Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy Inc.

“The membership can nominate individuals to serve on the board of directors from the floor and vote to elect the board directors at the annual meeting. The directors serve 3-year staggered terms, so 1/3 of the board is elected by the membership annually.”

“A draft of the organization's form 990 is prepared by an independent cpa firm. Such draft is reviewed by the exective director and finance committee members. The form 990 is also made available to all board members for review before being signed and filed. The form 990 is made available to board members in either electronic or paper format.”

“Each covered person, as defined in the conservancy's conflict of interest policy, is required to promptly and fully disclose all material facts of every actual or potential conflict of interest. Each covered person shall sign a statement acknowledging that he or she has received a copy of the policy, has read and understands it, and agrees to comply with it. If the board of directors has reasonable cause to believe that a covered person has failed to conply with this policy, the board may counsel the covered person regarding such failure and, if the issue is not resolved to the board's satisfaction, may consider additional corrective action as approriate. Each covered person shall annually complete and sign a conflict of interest questionnaire.”

“The finance committee prepares a proposed annual budget that includes a recommended salary for the executive director. A land trust alliance survey of various staff position salaries is use in determining this recommended salary. The proposed budget, with the salary recommendation, is presented to the board of directors for approval. Such budget discussion and approval is reported in the minutes of the board of directors.”

“Copies of the organizations's governing documents, conflict of interest policy, audited financial statements, and form 990, are available upon request at the organzation's business office.”

“Volunteers included individuals serving on the board of directors and individuals assisting in fundraising and program events of the organization.”

“Public education and technical assistance - major accomplishments during 2018-19: - publication and distribution of three issues of the conservancy's "the shed sheet" newletter to approximately 5,100 individuals, families, and businesses. - e-mail announcements, facebook posts, watershed education public service announcements, and display messages. - maintenance of an educational website. - public education tours at nature preserves and targeted conservation sites. - meetings with approximately twenty-five landowners to provide landscaping or erosion control technical assistance to develop waterfront vegetative buffers, and other landscaping enhancements. - undertook lake tributary water quality sampling. - implemented a pollution prevention storm drain stenciling education program in the city of dunkirk at over 100 storm drains tributaries to lake erie. - held ten lake or watershed education/pollution prevention/erosion control presentations/tours for the public and to organizations. - organized ten educational summer "lake walks" which reached over 400 persons.”

“Land conservation - major accomplishments during 2018-19: - took steps towards conserving seventy-six acres of forest and wetland wildlife habitat on cassadaga lake and designing public access improvements for the site to be operated as a public nature park. - undertook activities pursuing the conservation of eighty acres of land on prendergast and cheney creek. - partnered with ducks unlimited in the conservation of other sites in chautauqua county. - performed stream buffer plantings and invasive species control at ball and goose creeks sites. - planned and installed bridges, boardwalks, trails, signage, etc. To enhance its nature preserves for public use.”

“Municipal technical assistance - major accomplishments during 2018-19: - provided hydrological engineering technical assistance for the development and implementation of effective watershed pollution control/lake protection projects in the town of busti and village of lakewood, including designing a 1,200-foot-long wetland flood control structure, and landscaping design services for a lakefront park on burtis bay in the town of ellicott. - reviewed phosphorus laws for harmful algae bloom control and model stormwater laws for potential adoption by municipalities. - participated on the county water quality task force and advocated for effective preventive activities in committee meetings regarding the potential establishment of a lake district.”

“Change in beneficial interest in assets held by others -1,605 golf tournament expenses netted against income (990 viii) 12,291 golf tournament expenses netted against income (990 viii) -12,291 total -1,605”