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Quarterly Earth Team Volunteer Coordinators' Meeting Minutes - October 17, 2007

The Earth Team (ET) Volunteer Coordinators meeting was held in the State Office (SO) Conference Room on October 17, 2007.

Attendees were as follows:

  • Jan Klaus, State ET Coordinator
  • Volunteer Coordinators
    • Loretta Cecil (Area 2)
    • Jamie Johnson (Area 3)
    • Karen Hatfield (Area 4)
    • Tami Yost (SO)
  • Outgoing Volunteer Coordinators
    • Charles Atkinson
    • Jeff Schmidt
    • Lonnie Miller

The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m.

State ET Coordinator

  • Welcomed participants.
  • Introduced Jamie Johnson as the new coordinator in Area 2.
  • Announced outgoing coordinators.
  • Presented Lonnie, Charles, and Jeff with appreciation awards for their contributions as volunteer coordinators.
  • Provided update on Grace McGrath.
  • Reviewed minutes from the last meeting:
    • Jan reported she is still working on the apprentice checklist.
    • Discussed apprentice program handouts.
    • Discussed apprentice packet.
    • Reviewed unofficial volunteer file handling.
    • Tabled the “tickler sheet” until database updates are completed.
    • Revisited the record keeping example. Jan will send it out again to ensure consistency among coordinators.
    • Jan reported the volunteer jobs list was presented to Harold and Grace.
    • Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Business Plan was discussed with Harold and Grace.
    • Discussed awards for district managers and some examples that could be used. These awards will be issued per the five areas for FY 2007. All the nominees and the winner will be announced at the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts (KACD) meeting.

State ET Coordinator Report

  • Year end reports will be provided when received from the national office.
  • A report was presented to the Management Team (MT) on 8/27/07. Good feedback was received. Following are the discussion points:
    • Numbers and hours per area.
    • End-of-FY-percentages (most areas at 100 percent).
    • Comparison of numbers and hours from FY 2006 to FY 2007.
    • Reasons for decline of numbers.
    • Changes in district conservationists’ (DCs) goals.
    • Impact of restructuring.
    • New goals for apprentices (Salina Field Office [FO] already has an apprentice scheduled for FY 2008).
    • Volunteer jobs, specifically:
      • Meaningful
      • Mission-related
      • Proper documentation
      • Approved jobs list
  • Bulletin KS360-6-16 is a helpful guide.
  • Education hours may be counted as volunteer hours.
  • How employees off-the-job volunteer hours can be counted.
  • Counting hours when a RC&D area and FO are both involved in a task.
  • Discussed how NRCS can be more visible at events (logo hats or shirts).
  • Suggestions for coordinating ET functions with the Kansas efficiency plan:
    • One coordinator per area.
    • Coordinators work with the supervisory DC in each management unit.
    • Multiple appointment terms if approved by the assistant state conservationist for field operations (ASTC-FO) or MT member.
    • Reports made by county rather than management unit.
    • Combine previous area office (AO) activity with the activity of the current FO.
  • Other news:
    • ET database and application is currently changing.
    • Kansas volunteer was included in the National Student Volunteer brochure.
    • Discussed the “Walk a Mile in My Boots” initiative.
    • Information on the recruiting volunteer coordinator packet is forthcoming.

Area Reports

Area 1

Included with state volunteer coordinators’ report.

Area 2
  • Visited and provided training in Jetmore, Meade, Sublette, Liberal, Greensburg, and Kinsley.
  • Submitted two articles for the Web page.
  • Solicited FOs for volunteer nominations.
  • Entered volunteer hours in the national database.
  • Compiled outdated volunteer files and sent to SO for storage.
  • Moved to the Dodge City FO.

Comments on Area 2:

  • Loretta Cecil will be the area coordinator for new areas this FY. She plans to visit FOs to begin the relationship-building process.
Area 3
  • Worked with the AO to begin a spot-check process to review volunteer efforts at the FO level. Six FOs were randomly selected and trip reports were provided to the ASTC-FO and DC. Agreed-to items were identified. Shared findings at DC meetings.
  • Assembled 23 ET notebooks with the help of a volunteer.
  • Presented ET report in three or four area DC meetings and provided each FO with updated ET notebook.
  • Encouraged FOs to report volunteer hours timely and to think about nominations for state ET awards.

