1999-11-13 ISS Meeting Minutes 
recorded by Philip  Newell  

The formal meeting was preceded by a presentation by Dr. Stan  Harris (of
Bretz and Harris, 1961, Caves of Illinois)  

President Rick Toomey called the meeting to order at 10:50 and  initiated
introductions. Attendees included the following. 
OFFICERS
President Dr. Rickard Toomey
Vice President  Diane Tecic
Recording Secretary Philip Newell 
ORGANIZATIONS
Illinois Natural History Survey: Dr.  Steve Taylor
Illinois State Museum: Dr. Rickard Toomey
Little Egypt  Grotto: Cindy Lee
Meramec Valley Grotto: Tony Schmitt
Mississippi Karst  Resource Planning Committee: Philip Moss for Joan Bade
Stygian Grotto: Philip  Newell proxy for Kevin Berdak
Windy City Grotto: Jack Wood  
Organizations not represented include: Mark  Twain Grotto, Middle
Mississippi Valley Grotto, and Near-Normal  Grotto.  

Including guests there were 19 people present.  

MINUTES 
Tony moved that the minutes of the prior meeting be  
approved as published on ISSXCHNG.  Diane seconded.  
Tony amended  to including dispensing with the reading.  
Steve seconded.  This  motion passed.   

REPORTS
Data Management Committee: 

Rick reported that  there have been no formal requests since 
the prior meeting.  It was brought up that Pat Kambesis in 
La Salle wants locations in the Jo Daviess and 
Carroll  area.  It was noted that she has been caving with 
Rock River and does good  maps. Also Steve is surveying in the 
Apple River area. The Committee will  handle these two. 

Philip Moss asked if any data had been returned yet. The answer 
was "Not yet".  Jerry Lewis had applied for cave locations in the 
Monroe  County sinkhole plain for a Nature Conservancy report. 
There is confidence that  no locations would be reported.  
Philip Moss & Diane are co-authors.  Philip Moss explained 
that Global Rarity is ranked on a scale from G1 to G5  (rarest). 
This report doubles the number of species that are ranked G3 
or higher  in the Monroe County sinkhole plain. It does not even contain
dot maps.  It has not yet been published. 


 OLD BUSINESS 
 1) Affiliated Organizations:   
The ISS offered an affiliate position to the KCI.  The  KCI will address 
this in their board meeting this afternoon.  

Philip Moss moved to offer affiliation to the IDNR Karst  Working Group in
lieu of individual agency memberships. Tony  seconded.  In discussion it
was pointed out that the group has no official  status.  
Steve moved to table the discussion.  Diane who chairs the  group 
seconded.  Philip Moss offered to  withdraw his motion.   The motion 
to table passed with 2 abstaining.

 Rick asked if there are other groups that should be addressed.  Philip
Moss suggested Rock River. Rick will contact  Patty Kambesis. It was noted
that Matt Nelson leaving area in May. Steve brought  up Lincoln Hills. It
was noted that Vern is no longer available. Sub-Urban in  Chicago has
expressed interest but is not attending. The US Forest Service  (Mike) was
mentioned. 
Stan brought-up that the US Forest Service is  beginning revision of its
plan and that Skip Starke will be the new Managing  Director. There was
discussion. 

Philip Moss moved that the ISS send a letter  to the Forest Service 
offering to assist with development of the plan.   
Philip Newell seconded. The motion passed with 6 yea, 0 nay, 
and 1 (Taylor) abstaining.  

2) NSS affiliation: Rick will address this  opportunity. 

3) ISS Publicity & communications  General satisfaction was expressed with
using ISSXCHNG as the  primary vehicle.  Philip Moss asked all to copy
Steve Widowski of  the US Forest Service on postings to ISSXCHNG because he
has an email  address that the list server does not accept.  

4) Current status of ISS computerized databases: There is  development of a
front-end. Steve donated the existing. Joel Laws will do an  Excel to
Access conversion.  

5) Call for maps and data: 
 Stan Harris gave his information to Jack White. Steve  will follow-up
because he lives nearby and going to Mexico with Jack.   Tony related that
he brought-up the files at an MVG meeting  and nobody was interested. The
focus needs is on maps.   

Steve movd that he  & Philip Moss will cooperate to get the maps in
progress. Philip stated that he would be happy to cooperate. Cindy offered
to help too.  Steve withdrew the motion.  The subject will be  addressed ad
hoc.

Suggested sources of maps
  Howard Siebert's son says he has a drawer of maps. 
Mike  Tatalovich in FL has maps. 
There are maps in San Antonio, but the owner is in  Alaska. 
Waterfall Cave map? 

Philip Moss announced that he has Nature Preserves  
permits to map in Stemler Woods & Fogelpole that he is not 
renewing. 

Moss  explained that he and Schmitt were mapping in 
secret cave 69 when a ledge broke  twisting his knee.   

NEW BUSINESS 
1) Suggestions to help Kentucky which  is about to try to start a 
Speleological Survey: There will be a  KY Cave  Survey meeting 
in Lexington next weekend. Toomey will attend representing  
both CRF and ISS. 

2) Teaming with Wildlife: The National Wildlife Federation  issued a
request for support of CARA. The ISS signed-up. Now the plan involves
offshore oil revenue from federal land within 200 miles of the shore.
Illinois  will benefit because it has a deep port in Chicago. A letter went
Nov 1 to  the President and to Congress.

3) The agenda was suspended for 20 minutes for open discussion  including
the audience on topics of general interest to the ISS and its  cooperators.  


NEXT MEETING 
Steve moved that the next meeting be held in Waterloo.  
Rick seconded.  
Philip Moss amended the motion to  include 10 AM on April 9.  
The amendment was accepted as  Friendly.  
The motion was approved unanimously.  

Tony called for a round of thanks to Cindy for the room,  party, and cave
trip, and to Moss for arranging the presentation by Dr.  Stan Harris.
Cindy provided directions to the "mini-MVOR" at her place  later in the day.  

Philip Moss moved to adjourn.  Steve seconded.  
The  motion passed unanimously.  

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 created 11 April 2000, last modified 3 January 2002