DSROA Board of Directors

Minutes

Date of Meeting:     December 10, 2005

Location:                Skywest Airlines office, St. George, UT

Board members present:  Candice Bosze, Larry Clarkson, Shawna Cox, Val Cram, Larry Walters, Dale Clarkson, Phil Hall

Others present: Barbara Button, Brent Fullmer, Klen Brooks, Ken Lent, Joe Bosze, Bob Becker, Taylor Button, Carol Walters.

Meeting was called to order at 10: 05 AM by President Bosze.

Minutes of the November 26, 2005 meeting were reviewed and corrected. Shawna moved they be accepted as corrected. Larry Clarkson seconded the motion. All approved.

It was noted that the cost of the water system reported in the previous meeting did not reflect expenses for the acquisition and installation of the 40,000 gallon water tank which had occurred in previous years.

Finance report: the current checking account balance is $23,902.28 and the capital improvement fund balance is $9,593.07.

Manager’s report:

• Barbara reported that we have received the donation of a 20 ft by 20 ft walk-in refrigerator which we will use as a new shelter for the generator. 
• The mold board on the grader is broken and may need to be replaced rather than repaired. Price and availability are not known at this time. Larry Clarkson will check on the possibility of repairing.
• Repairs to Red Reservoir were discussed. Immediate repairs have been made and water is flowing through the headgate. Kent Lent stated that he will contribute $200 toward repairing the reservoir. Dale raised the question of the purpose of the reservoir and indicated that he considered the purpose to be esthetics and floor control. Extensive renovations are neither practical nor necessary. Shawna moved that we not spend any more money on the reservoir until Larry Clarkson can review what has and still needs to be done. Val seconded the motion, and all approved.
• The road to the 40,000 gallon water tank has been graveled, and culverts and cattle guards cleaned out.
• Shawna will provide I-beams for new cattle guards and Joe Bosze will weld the guards.

Budget discussion: Larry Walters presented a handout (see attachment A) discussing the definition of a capital improvement expenditure and suggesting that a capital improvement either adds permanent value or capacity to the ranch, or represents a major investment that will extend the useful life of a ranch asset. With this concept in mind, the board continued to review the base expenditure levels presented in the last meeting. Phil Hall moved and Larry Clarkson seconded the approval of the following operating budget levels for 2006. The motion passed unanimously.

Expense category	Approved 2006 Budget
Cabin maintenance	$ 8,300
Cabin supplies	2,000
Laundry	1,500
Propane	6,500
Store supplies	1,500
Bankcard merchant fees	900
Petting zoo/misc feed	550
Fuel, Non-road use	3,000
Tractor/grader repairs	2,600
Tractor payment	6,400
Horse tack/Feed	2,000
Insurance-Horses	4,200
Veterinarian/Horse shoes	1,700
Admin/Management	7,200
Web site maintenance	1,200
Management Fee	36,000
Crop management/erosion control	400
Fencing materials	1,200
Grazing fee expense	300
Auto expense	6,000
Headquarters area	3,000
Telephone/Trash	2,200
Tools	750
Legal counsel/recording fees	1,500
Liability/property insurance	6,000
Printing & postage	1,250
Office supplies	350
Bank service charge/interest paid	10
Miscellaneous	700
Tax: Federal	250
Tax: Property	6,200
Tax: State	200
Contract services	8,000
Culverts etc	1,000
Signage/maps	150
System maintenance & repairs	750
Fish & supplies	1,000
Total expenses	$126,760

(Note: with the estimated income figures tentatively approved at the November 26 meeting, the budget was out of balance by $1,460. When this was discovered in preparing the mailing for members, board members were polled and $1,500 in estimated wildlife income was moved back into the operating budget from the capital improvement budget)

At the January meeting, the Board will consider proposals for specific projects and new approaches for horseback riding, cabin utilization and capital improvement projects.

DSROA program: Dale raised concerns about cabin utilization and suggested improvements could be made in the reservation system and through a more effectively designed access system that would make cabins more widely and more readily available. The horseback riding program was also discussed briefly. The President requested that board members come with specific proposals in these areas.

Barbara Button raised the possibility of arranging for one or two retired couples with RVs that like to stay in an area in exchange for hours donated for work. Barbara feels that we could get two couples to work 20 hours per week in exchange for a place to park their RVs for the summer.  There is a magazine in which we could advertise for 30 day to 120 day contracts with a bonus of some sort for the couples if they truly last the whole time.  We would need to state very clearly what skills we are looking for (i.e., carpentry, yard work, laundry responsibilities, cabin cleaning, plumbing skills, social scheduling, Dutch oven cooking, etc) The ad in the magazine would state that it is in a rustic remote area without electricity.  Water would be furnished and so would a sewer hookup.  Barbara believes it would not be hard to connect a sewer hookup into the existing Garden Cabin septic system and another one into the Ranch house septic system.  One RV could be parked behind the Ranch house under the large tree and the other RV could be parked just inside the Garden Cabin driveway gate on the mowed weeds.  Thus both RVs would be close enough to HQ for them to keep an eye on arrival of guests, the store, and to answer questions of travelers.  These RV couples could also help with the cleaning, yard work, and minor maintenance jobs. Phil Hall moved that we pursue this option and place an ad per Barbara’s suggestions. Barbara will notify the Board through email of suggested wording. Shawna seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

There was discussion of the sites for the two temporary RV pads. The Board is comfortable with the two proposed locations only on a temporary basis. Shawna and Dale will come back with estimated costs and other longer term options.

