There are many external issues that come to mind. But I strongly feel that the WGA’s future rests on resolving many internal issues that are lurking in the BoD closet.

The BoD has, in its earliest years, been primarily occupied with organizing two annual events. This is how the WGA began and this is how it has continued. The WGA also was able to work with the DNR to establish a working relationship and keep geocaching in WI State owned land.

The WGA Board is now in transition. The WGA needs to grow beyond being a group that holds a couple of events and represents WI geocachers to the DNR. The WGA is bursting with the desire to grow into a State wide group of geocachers, committed to sharing their resourses for the good of geocaching in WI.

The function of the board needs to move away from event planning. This is certainly something I trust our WGA members to skillfully assist with. The WGA BoD needs to meet regularily either in person or electronically. The current format of online postings only is acceptable only if no definitive action is desired (example: MAGC).

If we can tackle the problems within, the external issues will be much easier to deal with.

In September, I made several proposals to the BoD to do just these things. Unfortunately, they were met with very little response and general apathy.

I firmly believe that there needs to be internal changes made before we can function to our fullest. If you want the Board to continue to focus primarily on two events and a pancake griddle, please do not elect me to another term. If you want to see the things happen like the many things mentioned by T&tB; vote for me and support my proposed changes.

Please see my profile thread for the changes I have proposed and the rationale behind them.

I have several issues that I believe could be addressed by the WGA:

1) Geocaching in the State Natural areas should be allowed on a limited basis. I recently had a cache denied because it turns out the area was a SNA. That particular SNA has one of the best examples in the state for what an Earthcache should teach us. In this particular case, an existing paved path leading to the Earthcache coords would have been used.

In some instances, denial of a traditional cache in a natural setting with the typical cacher hunting damage is warranted, but a complete ban on SNA’s is not. I’d like to see the WGA address this situation.

2) I think it should be the job of the WGA to contact the various law enforcement agencies to better educate them about what geocaching is (and what it is not). I’ve run into “Barney Fife” a couple of times this year. The police departments may have been given something in passing by the FBI (or whomever) but they don’t know enough.

Perhaps a WGA Geocaching “Permit” (defined as nothing more than a geocaching sticker to put in our car window) would certainly show park rangers and police who we are and why we are driving slowly through the woods and dodging in and out of parking lots……weekly.

I’m sure the WGA could easily afford to produce WGA stickers for their members.

3) I’d like to see more geocachers become members of the WGA. There are many, many cachers who get involved in the sport/game/hobby/obsession, place a cache or two then stop. If we invited them into the group, they may stay interested and place more and better caches for us to find.

I have several ideas:

• Revisit the ban on Geocaching in SNAs and hopefully arrange for a more reasonable approach.
• Develop communications programs for law enforcement/fire departments and put together a program for regular delivery of said programs to departements throughout the state
• Develop a communications program for local parks departments.