Friends of Taylor Wildlife Preserve
Annual Meeting Minutes
Sunday, March 16, 2016
Attendees: Mike Zickler, Jonathan, Samuel & Marion Snipes, Suzanne Day, Lily & Peter Taylor, Thomas Bujak, Michael Robinson, John Obechowski, Vince Lewandowski, Bennett Landsman, Amy Brooks.
Mike Zickler opened the meeting with a brief review of our bylaws and why a quorum of executive board members is required to legitimatize our meeting today. A quorum was present. At present our elected officers are as follows:
Chair: Michael Zickler, Vice-Chair: Amy Taylor Brooks, Treasurer: Lily Taylor, Secretary: Carolyn Bujak.
Executive Board members whose terms expired in 2015 agreed to renew. Our current EC members are as follows: Suzanne Day, Stephanie Judson, Sandy Rea, Chuck Mattern, Michael Robinson, Michael Zickler, Peter Taylor, Larry Tatum, Steve Sobocinski, Lee Colley, Kitty and Takashi Mizuno.
The minutes from our last meeting (March, 2015) were approved and are posted on the FTWP website.
Lily read the Treasurer’s report and will post the report on the FTWP website. Current holdings are $11,122 in the bank account, $30, 683 in Friends Fiduciary account. Income included $575 in dues, and a grant from the Holden Fund of $3525. Expenses of $3418 included $2849 for boardwalk materials (from 2014 grant of $2000), $450 for a generator, $321 for insurance, website cost of $119, annual filing fee of $25, and some miscellaneous costs. Since last meeting, 28 people have contributed to membership and donations.
Last years activities included unofficial cleanups by various members, our annual bird walk led by Steve Sobocinski, boardwalk trail construction, and ongoing maintenance of the berm at Plum Point. John Obechowski reported on deer hunting activities. They have a remotely operated camera which recorded much activity. Question was raised if one could be useful to help identify vandalism in the Preserve. The oil spill and cleanup by NJDEP was discussed; some additional sorbent pad and boom removal will be done in spring.
Ongoing activities- Tom Bujak has a source for purchase of more gabions for the Plum Point berm stabilization; we plan to purchase a wheelbarrow to help with that job. The Holden grant from Washington Crossing Audubon can be used for additional observation platforms, trail maintenance, or similar enhancements. Several options were discussed, and a final decision will be decided on and constructed before late fall. Use of the narrow lane was discussed, and the intention is to restrict it mostly to pedestrians. Consideration will be given to using FTWP funds for road maintenance not covered by the Water Company’s activity.
Dates for scheduled maintenance days will be proposed by email to all members, and the gardeners, and Township. It would be useful for FTWP to have access to construction equipment at times, and several possibilities were discussed, including landscaper “Gee” Morphine; Rob Cope.
The annual bird walk has been scheduled for May 7, to be led by Steve Sobocinski. No rain date was set. Participants will meet in the parking area in front of the Farm Stand and white house at 0700 AM. (**this time has been changed to 7:30am**)
The annual newsletter has been replaced by the website updates and enhanced features. Anyone wishing to contribute articles should contact Lily Taylor. The booklet produced by Joe Taylor in 1988 or so will be added as a pdf. PayPal is now available for donations, and links have been added for other organizations. The possibility of conducting additional fundraising through some sort of crowd-funding appeal was raised. Mike Zickler noted appreciation to Lily for her work on the FTWP website.
The printed material on the kiosk needs to be renewed and updated, and additional plantings, mulching and cleanup will be conducted.
We continue to maintain our relationship with the N.J. Natural Lands Trust. They have submitted a revised/updated MOA which Amy is currently reviewing.
Meeting was adjourned at 3:15 PM.
Submitted by Michael Zickler and Suzanne Day
Mike Zickler opened the meeting with a brief review of our bylaws and why a quorum of executive board members is required to legitimatize our meeting today. A quorum was present. At present our elected officers are as follows:
Chair: Michael Zickler, Vice-Chair: Amy Taylor Brooks, Treasurer: Lily Taylor, Secretary: Carolyn Bujak.
Executive Board members whose terms expired in 2015 agreed to renew. Our current EC members are as follows: Suzanne Day, Stephanie Judson, Sandy Rea, Chuck Mattern, Michael Robinson, Michael Zickler, Peter Taylor, Larry Tatum, Steve Sobocinski, Lee Colley, Kitty and Takashi Mizuno.
The minutes from our last meeting (March, 2015) were approved and are posted on the FTWP website.
Lily read the Treasurer’s report and will post the report on the FTWP website. Current holdings are $11,122 in the bank account, $30, 683 in Friends Fiduciary account. Income included $575 in dues, and a grant from the Holden Fund of $3525. Expenses of $3418 included $2849 for boardwalk materials (from 2014 grant of $2000), $450 for a generator, $321 for insurance, website cost of $119, annual filing fee of $25, and some miscellaneous costs. Since last meeting, 28 people have contributed to membership and donations.
Last years activities included unofficial cleanups by various members, our annual bird walk led by Steve Sobocinski, boardwalk trail construction, and ongoing maintenance of the berm at Plum Point. John Obechowski reported on deer hunting activities. They have a remotely operated camera which recorded much activity. Question was raised if one could be useful to help identify vandalism in the Preserve. The oil spill and cleanup by NJDEP was discussed; some additional sorbent pad and boom removal will be done in spring.
Ongoing activities- Tom Bujak has a source for purchase of more gabions for the Plum Point berm stabilization; we plan to purchase a wheelbarrow to help with that job. The Holden grant from Washington Crossing Audubon can be used for additional observation platforms, trail maintenance, or similar enhancements. Several options were discussed, and a final decision will be decided on and constructed before late fall. Use of the narrow lane was discussed, and the intention is to restrict it mostly to pedestrians. Consideration will be given to using FTWP funds for road maintenance not covered by the Water Company’s activity.
Dates for scheduled maintenance days will be proposed by email to all members, and the gardeners, and Township. It would be useful for FTWP to have access to construction equipment at times, and several possibilities were discussed, including landscaper “Gee” Morphine; Rob Cope.
The annual bird walk has been scheduled for May 7, to be led by Steve Sobocinski. No rain date was set. Participants will meet in the parking area in front of the Farm Stand and white house at 0700 AM. (**this time has been changed to 7:30am**)
The annual newsletter has been replaced by the website updates and enhanced features. Anyone wishing to contribute articles should contact Lily Taylor. The booklet produced by Joe Taylor in 1988 or so will be added as a pdf. PayPal is now available for donations, and links have been added for other organizations. The possibility of conducting additional fundraising through some sort of crowd-funding appeal was raised. Mike Zickler noted appreciation to Lily for her work on the FTWP website.
The printed material on the kiosk needs to be renewed and updated, and additional plantings, mulching and cleanup will be conducted.
We continue to maintain our relationship with the N.J. Natural Lands Trust. They have submitted a revised/updated MOA which Amy is currently reviewing.
Meeting was adjourned at 3:15 PM.
Submitted by Michael Zickler and Suzanne Day