FOLB Board Meeting Minutes November, 2011

FRIENDS OF LADY BIRD

Board Meeting – Cardinal Room at Lady Bird

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 – 5:30 pm

Present:  Leonard Bentch, Anna Marie Kluber, Jerry Fischer, Jimmy Lukacs, Ron Moerbe, Jim Drewitz, Joe Kammlah, Alan Wooley and Judy Chase.

Absent:  Betsy Nogueira, Jerald Gold, Al Bickle, Bryan Davis and Bruce Reeh.

President Leonard Bentch called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m.

Minutes were approved as published.

Treasury balance:   $1,233.02

Committee Reports:

Greens:  Alan reported that the construction documents are complete and seven bids have been sent out.  Companies receiving bids must have completed 3 golf course construction or renovation projects within the past 5 years in order to qualify for our project.

Bill Hanna has joined the staff as Head of Agronomy, a newly created position replacing the old “superintendent” slot.  His resume includes leadership responsibilities at the Austin Country Club and for the royal family of Brunei. The experience he brings to our golf course and its staff is truly an asset!  Brian Roeder has accepted the new position of golf course mechanic.  Alan briefly described new positions to be created when the course reopens in 2012 ~ 1 ½ people to handle the part-time weekend responsibility of driving the drink cart and weekday responsibilities of player assistants (starters, course marshals, etc.)

We are approximately 7 weeks away from construction!  Bids will be returned at the end of November and City Council will award the winning bid at its December 5^th meeting.

 

Greens and Grapes:  Joe Kammlah and Jerry Fischer brought us up to date on the latest developments.  Pay Pal will be available for on-line entries as of the 1^st of the month.  Dawn Gentle of Delicious Details will be firming up details for the box lunch this week.

Entry information will go out very soon and may be returned by fax, mail, or on-line. The featured wineries boast wine club membership at 30-35,000 (generally, 10% of the population plays golf), so… potential participation is great!

Jerry has tour guide training lined up and the following have indicated interest in attending:  Leonard and Sue Bentch, Buzz Roy, Mike Wuest, and Annette Lukacs.

Alan will deliver the Greens and Grapes poster to  Dietels for printing (50 copies); Jerry Fischer and Judy Chase will distribute them to local motels.

Junior Golf:  Ron Moerbe reported that 23 November will be Imel Hale’s last golf

lesson.  He mentioned that middle school students will participate next year if FOLB pays for the gas for the bus.  Ron made a motion that FOLB do so , Jim Drewitz seconded the motion and it passed.

Stink Creek:  Alan detailed the improvements being made, specifically repairing

damage caused during the last flood.  (someone offered that it already smells better).  Holes will be drilled on the bluff tomorrow to see what lies beneath; the hope is that the  bluff will support a waterfall .   Dam mix ,  rye and erosion control mats have been laid down and promise to provide added beauty to that creek area in the future!

Leonard met with Beth and Tom, biologists from Austin representing Texas Parks and Wildlife.  The state has interest in remediating creeks (extending flood plains with plants) and ours might be a fine specimen area for the state.  John Hueckstadt, Bill Lindemann and Jane Crone would be involved along with their respective groups…  Do we as FOLB want to pursue this?  We need to decide as a board  whether we promote this alliance to our general membership.

Jerry Fischer wanted to know the benefits.  Audubon Certification pertains to the environmental management of the course; it  improves the value and marketability of the course.

How should we as a board proceed?  It was decided that the board will express interest in pursuing  the Audubon Certification and take it to the membership for a vote.  Ron Moerbe made a motion that we pursue a relationship with the Texas Naturalist group; Anna Marie Kluber seconded the motion and it passed.

General Membership meeting:  Select a date in January, giving us time to advertise ahead of time.  Bag tags will be a membership premium.

Nominating Committee:  we EACH need to bring names of 2 possible board members to our next meeting.

Ron Moerbe made a motion to adjourn; it was seconded and the motion passed.

We adjourned at 6:49 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Judy Chase, Secretary