Great job on the minutes, Heather!
Very thorough and detailed. Since I couldn’t make it in January and won’t be able to make it to the Convention (I committed to a Scout group months ago to be at the Longhorn Caverns SP Project, which WILL be occurring. Sorry. Couldn’t help it!) I do have a couple of comments/clarifications shown below: Minutes of Winter TSA Business Meeting 13 January 2013 (Convened at Colorado Bend State Park, Bend, Texas) Submitted by Heather Tuček TSA Projects – (Kennedy): Overview of Longhorn and CBSP projects. Still have a couple of projects in discussion- Jim Kennedy sent TPWD info about Devils River and Pedernales, but heard nothing back yet. Jim also noted that Longhorn is not a “TSA” project. Don mentioned that issues have to do with their vendors. Something liability-wise that prevents them from working with us. There’s no liability issue or anything else going on with Longhorn Caverns SP or the concessionaires there. They and I would love to have a “TSA sponsored project” bequeathed on this endeavor. How does this happen? I suggest we submit this at the next meeting and get it approved. This is a very popular project and a lot of fun, to boot! If you’re not going to Convention, come on out the first weekend of April! New Business • Ron Ralph asked for floor. The TSA has long had an exchange program for our Texas Caver and their publications. SouthEastern Caver, The Valley Caver from the Motherload Grotto, The California Caver. Although, it seems like we haven’t held up the end of our bargain in the last year or so. I quit doing the exchange with other Grottos when I was Editor and Chairman, as I could see no benefit to membership in doing this. With printing AND postage for each issue running between $5 to $6 per issue, this was a terrible use of membership money in tight economic times. If you can prove some benefit to membership, start doing this. Otherwise, they can go to the website and read all of the newsletters they want! Ron asked TSA if they will print extra copies of Texas Caver for exchange, and mail them out. See above. A lot of extra $$. He has written a letter for the other organizations, about back issues and exchanges, offering to fill gaps, and keep them updated. Ron guesses there are about 10-20 organizations. See above. A lot of extra $$. No benefit to membership, IMHO. Jim mentioned that as former editor, he knows that we are obligated to send free copies to NSS (3), USGS, UT Library, etc. Those are just complimentary copies, not exchange copies. I was doing this. Be email. Not sure about now. Jim thinks we should target some specific organizations. He suggested Missouri Speleological Survey, or regional survey/organizations, rather than little Grotto newsletters. TSS can provide a list of organizations. Don mentioned that as editor, it was very helpful to have references of other publications to look at. See above. A lot of extra $$. No benefit to membership and if TSS wants to do this, they should pay for it, IMHO. Jim mentioned that it is a good resource of information to see at the TSS. Ron continued that, on the same vein, TC has not been publishing extra copies. Logan has no back issues from the Alman years. Incorrect. There are BOXES of old TC’s somewhere at the TSS office. I personally delivered them. There are even extra copies of the “50th Anniversary TC” there. A lot of issues with 38 pages and a few correct ones with 50 pages. A bunch were left with Michael at the Flat Creek Ranch TCR a couple of years ago. Not sure what happened to them. I do know that they aren’t at my house. So when we talk about filling in back issues, or if we have requests from our members, we don’t have the copies to fill that. Don said that part of the problem is that the editors have been pushed hard to not have any wastage in the printing process, which is why there hasn’t been an excess. Jim mentioned that bulk mailing is cheaper, This is an old, tired, and incorrect argument. You need 300 items in order to benefit from bulk mailing with the USPS. We only mail ~100. so adding these complimentary and exchange copies helps to get to that number. Heather and Ron can work together to get a list updated on the member list to have Jill mail the TC out to them. Ron recommended that we follow Jim’s advice to request an extra 50 copies for landowner, etc gifts. Don will speak with Jill about the issue. See above. 50 extra copies is $200 to $250, not including postage of around $1.50. Good use of membership fees? • LeeJay and Don discussed about how the majority of TSA members don’t do anything for the organization. Ann said that it’s because they don’t know what the TSA does. Michael remembered that that’s what the brochure was supposed to be about. Matt Turner said it’s silly to have so many cave organizations in Texas. Jim talked about old ways that the organizations were run, and how the current ones are doing better. LeeJay said it’s a responsibility of the leaders to build up their organization. Matt mentioned that there are a lot of “fun-time cavers” who want to cave, but not help with the organization. Agreed! Other than that, great job, y’all, and glad to see that the TSA is doing so well and in the black. (A HUGE hand to Michael for this, as well! I didn’t see his name mentioned and it should be in 3” headlines. Being the throttle and “financial conscience” of an organization is a tough job where you make no friends when you make difficult monetary decisions and I applaud him for his continued excellent service over the years!). Keep up the hard work, y’all! Thanks, Mark Alman – retired TSA Chairman and TEXAS CAVER Editor From: Heather Tucek [mailto:trog...@cavechat.org] Sent: Thursday, March 07, 2013 11:55 PM To: Texas Cavers Subject: [Texascavers] TSA Winter business meeting minutes Sorry it took so long to get this out to everyone! -- Go find out! -Heather Tuček UT Grotto TSA Secretary & Membership Chair NSS 59660 (512) 773-1348 trog...@cavechat.org
