Oregon-California Trails Association

KANZA Chapter

 

Minutes

March 13, 2005

 

President Don Cooper called the meeting to order at 2:10 p.m. at the Blue Rapids Community Center Meeting Room, Blue Rapids, KS.

 

Twenty-seven members signed the attendance sheet.

 

MINUTES

The minutes of the February 13, 2005 meeting were made available for everyone to read.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

Marian Bradley, Treasurer, submitted a written Treasurer’s Report.  Don Cooper reported that National, as the umbrella organization, must ask individual chapters to provide full disclosure of financial dealings in their record keeping in order to maintain the “not for profit” status with IRS.  Jim Bradley asked who submits the tax returns for our chapter and do we have a Tax ID Number.  It was a consensus that the chapter uses the National Tax ID Number.  Don Cooper stated that the National liability insurance does cover the chapters.  The Treasurer’s Report was accepted by consensus.

 

OLD BUSINESS

Ernie White reported on the preservation of the Louis Vieux Tree Historical Site.  He and others met with the Pottawatomie County Rural Preservation and they are favorable of doing the project.  Rodney Biesenthal has sent a letter to the landowner, Ms. Susan Shoemaker, requesting her consideration of a long-term lease.  Dave Welch, National Preservation Officer, has also sent a letter of support for the project.

 

Don Cooper reviewed upcoming meetings and programs.  The April 10 meeting will have a Gateway Chapter member in attendance to provide information on areas where our chapter can help with the 2006 National Convention in St. Joe.  Arleta Martin reported that she and Ken Martin are heading up the workshops and will also help with tours. 

 

NEW BUSINESS

Glenn Larson and Pat Keegan will attend the GPS Training in Salt Lake City, although Glenn may have a job-related conflict that will prevent his attendance.  Pat Keegan will substitute for Arleta Martin, who was previously reported as attending.

 

Della White reported the KANZA Chapter had received an invitation from Paul Bahnmaier, President of the Lecompton Historical Society, to make an OCTA presentation to their membership meeting held at the Lane Museum at Lecompton, KS.  She requested interested members to help with the program and for photos, slides, and materials be submitted to her to be used as part of the presentation.  Della along with Alicia Keegan and Marian Bradley will organize the presentation.   A date for the presentation will be announced at a future meeting.

 

Della White introduced KANZA member and granddaughter, Whitney Henry, who attends Rock Creek High School.  Seniors must complete an Exit Project in order to qualify for graduation.  Whitney will do her project on “Hardships on the Oregon Trail.”

 

Alicia Keegan has invited area teachers to attend our chapter meetings in order to make them more aware of local trail history, OCTA, and its mission.  


Don Cooper reviewed the highlights of the OCTA Chapter Presidents Meeting and OCTA Mid-Winter Board Meeting held in Denver March 3-6, 2005:

  • A review of the current organization of OCTA was discussed with the help of an Organizational Analyst from Pennsylvania.
  • Emphasis was placed upon the organization being an all encompassing group - - not a non-connected group of chapters - - with all the trail preservation efforts being focused on a common goal.
  • Chapters must maintain and provide National OCTA with an accounting record of all financial transactions in order for the organization to maintain its “not for profit” status with IRS.
  • A proposal to establish a new membership dues collection system that would include both chapter and national dues being paid to National with National reimbursing chapters as often as monthly.
  • The by-laws were reviewed.
  • The Preservation Committee worked on developing what they thought to be necessary arrangements to focus upon the purpose of OCTA.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Don Cooper reported that all chapters have been invited to attend the Nebraska-Iowa Chapter Spring Meeting in Nebraska City, NE at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, April 9, at the Lewis and Clark Interpretative Center.

 

Yvonne Larson will present her program “From the Skin Out” to the Gateway Chapter membership meeting to be held at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 19.

 

Don Cooper stated that John Atkinson, Gateway Chapter President, reported at the OCTA Mid-Winter National Board Meeting on the progress made for the “Parting of the Ways” commemorate site at Gardner, KS.  Atkinson is the representative for the Santa Fe Trail Association along with other representatives from National Park Service, OCTA (Vern Osborne), KDOT, Kansas Historical Society, and local historical societies to discuss the site selection and planning of the project.  It is hoped that the design used for this project will serve as an example for future projects.

 

The KANZA Chapter was invited to be an overnight “host” for the Ezra Meeker Society’s excursion over the Oregon Trail on their way to the 2006 National Convention held during August in St. Joe, Missouri.  More information is needed, but the membership was in consensus of accepting the invitation.  A committee was formed of the following members:  Jack Haller, Charlie Weickert, Carol Osborne, Dwaine Iles, Yvonne Larson, and Arlene Hopkins.

 

Jim Bradley suggested that the chapter newsletter could be sent electronically to the membership, thus saving printing and postage expense.  He asked anyone who is interested in receiving the newsletter electronically to contact him with the appropriate email address.

 

Arleta Martin explained the importance for the membership in attendance to sign the attendance record document.  She also reminded members to report their time and miles expended on OCTA projects to Ken Martin.

 

Charlie Weickert reported on a communication he had with a Marshall County farmer who wanted to be able to farm over an area that had, at one time, been set aside as a pioneer cemetery.  Charlie was able to convince him to leave the cemetery in its original state.  Carol Osborne suggested a thank you letter be sent to the farmer for his effort in preserving local history and have everyone in attendance at the next meeting sign the letter.

 

ADJOURNMENT

The next meeting will be at the Catholic Church in Baileyville on Sunday, April 10, 2:00 p.m.  The meeting adjourned at 3:33 p.m. 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Barb Pretzer

Secretary