January 8, 2007 draft 07:39:25 AM      
Longboat Key Turtle Watch Fall Meeting Minutes December 2, 2007
Cindy Hayworth, Corporate Secretary

The Fall Meeting of the Longboat Key Turtle Watch, Inc was called to order by President Tim Thurman at 5:11 pm at The Shore.
Present: to be added

Agenda item: Broadway Beach Signs,

Cindy Hayworth reported one of our beach signs had been stolen from the beach access. The sign maker replaced it for us free of charge and the town reinstalled all the signs, also at no charge. The new installation is much more secure than the original one and better looking.

Agenda item: Website

Greg Fiore reported the annual statistics will be updated on the site. The membership email is current and available to members only. To access it the username is: LBK and password is: turtle. The website address is LBKTURTLEWATCH.COM Cindy asked if we can create a “group” such as a Yahoo Group for our discussions. Greg asked anyone with ideas for the site please contact him.

Agenda item: By-Laws

Tim extends his appreciation for the work on the bylaws. Cyndi Seamon moves we approve the new by-laws, Nathalie Treonis seconds, all approve. Now that the work is complete our by-laws committee is disbanded.

Agenda item: Lighting committee

Cyndi Seamon reports that the photos taken by the committee have been organized and titled and presented to the Town of Longboat Key, Mote and Turtle Watch. Now we will just need to update yearly for new construction or color changes etc. Cyndi expresses her thanks to Chuck for all the work he did as well as the rest of the committee.

Discussion: The Lighting committee has at least three functions. 1) Beach Photo Data Base 2) Ordinance and reporting 3) Communicating with nest neighbors. The Lighting committee will need people for each of these. Jen Beggs reported that Longboat Key was one of the first to have a lighting ordinance but revisions are needed for better language. Orville said the fist ordinance was passed in 1985.

Cyndi said we would like to have similar language to the Vero Beach ordinance.

This year the lighting committee will send greetings in the form of a note card to alert neighbors of nests near their home.
The hope is that the residents will feel some stewardship for their neighborhood nests and keep the lights out.

Agenda item: Committees

Tim asks that members take ownership of the committees. He explained that committee membership is a one year obligation not a lifetime.
He discussed the purpose of each committee and directed members to sign up.

Membership Committee

The purpose of this committee is to attract new members. Jen says that to be permitted you must attend INBS/SNBS training meeting once every two years but the requirement may get more stringent. If you didn't go to last year's training, go this year. Greg suggested the state bring someone to us for training, or that they present satellite video training.

We are invited to attend Jens meetings for Mote's turtle volunteers. At the meetings Turtle Trax DVD is handed out. Mote requires volunteers to attend a meeting in order to participate.

Nominating committees

This committee is formed at the Spring meeting.

Fund Raising committee

Some of the fund raising ideas for this year includes naming turtle nests and/or hatchlings.

Other ideas need to be explored by a committee.

Agenda item: 2007 Data Sheet Report

Nathalie Treonis presented a very organized and detailed report of our activity this year. Sadly the numbers are down. Nathalie said 4 unverified nests are considered a nest and therefore impact our success ratios.

Jen said reports show this is a record low year around the State for Loggerheads. She attributes the decline to fishing, shrimping, and gill netting. The impact seems to be on the migrating routes. She reports that the effect of disorientations on sea turtle populations is not seen for 30 years.

Agenda item: Budget

Freda presented our budget. Lucinda moved we accept it and Emmy Lou 2nds. All approved.

Agenda item: Old Business

Lucinda Hathaway read thank you cards from our camp scholarship kids. Lucinda will take charge of Scholarship committee for next year.

Lucinda asked for our approval of morning Beach Walks she will conduct. Freda moved we support the 5 morning walks and Virginia Sanders seconded. All approved.

Virginia Sanders presented a book by Gloria Glen with photos by Virginia and

acknowledgements of Orville and LBKTW. We are so proud of this work by a friend of Orville and Virginia.

Jen Beggs invited us to the February 2, 2008 Volunteer Meeting at the Keating Bldg at 9 AM.

Emmy Lou asks us to attend meeting at town to represent LBKTW in favor of the proposed fertilizer ordinance. It is the December 20 Town Workshop. Emmy Lou will email us what time.

Ray Schindewolf took a moment to honor the presence of our founder Orville. We always appreciate Orville's attendance and it was nice to take a second to thank him again for his years of work on behalf of the turtles. Thank you Orville, good to have you with us. Orville commented that he was proud to see his little group of 4 people has grown into what it is today.

Cyndi Seamon moved we adjourn, Nathalie seconded, all approved so Tim adjourned the meeting at 7:20pm