DRAFT MINUTES - BOARD OF DIRECTORS - FRIENDS OF DONALD PARK, INC., JANUARY 16, 2001.

ATTENDEES: DIRECTORS: JUDY KOEPPL, PAT HITCHCOCK, MARY SPAAY, MOLLY MURRAY, BOB GEIMER, VICKI ANDERSON, STEVE O'NEILL, BOB WOODBURN, AND DAVID HUGHES.

FOUNDER: JACKIE GEIMER AND NAN WOODBURN, GUEST: SHARON ROYSTON, VOLUNTEER AND STRATEGIC PLANNER

PRESIDENT: MOLLY MURRAY, SECRETARY: VICKI ANDERSON

CALL TO ORDER BUSINESS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS by M. Murray, 7:12 p.m.

I. MINUTES: MOTION by Spaay/Geimer to approve the minutes of 12/19/00 as amended. Motion carried unanimously.

II.FINANCES: MOTION by Geimer/O'Neill to approve the Treasurer's Report as follows:

* Year End Report, dated 12/31/00, by B. Woodburn shows $2515.91 in general fund,

$44,530.42 in picnic area fund, and $1580.95 in horse trail fund.

* Monthly Report, dated 01/11/01, by B. Woodburn shows $2783.22 in general fund, $44,517.84 in picnic area fund, and $1771.22 in horse trail fund.

* B. Geimer reports as of 01/16/01, additional revenues of $4000 from grant to general fund and $125 in donations to horse trail fund.

* The CPA will prepare the end of the year report by February meeting and other annual IRS reports as required. Motion carried unanimously.

MOTION by Geimer/Koeppl to pay the bills previously submitted by B. Geimer-$4.95, P. Hitchcock-$8.29, and V. Anderson-$150.45 out of the general fund and to pay the following bills out of the horse trail fund: Jean Warrior-$57.79, David Hughes-$38.95, Dean Collelo-$16.60, and the bill from Judy Koeppl-$34.00 for brochures from the general fund. Motion carried unanimously.

REMINDER: Treasurer recommends receipts itemizing all expenditures. Anderson will make deposits until April, 2001, while B. Geimer is out of town.

III. OLD BUSINESS:

A. Fundraising: Steve O'Neill met with Boris Frank, professional fundraiser. Mr. Frank is the guru of his field and has personal connections to this area and Pat Hitchcock. He is willing to attend a board meeting and work with us. In preparation for that opportunity: three action items:

* O'Neill will contact Frank to find out his fee schedule and the type of questions we need to answer before he can help us.

* Handouts available at February 27, 2001, board meeting: Purpose Statement of the Articles of Incorporation, Preamble of the By-Laws, and the Park Plan approved by Dane County Parks. Vicki to prepare.

* Board Work Session - March 17, 8 - 9 breakfast, 9-noon work session at Judy Koeppl's home - Messerschmidt Dr., Mt. Horeb. Sharon Royston will serve as facilitator. Be prepared to discuss your vision of the development of Donald Park. Please review all the handouts received at Feb. meeting before the work session.

Safety Equipment available through Lutheran Brotherhood to be researched by O'Neill. January application deadline.

B. Publicity: Judy Koeppl is developing a sample newsletter to be mailed quarterly to members and potential members. Any and all ideas are welcome.

C. Horse Trail: See Report by Jean Warrior. Volunteers are needed to serve as Secretary and Photographer/Publicity person. Please contact Dave Hughes.

D. Picnic Area: Report by Geimer. Bids have been solicited from three firms, Bob Sutter, Finks, and Hammersly. The bids are due back by February 2, 2001, in time for the Feb. board meeting. During B. Woodburn and B. Geimer's absence, it is requested that Mick Klein Kennedy and/or Conrad Anderson attend the Feb. board meeting to go over the bids with us.

The following outstanding questions remain to be discussed with Klein Kennedy by B. Woodburn: signage, gates, port a potties, landscape plans, state highway access.

Archaeological Info: P. Hitchcock discussed the area with Henry Bunn. He did not feel that the roadwork should be delayed because the area has already been disturbed. Weather permitting, he will be happy to look for artifacts in the general area. He suggests that we advertise our search for any information or artifacts uncovered in the past. Hitchcock will ask Bunn to contact the State Historical Society for any such information about this area. Bunn is willing to describe sample artifacts in preparation for a future historical display

E. Volunteers: P. Hitchcock reports that due to snow cover not too much has been accomplished this winter. She

mailed forty solicitation letters for Saturday volunteers and received twelve responses.

