Jan 2022 Last Meeting Minutes - Houston Canoe Club

Last Meeting Minutes

by Frank Ohrt

Houston Canoe Club

General Membership Meeting
November 10, 2021
Zoom

Recorder: Frank Ohrt

Commodore Natalie Wiest called the meeting to order. Officers present were Ms. Wiest, Vice Commodore/Newsletter Editor Christy Long, Purser Kent Walters, Boatswain Alice Nissen, Fleet Captain Bruce Bodson, and Recorder Frank Ohrt. Also present were Conservation Chair Tom Douglas, Sergeant-at-Arms Ann Derby, and Officer Nominating Committee chair Bob Naeger.

Ms. Wiest asked that the previous meeting’s minutes be accepted as written. They were so accepted.

Mr. Bodson gave the Fleet Captain’s report. There have been 31 club trips/events for the year, for a total of 516 miles, with seven trip leaders. The mileage leaders include Mr. Bodson, Brent Hwang, Constantin Platon, Bob Naeger, and David Portz. Trips since the last meeting, and the trip leaders, were:

Oct. 16: Lost River 50 Reconnaissance, Lost River (Bruce Bodson);

Oct. 23: Lost River 50/10 race, Lost River (Bruce Bodson);

Oct. 30: Brazos River, FM 413 to FM 979 (Bruce Bodson);

Nov. 6: Goliad Falls Flotilla, San Antonio River (Fran Wilcox).

Upcoming trips and leaders are:

Nov. 11: Champion Lake (Natalie Wiest);

Nov. 13: Lower Colorado River Clean-up;

Nov. 13: Brazos River, I-10 to FM 1093 (Bruce Bodson);

Nov. 13: Kuhlman Gully Clean-up, Kuhlman Gully, Houston (Fran Wilcox);

Dec. 12: Lake Charlotte paddle/HCC Christmas party, Cedar Hill Park (Natalie Wiest);

Christmas Bird Counts, various dates and area rivers (Bruce Bodson).

Ms. Nissen reported three new members since the last meeting.

Mr. Walters gave the Purser’s report. We are, as usual, doing just ducky.

Mr. Douglas reminded the members that the USGS water data website is being revamped, and that there is a guide to the new format online. He then called attention to two recent court cases. One was a ruling nullifying the Trump Administration’s weakening of the protections of the Clean Water Act, and remanding the policy for reconsideration. The other was a ruling that states and Native American tribes can have stricter water quality requirements than the Federal government. He then announced that the 2022 Trash Bash would be March 26.

Mr. Ohrt gave the Safety Minute, summarizing the American Whitewater semi-annual report of paddle sport fatalities and near misses. Don’t paddle alone. Wear your pfd. If you paddle whitewater, get in decent physical condition. If you see someone about to do something stupid, tell them.

Ms. Wiest introduced Mr. Naeger, who presented the nominations for officers for 2022. These were:

Commodore - Natalie Wiest;

Vice Commodore - Constantin Platon;

Purser - Bob Naeger;

Recorder - Alice Nissen;

Fleet Captain - Bruce Bodson;

Boatswain - Tim Brooking;

Newsletter Editor - Christy Long.

He asked for any nominations from the floor. There were none, and, a quorum of members being present, he called for a vote on accepting the nominees as listed. They were duly elected, by acclamation.

Ms. Long then introduced the evening’s speaker, Gordon Black, one-time head of instruction at the Nantahala Outdoor Center (and many other things), and Education Director of the Cahaba River Society in Alabama. He spoke about trends in demographics of paddle sports - age groups, gender, type of watercraft, etc. It was quite interesting, and there were many questions.

Ms. Wiest then adjourned the meeting.

General Meeting Recorder,

Frank Ohrt

Houston Canoe Club

Board Meeting
November 3, 2021
Zoom

Recorder: Frank Ohrt

Commodore Natalie Wiest called the meeting to order. Officers present were Ms. Wiest, Vice Commodore and Newsletter Editor Christy Long, Purser Kent Walters, Fleet Captain Bruce Bodson, Boatswain Alice Nissen, and Recorder Frank Ohrt. also present was Conservation Chair Tom Douglas and Nominating Committee Chair Bob Naeger.

Ms. Wiest called the meeting to order, and asked for approval of the last meetings’ minutes. They were approved.

Mr. Walters noted that he had sent the officers his Purser’s report by email, and said that we were doing fine, financially. As always.

Mr. Naeger said he would go over the nominees for 2022 officers at the next week’s regular meeting, ask for any nominations from the floor, and then ask for a vote by the members present. He added that the new members be reminded to attend the meeting. Ms. Wiest then added that there would be an in-person board meeting in December, with out-going officers “passing the torch” to any new officers.

Ms. Long said that all was well with the newsletter, and that she had a speaker for the November meeting, but not for January or February. She added that we still needed a Webmaster, and that the Club Express format was hard to access from a cell phone.

Mr. Ohrt said that he would post a new slide show to the website home page, but, as Recorder, he is morally bound to note that he has not yet done so.

Mr. Bodson noted two trips since the last meeting, and announced three upcoming trips.

Ms. Wiest announced that Mr. Ohrt would give the Safety Minute at the regular meeting.

Mr. Douglas reminded the board of changes to the USGS river data website. He announced that Trump-era changes to the definition of “US waters” under the Clean Water Act had been rescinded, and that it was ruled that the Federal government can’t issue permits for discharging waste into waterways without state or tribal government approval.

Ms. Nissen announced that the pavilion at Cedar Hill Park has been reserved for the club Christmas party. Ms. Wiest said that the pre-luncheon paddle would embark at 9:30 AM. There was discussion of the trip route.

Ms. Wiest asked for opinions about whether to have an in-person meeting in January. Mr. Ohrt said that, if we could set up a cell phone wi-fi “hotspot”, we could have a hybrid Zoom/in-person meeting. he added that he would check the post office box, and mail anything important to Kent (or the new purser).

Ms. Wiest said that she had spoken with Lynne Andrus about the turmoil at the ACA board, concerning the proposed expansion of elite-level athletes’ representation on the board. There was much discussion.

Ms. Wiest then adjourned the meeting.

Board Meeting Recorder,

Frank Ohrt