trails proposal at the section's next meeting.
Champion Lands Advisory Council Meeting: The next Champion
Lands Advisory Council meeting will occur on Tuesday September
19 a t the American Legion Hall in Island Pond. Two trails
related issues that will be raised are the role of equestrian
and water trails and the problems associated with enforcing
ATV access restrictions.
Water Trails: The Department of Tourism and Marketing is
preparing a Water Trails brochure. Luke O'Brien reminded everyone
that there is in existence a Northern Forest Water Trail Group
headquarter in Maine. The organization's proposal includes
Vermont segments.
Burlington Free Press: Beth Dugger is writing two articles
for the Burlington Free Press on travel in the Northeast Kingdom
that will appear in a special fall foliage issue.
Northeast Kingdom Trails Work Group: The next meeting of
the group, of which NEK GMC is a member will occur on Tuesday
October 10 at the Cobleigh Public Library, 14 Depot Street
in Lyndonville at 7:00 p.m. Jay Collier will post a link on
the section's Web site to the Northeast Kingdom Trails Work
Group's e-mail group.
Aerial Overview: Beth Dugger was scheduled to take an aerial
overview flight of the former Champion lands. However, the
plane never arrived and this excursion will be rescheduled
for a later date.
Thanks to Dave Hardy: The section wishes to express its special
appreciation and thanks to Dave Hardy, Director of Field Programs
for the Green Mountain Club, who has served as liaison from
the main club to our section during its formative process.
Dave has announced that he will now step back from his weekly
involvement in the section's activities. He will, however,
continue to occasionally lead a section outing, and Dave will
serve as a key person in the main club's role on the former
Champions Lands.
Future Section Events: Luke O'Brien will lead a fall foliage
hike up Bald Mountain on Saturday October 7 at 10: A.M meeting
at the Long Pond boat access. Michael Chernick will lead a
hike on the Conte Refuge on October 28 at 10:A.M. at a location
to be determined in consultation with Keith Weaver, and that
will be announced in the newsletter and on the section's Web
site. A snowshoe hike will occur on Bald Mountain this winter
, probably in February. The exact date will appear in the
newsletter, in the Long Trail News (winter 2001 edition) and
on the section's Web site. Jim Fearon suggested the possibility
of future intersectional activities.
The NEK-GMC Section's next potluck supper-business meeting
will occur on Saturday October 28 at 5:00 p.m. at the East
Burke Public Library following the Conte Refuge hike.
Adjournment: Section President Chris Bechard adjourned the
meeting at 6:40 p.m.
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