Trinity Trail Preservation Association, Inc.

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

August 7, 2007

2 Choice Lane, Lucas, TX  7:00 PM

 

Board Members present:

·        Berdine Eberhart

·        Tom Eberhart

·        Charlie Gaines

·        Bonnie Guimarin

·        Kendra Lara

·        Pat Martin

·        Tracy Matern

·        Joe Wilson

 

 

 

 

Committee Members present:

·        Debbie Bourgeois

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Meeting Opened at 7:14 PM   Tracy Matern, President Presiding

 

1)      June 12, 2007 Board Meeting Minutes.

a.       Approved with corrections.

2)      Treasurer’s Report

a.       Transaction Detail by Account since 01/01/07

                                                   i.            Cost of Maintenance for Trail

1.      Water, electricity, mowing, newsletter, etc. is averaging approximately $340 monthly.  Dues money received is averaging $400 monthly.  As the trail is extended, more maintenance will be needed.  We will need to increase our membership to cover the increased maintenance cost or come up with more fund raising activities.

a.       Insurance cost was not included in the $340 monthly average.

b.      Membership has dropped from approximately 240 members last year to 190 this year.

                                                                                                                           i.      Difficult to hit/find the target market.

                                                                                                                         ii.      Business memberships have increased.

c.       Grayson Collin Electric will not give us a discount for a non-profit organization.  The monthly minimum is $35.00 at Brockdale.  TXU Electric at East Fork is $12.90 monthly – and low enough not to request a discount.

d.      Kendra will prepare a cost history of the maintenance/operation of the trail in order to forecast a budget.

                                                                                                                           i.      Web Site is $11.95 monthly.

e.       Need more members volunteering to mow the trail.

f.        Cost of printing and mailing newsletter has increased.  May need to consider other type of distribution in the future – web site, e-mail, etc.

b.      Tracy requests that every Board member review the financial reports and be aware of where our money to going to and coming from in order for all of us to make better Board decisions.

c.       Kendra can provide any type of financial report requested.

d.      As of August 2nd (not including the deposit Tracy made on the 1st) the bank balance is $27,230, a fixed asset (the cargo trailer) $2,229, Wylie Northeast Water is holding a $100 deposit.  The net income for the year is negative $1331.91.

e.       Kendra has received one Chuck Wagon report for the year. 

                                                   i.            Per Sharon Kouba there were three events and will send the report to Kendra.

                                                 ii.            Continue using the report Maggie Sico developed for reporting Chuck Wagon and Event revenue/expenses.

3)      Revision of Charter

a.       The Board elected to change the wording of the Charter as follows.

                                                   i.            Delete wording “from East Fork Park to Brockdale Park” and insert “Inc.” and “hiking”.   The first sentence will read:

“The Trinity Trail Preservation Association, Inc. was formed August 19, 1996 for the purpose of maintaining and preserving the Trinity Trail at Lake Lavon for public equestrian and hiking use.

                                                 ii.            Insert “U. S. Army” in the first sentence of the second paragraph so that it reads: …U. S. Army Corps of Engineer…

4)      Realignment of Trail Ride Chairman’s duties

a.       The administrative duties will be given to the Vice President, Joe Wilson.  They are:

                                                   i.            Prepare yearly trail ride calendar, one trail ride and one rain date each month.

                                                 ii.            Submit permit requests to the Corps at least 2 weeks in advance, and fax back signed copies when permit is issued.

                                                iii.            Notify Insurance Company and request certificate of insurance; ask insurance company to copy Tracy Matern on the certificate.

                                               iv.            If trail ride is cancelled, notify insurance company as soon as possible so TTPA will not be charged.

                                                 v.            The Welcome Committee will report to the Vice President.

1.      Put waiver/liability release forms responsibility under the “Welcome Committee Chairperson” – Ruth Blom.

2.      Ruth to inform the V.P of whom from the “Welcome Committee” will be responsible for checking Coggins and Waivers at each trail ride and event.

3.      Ruth will prepare and maintain a list of members that have signed waivers on file rather than having a new waiver signed each time a member attends a trail ride.

a.       Pat will reformat a membership list and send to Ruth.

                                               vi.            Coordinate Chuck Wagon

1.      Review trail ride dates/time/location and menu plan with Chuck Wagon.

2.      Assign Chuck Wagon help to assist with set-up, serving, cooking, and tear down (if needed).

3.      Record and maintain “Revenue/Expense Report” of Chuck Wagon.

b.      Tracy Matern has already notified the insurance company for the event on August 18th and the trail ride on August 25th and submitted the permit request to the Corp for the event on August 18th.  Joe Wilson will request the Corp permit for the August 25th trail ride.

c.       K.W. Hogue had expressed an interest in volunteering for the Chuck Wagon, but as yet has not responded to Tracy’s e-mail/phone call.

d.      This year the insurance has been paid to cover a total 16 trail rides/events.  If we go over that number the insurance company will charge us an additional fee ($45).  This is why it is imperative that the insurance company be notified if a trail ride/event is cancelled.

5)      Events Through October

a.       August 18th – Equine Dentistry Program with Mr. Valerie Bixler.

                                                   i.            Chuck Wagon – Steve and Debbie Bourgeois

1.      7:00 PM Dinner

2.      Tracy will send buying guideline to Debbie.

3.      Bonnie will make cakes.

4.      Pat will deliver Chuck Wagon to Debbie’s.

                                                 ii.            Tracy has completed notifying the Press.

                                                iii.            Bonnie will introduce the Program

b.      August 25th – Moonrise Trail Ride – Brockdale 8:00 PM.

                                                   i.            No food service.

                                                 ii.            Joe will notify Ruth – Welcome Committee.

