President's Corner
Proposed 2025 Annual Budget
by John Shenot
In keeping with our bylaws, the FCAS Board agreed in November on a proposed annual budget for our 2025 operations. Members can vote on whether to approve the budget at our annual meeting in January.
The following charts summarize our proposed expenses and revenues for 2025 by category. A complete budget proposal with details on expenses and revenues is available to any member upon request. The proposed budget represents a 1.6 percent increase in budgeted expenditures compared to 2024. Because the change is so small and our finances are in very good order, we are not proposing any increase to membership dues.
Our Hospitality Committee Chair arranges for refreshments to be provided at monthly programs. We have limped through 2024 with a vacancy in this position, but may have to stop offering refreshments if we can't find a new chair. Directors-at-Large serve on the Board of Directors and contribute to all decisions made by the Board, but have no specified duties.
Report of the Nominating Committee on 2025 FCAS Board Candidates
In October, the FCAS Board of Directors appointed a Nominating Committee, consisting of John Shenot (chair), Barb Patterson, Amy Roush, and Lori Pivonka, to identify candidates to serve as officers and directors on the 2025 Board. The President serves a two-year term, while all other Board mem-bers serve one-year terms. In keeping with our by-laws, the Nominating Committee hereby announces a slate of recommended candidates to be officially nominated at our January membership meeting: President, John Shenot; Vice-President, Liz Pruessner; Treasurer, Joe Polazzi; Secretary, Kim Vercimak; Directors at Large (six positions to fill): Alan Godwin, Kit Gray, Lori Pivonka, Jessie Meschievitz, and Karen Wheeler. In addition, one or two excellent candidates for the remaining Director at Large position were identified, but a final decision was not made in time for inclusion in this article. That decision will be announced at our December chapter meeting
Additional nominations for all elected positions will be accepted from the floor at the January meet-ing. Members present will vote, and those elected will be installed at the conclusion of the meeting.
The Nominating Committee also identified recommended candidates to chair most of our standing committees in 2025. Committee chairs are not elected; rather, they are appointed by the President with the consent of the Board. The recommended candidates are: Conservation, Jess Gray; Membership, Harry Rose; Education, Sheila Webber; Finance, Cliff Hendrick; Programs, candidate identified but not yet confirmed (may still need a volunteer); Field Trips, Amy Roush; Publications, Joe Webber; Public Relations, Cassie Cranmore; Hospitality, still seeking a volunteer.
If you would like to chair our hospitality commit-tee in 2025, please contact a board member ASAP.
