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Meeting Minutes – October 9, 2024

Meeting Attendees

     Tom Vanderputten    Ted Larrison    Jim Mauck     Jim Mock   Wayne Andrews  Lee Troyer  

     Mike Beachy   Jim Mock   Kris Williams

Meeting Minutes

  • The meeting minutes for September 11, 2024 were approved.

Fishing Reports

  • Caddis are appearing in the Little Elkhart, large white wing 12-14
  • Small streamers are productive, but usually only one pass.

 Treasurer’s Report

  • No report submitted for September. Unable to sign in to the Everwise account.

Cobus Creek County Park (reprinted from September Minutes)

  • Mike has successfully transferred this project to SJRVFF (Tim Scott).
  • Tim and SJRVFF were looking for a project near their equipment trailer and this fits.
  • Tim is reactivating their conservation efforts, and this will be a lengthy (2-3yr) project.
  • Mike sent introductory email to Tim Scott and Sherry Plank (Elkhart County Parks). Mike will assist with the transition.

Middlebury Old Mill Park 

  • This project on hold pending LECTU Chapter resolution.

Reel Recovery Update 2024

  • Due to a request from the Reel Recovery Executive Director there was a Special Retreat held in Middlebury (The Essenhaus) on September 23- 25 (Monday to Wednesday).
  • The retreat had six participants and was very well received. All the participants caught pan fish at the Essenhaus ponds, and four caught brown trout on The Little Elkhart

Reel Recovery 2025

  • The Reel Recovery Retreat is scheduled for June 2,3,4  2025 (Monday-Wednesday).
  • The Budget will be approximately $8,500 – $9,000
  • Ted Larrison has submitted several grant requests for funding.
  • LECTU will also donate and assist in additional fund raising.

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 obligations.
  • 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

  • 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.

SJRVFF

  • Eric Graham has asked if LECTU is interested in participating in sponsoring a day with Mark Sedotti.
  • This would be in partnership with SJRVFF and KVTU.
  • The program would be fly casting, fly tying, and various presentations. Lunch would be included.
  • The cost would be $ 500 per club, and open to membership.
  • Decision deferred to November.

Fundraising

  • Annual fundraising efforts will be decided at the LECTU November meeting.

H.A.M. Project

  • The Habitat Access Management ham distribution for December.
  • Total participants (landowners) and total hams to be determined.

Library Key Pickup

Wayne, Keith, 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 –  November 13, 2024

Tom Vanderputten – LECTU Secretary