Page 35 - 2008 DT 12 issues

a thin layer of water, flying creatures in the coming months. The agenda events, additional donation boxes.
may have been caught in the tar as addressed essential elements required  Food vending machines will be lo-
they skimmed the surface for a drink. to continue the organization’s mission. cated in the lower Pavilion. A six month
Excavations suggest that the Ven- review will evaluate sales as well as any
ezuelan sediments are much older and 2007 Deliverables Review increased impact upon the area.
have accumulated over a longer period  Fiscal year-to-date earnings have
dropped $18,000 compared to last
of time. The fossils may shed light on  Trails projects and critical needs year. Walkway Tile and RRCIA sales
how and when the climate changed listings from BLM were achieved; are down. Tile sales were temporarily
during and after the recent ice ages.  A new Community Outreach Com- suspended due to the uncertainty of the
Tar pits offer a better chance to mittee was formed, increasing commu- New Visitor Center construction sched-
chronicle the past than other sediments. nity contacts and outreach. ule, but will be reinstated per BLM
Branded logo wearables for teams

Researchers are seeing species never with high public visibility were obtained guidelines.
before reported in South America. Fos- and distributed.  Membership renewal processing pro-
sils of an extinct species known as a  Board and committee training were cedures resulted in $7,800 being credited
cave wolf have previously only been completed in November, 2007 and will be to the previous year earned income. This will
found 1,500 km away toward the south. continued either annually or bi-annually; be offset my mid-August.
Christopher A. Shaw, a vertebrate  Professional (fee-based) grant writ- Organizational/Board Growth
paleontologist at the Natural History ers were researched, as well as grant and Development Discussion:
Museum of Los Angeles County, notes writing courses for interested members. The position requirements and or-
that at Inciarte there is a commingling of Since no members have been able to ganizational needs of a paid Executive
species typically thought of as North or attend, this item was carried over. Director were addressed. In a later execu-
Board growth and development is

South American. There, ground sloths, to be addressed annually. tive session, the board reached concur-
camels and other species identified with  User Group Conferences were not rence that an executive level manager is

South America have been found along held due to BLM management changes, essential to the continued growth of the
side dire wolves and saber-toothed but will be reinstated once a permanent organization. Funding is a primary con-
cats typically associated with La Brea. manager is assigned by BLM for the cern, as is the available training window.
Implementing this position in addition
Other South American locations are Conservation Area. to the current part-time Office Manager
yielding more treasures. At Orocual, as  The Projects Committee implemen- position would place a short term fi-
at La Brea, predators substantially out- tation and the creation of a Finance nancial strain on the organization,
number prey. There the sediments were Committee were held over. however, it was unanimously agreed
deposited between 500,000 and one 2008 Planning Session Outcome that not having the executive position
million years ago. The diversity of fos- would severely limit the capacity or
sil animals, plants and invertebrates Continuing goals: ultimately eliminate the organization.
uncovered so far rival La Brea and  Trails Maintenance and Upgrades Particulars of the salary and benefits,
may even eventually exceed it. Just a address a core value of the Conserva- as well as specific responsibilities were
small sampling of the vast number of tion Center; also outlined. The position would report
to the board and be subject to a semi-an-
menes to be explored could extend the  Community Outreach will be an nual review of defined deliverables. The
record of the region back as far as 2 ongoing priority. office manager’s position would continue
million years. The richness of these buried  “Mass transit” options to shuttle through the end of the fiscal year to pro-
treasures has opened an extraordinary win- visitors during peak usage periods will vide administrative support and training.
dow into the world as it was long ago. q be explored. The hire date target is NLT 6/30/08. q
 Site based events, such as Make
a Difference Day, Red Rock Day, Harvest
Strategic Planning Meeting Fest, etc. critical in maintaining awareness
April 14, 2008 of the Conservation Area, will continue.
 Continuing research and implement May Quarterly Membership Meeting
methods to enable community “owner- May 17, 2008
riends board members and com- ship” of the resource. Location, to be announced
mittee chairs came together to Sign-in 8:30
Freview the 2007 Planning Meeting Revenue Streams Proposed: Meeting Begins at 9 a.m.
deliverables and define goals and actions  Mandated cash reserves, New Visi-
for the next 12 to 18 months. This an- tor Center expenses, and unallocated
nual all-day session determines where the funding was reviewed.
organizations funds, planning and imple-  New revenue generators were
mentation support can best be placed discussed, including non-participatory News & Notes, continued on p.5
FORRC/May/2008 Page 3