CEA_04-19-12_Meeting_Minutes® MEETING MINUTES
OF THE
FREDERICK COUNTY CONSERVATION EASEMENT AUTHORITY
Held in the Executive Session Room of the Frederick County Administration Building at 107 North
Kent Street in Winchester, Virginia on April 19, 2012 at 8:00 a.m.
PRESENT: Diane Kearns, Chairman; Ron Clevenger; Robert Solenberger; Elaine Cain, Treasurer; and
Todd Lodge.
ABSENT: .John Marker; Gene Fisher, Board of Supervisors Liaison; and Charles Triplett, Planning
Commission Liaison.
STAFF PRESENT: Eric R. Lawrence, CEA Secretary; and Bev Dellinger, Secretary III.
OTHER: Neil Thorne, Land Use Coordinator, Commissioner of the Revenue's Office.
PUBLIC MEETING:
1. Welcome and Introductions
Everyone introduced themselves.
2. February 23, 2012 Meeting Minutes
Chairman Kearns had a change on Page 172, second paragraph, of the February 23, 2012
minutes. The sentence should read: "Conservation Partners will sell your $120,000 tax credits
for a rate of 6 %." The change will be made. With that change, on a motion by Mr. Solenberger
and seconded by Ms. Cain, the minutes of February 23, 2012 were unanimously approved.
3. Fundraising Efforts
a. W W W.Gl FT.ora — Give $1 for Frederick's Tomorrow
b. GIFT Program Facebook Page
c. Establishing Matching Fund Source
Chairman Kearns stated that she and Ms. Cain met and came up with several ideas. One of
them was a continuing educational seminar with Conservation Partners. There has not been
any forward movement on that.
Another idea was trying to get some kind of presence in media, i.e., Facebook. It's cheap,
free and anybody can do it. Chairman Kearns set up a Facebook page and she uses it because
it's an excellent media for their climbing activities; that's how she contacts her clients.
Chairman Kearns continued that Facebook is a forum; you can add a status update, add a
photo or video, or ask a question. The information goes out to whomever you've "friended ".
They can make a comment or send it on to someone else. Points are given for items you post
— a photo or a video is worth a lot more points than just a comment. Depending on what your
"friends" like, whether they comment on it or send it on, gives another set of points. The
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April 19, 2012
® more points an item has means it shows up on your home page. So the idea is you're seeing
what is most important to you, and over a period of time it builds it up and filters it out.
Chairman Kearns set up a Facebook page for Frederick County Conservation Easement and
inserted a link for G1 FT on Frederick County's web site. Anyone on the Committee who has
a Facebook account needs to "like" the CEA page so you can share that with friends who
might be interested. Chairman Kearns suggested that everyone take a picture and send it to
her and she will post it.
Chairman Kearns said we need to make sure we don't miss the next mailing cycle of tax bills
in order that the CEA can print a promo for a donation on the envelopes. Mr. Lawrence has
talked with someone in the Treasurer's Office about the CEA printing something on the tax
bill envelopes, but it seems they have just ordered whenever Mr. Lawrence brings it up. Mr.
Lawrence will continue to remind the Treasurer's Office.
Chairman Kearns said that she and Ms. Cain believe the CEA should contact people with the
Museum of Shenandoah Valley and Kernstown Battlefield Association to touch base and see
if there's anything the CEA can do to help them. Mr. Lawrence thought we might want to
contact Conservation Partners about a regional meeting, instead of waiting for them to contact
us.
4. Tax Credits and Easement Donation Handout Information
Mr. Lawrence stated he got an email from Mr. Kevin Schmidt, who works for the State
® promoting easements. In that email are links to several land trust alliance documents. Mr.
Lawrence handed out a copy of the email, showing the links. He scanned through them and he
will figure out whether they can be put on our webpage or if he can do a link to them. Mr.
Lawrence thinks they are beneficial.
5. Next Meeting Date
May 24, 2012
6. Other
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:32 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
CK Q«15
Diane Kearns, Chairman
® Eric It. Lawrence, CEA Secretary
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April 19, 2012