Attendance:
Jinny Jones, Phil Jones, Johnna Robinson, Marcia Loeb, Betty Burchell, Peggy Thomson, John Krasny, John Stapko, Ann Marie Cunningham, Tryon Wells, Doc Talliaferro, Renee Dunham

President Tryon Wells called the meeting to order at 8:18PM - the first meeting of the year on the Island. The membership approved the minutes of the previous meeting.

Membership Report:
Total regular members - 155; waiting list - 147; applications mailed out - 5; guest cards issued - 66.

A discussion and rereading of the rules and by-laws clarified these membership categories: inactive, honorary, and family membership. Inactive membership may be granted to members living out of the area or who have compelling reasons (e.g. temporary incapacity) for inactivity. Honorary membership may be granted to members who can no longer use the Island (usually due to disability) but who wish to stay on the rolls. Honorary members are not included in the total membership count. Family membership extends to children who live "under the same roof." Grown children who no longer live with parents should apply for membership as individuals.

Canoeing Report:
A prototype yellow sticker to be affixed to each club canoe was passed around for inspection.

Newsletter:
The co-editors Jane and David Winer were not present to receive approval and applause for the new double column format and satellite photograph on the front page of the last issue. A suggestion was made to post important dates, such as the workfest, on the first page, but it is the responsibility of those submitting the material to request this placement.

New business:
Camping rules:
George and Marcia Loeb extracted from the old Sycamore Island Rules all references to camping. President Tryon Wells will review these rules with them and bring up any topics needing discussion in the next meeting.

Fund raisers and publicity:
Are Sycamore Island parties given as fund-raisers consistent with the spirit of our Club? Will advertising such events to the general public change the nature of our organization? What are the gray areas? One such incident has aroused some serious questioning. The Club will be developing policy to create guidelines for future decisions.

Guest cards:
Guest cards are issued to those on the membership waiting list. The number of guest cards issued in the first quarter of this year already exceeds the total issued throughout last year, inviting overuse of the Island. Several methods for moderating Island use were discussed. A motion was made to only issue guest cards from January through March of the year following acceptance on the waiting list. (The January through March period is the period during which members' dues are collected.) This is different from the current practice of issuing guest cards any time during the year. The motion to change the guest card rules will be discussed and voted on at the next meeting.

Miscellaneous:
A comprehensive list of members and the volunteer choices they entered on their dues notices was neatly compiled on computer and made available to the Relief Caretaking Supervisor. Canoe publications, such as Canoe Cruisers, Potomac Review, and Washington Canoe Club will soon be available on the Island for all to see. A members telephone tree used to exist and would perhaps be a useful device to revive.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:15PM. It was enticing to watch for beaver from the ferry as we returned to our homes.

-- Renee Dunham. Recording Secretary