I think one of the most important goals to continue pursueing is for the WGA to become a non-profit group so that they may better receive donations from individuals and corporations to help run their activities.
We need to continue to work with Wi-DNR to achieve a statewide policy acceptable to both groups. Lacking that, WGA should formalize our policy and have a printed standardized form online to present when obtaining permission.
I would like to see the membership become more aware of what the Board is working towards. If not minutes of meetings, then a monthly posting. There are those in the membership that would have input or that could be in position to help with projects.
I would also like to see the Cache Rescue program become implemented to help cachers, to help relations with land managers, and to preserve the quality of the great caches we now have in Wisconsin.

quote:

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Originally posted by Cathunter:
I have a great interest in hearing what each candidate seeks by being a member of the board. It is requested that each candidate reply with their own post. Present board members should only post after the new candidates have posted.

Please state what goals you would like the WGA to pursue within the next 6-12 months; and why you feel this is important.

and

What primary issues within the geocaching society do you forsee requiring attention within the next 3 years?

Please state how you believe these issues might be overcome.

[This message has been edited by Cathunter (edited 01-21-2004).]

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Cathunter asked for the new candidates to respond before present board members, but since the election has now started, I thought I’d go ahead and respond.

First, I’d like to start with a list of some of things your Board has accomplished this past year. I wrote this list over in the BOD forum a few days ago, so I’m copying and pasting it here.

– Prepared a presentation for the Wisconsin Parks and Recreation Association regional meeting in Janesville
– Spent half a day with the founder and current owners of Rutabaga Paddle Sports in Madison to discuss further involvement with WGA.
– Ongoing discussion with Casanovas Outdoor Adventures to discuss sponsorships.
– Reviewed and discussed handout materials developed by a WGA member for his geocaching clinic at REI.
– Ongoing discussions with Joel Everts from the Chippewa Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau about what geocaching is and how his org could tie in with the WGA to promote tourism, not only in his area but in conjunction with other C&VBs around the state.
– Discussions/fencemending with Steve Johnston of the DNR about the Tunnel of Terror cache and geocaching in general.
– Hours of planning for a geocaching video, which is currently on hold pending decisions from the DNR about park manager involvement in the video.
– Meetings with attorneys in Madison to discuss WGA incorporation, and subsequent email communications to review and begin discussion to revise our bylaws to conform with incorporation guidelines.
– Recruiting a treasurer.
– Obtaining park management permission for our events at Devil’s Lake and Hartman Creek.
– Scouting Hartman Creek.
– Maintaining one of the best regional geocaching organization web sites in the world, if not thee best.
– Continuing to encourage grassroots events such as the geo breakfasts and event caches.

Now regarding goals….

I think our most important goal for the next 6 to 12 months is to establish a workable geocaching policy with the Wisconsin DNR, and then hold up that policy as a model for local parks departments statewide. We should not take for granted that geocaching in Wisconsin will continue if we don’t actively organize to support it. Look at the significant types of outdoor recreation that are done on state property, from hunting to snowmobiling to trapping to fishing, and you see they each have their own non-government organizations supporting and protecting their positions to the state government. Without the WGA, we are simply a bunch of unorganized geeks in the woods — at least that’s how we would likely appear to any state governing or regulating entities. Are hunters acting on their own to interact with authorities? Yes. But do they also form groups such as Ducks Unlimited and the Isaac Walton League? Yes. They know the importance of organizing.

Another important goal for the next 6 to 12 months is to continue to organize fun geocaching events such as the campout and the summer picnic.

Long term, I’d like the WGA to continue to serve as a voice for all geocachers in the state. Representation is one of the main purposes of the WGA and its elected Board of Directors. We now have a strong voice that geocaching.com will listen to when it consider new guidelines for placing caches. We also have a voice with local, county, and state governments (a significant and respected voice, I might add). It’s a classic give-and-take: we geocachers organize and promise to regulate ourselves based on representation by our elected board of directors. In return, the WGA promises to cooperate with parks officials to promote and guide responsible geocaching so a few irresponsible geoachers don’t screw up the sport for the long-term. To make this representation effetive, it’s important that members know they can contact board members to voice their opinions. We need to establish a more systematic way for members to do this, and better methods to keep members informed about board activity and decisions.

I’d also like to see the Board become a more active and stronger group. We have been relying on forum postings and email to get our work done this past year. That can be very efficient, but it also runs the risk of having members feel isolated and not part of the main business activity. Ironically, I think WE ALL feel that way on the board. I’d like to come up with ways we can meet more often, but that is difficult because of the miles involved. Maybe we can meet one day in advance of the campout and the picnic, as well as having special meetings.