adopt a stream/message to BOD

[TheEndlessEnigma]

ok i am wondering why in the world we have not bought a kit yet for those of us who attended the class almost a year ago now. its not like the end of the world for me but this is borderline going on ridiculous.

all i want to know is

what is the holdup?

[MBA]

I remember this coming up at the Dreamland BBQ. Wasn't there a hold up from the state but this should have been resolved in the months since then. BOD, any update?

[GregLS]

Here is the deal!

The class was held, you were trained, the BOD had/has approved the purchase of a full kit and 2 smaller kits for approx. $900 (if that is still necessary). The inital delay was due to the BOD beliving that we could obtain these kits at a low or no cost to us (better use of NGTO member dollars). After this did not come to fruition and JeffG asked for a update, I asked for an order form be sent to The Ole Man from the company that these kits are purchased from detailing the cost so that he could cut a check. JeffG then asked his provider for same, but appears that he hasn't gotten a response. SO, this has yet to happen. As for as I'm aware, that is where this stands!

BOD matters can be emailed directly to ever BOD'er at once by sending it to BOD@NGTO.ORG ,if you have further questions please use email. You will usually get a response from one of us fairly quick! Thanks!

[THE EG]

I guess it is my fault. I made the mistake of saying I would look into it after the shallow water expo and it simply isn't that big a priority for me at the moment.

Endless, I'll send the info I have to you. Find the details and cost (it has gone up quite a bit) and send them on to The Ole Man.

[jeffg]

All my fault. Sorry folks.
EE as I mentioned I will try and find the string of emails on the kits.
So far no luck in finding them, but then I did have a h/d crash. let me keep looking

[TheEndlessEnigma]

interesting. at least things are clear. yeah i suppose the price of gasoline has now raised the price of just about everything to the point you cna't even sneeze without wiping your nose with a 100 dollar bill.

usually Greg I would have emailed you (and or the BOD) but I am NOT the only one who wanted to know about all this. No offense was intended but sometimes you have to call a spade a spade. Personally I dont think we were all on the same page. Now that we are all up to date, we can, of course, move forward.

Rally Ho!!!!!

[Josh Barnett]

I wasn't able to make it to the meeting, but I am very interested in working with NGTO to make this an opportunity to anglers. Looks like we need to take a progressive step forward, and make things happen soon. Could someone please let me know the status of what all we need to do to get things started. I will be more than happy to work with someone to help get things organized.

Joshua Barnett

[huntfish]

TEE,
Sometimes you got to shake things up. :D Thanks for the help at Smiths.

[TheEndlessEnigma]

SOMETIMES I am really good at that

and i dont mind the helping bit

[raftgoddess]

Please let me know exactly what you would like to test for and where. Could those of you who really want to push this thing through contact me directly at raftgoddess1@yahoo.com? I have the information, I have the prices and I have the contacts all lined up as I have for quite some time.
Java

[The Owl]

Man, I'm out of a job.


I'm bothered more by the implication that we can't discuss things in an open forum more. owlsblueridge.com adopted Noontootla creek a year ago. I haven't been able to make the class though, so the observations part hasn't been done, etc. etc. etc. don't feel like your'e the lone ranger in the "don't have time, still trying to work on it" dept. BOD. Everyone leads busy lives and we all do the best we can.


* Lemme ammend this a bit - after reading it again, it may not have come off like I meant it. It wasn't a slam against the BOD. What I was meaning to express though, WAS the idea that maybe when we're busy, or other things have limited our ability to do a specific thing, we just come out and say so. I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of ( not that you are necessarily) or whatever.....and if you have to take a member to the woodshed ( :) ) in private that's understandable. But discussions about things everyone is( or could be) involved in should be out in the open IMHO. Not that you asked. ;)


You guys volunteer alot of time and effort to this - something we all should appreciate. It may take a while, but we usually get things done eventually. Now, where can we get that limestone for Smith's Creek...hmmm. ;)


owl

[GregLS]

Progress has been made folks! :)

I just got off the phone with Harold Harber, Harold is compiling the information needed to aquire the kits through him. It's not as simple as ordering kits as complete items. There's a bit of red tape.

Otherwise one of you who attended the class would of had to "compile" an order based on the testing list found in the back of your training manuals direct from suppliers such as Ben Medows, Hach Chemicial or Fischer Scientific and submitted it for payment to the treasurer. (That would of been sufficient also, so remember this when you need to re-supply the reagents!)

So, once we get the info from Harold and get it "processed", I'll be letting you know as soon as the kits arrive.

