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Meeting Minutes – May 14, 2025

Meeting Attendees

     Tom Vanderputten    Ted Larrison    Jim Mauck      Mike Beachy    

Meeting Minutes

  • The meeting minutes for April 9, 2025 were amended to include the Goshen Hospital and Healthcare Foundation as a Cutthroat Trout level sponsor for Reel Recovery.

The minutes were then approved.

Fishing Reports

  • Mike reported an epic day on May 13th (a fish in every hole/run). Hendricks hatch in the evening, BWOs in the morning, and midges all day. Sporadic small caddis.

 Treasurer’s Report

  • The account balances at the end of April 2025 were not reported.
  • LECTU needs to file reports to the Indiana Gaming Commission.
  • LECTU needs to add Jim Mauck on the bank accounts at Interra.
  • LECTU needs to consolidate the accounts from Everwise into Interra.
  • LECTU needs to distribute outing reimbursements for member purchases.

Orvis Presentation

  • Chase Spaw presented “Trout Strategies for the Little Elkhart River” on April 19th at Orvis in Carmel.
  • Chase sold 19 Adopt A Trout tickets and used his employee discount to purchase a CFO Reel ($165) for the Outing.

Middlebury Park Properties

  • 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.

Reel Recovery 2025 (reprinted from April Minutes)

  • The Reel Recovery Retreat is scheduled for June 2,3,4 2025 (Monday-Wednesday).
  • The Budget will be approximately $8,500 – $9,000
  • LECTU will donate funds raised from the Annual Outing (May 3rd) to Reel Recovery.
  • Sponsorship Donations to date: $1,000 Elkhart Community Foundation, $250 Greencroft Communities, $ 250 Tom Vanderputten.
  • Bradley Moore has offered to donate warm water flies to the retreat.
  • Ted has purchased special “Indiana” fishing buddy retreat hats and will be reimbursed.

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 May 14th

  • Two Options were presented by Quentin
  • First Option shut down and terminate chapter then set-up new chapter.
  • Second Option file request with IRS form 9440  which is a miscellaneous determination. This option would take approximately 7 months. It would involve both a lawyer and accountant and cost approximately $1,000.
  • LECTU will attempt to pursue option two.

Mark Sedotti (Reprinted from March Minutes)

  • The event will be held October 11, 2025 at The Elkhart Conversation Club.
  • The $2,000 cost will be split between LECTU, Kalamazoo TU, and SJVFF.
  • The participant cost will be $ 25 per person. Eric Graham requested that LECTU collects the fee from LECTU members who plan on attending. 
  • Mike will send a TU News Blast about Mark Sedotti.
  • Jim Mauck will collect the $25 fee

Middlebury Riverfest

  • Riverfest will be Saturday August 23, 11:00am to 3:00pm
  • Mike spoke with Tom Enright about Dave Arrington PhD, and Tom will follow up with him.
  • Theme: Water Quality with focus on Trees, Wetlands, and Buffer Zones
  • Dar Deegan has informed LECTU of ecoli returning to The Little Elkhart. This is the primary source of the algae blooms in the river.
  • Tom V has volunteered to represent LECTU at the Riverfest.

Middlebury Youth Fishing Contest

  • The youth contest will be held on Saturday June 28th. Time will be announced.
  • LECTU will assist Middlebury Parks Dept. with the contest as judges.
  • Volunteers will be Tom V., Ted, and maybe Jim Mauck.

Outing Recap

  • Lunch was break even between donations and expenses ($350). Miscellaneous sales were $415. Sponsorships for Reel Recovery were $2,000.
  • Thank you letters will be sent to Moving Waters (Matt Nuttall) and ChiFly (Andy Kurkulis).

Chapter Status Update (Reprinted)

  • Mike is still in touch with Quentin Collins for the TU chapter revitalization efforts.
  • Mike sent an email asking for volunteer leaders to step up.
  • Mike received several responses. Unfortunately many were too far to be effective
  • Since Mike is resigning as Chapter President when LECTU is restarted, this position needs to be filled.
  • Mike would continue at LECTU and coordinate the river work projects.

Library Key Pickup

Wayne, and Mike have been listed by the Library being able to secure a building key for our monthly LECTU meetings. One of them will pick up the key prior to Wednesday of the meeting.

LECTU Meeting Place and Date

  • Middlebury Library in downtown Middlebury IN.

Next Meeting – Wednesday –  June 11, 2025

Tom Vanderputten – LECTU Secretary