No comments on Area 3

Area 4
  • Attended the ET coordinators’ meeting in Salina.
  • Attended the Earth Festival in Franklin County and prepared and submitted an ET news article on the event.
  • Attended the History and Environmental Fair in Topeka to observe volunteers in action and to take appropriate photographs.
  • Prepared documents for the ET notebook to be distributed to all offices in previous Area 4.
  • Assembled and completed ET notebooks.
  • Distributed ET notebooks at the May DC meeting. Reported volunteer activity status for Area 4 (Area 4 fourth in state at this time).
  • Attended state Envirothon at Banner Creek Lake in Jackson County to observe volunteers in action and to take appropriate photographs.
  • Visited Junction City and Holton FOs to assist staff on reporting of volunteer hours.
  • Attended September DC meeting. Reported volunteer activity status for Area 4 (Area 4 had moved to first in state for number of volunteer hours reported). Presented Certificates of Appreciation and keepsakes to the Topeka, Olathe, and Westmoreland FOs and the Ottawa RD&D Office for their success in the use of volunteers.
  • Worked on developing a group award for the Topeka FO.

No comments on Area 4

Area 5
  • Attended last DC meeting and presented ET report. Asked DCs to review all volunteers’ records since 2003, close out dormant records, and forward to the SO for archiving.
  • Distributed folder example and discussed folder items.
  • Discussed “Friends of Conservation.”
  • Distributed e-mail to FOs on office volunteer status prior to performance reviews.
  • Area 5 is using a hosted volunteer to assemble folders.
  • Participated in three field days sponsored by the conservation district and the Army Corp of Engineers.
  • Strongly encouraged DCs to submit nominations for ET awards.

No comments on Area 5

State Office
  • The SO struggles to find projects for volunteers. Some SO staffs feel volunteers are not qualified for their projects. Tami will work with staffs to find out how volunteers can be used more.
Discussion on Area Reports
  • Coordinators would like to see a list of all the ET keepsakes. It was suggested to possibly look into getting new keepsakes, even volunteer-specific items. Popular keepsakes are big mugs, copper mugs, desk clocks, and stadium blankets.

New Business

  • Discussed and selected 2007 ET Volunteer Award winners for recommendation to the state conservationist (STC):
    • Volunteer Coordinator - Lonnie Miller
    • Employee - Charles Atkinson
    • Field - Hays FO
    • Individual - Edgar Hicks
    • Group - W.A.C.K.Y. Day Group
    • National Association of Conservation Districts - Haskell County Conservation District
    • RC&D - Sunflower RC&D
  • The new database is still in the process of being developed. Group training for all coordinators will be planned upon completion.
  • The new efficiency plan allows for three area coordinators, one SO coordinator, one Plant Materials Center (PMC) coordinator, and one state coordinator. Once management units are in place, coordinators should update Jan on how well the coordinator assignments are working. Should there be deficiencies; Jan will address those with the MT.
  • The goal of 100 percent area participation in the ET program included in the Business Plan for FY 2007 fell slightly short. The goal of two apprentices per area was not met.
  • The FY 2008 Business Plan was discussed.
  • Pictures of ET displays need to be sent to the Public Affairs Staff for Web posting.
  • Encourage volunteers to participate in World Water Monitoring Day between September 18 and October 18 each year. Water monitoring kits can be ordered through January.
  • The Share Point Web site is the primary method for communication. This site enables information to be updated as it is posted. An e-mail message from the National ET Volunteer Coordinator was distributed to explain how to get set up to use Share Point.

Action Items

  • Jeff will mail out camera instructions received from Sheila.
  • All coordinators are encouraged to get set up to use the Share Point Web site.

Our next meeting will be held January 17, 2008, in the SO Conference Room.

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Last Modified: 01/31/2008