What will NGTO want from you? We will come up with a place here on the NGTO website for you to post your monthly testing results so we can all see the results of the efforts of the streams being monitored.

Although this is a NGTO sponsered project, it does not mean that a BOD'er will be doing the work. We need those that were trained to take the ball and run with while reporting the results back here for all of us to see. If the program runs well I'd like to see us be able to sponser more AAS groups.

Let me know your thoughts! :)

Greg

[huntfish]

Greg,
I believe TEE is also trying to get NGTO involved in Adopting a Creek to actually perform some physical improvements, not just monitoring chemical concentrations and such. Chemical data is fine but what does chemical data show besides # and concentrations? There needs to be additional associated work to show cause and effect. The initial data shows or identifies needs, then a solution can be developed and improvements can be made.

An yes, I don't believe that TEE was looking for the BOD to perform the work, just a project that NGTO could hang their hat on.

I believe he has a stream in mind, so I let him chime in.

[GregLS]

That sounds like a great idea! Let us know what's involved and be prepaired to lead and run the project! Be the Chief! ;)

[GregLS]

OK GUYS! Who all attended the training (screen name as well as full name)? What creek/creeks are you wanting to monitor? What level of monitoring are you after for those waters?

These answeres will helps us make the appropriate kit purchases!

This ship is sailing boys so I need the info so we can get her under sail! ;)

[TheEndlessEnigma]

i was there but that was obvious.

yes i would like to possibly adopt a stream and make physical improvements as well but i am not posting anything about this until i get more info on the locale just yet.

ill do the work .... and spearhead this if i have to. That was never a problem or an issue.

[GregLS]

I'm well aware of the delays on this issue, but here it is, getting full attention and other than EE no one else has spoken up! I'm aware of EE, JeffG and Eg that attended the training with Harold on the Ami. Were there any others? Before the BOD spends $900-$1150 of the members donations on these monitoring kits we have to know that there is a group dedicated to being consistant in maintaining this program. Otherwise it will be a waste.

Let's quit banging our heads against the wall here :bang: and get our act together on a great program. The BOD needs a name or names of the stream that you intend to monitor. Who is going to be the caretaker of the kit/s?

Let's not let this issue gather anymore dust. NGTO will gladly purchase the kits, but we have to have accountability. So at this point, someone needs to take the ball and run! :)

Greg

[TheEndlessEnigma]

just give me the rock i run slow but hey i run

[jeffg]

Get Kit to measure chemicals, PH , etc.. for Rotten wood. That is/was the original plan. From there we would branch out to reflect both the members and where people like to spend their time. Ami, Etc....

Jamesig you still out there and interested?
Tom O.. Delta Flyer,.. you in?>
Fish.. you in?
Sago?
Anyone... Bueller????
ANy Lurkers out there wanna do more?

Cmon folks, we have gone down this road multiple times. It appears that this time we are actually rolling downhill instead of up....
so you in or you not? Rather simple committment... to a)_ Spend a few hours a month monitoring and then reporting those results b) Work to help clean up a water shed c) give something back to the overall community we are part of d) enlist and enlarge the constituency that we have so that when our resources are threatened, or access being cut back or the DNR needs help etc.. that there are more people to stand up and be counted.

[TheEndlessEnigma]

since i am leading the northern ga contingency i am probably gonna be doing waters creek. we all know that it could use a little tlc..

so if anyone would liek to help on this or volunteer a day for some work i caould most likely use the help.

thanks

[Windknot]

TEE - I'm not trained on the kits, and if Ms. Mary Jane Purvis found out I was turned loose with chemicals, she'd rise from the grave and haunt whoever let me play with them, :blush: but if you expand to any resoration projects, give me a holler. I fear no blister.
Don

[Korn Dunker]

I was there too. The next step in the AAS should be for those who took the chemical portion to take the Biological (Bug) portion of the training. Maybe we can get another class set up to do that. Also, the certification is only good for a year if I'm not mistaken.

If y'all want, I can contact the group who did the bug class that I went to and see if she can do a class for us somewhere.

[Fish Gazer]

I am interested

Jeff

[TheEndlessEnigma]

well yeah i suppose that would be bad ... but i am more worried about manpower than chemical usage. i fish up there all the time and live close so monitoring would be my m.o. i suppose.

[GregLS]

It has been suggested that those that have an intrest in participating meet with the BOD to verbally work out a plan!

What say ye?

Who? Where? When?

