Fred Feitler, Vice-President, opened the meeting at 9:25 AM and welcomed everyone to the Annual Meeting. Everyone introduced themselves. Fred shared the sad news the Dee Pence passed away the evening before (April 15th)at 6:00 PM and said he hoped that Friends of Cedar Creek can make a donation in her name.

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The date for the annual meeting in April has not been finalized because the FW Chapter of the IWLA has some events that constrict our timing. We will know more at the March meeting. At the plant sale at the April meeting, there is a possibility that some plants from the FW Parks and Recreation exhibits may be available in addition to those we contribute.

Heather Baker has prepared a sales display for FCC for wearables. Hats were not shown, but they were suggested as a good addition. Members were encouraged to review and order from the exhibit.

Gretel Smith brought information on SB251 in the Indiana legislature authored by Win Moses on fracking (underground injection and breaking of shale, etc. to force extraction of oil and gas). Legislation presented is weak on materials used and prevention and contamination of water wells. She suggested that individuals contact Win Moses, Dennis Kruse and Phyllis Pond regarding this bill.

Tadd Bowman suggested that we do some additional cleanup of Cedar Creek. Tarps and tires are still available for removal. Jon boats and canoes are good for storage and pulling things out. The best time for the work is in the summer when the water is low. Logistics can be difficult, but Tadd will prepare an outline of what to do and how to do it.

There was a hearing tonight, February 22 on the Union Chapel Road interchange at I-69 in Allen County.

Nature notes: Tadd is aware of bald eagles at Hamilton Lake and turkeys as well. Bluebirds were seen by Mary Anna Feitler. Tom Bastable saw a flock of robins and a pileated woodpecker. Dennis Baker observed 50 turkeys, a brown creeper and a Carolina wren. Zach Walter saw deer and turkeys. Gretel Smith noted that a farm development in DeKalb County was turned down by both the Plan Commission and the County Commissioners (very unusual decision)

The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Anna Feitler, Secretary for Sue Diefenbach, Recording Secretary

The Friends of Cedar Creek held their May meeting on the 4th Tuesday of the month at the Izaak Walton League on Griffin Road, prefaced by a well attended pot luck supper. The speaker was Tom Bastable, President of the Izaak Walton League in Allen County, who gave an overview of the League’s history with their programs to protect habitat and share with outdoor sports. Tom emphasized that all of us have been really blessed to be able to live in an area of outstanding natural attributes and that our efforts to protect the area pay big dividends. Right on, Tom! And thanks for opening up some great discussions that will continue to protect and enhance the Cedar Creek valley.

Both the Treasurer and Secretary were present and their reports were accepted. There has been no activity requiring other than normal office expenses. Elections were held, and officers and board remained substantially the same. Bob Davis and Dave Van Gilder are new additions to the board. Congratulations all! It was noted that the “No Spray” metal signs are still available at $3.00 each and very timely as roadside vegetation is growing and at the mercy of highway department spray at any time. All the residue from those sprays eventually enter Cedar Creek. The new website was presented and many comments were discussed. Ten days were allotted for voting on an alternative home page after another version was available on the internet for comparison. Many interesting spring wildlife stories were presented, from Eagles to hummers, turtles to crayfish, and everything crawling and flying in between. (Those stories are evidence of what the protection of Cedar Creek canyon delivers to its caretakers). Adjournment was at 8:50 pm

The agenda included two speakers. Commissioner Bill Brown joined our group for the pot luck dinner and then went on to cover a lot of territory in leading a discussion centered around environmental issues, Allen County, and the ways and means to register an impact on the community at large. Keys to meeting goals would be most effective in organizing on a larger scale and cooperating with other groups with similar interests. Understanding competing interests and finding common ground could achieve significant results for Friends of Cedar Creek. Although this sounds simplistic, so do the business objectives of “Quality” and “Great Service”. Though the words and goals are simple sounding, implementing them requires a great deal of commitment and effort. We should redouble our efforts along these lines and dedicate a meeting to revisiting our strategic plan and committing to some specific efforts. Thanks Bill!

And Friends of Cedar Creek within a ‘2 mile’ circle of ACRES headquarters on Chapman Rd. can take advantage of a 3 year agreement with Earth First refuse company to do their collection for $11.79 per month, a very competitive rate. Recycling will be an add-on feature in the future. Any item of disposal other than items containing freon can be left with the ordinary garbage at your curb. The Earth First presentation answered all our questions, and we agreed to ‘sponsor’ as a ‘neighborhood association’ the 3 year understanding. We enjoyed their presence at the pot luck as well. If you have interest, please contact Merrit Morrolf at 436-8700, x103.

Larry Yoder and Dennis Baker meet with the Commissioners on February 11 at 1 pm in an effort to vacate part of Richey Lane. No public comment is available at that meeting, however support is appreciated for anyone who can attend.

Al Diefenbach
President