                                                iii.            Tracy has completed notifying the Press.

c.       September 8th – Trail Ride – Brockdale 10:30 AM

                                                   i.            No food service.

                                                 ii.            Joe will notify Ruth – Welcome Committee.

d.      September 15th – TETRA Poker Ride – LBJ Grasslands

e.       September 22nd – Fun Show – Hillside Farm – 9:00 AM

                                                   i.            Location confirmed

                                                 ii.            Diana Mussett and Diana Lant confirmed as judges.

                                                iii.            Bonnie to be the announcer.

                                               iv.            Volunteers Needed:

1.      Coggins Check:  2 – 3 people 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM,

One person rest of day.

2.      Sign-In:  5 people 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM, 2 people rest of day.

3.      Ring Stewards:  rotation, 2 men to set-up jumps, trail class.

4.      Gate Keepers: 2

5.      Concession Stand:  Berdine to coordinate

6.      TTPA Table:

                                                 v.            Sign-In Table Arrangement

1.      Three tables with more space between each table.

a.       Two people to do the sign-in sheets where they will receive a card for each of their classes.  The participant will fill out these cards.

2.      Three people at the pay station.  After they pay they will turn in their completed cards.  The cards will go in an envelope for the designated class.  The envelope of cards will be taken to the announcer when the class is closed.

                                               vi.            The Judges

1.      Each will be given a clip-board with the classes they are judging.

a.       Diana Mussett will be judging the English and Driving.

b.      Diana Lant will be judging the Western and Games.

2.      There will be one judge for each class and one ring steward who will assist the judge as needed.

3.      When the class is over, the judging sheet will be taken to the announcer.  The winners cards will be taken from the envelope and the name, etc. will be announced.

                                              vii.            Bonnie will have a Volunteer sign-up sheet at the August 18th event.

1.      Volunteers:

a.       Tracy – Sign-In Table & one shift at the concession stand.

b.      Pat – Pay Table

c.       Debbie – Show Manager & Gate Keeper

d.      Charlie and Joe – morning shift at concession stand.

                                            viii.            Miscellaneous

1.      Bonnie to bring two cash boxes, Kendra will bring one (Concession, Pay Table, T-Shirt Table).

2.      Pat to bring adding machine with tape for concession stand.

3.      Need calculator for Sign-In Table.

4.      We have ribbons and numbers.

5.      Bonnie to e-mail Flyer to Berdine for Web Site.

                                               ix.            Concession Stand – Berdine will organize and determine menu

1.      Need three people for each shift:  cook, server, cashier.

2.      Need two shift with an overlap at lunch time.

3.      Charlie and Joe will work the morning shift, starting at 6:30 AM.  Tracy will work from 10:30 AM till…

4.      Tom will bring a grill.

5.      Deliver Chuck Wagon to Hillside the evening before.

6.      Berdine will have a Volunteer sign-up sheet at the August 18th event for the Concession Stand and the TTPA (Information/T-shirt) Table.

                                                 x.            PA System

1.      Tracy has contacted Sharon Berryman about possibly using her PA system for the show.

2.      Kendra has a one amp system – may not be powerful enough.

3.      Charlie to check with Bill Carmickle and Kristy Brookshire about borrowing a system.

f.        October 7th – Sunday Trail Ride – 10:30 AM – East Fork – Lunch 1:00 PM

g.       October 27th – Halloween Party – Brockdale – Ride out 2:00 PM, Contest 5:00 PM, Food 6:00 PM

                                                   i.            Debbie and Steve will organize the games.

6)      T-Shirt Bids

a.       Reviewed bids, Tracy will get one more bid before a decision is made.

7)      The Board recognized Charlie Gains, for his leadership and dedication in building the East Fork camp ground, in the form of a Bronze Plaque that will be installed at the camp ground.

8)      Status of Grant Work

a.       Camp Ground

                                                   i.            A lot of volunteers are helping water the sod at the camp ground.

                                                 ii.            Charlie has staked the location for the trees the Corp will be providing and planting.  The potted trees will be coming from TXDOT when the paper work is processed.

1.      A water “gator” will be purchased for each tree.  The 20 gallon “gator” will cost about $25 each.

                                                iii.            At the Parks Board meeting Thursday Charlie will ask the Parks Board to go to the Commissioners Court and request that TTPA be  allowed to move funds to put tops on the picnic tables which would be between $12,000 and $15,000.

                                               iv.            Once the trees are planted and the picnic table tops are done, we will turn the Camp Ground over to the Corp.

                                                 v.            The next work day is Saturday the August 11th.  Charlie will “bush-hog”, Pat will mow the smaller areas, we need two weed-eaters.

1.      We need some at the East Fork Trail Head to direct volunteer to the camp ground.

2.      Tom will put direction to the camp ground on the Web Site.

b.      Brockdale

                                                   i.            The dirt around several culverts has been washed away and needs to be replaced.

                                                 ii.            Craig Zale of the Lucas Fire Department said that Barnes Waste Disposal was picking up trash at Brockdale Trail Head when the driver saw a loose horse.  He walked about 1,000 yards down the trail to the first culverts and found a woman that had been thrown off her horse.  He called the 911 and the Lucas Fire Department came out, but she refused to be transported to the hospital.

1.      Tracy will contact Barnes Waste Disposal and find out the drivers name.

2.      Tracy will send a “thank you” letter to the driver and write an article for the newsletter.

                                                iii.            Tracy sent a “thank you” letter to Ken Baker, the owner of the herd of cows that was loose on the trail, for smoothing the trail his cows had roughed up during the wet weather.

 

Adjourned At 9:25 PM

Recorded and Submitted by Pat Martin