1. President Virgil Schroeder called the meeting to order at 12:00
2. Virgil led us in the Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll Call : districts 1 and 2 not present , 3-11 present
4. Secretaries Report: motion by Dan Carroll to accept the minutes of the Sept 11, 2005 meeting, 2nd by Dennis Brady. MC
5. Treasurers Report: Motion by Lee Sillars to accept the treasurers report, 2nd by Dan Carroll
6. Presidents Report:
Virgil repeated that each district needs to have someone at these meetings. The guidelines the BOD approve for the WTA events (fall rendezvous) are set in stone, any problems at the event
see Virgil. The awards ceremony at the fall rondy will start at 5:30 with the general meeting to be from 6-8 pm. The BOD meeting will be immediately after. I am continuing to watch AB131 (non-resident
bill). Mike Abrahamson and Gwen Campbell each took people out on their lines to write stories in newspapers
7. Vice-Presidents Report: Lee Sillars reported on the last bylaws meeting and asked anyone that wants to be on the committee to contact him. Jarrod Drolshagen donated a laptop to the WTA ;
Virgil will send a thank you.
8. Personnel and Finance Committee Report and Budget:
John Gillen explained how the budget was arrived at. “Copy on file”. Change fundraiser total to $16,055, add membership drive of $2500, and remove FTW line, Motion to approve as amended by
Dan Carroll, 2nd by Rick Winans. MC
9. Public Relations committee Report: Ken Kasper reviewed the meeting from this morning
10. NTA Representative Report:
Charlie Rath reported the NTA BOD approved the budget of $852,000. Charlie will get monthly finance reports. Please vote for the bylaws change as printed in the American Trapper, it
concerns the “lifetime member yearly profit transfer”. The NTA convention will be Aug 3-6th in Kansas 2006. In 2007 it will be in Goshen, Ind. Aug 2-5th 2006. The Midwest NTA conference will be March 25th
in Bloomington. The new video is 28 minutes long, recommended we order 200, with more loops and DVD’s than last time. The WI conservation congress club update will be taken care of by Gwen. The wolf
stakeholders meeting will be in Wausau April 21-22 2006 at the Days Inn Motel. The nominations for VP and Conservation Director for the NTA are now open. Gwen Campbell motions that we send FBU, via Cindy
Seff, 10 Martin Prints, 2nd by mike Abrams. MC. Check you Email for zip files, that the NTA BOD monthly minutes will be sent, from Charlie.
11. FTW REPORT:
Britney Campbell reported that new handbooks and cards have been sent, the fur sale made $115.25, we will again sponsor the kids table at the spring banquet, we will hold elections
every even year, so nominations deadline will be July 1st, elections to be held at the fall rendezvoused. The trap loan program, John Cleary donated a large amount of traps to the program. The trapping
“kits” will be aimed at muskrat/mink, they have 15 dozen traps, enough for at least 15 “kits”. She introduced Jerry Drolshagen, the new FTW advisor. Jerry recommends adding a catch pole to each “kit”. They
are up to 268 members and will hold their 2nd annual meeting and pizza /pool party at the spring banquet, starting at 12 noon on Saturday. Nominations for pres, Vice Pres, and Sec/Treasurer are now open,
send them to Jerry please.
12. WCTEP Report:
Nicki Shumaker reported there is 130 instructors now, still looking for others. Her email is wctep@mwwb.net may put a website on same site. Still need more advertisement on where trapper Ed
courses is held. There will be a banquet/instructor workshop, possible spring and fall. New instructor orientation will be at the spring and fall meetings, 9AM Saturday. Need to be sure to have cable
restraint instructions at all trapper Ed courses. 5 year service pins for instructors are in the works. Other items discussed were, mandatory education for TE instructors? A minimum age of TE instructors?
background checks for helpers?
3. OLD BUSINESS
A. Non-resident trapping bill: this is in Senator Kedzie’s desk; need to urge him gently to put this on the floor for a vote.
B. Green fur bill- will not come up this session
C. Incidental catch bill: would put $ from fur school fur to trapper ed- on Senator Kedzie’s desk also, contact his aide, Dan Johnson 608-266-2635
D. Body-grip incident report: this year known cases were in stupid places, legal but unethical, very stupid. Will use THE WISCONSIN TRAPPER to repeat this message. Discussion included increasing
fines and penalties for illegal sets? All violators need a course to be taken?
E. Gwen read a thank you from Ron Kazmierczak, NE Regional Director for supporting the CWD NE zone gun drawing. We will reprint this in the WI TRAPPER
F. Crystal Sublisky read a letter of resignation and thank you? She gave the letter to President Virgil Schroeder
14. NEW BUSINESS
A. RONDY Committee: motion by John Gillen, 2nd by Dennis Brady to approve the rondy guidelines and all changes. MC
B. Membership Drive: John Gillen motions to do a joint NTA/WTA membership drive, 2nd by Mike Schmelling MC
C. New NTA tapes: will put this on the march agenda, discussion 200 tapes, 25 loops, 10 DVDs? Would like to see the product before buying?
D. Donation to the McKenzie Center: Ron Peters motions to give the McKenzie center (after July 1st) $1000 2nd by Dennis Brady MC (will bring this to the general membership meeting in March)
E. John Gillen was at a meeting on pine martins, discussing hair snare surveys , last Thursday in Rhinelander. Wis trappers have helped a lot in the past and now the future.
F. Gwen Campbell motions that the Historians provide an article for the WISCONSIN TRAPPER two times a year. 2nd by John Gillen MC
G. Advanced Trapper Ed Course: Gwen motions/Rick Winans2nd that Ron Peters query $, where, when, ECT... MC
MOTION TO ADJOURN BY RICK WINANS, 2nd by Dan and Nicki MC
At 4:30 PM
Those signing in were:
Scott Mc Auley, Ron Peters, Mike Schmelling, Mike Abrahamson, Dennis Brady, Dan Carroll. John Gillen, Charlie Rath, Lee Sillars, Jerry Drolshagen, Earl Klippel, Nicki Shumaker, Dan Shumaker, Rick D Winans,
Russ Warmka, Brittney Campbell, Gwen Campbell, Ken Kasper, Tom Weis, Gen Eber, Crystal Sublisky
D ell?
Respectfully submitted by Scott McAuley
WTA secretary
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