Call to order 11:00 am at SCICON Outdoor School

Board Members Present: Donald Beaver, Savannah Brown, Michael Charnofsky, Michael Coughlin, Zayanne Gardner, Stephen Hopkins, Kate Mahon, Mark McReynolds, Kathleen Mitchell, Loughton Smith, Janice Smith, Stephen Turner, Dwight Vieira, Dara Wilkinson, Donal Wilkinson

1. Membership fees increase: Decision of the Executive Board to increase fees. Northern section discusses rationale. Board can get "stipend." "Pay" is also legal. Great ideas are usually put into the hands of one person, extra work. Newsletter is important, it costs $700.00+ for each issue. Will all membership categories be increased? Executive board consists of both Chairs, both Chairs-elect, and the Coordinating Secretary. Southern section agrees to raise fees to 8/15. Motion by Dwight on the Exec. Board to increase fees to 8.00 for students and interns, 15.00 for regular members, 30.00 for institutional, and 120.00 for life membership, to go into effect July 1st, 1998. Last newsletter will announce rate increase. Hoppy seconds the motion. Unanimous approval. Questions about life membership. Each section is independent, not transferable.

2. AEOE.org: State page? Click with two options for Northern and Southern. Central page will be shared and needs consensus. Coordinating secretary will take money out of budget.

3. Conference dates: Northern fall conference will be in Yosemite on Oct. 2-4th, 98. The Southern fall conference will be held on Oct. 23-25th, 98. The next spring conference will be held on April 23-25, 99. We will continue the state wide conference in the spring for a variety of reasons. Most outdoor schools do not have their full staff hired in time for the fall conference. Spring is also a good time for networking for summer positions. The fall conference should be announced in both newsletters. Honor each others membership fees.

4. Executive board meetings: Idea of having more frequent meetings. At least having board members attend the other section's meeting. Designate someone to attend. Next Exec. Board meeting will be at the Yosemite fall '98 conference.

5. Bylaws: Northern newsletter and the website contain conflict with each other. Dwight read the objectives from the website from April 14, 98, and the Articles of Incorporation '94. Web page needs correcting. Dwight will email purpose to board members.

6. NAAEE affiliate: As an affiliate they provide assistance for fund raising, problem solving, group insurance, telecommunications on eco net, press releases, and if there are 20+ members you get a copy of all their publications. Last time they asked us for our mailing list. Didn't seem appropriate. Donal will talk about mailing list issue with NAAEE. What will they do with it? Boards will take it to their members. Newsletter article, send in input, and bring it up at the next conference. Dwight would like information on the purpose of their organization. Donal will send info soon. There is no cost to being an affiliate. It will be an Executive Board decision to become affiliate or not.

7. State logo: Desire for state logo for new letterhead, web page, etc. Northern section has a tree. Adopt it for state logo? Motion to adopt the "Tree" as logo for time being as it appears on our cover of newsletter. Savannah 2nds. Approved.

8. Northern/Southern togetherness: In the past responsibility for keeping organization alive has shifted . Its stronger to keep 2 sections because its easier to communicate. Boundaries are formal and clearly stated. Newsletter editors are communicating well thru email. Membership fee is AEOE, section is determined by boundary. People are allowed to select section of choice. Address of AEOE is the Coordinating Secretary.

9. Coordinating Secretary position: Need someone today. John Roos is absent. Need dependable and long term person. Mark motions Kathleen Mitchell as Coor. Sec. Dwight 2nds. All approved.

10. Historian: Janice Smith will become the official historian. State wide album with pictures.

Minutes from all meetings should be sent to the other section for records.

Meeting adjourned at 12:38 pm.

Signed Michael D. Coughlin
Submitted by Michael Coughlin, AEOE Northern Secretary, May 20, 1998