March 18, 2004 Regular Meeting
BROOKS AND DISTRICT FISH AND GAME ASSOCIATION

Members Present – 14
Visitors Present – Heinz Plontke, Zone 1 Director
Meeting was called to order 7:32pm by Pete Green (President)
Guest Speaker – Heinz Plontke, Director – Zone 1
Update on McGillivray Youth Camp – The Zone has approached the Crownest Lake Bible Camp, who are willing to take over the administration and maintenance of the camp. The Zone will still have the same regular yearly access for the third week in July for the Hunter Ed. Camp. The Bible Camp will run the kitchen and provide meals, etc. for $15.00 per participant. The Zone is willing to cover the cost for up to 30 youth (maximum that the camp can hold) and all required instructors during this week. The firearms portion of the Hunter Ed. Course can no longer be done at the camp as it is not a certified range, but the Coleman Rifle Range (within easy driving distance) has offered the use of their facilities to the Zone providing we bring our own firearms. Other groups can book the camp for their own functions, but scheduling would have to be done through the Bible Camp and normal fees would apply.
Fundraising – As a charitable organization, the Zone has the opportunity to operate the casino in Lethbridge in order to raise funds. This has raised as much as $20,000 in the past (a new casino is being built, and when it is operational this amount could go up to as much as $30,000) but as the demand for casino time is so great the Zone can only get in every 2 – 3 years. This money has in the past gone towards projects such as the McGillivray Youth Camp, and will be funding a washroom trailer to be delivered to the camp this spring. Some funds may also be available in the future to assist member clubs in habitat projects, etc.
Zone Services to Member Clubs – All Zone directors sit on the executive of the Alberta Fish and Game Association. As problems and concerns vary widely between the various areas in the province, this provides an opportunity for individual clubs to have their concerns brought to the provincial level. The executive also meets with representatives from the provincial government every month, and are willing to express our local concerns at these meetings. Fishing chairs are encouraged to get their concerns in as soon as possible, as the April 23 – 24 2004 meeting wil also include a federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans representative. The most important requirement is good lines of communication between our local club and the Zone executive and committee chairs. Our local committee chairs are encouraged to communicate with their Zone counterparts on any concerns (see attached contact list). Local clubs are also encouraged to send in reports on projects and activities, as these can be published in the Zone report in the next edition of the Outdoor Edge.
REGULAR MEETING
1.0 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES (February 26, 2004)
The minutes were read – clarification (Rick Martin) – motion under 2.3 (funding for Hunter Ed) should have specified that this is funding to cover costs over and above what is covered by registration fees
The amended minutes were adopted
2.0 BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
2.1 Southern Alberta Upland Habitat Symposium, March 25-26, 2004 (item 3.2, Feb. 26 minutes) – Rick Martin and Pete Green will be attending, other volunteers are still needed
2.2 Sylvia Birkholz and Reg Russell presentations, May 14, 2004 at the Brooks Kinplex (item 3.5 Feb. 26 minutes) – date and location have been confirmed – Patty Green will take care of advertising the event
2.3 Wild Rye Project, see Pheasant Festival report (item 3.9, Feb. 26 minutes)
MOTION – Scott Briggs moved that the Pheasant Festival donate $2500 to the project, seconded by Donna Martin, CARRIED.
2.4 Archery range at Canadian Pheasant Company (item 3.10, Feb. 26 minutes)
No new information – pending further discussions with CPC representatives (winter vacation season)

3.0 CHAIR REPORTS
3.1 Treasury (presented by Pete Green – see attached reports)
– Association bank balance (Feb. 23/04) – 10,111.23
– Association GIC – 10,727.75
– total financial assets – 20,838.98
3.2 Membership (Rick Martin, chair)
– 229 memberships total (88 regular, 43 family with 98 dependents) sold to date
3.3 Pheasant Festival (Scott Briggs, chair)
– Dinner has been confirmed for Friday October 15, 2004
2.4 Trophy Chair Larry Busse)
– no report
2.5 Hunter Education (presented by Rick & Donna Martin)
– field day Sunday March 25, 2004 at the rifle range
– still require help to run stations for shotgun, rifle archery and compass (orienteering), also for lunch
2.6 Firearms Instructor (Jim Johnson)
– some names registered for a course, no date set at this time
3.7 Firearms Chair (Cliff Healy)
– presentation on the latest developments in the Firearms Legislation and input from various interested parties across Canada – details will be in the next newsletter. Those who are interested should go to Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville website (www.garrybreitkreuz.com/publications/draft1.htm) to view his recommendations for registering those individuals who are identified as "too dangerous to have guns"
– Upcoming gun shows – list will be in the next newsletter
3.8 Rifle Range (Lloyd Cook, Scott Briggs)
– materials for shooting station will be arriving this week.
– two other bids were received for the erection of the shooting station. There was some discussion on these bids, with some concern expressed that the purchase, trucking and installation of the gravel pad was not included on either of these bids.
MOTION – Scott Briggs moved that we accept the Ron Eckert Costruction bid of $5800, including all gravel, trucking, equipment and labour costs involved in erecting the shooting station, seconded by Donna Martin. CARRIED.
– There was some discussion regarding a secure gate on the new access road. Lloyd Cook and Pete Green will meet with the Town of Brooks to determine the correct location.
– shooting butts still need to be constructed.
– Cliff Healy suggested we order warning signs for access points in conjunction with the pistol club, as they have a supplier who will provide them for about $3.00 each. Cliff Healy, Rick Martin and Pete Green will make arrangements.
– The question was raised regarding the cost for insurance on the new shooting station, and if it is required (fire, vandalism etc.) Pete Green will look into.
– There was some discussion regarding the cost and need for sanitary facilities at the range. The pistol club may have and extra outhouse, but there was some question as to whether environmental laws allow non-holding tank type facilities. No decision was made.
3.9 Fishing (Wayne Pullin, chair)
No report

4.0 NEW BUSINESS
4.1 Newsletter – all letters and information needs to be in by Monday March 22, 2004 to get into the next edition. A date for envelope-stuffing will be announced.
4.2 Charitable Organization Registration – form has been completed, will be taken to Grasslands Registries
4.3 Patty Green has accepted the responsibility of looking after all of the Association’s advertising needs
4.4 Alberta Fish and Game Association is producing a history – Donna Martin and Patty Green have offered to submit a local history.
5.0 CORRESPONDENCE
5.1 Alberta Fish & Game has notified us that the Canadian Pheasant Company has hens available for release at a cost of $15.00/bird. Scott Briggs has met with them and suggested that this is more than the Association is able to spend, but we would be willing to provide some labour to assist in the release. CPC will contact us if they require our help.
5.2 Alberta Fish and Wildlife is hosting a meeting April 5, 2004 at the Lethbridge Fish and Game Clubhouse to discuss wildlife management issues. This meeting will be very similar to the presentation which will be provided by Reg Russell May 14, 2004 at the Brooks Kinplex (item 2.2 in these minutes)
5.3 News release regarding the $1 million donation from the Alberta Professional Outfitters Society to go toward provincial wildlife programs such as wildlife inventories (see attached)

4.0 NEXT MEETING – April 15, 2004 Brooks Legion
MOTION – Donna Martin moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Lloyd Cook. CARRIED.
Meeting was adjourned 9:30pm.