Iowa Master Naturalists Board of Directors – Minutes of December 8, 2025, Board Meeting
12:00 pm at the Coralville Public Library
1) Roll Call
Board: Ginny Paulson, Chair (present)
Justin Voss, Vice Chair (present)
Anita Hutton, Treasurer (present)
Ben Rowold (present)
Steve Keane, Secretary (present)
Connie Aldridge (present)
John Donner (present)
Dylan Nielsen (absent)
Executive Director: Elisabeth Swain (present)
Advisors: Jean Prior (present), Lynette Seigley (present), Alida Selim, Letia Blanco, John Pearson
2) Minutes from the previous meeting – The most recent minutes were approved and are on our website: https://iowamasternaturalists.org/Board-Minutes/ Older minutes are archived on the google drive in the folder called Board of Directors Meetings.
3) Treasurer Reports – Total Checking + Savings value is $4,433.42. For the period August 5th – December 5t, income of $5,619.79, and expenses of $4,497.07. Much of the transactions reflected IMN class tuition and costs. A reduction of less than $50 to the expenses is in process. A wonderful $1,200 donation was received from Master Naturalist Steve Funk.
4) Directors Report – The recently completed course at Wikiup was a great success! Elisabeth summarized an impressive list of Cap-Stone projects that highlighted each student’s unique skills and interests. A partial list of the innovative projects include how to use animal ID apps, organizing a spoken word event, ornithology related projects, plays and education, a children’s book about Naturalists as a career, project to reduce bird strikes at St. Paul’s church in Cedar Rapids, some wonderful trail work, rewilding and invasive clearing projects, and enhancing nature discovery for the mobility impaired.
IMN has been contacted by Polk County regarding a possible fall 2026 IMN class to be held at the new Nature Center at Jester Park. Jackson County also expressed interest in a class at the Hurstville Nature Center in the fall 0f 2027. Planning is underway for a spring 2026 class at Kent Park, in Johnson County.
5) New Business – Ginny’s handed out draft copies of a new Iowa Master Naturalist Newsletter. After review, a motion was passed to launch the inaugural publication in February 2026. This initial publication will be distributed electronically, and recipients will have the option of receiving future newsletters via hard copy US mail. Between this wonderful publication and IMN holding classes in expanding parts of Iowa – it is exciting to see how we can broaden communication of IMN and our mission.
6) Reminders: Remember to support IMNs mission, and Naturalist Certification through volunteer work, and recording your hours via the IMN website. Respectfully submitted,
Steven T. Keane, Secretary
IMN Board of Directors
5464 Lackender Ave SW
Riverside IA 52327
Iowa Master Naturalists 