Call to order at 7:30 pm by President Greg Gerou at the Wahpeton Community Center
Attendance: Greg Gerou, Greg Braun, Brad Edwardson, Rich Truesdell, Curt Mund, Justin Kratz, LeRoy Smith, Jerry Oren, Melissa
Schumacher, Kelly Carlson, Becci Truesdell, Brad Glarum
MSC (Kelly C., Curt M.) to approve the November 16, 2023 meeting minutes.
President Report
Review/Update/Approve the 2024 proposed budget
- There were some increased budgets to a few categories due to the costs increasing for purchasing prizes, food, etc.
- Added some new categories (ex. public relations, pass through, ammo, advertising).
- MSC Kelly C., Greg B.
NDWF Annual Convention
- Congratulations to Becci Truesdell – NDWF Sportsperson of the Year
- Financial Update – Grant funding sources. The $30,000 Outdoor Heritage Fund has provided new opportunities for the state. The NDWF has money through grants they have received that we can apply for, including habitat grant funding. There is money specifically from high school programs. NDWF received a $3 million endowment that they can use the interest toward projects outside of the endowment requirements.
Plan to purchase a laptop computer and software for the club
- Digital Guru has a laptop option including Microsoft that would be about $1,500 (MSC Jerry O., Brad G.)
- Is a printer needed? Becci requested we purchase a printer that can be used by the secretary to print out minutes and agendas and handle the mailings to people that we cannot email. If we ever have our own location it would be located there. Approved to find a good quality one. (MSC Greg B., Brad G.)
Nominations are open for the club awards until the end of the March meeting (Sportsperson of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, Lifetime Member Award, Landowner/Conservationist, Conservation Officer)
Applications are open for the NDGF Encouraging Tomorrows Hunters Grant
- The deadline is May 1, 2024. Financial support for the Fall Goose, Waterfowl & Pheasant Hunts. Must provide a follow-up report on our 2023 events to qualify for the 2024 grant. We received $3,000 previously so need to submit a write-up and photos from the fall events.
Multiple grant funding is available – If anyone is interested in taking on the responsibility of writing grants for the club talk to Greg Gerou. There are many opportunities available. Someone who knows the club well would be ideal. Grants could help us fund getting our own building.
The Building Committee met to discuss what our club needs are – further discussion to come.
Vice President Report
The 17th Annual NWT Richland Renegade Toms banquet is February 2. They have all the games and prizes ready. Jakes table will have a single shot and 22 rifles. Trying a PP board this year at $20/sq. (120 squares) that will have 4-5 pistols on it. There will be multiple prizes on each game.
- RRASC $500 sponsorship again this year ($300 sponsor / $200 to Jakes table) MSC Rich T., Kelly C.
- Two tickets draw names from members at meeting. Rich and Greg G. received tickets.
Secretary Report
Would like to meet with the President and Treasurer to clean up our Excel membership list.
Treasurer
$89,913.64
- Bills (since November) – $837.40 Daily News, Post Office $82.00, Econo (Christmas party) $52.30, Trigger Sports $690.00, Storage Unit $825, Wahpeton Chamber $180, Econo (meeting) $55.57, Cindy $90.44, Greg G. $650.56, Rich $419.65, Richland Toms $500
- Incoming – $20.76 memberships online, $40 memberships in person, $600 G&F grants
- MSC (Curt, Leroy) to approve the Treasurer’s report.
- There is also $5,400 in cash in safe for next year’s smoker start up cash
The club needs to find a different bank. The current bank charges to many fees and they have become difficult to work with. Proposed to move to First Community Credit Union. Greg Gerou, Brad Glarum, Greg Braun, Rebecca Truesdell would be listed on the new account (MSC Brad G., Kelly C.)
Directors Reports
MN DNR Fisheries & Wildlife
- They still have an outstanding balance of $1,500 to pay for the 2024 fish rearing pond payments. Cindie proposing part of our 2024 budgeted amount to MN DNR goes to help them pay this. The club gave them $500 toward this in 2023. We are going to table for further discussion.
Chahinkapa Zoo
- Donation to the Zoo for Giving Hearts Day (accepted through February 8). They have already raised their matching funds. We donated $452.51 from the smoker. We are going to wait on doing a donation until later in the year that could help support something more specific (MSC Becci, Greg)
- The zoo is looking for 4-6 volunteers to help with an event at the zoo from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, June 28. Let Cindie know if you are available to help.
General Committee Reports
Parks & Recreation
- They will be running power to Knights Shelter at Kidder Rec Area and making some campsite updates. ND G&F needs to reapply for the grant for the cleaning station.
- The safe area of the Community Center storage needs to be locked at all times because of the equipment stored in it for the Archery Group and RRASC. Greg G. has a key to get in.
- February 15 is the deadline for entity registration with the state. Brad will make sure it is done.
- The new Park and Rec website is ready. Space reservations will be held through the website now.
- Deer was shot in the archery range by golf course. Being it was in the city it was a city issue not Game & Fish
Jr. Wildlife Club
- Archery was held on November 19 and they had 10 kids participate. January 18 was air rifle and there were 8 kids. Many were new shooters. February meeting is Animal Tracking and Identification.
- We will utilize the RRASC email moving forward instead of Park & Rec (Brad) sending out the meeting notifications
Public Relations
- Zoo Boo – Melissa and Denise helped out Cindie and represented Jr Wildlife and handed out giveaways and candy
- Working on sharing hunting/fishing/activity photos on our social. Please send to the club any photos you have from your hunts, etc., or of your kids. Make sure to include some details we can include on the post. We also need photos from our events we have had in the last year to add to the website.
Air Rifle
- It appears that TJ & Mandy are not going to follow through with this. If anyone is interested in helping or taking it on, please let Greg know.
Seasonal Committee Reports
- Neil Heitkamp Ice Fishing Derby will be on February 17 at Heitkamp Pond again this year. Volunteers can contact Cindie.
Internal Club Contests
- Submissions were made for Deer – Brad Glarum 4×4. Waterfowl – Abby Carlson 1/17/24 Arkansas 9 species
New/Old/Unfinished Business
- Justin is setting up a Memorial Fishing Tournament for his dad. This would be a catfish tournament with entry fees and cash prizes (kids could participate for free for door prizes). Planning on holding early summer. He is asking for RRASC to partner on the event and would like to use our 501(c)3 status and would need volunteer help. The plan is to donate 30% of the proceeds back to our club and we could have a table at the tournament to promote the club. Also going to talk with Band of Brothers and Operation Zero. (MSC Brad G, Rich T. to use 501(c)3)
- Rich brought up that there was some issue with the company we have been using for the Smoker hog hunts. Clint bought them on the silent auction found the company to be difficult to work with and ended up purchasing another hunt with a different company. He would like us to do something to make up for this. We should for sure to a ticket package to next year’s smoker – continue this discussion in the future. Clint is a very influential part of our future youth hunts in North Dakota.
- Dave P. will no longer be doing FFL. Plan is to invite him and Katie to the Spring Banquet and present a “Distinguished Service Award”. Rich is checking into a custom knife for Dave and we need to think of something for Katie. Add this new award to our annual awards – MSC Kelly, Melissa.
- Del Hoefs makes wine and takes donations for it. He would like to make a donation to the Band of Brothers through the club.
- Smoker committee is planning to start meeting earlier to keep up with any changes to the ND gaming laws.
Correspondence
- NLC request for donation – $300 MSC Brad G., Kelly C.
- Thank yous received from Mason Miller and Chuck & Cheri Haus
The meeting adjourned at 9:27 pm.