Ground rules of meetings

Keeping these rules in mind will allow us to have productive and timely meetings.

Vision for operation of Conservancy
• The Hilltop Conservancy was legally registered with the NJ State Treasurer on December 12th last year as a charitable organization. In the near future, the Conservancy must also apply to the IRS to obtain formal recognition of its non-profit status. Incorporation documents, including bylaws, have been created and were passed to members for review. The documents were discussed, then a motion was made to have the group approve the bylaws, and was seconded.
• The members also agreed that the trustees and officers listed in the incorporation documents for 2003 should also be elected for the 2004 year. The 2003 trustees and officers were proposed for re-election, the members approved, and the motion was seconded. Those trustees and officers are as follows:
• Trustees:
  • Dave Freschi
  • Geordie Smith
  • Kurt Landsberger
  • Greg Mitchell
  • Virginia Nardone
• Officers:
  • President – Dave Freschi
  • Vice Pres. – Geordie Smith
  • Treasurer – Steve Wysmuller
  • Secretary – Brian Glennon
• D. Freschi proposed that the Conservancy be an objective driven organization and as such meetings should be focused on a limited set of agreed upon yearly objectives. To accomplish the objectives D. Freschi further proposed that major objectives be allocated to sub-committees which can then do the majority of the work and report back into the main body of the Conservancy at regular meetings. All present agreed upon this approach. The meeting concluded with a brainstorming session about potential objectives. The resulting objectives were then prioritized (see below).
• Meeting agendas will be available before an upcoming meeting. Agenda items will be asked for from all members. It was asked that agenda items relate primarily to agreed upon objectives.
• Minutes will be taken and distributed.
• HC meeting places will try to be spread through the surrounding towns. It was agreed upon that meeting in several towns is a good way to attract more people. Meeting dates will be posted in local newspapers. It was decided that we would meet once a month for an hour and a half. We will try to keep the same night of every month for meetings.

Brainstorming objectives for 2004

Objectives were prioritized into three categories of importance.

1. (most important)
   • Public relations
   • Clean up
   • Education of Hilltop Conservancy
   • Fund raising
   • Township/county liaison
2. (medium term)
   • Educational outreach
   • Boarder marking
3. (longer term)
   • National Trails Day
   • Water Works/towers/brown field
   • Patrolling
   • Maintenance
   • Habitat
   • Big clean up
   • Rules
   • GPS caching
   • Garbage cans/portable toilets
   • Photo inventory

Miscellaneous:
Dennis German has created a website for the HC. It can be accessed through www.real-world-system.com. At this site click Hilltop Conservancy. Upcoming meeting dates, agendas and minutes will soon be able to be accessed through the site.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00pm.

Minutes prepared by Secretary: Brian Glennon