[TheEndlessEnigma]

the who where and all that could prove problematic for me with my herky jerky schedule someone propose a date adn time and lets go from there

[bonedog]

Hey Michael,
I'll be glad to help.
Tight lines,
bd

[huntfish]

TEE,
I'll help with Waters.

russ

[raftgoddess]

For the record I have no idea how many people I have talked to about this issue or how many times I have offered to help with the stream adoption and buying of chemicals. I do know, however that it is beyond rediculous that this issue keeps coming up and going nowhere. So please allow me to jump in here and say a couple of things.
1) This is what I do for a living. I teach conservation education and specialize in water issues so I actually know what I am talking about when I say it is not that difficult to do. It amazes me that I can make a suggestion regarding this issue and the person/people I am talking to feel the need to "find someone who can tell us what we need to do." Talking it to death is not getting this anywhere.
2) Y'all need to get together and decide what stream you would like to adopt and why. I have heard Waters tossed in and it sounds like a good one. As far as Rottenwood is concerned all I can ask is "WHY?" There would be reasons to test it but it would take a different approach. jeffg, I would be happy to discuss Rottenwood further via email or right here. You decide.
3) The testing itself is not that hard, guys. The testing supplies are as easy to use as putting sugar in your coffee if not easier. And the biological testing of streams is a matter of getting in there and being observant. If I can get groups of children to do it surely a group of grown men can do it.
4) You have to take a few minutes to get the supplies from a couple of different sources. This is not a hard thing to do. The people who work the phones at these places are very nice.
As I stated before I have offered to help in any way I can. If that means having y'all come out to the house and getting this thing organized with whoever has decided to be your leader (Endless?) that would be great. After that if you want me to physically show you what is involved in testing a stream chemically and biologically we can do that too. As far as the chemicals and such, if you are so concerned about not having them why haven't you bought them on your own? If any of you would like the info and prices I would be more than happy to supply that to you. Having your own would make it easy to keep your own records without having to pass supplies back and forth. All you have to do is make a few decisions regarding exactly why you want to test certain waters and I can tell you how to cut a few corners and get more bang for your buck supply-wise.
So there you have it.. my 2 cents worth. Let me know if you actually want to do something.
Java

[Rusty Fowler]

Raftie, you are my hero;). I love it when you break out the smelling salts.

[Josh Barnett]

I believe that has been tried.

I say we go with Java. Apparently, she is knowledgable about this area of work-- and, quite frankly, we need to get on the ball with the Adopt a Stream project we proposed. This is getting a little disturbing.

I say we elect a leader; anyone who is willing to give their time. Since we have several very knowledgable folks on this board that we can use as resources, a very intellectual leader is not needed. Endless has volunteered so 'I' say that we allow him to do it. I can personally attest to his attentiveness, as well as posotive attitude towards trout fishing and conservation.

Next, seems fitting that we (meaning those interested parties) meet somewhere; be it my house, Java's house, a resteraunt... wherever, so long as this thing gets rolling. If you all need a place to meet, you are more than welcome to meet here at the shop. Plenty of room for a dozen folks.

If the Board of Directors wants to be involved, that would be great. If not, I think that there should be a liason who could report in periodically. It doesn't appear that this is a NGTO Project, merely a project done by a group of NGTO Members. Otherwise, it seems to me, something constructive should've already happened.

Joshua Barnett

[MBA]

Well if "intellectual" in not a prerequisite, I say EE is definitely your man ;)

[ASago]

While I doubt I can make the meeting if it is on the weekend, if the stream and schedule works out to be geographically convenient I would be more than willing to be a BOD rep for the project, but Josh you are correct. This is a project that was created from our membership (originally by JeffG) and will probably be completely run by members with funding from NGTO.

[Josh Barnett]

Michael is much smarter than you would think. ; )

With all that time he gets to spend on the water he ought to be. That's why he, my friends, is the perfect candidate for a leadership position in this project. I reccomend him. What say ye, Endless?

Joshua Barnett

[TheEndlessEnigma]

i appreciate that ;). and all the kind words. Unless asked by someone above me to do it with the backing of others I am keeping my mouth shut for the time being.

[Windknot]

TEE - See Aaron's post above, yesterday at 5:28pm.

If you want to head up the Waters Creek project, you will have the backing of the BOD.

With JeffG heading the Rottenwood project, and TEE heading the Waters Creek project, I hope you both get the level of interest from our members of which both projects are certainly worthy.

You both may want to start a separate thread for each project - there have been expressions of interest by many people over time, and as has been clearly noted, this has drug on for a long time. Announce your aims and objectives, and see what kind of turnout you have.

Thank you both for stepping up, and good luck with the projects.
Don