Dale moved that we go ahead and purchase this year items listed by Barbara as necessary in the coming year. These included a new shower stall for the comfort station by the store, a spare water heater, a port-a-potty for the horse ride staging area and a new door for the ranch house. Shawna seconded the motion and all approved.

A brief discussion was held with Barbara on future directions for ranch staffing. There is one individual interested in providing both grader operation and wrangling services. Barbara is exploring this and other options.

It was noted that the December mailing to all members should include a newsletter with the budget as well as the invoice for 2006 assessments which remain unchanged.

Klen Brooks indicated a willingness to buy one or more horses and keep them at the ranch for member use.

Barbara reported that one of the ranch horses (Scout) is no longer able to be ridden and needs a new home. Larry Clarkson moved that we put a notice in the newsletter asking for any member who would be willing to provide such a home. Larry Walters seconded the motion, and all approved.

Dale Clarkson moved that the Board authorize the preparation of information on Meadow Canyon road to be included in the newsletter. This information would include a copy of the letter from Kane County outlining the improvements the county is willing to make to the Meadow Canyon road and lower Slide Canyon road, and a map showing the exact location of the roads affected. Shawna Cox seconded the motion. Dale recommended that the mailing also include information on Pipeline Canyon road. The members would then be asked to vote by mail ballot on granting an easement to the county.

During the discussion it was noted that we had received a fax from Donna Owens of the USDA Forest Service regarding our access over Forest Service property in Pipeline Canyon. Her communication indicates that there are several options for granting such access in addition to an easement. One option would be a special use permit which would allow us to maintain the road, but would require periodic renewal. Ms. Owens also indicated that her office now has funds to repair Crawford Pass road, and is considering the best strategy for such repairs.

After some discussion, Dale made a substitute motion that the Kane County proposal be placed before the membership for reconsideration in January, 2006. Shawna Cox seconded the motion. There were four votes in favor and three opposed.

President Bosze led a discussion of member committees and Board assignments on those committees. The role of the Oversight committee was discussed briefly. Dale raised concerns about assigning Phil Hall to the Legal Code Review and Rules & Regulations committees, and it was agreed that Larry Walters and Phil Hall would trade assignments. The final committee assignments are included as an attachment.

President Bosze then discussed the responsibilities of Board members and the need for engagement, follow through and good communication.

The next Board meeting will be held in Mesquite, NV on January 28 at 9:00 AM (Pacific, 10:00 AM Mountain). The location will be arranged by Larry Clarkson.

Shawna moved the meeting be adjourned and the meeting ended at 2:50 PM.

Committee Chairmen and Board Representatives for 2006

Cabin Committee

Board Rep: Larry Clarkson

Chairman: Ken Lent, Joe Bosze, George Strain

Capital Improvement Committee

Board Rep:  Larry Walters

Chairman: Taylor Button

Equipment Committee

Board Rep: Larry Clarkson

Chairman: Brent Fullmer and Joe Bosze

Farming Committee

Board Rep: Val Cram

Chairman: Brent Robinson

Financial Audit Committee

Board Rep: Phil Hall

Chairman: Nyle Willis

Fund Raising Committee

Board Rep: Val Cram

Chairman: Vance Green

Historic Buildings

Board Rep: Val Cram

Chairman: Larry Murphy

Insurance Committee

Board Rep: Phil Hall

Chairman:

Legal Code & Rules/Regulations Review Committee

Board Rep: Larry Walters

Chairman: Ron Maehl

Recreation/ATV Committee

Board Rep: Larry Clarkson

Chairman: Bill Brockbank, Rod Johnson and Greg Burk

Road Committee

Board Rep: Candace Bosze

Chairman: Brent Fulmer

Social Committee

Board Rep: Shawna Cox

Chairman: John and Deb Martine, Sergents

Oversight Committee

Board Rep: Candace Bosze

Chairman: Ron Maehl, Bob Becker, Barb Dawes

Water Rights & Development Committee

Board Rep: Dale Clarkson

Chairman: Bob Becker, Vance Green

Wildlife and Resources Committee

Board Rep: Larry Clarkson

Chairman: Larry Baer, Klen Brooks, Ken Lent, Rod Johnson, Fred Searle

Ranch Area Representatives

Assigned Board Member

Lower Ranch

Larry Baer & Dave Kudel (Freddie Dunn)

Johnny Brown

Lee Bellar & Kathy Pierce

Meadow/Broad Hollow

Sonny Strain & Brent Fullmer

Crawford West

Klen Brooks & Ed Belinski

Crawford East

Joe Bosze & Dan Wirt

Pipeline

Nyle Willis & Dale Clarkson

East Slide

Nyle Willis & Larry Walters

West Slide

Ken Lent & Greg Burk

Lower Slide

 Shawna Cox

Airstrip

Phil Hall