Excerpted from the CFM Strategic Plan: Advocacy and Coordination For nearly 80 years, CFM has been known as “The Voice for Missouri Outdoors.” Actively involved in state and national issues relating to conservation and natural resources, the Federation has long been a prominent and effective leader, respected for our opinion and fairness. Our history of standing tall for Missouri conservation speaks for itself. Today, however, many voices are vying for the listener’s ear, and it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish which issues are important and worthy of our time. We believe it is our duty to sort through the clutter, and to advance a balanced opinion representative of the views and values held by all Missourians who believe in the idea of wise use and scientific management of our state’s abundant natural resources.
We also understand that no single organization can tackle the challenges alone. We are committed to the notion that the work of well-informed citizens is the quickest path to success when armed with facts and an understanding of the process. For these reasons, we are committed to serving as a convener, facilitator, and coordinator for the purpose of building relationships and achieving common goals between and among interest groups; to working with all organizations and agencies to develop and advance programs and policies important to our members, affiliates, and conservationists across the state; and to formulating well developed, defensible positions on topics of interest to our members and affiliates.
CFM Resolutions
A critical activity performed by CFM is the monitoring of conservation and natural resource issues and the formulation of an organizational stance or position based on the best available information and/or science. Member and board supported resolutions are frequently developed as a means of expressing CFM support, opposition, recognition, or advice on a particular topic. CFM resolutions are one of the most powerful expressions of our opinion as a conservation organization.
GOAL 1.– To regularly monitor issues important to CFM and to prepare well researched, vetted, and timely resolutions consistent with our organizational mission and goals.
CFM Resolution Process and Timeline
The Resolutions Process follows the monthly timeline below. Of course, members/affiliate members may bring important issues to the attention of the Executive Director or any Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) Chair at any time during the year. Issues outside of convention will be handled by a letter or resolution from the Executive Director, President, or Executive Committee, with input from the appropriate RACs, and the Resolutions Committee. October – December is the time for you to act if you want thorough consideration and/or a resolution on an issue at the next convention. By following the timeline below, members ensure important issues can be fully researched and developed in advance of the convention.
Convention resolutions are prepared in advance and will be “pre-filed” in the months leading up to the annual convention. All of these pre-filed resolutions will be in DRAFT form until finally discussed and voted on at the convention. By the time of the convention, there will already have been considerable work, background research, and time devoted to each pre-filed resolution – especially by the Resource Advisory Committee members of each committee involved in the development.
The process and timeline are as follows:
October – December 14– Resource Advisory Committees (RACs) begin advance work on the most important issues/topics (calling only on their committee members, unless those of you who are not committee members share issues/topics directly with the RAC Chair).
December 14– Deadline for issues/topics submitted to RAC Chairs to be considered for any pre-filed resolutions for the annual convention.
December 14 – January 14– Individual RACs hold workshops with their official committee members to develop DRAFT resolutions and the convention agenda for their committees.
January 14– Deadline for RAC pre-filed DRAFT resolutions to be submitted to the Resolutions Committee.
January 24– Resolutions Committee informs RAC Chairs whether pre-filed DRAFT resolutions will advance/not advance, or need some changes.
February 8–All pre-filed DRAFT resolutions are provided to the Director of Operations for posting on the website.
February 12– All pre-filed DRAFT resolutions are announced on the CFM website & compiled for convention attendees.
RAC meetings by Zoom starting February 20, 2023
Convention First Day A.M. (Friday, March 1st) – (except during virtual meetings or conventions, when they meet earlier in the week) RAC meetings representations, pre-filed resolutions discussion, and voting (this is also a time when any emergency resolutions may be offered by those in attendance, but if it is not truly an emergency issue/topic, it will not be considered – this is at the discretion of the committee chairperson, or the Resolutions Committee).
Convention First Day P.M. (Friday, March 1st)– Resolutions Committee considers the final docket of all pre-filed resolutions that were voted to move forward out of each RAC, and any emergency resolutions that the RAC advanced.
Convention Second Day A.M. (Saturday, March 2nd)– Resolutions Committee presents final resolutions docket for General Assembly vote.
You can find the names of RAC Chairs and Executive Director contact information on the CFM website. Thank you for being a conservation advocate – get on board and get your issues considered!
FROM: The Resolutions Committee
Resolutions Committee Members – Jim Low, Dana Ripper, Ginny Wallace, Ed Smith, and Rob Hunt.
