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Meeting Minutes – July 9, 2025

Meeting Attendees

     Tom Vanderputten    Ted Larrison    Jim Mauck      Mike Beachy   Mark Holcomb   Ridge Holcomb

     Larry Hooley   Kris Williams

 Meeting Minutes

  • Meeting Minutes from the June 11, 2025 were not available.

Fishing Reports

  • The overnight temperatures have been in the 70s. The Little Elkhart is too hot to fish.

 Treasurer’s Report

  • The account balance at the end of June 2025 is $24,542.03
  • Dave Allwordt purchased a silent auction Orvis rod with broken trip. LECTU will cover the $65 to have Orvis replace the tip.
  • Indiana Gaming Forms will be filed by July 30th.
  • Rowan Bannwart has been accepted into the TU advanced youth camp. LECTU will pay

 ½ Tuition which is $350.

  • Mike corrected the TU rebate account deposit into the Interrra General Account. LECTU is expecting a $ 2.50 per member reimbursement.
  • The final accounting for the Reel Recovery Retreat in June 2025 sponsored by LECTU showed a deficit of $3,000 which was paid by the Reel Recovery National Organization. LECTU donated a total of $ 5,000 and approximately $ 3,500 was donated through direct sponsorships and fund raising by Ted Larrison. After discussion no decision was reached regarding an additional donation by LECTU. In addition, there was discussion regarding future donations from LECTU to Reel Recovery. Is this the purview of a local chapter like LECTU? This will be resolved at a future meeting.

Summer Workdays

  • An email has been sent to the LECTU membership.
  • The workdays are all on Saturday July 19th, August 2nd, August 16th.
  • Participants will meet at Riverbend Park in Middlebury

Middlebury Park Properties (reprinted from May minutes)

  • Mike spoke with Tom Enright about problem spots in the river. Rock cleaning and log jams.
  • Tom would like LECTU to assist, and Mike will evaluate the sites. These will be non-permit worksites for the summer work days.

Middlebury Youth Fishing Contest

  • The contest was held at the ponds at the Essenhaus on June 28th.
  • The contest had only 4 kids this year, resulting in more judges than participants. Still the kids that were there had a good time.

Middlebury Riverfest

  • The Middlebury Riverfest will be held Saturday August 23rd. The time will be 11:00am to 3:00pm
  • Tom V will submit the vendor form to the Middlebury Parks Department.
  • Tom V and Ted Larrison will represent LECTU at the event. Ted will pick up the pop up tent, LECTU literature and banners from Mike Beachy.

Mark Sedotti

  • The event will be an all-day event on October 11, 2025. The location will be the Elkhart Conservation Club building.
  • The cost is $ 25 for LECTU members. Please submit payment to Jim Mauck.
  • Additional information will be forthcoming.

The following three sections will continue to be Reprinted so Members Stay Aware of LECTU Status

LECTU (IRS Filing Status) (reprinted from August)

  • LECTU received an email from Quentin Collins at National Trout Unlimited.
  • Due to a bookkeeping error LECTU was inadvertently reclassified from a Public Charity to a Private Foundation. This caused a major issue with the IRS and TU National.
  • REVISED: Keith and his nephew an accountant have filed the necessary paperwork required for a Private Foundation 501 (c) (3) in order to prevent our loosing Not for Profit status. The next steps are to remedy the situation altogether by getting back to a Public Charity 501.

Quentin Collins TU National (reprinted from August)

  • Mike spoke with Quentin and LECTU is still a nonprofit, however a “private foundation”.
  • To return to a Public Charity we need to shut down the chapter and restart with a new Chapter Number.
  • Since LECTU lacks the necessary volunteers to staff all positions (Officers, Board Members, Etc.), the possibility is the dissolution of the LECTU Chapter.
  • Quentin counseled Mike that this situation is not unusual and offered TU assistance.
  • When a chapter is dissolved all assets are transferred to TU National as well as liabilities. Therefore all obligated funds or future event funds would be utilized for those earmarked obligated projects. LECTU needs to start fundraising (Raffle Season) soon, and can legally do so (filing as 990PF). 
  • OPTIONS: New and Old guys step up and fill recovered positions and actually participate in volunteer activities or the Chapter shuts down and use our funds for Reel Recovery.

Quentin Collins TU Update(reprinted from September)

  • Mike sent email to Quentin to implement the Chapter Leadership revitalization process.
  • LECTU needs to fill (3) Board Members and (4) Officers.  In addition more volunteers are needed to handle various annual activities.
  • The next TU Financial Report is due Spring 2025. 
  • There will be a new LECTU Chapter number, and new Tax ID number.

Quentin Collins TU new Information for July Meeting

  • Mike has been in contact with Quentin Collins, TU Director of Volunteer Operations.
  • Mike and Quentin have scheduled a Zoom call with Charitable Allies on Monday July 14th at 11:00am. Quentin has a prior relationship with a member of the firm, and they will assist LECTU.
  • The estimated cost to LECTU to resolve the chapter status is $ 500 – $ 1,000.
  • The time frame to resolution is seven months.

Discussion of LECTU Officers

  • Mike Beachy will be resigning as President. He will continue to lead the resolution of the LECTU chapter status, but will discontinue new projects and contacts. He will remain in the chapter and would still lead the work day projects.
  • Mark Holcomb will become interim President and take over all duties.
  • Kris Williams will become the interim Vice President (formally held by Mark).
  • Tom Vanderputten will continue as Secretary, and Jim Mauck will continue as Treasury.
  • Official elections will be held at the LECTU October meeting. All members are encouraged to attend.

NEW MEETING DAY

  • The new monthly meeting of LECTU will be the second Tuesday of every month.
  • The next meeting is Tuesday August 12th at 7:00pm

Library Key Pickup

Wayne, and Mike have been listed by the Library being able to secure a building key for our monthly LECTU meetings. 

Since the Middlebury Library is open until 8:00pm on Tuesdays, a key pickup is not necessaty

LECTU Meeting Place and Date

  • Middlebury Library in downtown Middlebury IN.

Next Meeting –  Tuesday August 12th 

Tom Vanderputten – LECTU Secretary