[Iesaf_palouse] Last Official Communication from PSR Outgoing Chair

[Kimsey, Mark]

Dear PSR Chapter Members,

Hot off the press news:  

Spokane, WA will be the site for the 2012 National SAF conference!  The
Inland Empire section will be the host for this event.  October 22-28,
2012.

Inland Empire Leadership Retreat will be at Lutherhaven (south of CDA)
on Feb. 19-20, 2010.

Inland Empire Annual Conference (The Big Blowup: Fires of 1910 A Century
Later) will be held in Wallace on May 20-22, 2010.

PSR Chapter News:

Next Chapter meeting: January 20th, Moscow, meeting details forthcoming

2009 is coming to a close and as outgoing chair I would like to thank
all those who have made my tenure as chapter chair a pleasure.
Particularly, my gratitude goes out to Ron Mahoney, Keith Blatner, Greg
Bassler, Terry Shaw, Tera King, Mark Swanson, Jay O'Laughlin, Jo Ellen
Force, Harold Osborne, Roger Ward, Dick Reid, Terrie Jain, Russ Graham,
and Ann Abbott.  For those I may have left out, my apologies and
heartfelt thanks.   These PSR members provide crucial SAF leadership at
the local, state and national levels.  SAF could not function without
these dedicated individuals.  I wish to thank them on both your and my
behalf. 

As much as I would like to focus on positive only news at this point, I
must also bring some focus on an impending leadership shortfall in the
PSR chapter.  We have been unable to fill the chair-elect position.
Further, we will learn in the next several months whether several of our
current officers receive offers for SAF state leadership (Tera King)
and/or job transfers (Kara Chadwick).  Kara and Tera are serving our
chapter exceptionally well and will be sorely missed if they move on to
larger responsibilities. If both vacancies occur, then our chapter will
be without officers and will cease to function.  This is a pretty bleak
scenario - but it can happen. This is where we need you.  We need to
prepare for this eventuality.  For those who have been officers in the
past, would you consider serving again?  For those who would wish to
step in for the first time, this is the opportunity.

As outgoing chair I am recommending the incoming chair to hold a
State-of-the-Chapter meeting in January to discuss PSR leadership and
chapter function going forward.  For those interested in leadership and
would like to ask questions, this would be your time to feel out what
chapter leadership is all about.  We also would like to have many PSR
members attend to give us guidance on how to restructure chapter
functioning in the event of leadership shortfall.  There are three
options regarding future PSR function that I have outlined to the
incoming chair for discussion at this meeting:

Muddle Through:  Continue as is until current officer terms are up or
vacated and hope new officers are installed.  If not, this option would
revert to Reactive as outlined below.

Proactive:  Modify chapter function by reducing monthly meetings from 9
to 2 (minimum for retaining chapter viability within SAF) - one each in
early fall & spring; one summer field tour; one early winter workshop.
Institute an informal social only time (no speakers, no dinners) where
members could meet at a local venue for relaxation and catching up on
news, etc.  Continuing education credits would stay the same as holding
monthly meetings.  Chapter officers would rely on PSR members to lead
field tours and workshops.  Reduced workload may attract members who can
devote limited time to chapter leadership.  

Reactive:  All PSR activities cease when current officer terms are ended
or vacated with no incoming leadership; chapter dissolved due to no
activities; membership transferred to an enlarged Selkirk chapter; PSR
funds transferred to the Inland Empire/Selkirk chapter.  

Of course the Reactive Scenario is the absolutely least desirable, so
please come and share your thoughts and suggestions.  Our chapter is too
great to fail!  If you have any other ideas than were presented above,
please send them to any PSR chapter officer or bring them with you to
the January meeting.  We look forward to seeing you there.  We need you!

So enough on that.  Thank you PSR Chapter for the memories and for
providing me an opportunity to grow and learn in this great profession
of forestry.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year,

Mark Kimsey, Outgoing PSR Chair

 

 

 

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