The Austin Pond society held it’s first of the year meeting at the Zilker Botanical Gardens Meeting room at the usual time of 6:30 and on the usual 3rd Monday of the month.

We started off with a small snack of Tacos and Salad with a whole bunch of different donated cookies for dessert put together by our new volunteer chef, Stephen Monfrini. Thank you Stephen for volunteering. You are the most popular person at the meetings.

Jeannie Ferrier, the President opened the meeting with an appeal to the members to sign a petition for AAGC to be presented to the City Council for more funding for Zilker Gardens amongst other things. Below is a video of her appeal.

Following the meal and after Jeannie had made her AAGC appeal, the speaker for the evening was Jane Tillman and her subject was, “Put out the welcome mat for Backyard Birds” Jane Tillman is an active member of the Travis Audubon Society, and a Capital Area Master Naturalist. She is the president of the Native Plant Society of Texas, Austin chapter. She put on a very entertaining presentation followed by a lot of questions.

The video is of the presentation by Jane Tillman.

Following the presentation, Jeannie, our President, went around the room asking the several new members to stand up and identify themselves and then to the Board members asking them for any input or words of wisdom they may have. Ted Theone was introduced as the new Pond Tour Chairman and outlined his plans for the tour. He is already looking for volunteers to help with the organization and on the days of the tour.

Our Treasurer, Nancy Reinert presented the budget for this upcoming year and it was passed by acclamation. Our Librarian, Betty Blackson spoke briefly about the books available for check out.

When it came around to my turn, Jeannie pulled a fast one getting the group to sing “Happy Birthday”. Most embarrasing but very welcome. It’s nice to hear it from friends and acquaintances and after all, you only get to celebrate your 80th birthday once in a lifetime.

There was not a lot of other business and the meeting ended with the door prize drawings which this time around was several copies of the 2016 APS Calendar.

For a video of the business part of the meeting.