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ISS Meeting Minutes - October 5, 1997
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ISS Meeting Minutes - 1997/10/05
Ft. Kaskaskia State Park, IL
Call to Order at 12:00pm.
Introduction of Directors and Officers
Officers:
President: Philip Moss
Vice-President: Joel Laws
Treasurer: none
Recording Secretary: Lea Claycomb
Member Organizations and Directors:
Illinois Natural History Survey - Dr. Steve Taylor
Illinois State Museum - Dr. Rickard Toomey
Little Egypt Grotto - Bob Springston for Marc
Stamborski
Mark Twain Grotto - Patty Daw for David Mahon
Meramec Valley Grotto - Jim Sherrell
Mid-Mississippi Valley Grotto - Darrol Gasawski
Mississippi Karst Resource Planning Committee - Joan
Bade
Near-Normal Grotto - Julie Angel for Dr. John
Marquart
Stygian Grotto - Kevin Berdak
Windy City Grotto - David Anderson
Reading of Minutes from 16 March 1997 meeting
Old Business
1.Database diskettes: Philip Moss reported that Aaron
Addison has the structure of the database finished. There is
no "help" option in the software so Aaron Addison
suggested a tutorial at his work in Fairview Heights. Data to
be entered while learning to use the database. Anyone with
lots of data and/or a need to know the ins and outs of the
database should attend. Meeting time will be discussedand
posted on the ISSXCHNG.
2.NSS Affiliation: Darrol Gasawski reported that we still
have not heard back from the NSS regarding affiliation.
3.Research Community Awareness: Rick Toomey
reported that the ISS web page is on hold for now and that
there was a three day Bat Conference in Muddy, IL that
brought the ISS some favorable press. At an IDNR Karst
Working Group meeting Philip Moss spoke about the ISS
and Joan Bade spoke about the 319 grant.
4.ISS Projects: Gating of Burton Cave: Patty Daw
informed us that the gating went well. The bats are using the
gate and the gate is keeping vandals out. There was talk of a
spring (after April 1st) clean-up trip in Burton cave to
remove some graffiti. Fogelpole Cave Clean-up on 2 August
1997: Jim Sherrell reported that about 20 Meramec Valley
Grotto members and Debbie Newman of the Illinois Nature
Preserves Commission turned out for the August 2nd clean-
up. The cavers went in the Main (state) Entrance of
Fogelpole and worked their way to the Keller entrance
collecting trash along the way. All told the clean-up was a
big success and a truck load of trash was dragged out of the
cave. Diane Tecic (IDNR Natural Heritage Biologist) was
present at the ISS meeting and mentioned she is working on
a 3-year maintenance schedule for Fogelpole Cave.
5.Other groups that might be interested in the ISS: Philip
Moss has contacted the Illinois State Water Survey, Quincy
Speleological Survey and Sub-Urban Grotto. The IEPA,
IDOT, ISGS and USFS are being kept in touch. Philip Moss
also announced that the ISSXCHNG, a moderated e-mail
discussion group/newsletter is up and running. Anyone
interested can contact Mr. Moss.
6.Waiver of the Database Maintenance Fee: Normally
would be paid to the Illinois State Museum Society.
Notification has been received by Rick Toomey via e-mail
that the database maintenance fee for 1997 has been waived
for the ISS. A copy of this e-mail will be forwarded to Philip
Moss so we have it in writing (sort of).
New Business
1.Proposed listing of Gammarus acherondytes: Philip
Moss reported that according to Gerald Bade (Endangered
Species Coordinator, USFWS Rock Island Office), the
comment period for the Illinois Cave Amphipod will be re-
opened Thursday, October 9 and will close again on
December 8. Apparently a larger quantity of letters
supporting the listing of Gammarus acherondytes carries
more weight than the quality, i.e. the more letters the better.
With that in mind a motion was made and resolved stating
that the ISS encourages cooperators to write letters in
support of the Federal listing of Gammarus acherondytes
and to offer sample letters to those cooperators. These
sample letters and more discussion will be posted on the ISS
exchange. Also noted was that the farmers of Illinois are
being spooked by misleading letters sent from the Illinois
Farm Bureau. IDNR sent a letter in support of Gammarus
acherondytes' listing.
2.Changes to the ISS Constitution Rick Toomey reported
that the changes to the ISS constitution (these were circulated
45 days prior to this meeting) were voted on and passed
unanimously. Copies of the new version of the Constitution
will be mailed to Directors for their use and distribution.
3.Announcement: Stemler Cave entrance added to
Stemler Woods Nature Preserve: Debbie Newman said that
as of October 28, 1997 the cave entrance on Stemler's
property will become an Illinois Nature Preserve. Access to
the cave will be permitted with prior permission from the
Stemlers. Ms. Newman also mentioned that two other
sinkhole tracts that are in the Stemler Cave watershed may be
dedicated as Nature Preserves in the future. Diane Tecic
mentioned she is going to write a proposal to make the rest
of Fogelpole and Illinois Caverns a "Land and Water
Reserve".
4.Motion by Philip Moss: E-mail will be substituted, with
organization permission, for US Mail for distribution of
minutes, agendas, and meeting announcements. This motion
was voted on and passed. Philip Moss took orders from
attending directors on their preference for E-mail or US mail.
Any representative not in attendance and preferring to receive
information via E-mail can contact Mr. Moss.
5.Report from the Data Management Committee: Rick
Toomey noted that we have a list of current holdings. Some
notable requests:
Randy Becker requested a map of Illinois Caverns, and
Philip Moss requested a map and location of Coon Pit.
6.Motion by Jim Sherrell: The ISS shall produce a
newsletter. Mr. Sherrell made it clear that he did not make an
official motion on this topic. Topic tabled for next meeting.
7.Report on IL Secretary of State filings: ($25 in
expenses incurred) Mr. Moss asked for donations and they
were given, including a generous $20 from the MVOR.
Thanks!
8.LEG publication of cave location: Report by Bob
Springston. After much discussion the following motion
was made and passed. Motion: The ISS does not support the
publication of any information that could lead to the location
of a specific cave entrance.
9.Report of IDNR working group activity: Dr. Toomey
gave a brief description of what the group is and mentioned
that Joan Bade, Philip Moss and the Nature Conservancy
were at the last meeting.
10.Motion by Philip Moss: The agenda be suspended for
20 minutes for open discussion on topics of general interest
to the ISS and its cooperators to include the audience.
Passed. There was a long discussion on Illinois Caverns.
11.Motion by Steve Taylor: The ISS shall write a letter to
IDNR encouraging them to upgrade the position of caretaker
of Illinois Caverns. This will be discussed further on the
ISSXCHNG. Also Rick Toomey is accepting electronic
data.
12.Next meeting: Around 10:00am in the Quincy area
following the post-April 1st Burton cave clean up. More
specific details TBA.
Meeting Adjourned at 1:55pm
As of April 2000, this page is maintained by Steve Taylor. Please email sjtaylor@inhs.uiuc.edu with web page comments and corrections. All other correspondence should be addressed to the ISS via the president.
Page last modified 3 January 2002