F. Agreement between Dane County Parks and FoDP, Inc.

*Subcommittee of Doug Haag, Steve O'Neill, and Molly Murray to meet with L. Goldstein to discuss the agreement before the next Board meeting.

IV. NEW BUSINESS

A. Upcoming events: B. Woodburn-June 2, 2001, Grand Opening of the Picnic Area. The Strollers, a Dixie band,
Have been invited to play for the picnic. Delma, Bob and Nan Woodburn highly recommend their music.

B. Change in name: B. Woodburn has requested that the name of the picnic area be changed from "Delma's Ridge" to "Pop's Knoll", in keeping with the Woodburn family name of the site.

C. Upcoming Agendas: Please submit agenda items to M. Murray in advance of the board meetings to enable M. Murray to send out the agenda one week in advance.

FEBRUARY BOARD MEETING : 2/27/01, 7:00 p.m., Springdale Town Hall. Due to the February 20, 2001, primary election to be held in the Town Hall the our meeting has been postponed one week.

Tentative agenda to include: strategic planning packets available, CPA report, picnic area bids, feedback from Boris Frank

ADJOURN: MOTION by Anderson/Hitchcock, 9:17 p.m. Motion carried unanimously.

Respectfully Submitted, V. Anderson

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Correspondence from Jean Warrior, 11 Kewaunee Court, Madison, WI 53705

"January 2001

TO: Friends of Donald Park Board of Directors

FR: David Hughes

RE: Report on Activities and Successes of Horse Trail Committee, Fall 2000

I am pleases to submit the following report on progress made this fall in establishing the Donald Park horse trail:

The Dane County Parks Department is showing great support for horse trail development. We met with Parks superintendent Ken LePine and Mick Klein Kennedy several times to discuss trail layout, in accordance with the park master plan. The plan outlines a route approximately 3.5 miles long within the park. Ken wants us to first create a trail within the park, connecting with a loop outside, with the goal of having a segment open in 2001. More extensive loops on private land can be developed in coming years.

Dane County Parks will provide equipment and labor for things such as leveling, grading and stump removal. They are helping develop a project timeline and budget, and they provide assistance for our volunteer work groups, including use of tools for brush removal and some training in specialized activities. They have funds available for supplies, although they must balance horse trail needs with other Donald Park needs (for example, for things such as purchase of seeds for prairie establishment).

Bill Haack, Bob Geimer, Pat Hitchcock, and I are laying out the trail route through the park. DCP personnel approved much of the route this fall. The trail promises to offer wonderful experiences for both equestrians and hikers, with varied topography, diverse vegetation, and special features such as natural springs, stream crossings and rock outcroppings.

Volunteer recruitment began in late summer and met with overwhelming response. More than 100 people have signed up to help with trail work. A number are also willing to help with the on-going work on hiking trails and other general park projects, and five people are doing fundraising. We have scheduled regular Saturday workdays and in a short time have already made great progress in opening up one wooded area.

Our fundraising efforts likewise have been extremely successful. Individuals and horse clubs have learned about the horse trail through several informational meetings at Donald Park, direct mailing, word-of-mouth and announcements in newsletters of several equestrian associations. Gifts and pledges so far total nearly $1,900.00. A large number of those giving have also joined the Friends of Donald Park, Inc.

Ken LePine urges that we focus on building a fund for major capital improvements (examples include parking lot development and rest area amenities). He suggests that we try to conserve the funds being raised now, and apply to the County whenever possible for supplies (in cooperation with other Donald Park needs, of course).

I am extremely pleased at the enthusiastic response to the plan for horse trails in Donald Park. The combination of Dane County Parks support, and the commitment of time and money by many individuals and clubs are creating a wonderful resource. Donald Park horse trails are being sensitively and carefully developed. They will complement the other outdoor recreational amenities at Donald Park, and will enable many people of all ages to enjoy the special beauty and features that comprise Donald Park."

Pat Hitchcock reports: Ken LePine supports our upcoming vision meeting. He suggests that we discuss identifying buffer zones around the park and grants to pursue to enable us to secure funds to purchase conservation easements from willing landowers.

Pat also wants to remind us about the Upper Sugar River Watershed Annual Meeting on Saturday, February 10, 2001, 6:00 p.m. in the Montrose Town Hall. Steve Born, active in the Black Earth Creek watershed association, will serve as keynote speaker.