Meeting Attendees
Tom Vanderputten Ted Larrison Jim Mauck Jim Mock Wayne Andrews
Meeting Minutes
- The meeting minutes for August 14, 2024 were approved.
Fishing Reports
- The cooler nights and rain has The Little Elkhart off color. Small streamers are effective.
- Watch for fall caddis. Caddis/Blue Wing Olive combo dries / soft hackles.
Treasurer’s Report
- The combined balances in Everwise and Interra at the end of August 2024 was $24,829.
Cobus Creek County Park
- 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
- Mike spoke with Tom Enright about doing some habitat work at the Mill Park.
- Mike has everything ready to submit for permits, but this project needs to run through the Middlebury Parks Department.
- This will be dependent on the future status of the LECTU Chapter.
Summer Work Days
- This year produced a very good volunteer turnout for the three scheduled workdays.
- LECTU logged 162 volunteer hours, and accomplished a great deal of work.
- The work trailer has been returned to its home, and all tools winterized.
Reel Recovery Update (reprinted from August)
- Due to a request from the Reel Recovery Executive Director there will be a Special Retreat held in Middlebury (The Essenhaus) on September 23- 25 (Monday to Wednesday).
- The National Reel Recovery will provide the funding. LECTU will provide the needed Fishing Buddies.
- Ted and Tom reported that the Retreat currently has 9 participants registered for the Retreat
Middlebury Riverfest
- The Riverfest was held Saturday August 24th from 3:00pm to 7:00pm.
- Tom, Mike, and Larry manned the LECTU booth. Mike tied flies.
- The event was well attended and LECTU had good community exposure.
Kalamazoo TU
- Mike contacted Jon Chizmadia and explained the LECTU situation regarding the chapter status. We are not able to participate in the TU Youth Camp venture or assist with the Salmon in the classroom project. We will readdress this in the future if the LECTU situation changes.
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
- 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.
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 – October 9, 2024
Tom Vanderputten – LECTU Secretary