State of the FFLA Message
To: Officers and Directors
From: Keith A. Argow, Chairman

State of the FFLA Message: 1999 - and report of actions taken by Board of Directors, 25-JAN-99

Last year at this time I asked each of you to mail me your Chapter Goals for 1998, plus some objectives for FFLA nationwide. Your response was excellent, and we are already seeing results. Here is a 10 point review of 1998, and some goals for 1999. Items 1-8 are actions by the Board, items 9 & 10 by the Chairman.

1. Central Mailing of LOOKOUT NETWORK. All chapters except one participated in-the central printing and mailing experiment. Distribution was faster and effective.

   ACTION: To assure timely delivery, distribution of LOOKOUT NETWORK will be accomplished by central mailing from now on. Chapters may send "chapter newsletters" to Gary Weber to be included in the same mailing as LOOKOUT NETWORK if they wish.

2. `Financial Records. Seven chapters accepted the trial offer of having the national treasurer (Shirley Goodrich) receive and distribute their funds and maintain their financial records. This is a convenience for the chapter, and provides the current financial statements that are needed for our upcoming 501(c)3 status.

   ACTION: Chapters may continue to maintain their funds and financial records at their option but must complete a year-end financial statement for IRS. This is accomplished automatically when funds are maintained by Shirley. Although held at national, these remain chapter funds, and are only spent by the chapter.

3. Web Page--Internet. We now have a new address: www.firelookout .org. We may be able to shorten it to lookout.org.. David Quam has passed the duties on to Dave Hilton with technical support from Rob Hoeye. There is considerable lookout information and talk here. All chapters can be linked as they come on line.

   ACTION: Chapters are encouraged to make use of the Internet to support their activities.

4. Dues. They will remain At $10/yr, $22/yr. Plus. There are some allocation changes.

   ACTION: Directors Dues ($10--which formerly funded the national budget) will be treated as regular dues (at $10). A small annual national budget will be funded with a $0.50 allocation from each membership (plus special funding from merchandise sales, etc.). With the $5.40 allocation to the magazine for printing and central mailing, and $0.50 for the national budget, this leaves $4.10 for chapters to spend on state projects and state newsletters.

5. FFLA Visioning Statement. At the Western Fall Meeting participants completed a long-range visioning exercise conducted by TRIAD Communications of Irvine, CA. The resulting report: Creating a Vision--Working Together was discussed in detail at a special evening session. Consensus is that FFLA is pretty well on track, but more could be done with objectives and membership development. If you have not received your copy (they were mailed directly), let me know and we will send one.

   ACTION: Focus on stating FFLA objectives better, and membership development. At least one FFLA brochure will be developed with chapter funding in 1999.

6. The 501(c)3 tax status application for FFLA is proceeding, slower than expected.

   ACTION: Move ahead as quickly as possible. The #1 goal for 1999!

7. Elections: Congratulations to Gary Weber (Vice Chair-west), Ray Grimes (Sec'y, was acting sec y), and Smoke Pfeiffer (Historian). A BIG thank you to outgoing historian Iris Baird for 4 years of service to FFLA.

   ACTION: Smoke Pfeiffer assumes the large task of assisting chapters in conducting and maintaining the lookout inventories. This is a basic FFLA objective.

8. Chapter Annual Reports. Most were presented at the annual board meeting.

   ACTION: Chapter reports for 1998 are due no later than January, 31.

9. Membership development. Following lookout inventory/restoration, membership growth is our biggest need. As noted earlier at least one chapter will do a FFLA brochure in 1999. It is obvious that we must make every effort to create chapters in those states with lookouts but little FFLA activity. The south is a priority. To be fair to existing chapters, new chapters should have at least 10 members before being conferred chapter status, but this is NOT a requirement.

   ACTION: The following additional state chapter combinations are proposed:

   Virginia-Maryland-Delaware; Ohio Valley: (West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois) Lake States: (Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan); Carolinas: (North and South Carolina); Florida-Georgia; Alabama-Mississippi; Tennessee-Kentucky; Texas-Louisiana; Ozark: (Arkansas-Okla.-Missouri); Great Plains:(ND, SD, NE, KS), Rocky Mountain: (Colorado, Wyoming & Utah).

   Hawaii, Alaska, Canada (other than Alberta/British Columbia), and new International can be handled as opportunities arise.

10. Committee Appointments:

    ACTION: Nominating (2000 election): Kresek (Chair), Spear, Swift Visions (long range): Weber (Ch.), Haughwout, Pfeiffer, Verschoor, Morey, Cummings Restoration (plans & materials): Isenberg (Chair) First Decade Celebration--January, 2000: Cummings (Chair) In related news, the U.S. Forest Service has joined the American Resources Group in providing metal registration certificates for USFS lookouts listed on the National Historic Lookout Register. The new metal certificates will still need firm backing, and can be mounted outside for better public visibility. They will carry the signature of the Chief of the Forest Service, along with the state keeper, and the NHLR chair.

Eastern: Phoenica, NY (Catskills), a "working meeting", 12-14 June 1999

Western: Libby, Montana, superb country with great lookout tour opportunities, 0ct.99

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!    IDEAS ?    QUESTIONS ?
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