Source attachment: 2023_01_20_MSBA_BOD minutes.docx
Minutes of Executive Board Meeting
January 20, 2023
Online via Zoom
MSBA President, Fred Smith called the meeting to order at 7:12 PM.
Attendees:
Fred Smith, Mary Laura Fitzgerald, Toni Burnham, Stefanie Ottenstein, Kim Mehalick, Jim Fraser, Clyde Strang, David Schultz, Doug Shuman, Larry Truchon, Ben Cooper, Carl Guerci, Regina Andrew, Susan Polsky, Russell Sprangel, Brad Luff, Mike Raide, Brittany Llewelyn, Harry Dutcher, Valerie Wampler, Len Greig, Greg Gentry, Jan Poston Day. Non-voting: Allen Hayes, David Morris, Cybil Preston, Phil Frank.
Review and Approval of the Minutes of the October 14 and November 11, 2022 BOD and General Membership Meetings. Fred Smith moves to approve, Stefanie Ottenstein seconds, board votes to approve.
Reports by the Officers
President – Fred Smith: Members are showing interest in Oxalic Acid Extended Release Pads. Jonna Sanders seeks MSBA support/sponsorship for young beekeeper participation in a Slovenian beekeeping event. Will share information about the program with BOD members.
Treasurer – Stefanie Ottenstein: Maryland Ag Fair Board has received 2023 Honey Show documentation and grant likely to be approved, hoping it may return to 2020 levels. The grant usually covers premiums awarded the previous year. We paid out $850 in premiums, a slight decrease, though Jim Fraser cites a good turnout for participation. Maximum possible premiums for our show total about $1,000. In order to raise this amount and possible participant interest, Jim suggests raising premiums, which would require setting up a subcommittee to investigate. Board agrees that this should be postponed until after EAS 2024.
Vice President – Mary Laura Fitzgerald: Both keynotes confirmed for February 11, 2023: Steve Repasky in person and Mike Palmer via Zoom. We have won the BIP Speaker auction for Garrett Slater (Zoom), Juliana Rangel, and Ramesh Segili (Zoom). Latter won award at recent EAS on bee nutrition. Slater is great on drone viability and other topics, and Juliana has an exceptionally wide range of topics. Conversation ongoing with Howard County Community College on moving November meeting to them. Harford County 2024 plans uncertain/construction.
EAS Director – Clyde Strang: EAS 2023 in Massachusetts has great speakers: Sam Ramsey, Cameron Jack, Tom Seeley, and more. Charles and Evelyn Divelbiss Award nominees sought: an award given for beekeeper education as well as outreach to the public. If you have a recommendation please submit to the EAS Secretary by April 30, 2023.
Secretary & BeeLine Editor – Toni Burnham. Please submit regional news for the BeeLine, and consider personal contributions. Updates and contact info for local club leadership especially needed.
Upcoming Programs:
• Winter Meeting, February 11, 2023, Steve Repasky, Mike Palmer (Zoom) at Harford Community College
• Spring Meeting, June 11, 2023, Tammy Horn Potter (tent) at UMD
• Fall Meeting, November 11, 2023, Virginia Webb, Juliana Rangel (tent) at Howard Community College
• Winter Meeting, February 10, 2024, Garret Slater (tent), Harford County Community College
Old Business
• EAS 2024: (David Morris): EAS reps Lou Naylor and Linda Mizer made site visits January 9 to UMD/College Park and Turf Valley and were impressed. They selected a site on January 17 to be communicated at the February 11 meeting. There will be a short video presentation. No formal announcement a signed contract is completed. Many volunteer positions have been filled: still need a Communications Secretary and volunteers for tours and social events. A great team so far.
• Education Committee: (Kim Mehalick): seeking to do Nucs and Splits class again, finalizing dates with Mark Dykes.
• Speakers Bureau: (Toni and Russell): A draft list made up of speakers has been developed. Next steps include confirming topics, contact details and whether they are willing to be included. To be made available as a Google Doc shared to club leaders requesting access. Simple: no honorarium/format (zoom or in person) info included/clubs need to inquire if interested. Second VPs are asked to provide information from their clubs. Board members are also asked to contribute both speakers to contact and presentation topics.
• New MSBA Logo Items: Jan Day. Tasked with comparing print on demand options for a wider variety of items at October BOD meeting. Has built a test Zazzle website with several types of items (hats, mugs, more) with MSBA logo. This approach involves no upfront cost, no shipping and handling, and is 100% satisfaction guaranteed. MSBA can decide markup. There are two groups for logo wear: folks who choose to wear coordinated tshirts/hats for club/community impact, and one off gift items for individual use. For now, the Board supports creating the Zazzle store for individual use items and continuing with CustomInk for the official tshirts.
New Business
• Maryland Farm Bureau: Fred Smith attended the MFB meeting in Ocean City with George Talbot in December 2022. Good communication with farmers whom we had perceived as having friction with beekeepers due to pesticide use. MFB is open to policy and resource requests from MSBA to make part of their lobbying policy document. They expressed a wish to support beekeeping. Unclear what the new administrations attitude toward beekeeping will be. New Ag Secretary is Kevin Atticks.
• 2022 Presidents Letter: Toni. Congratulations to Fred Smith and Greg Gentry on the development of a very entertaining and effective 2022 President’s Letter to accompany the MDA Apiary Registration Letter. This letter promotes the Apiary Inspector Fund as well as raising the profile of MSBA and driving membership. The club provided 4,000 copies that were mailed by MDA at a cost of $975.
• Possible Washington County VP Candidate: Greg Gentry has also identified an MSBA member interested in taking over his seat on the board. That person will meet with Toni at the February meeting to discuss responsibilities and confirm interest.
• MDA Fact Finding on Oxalic Acid Strip: Cybil Preston held discussions with State Chemist Tom Phillps regarding possible Section 2(ee) of FIFRA approval of the use of extended release oxalic acid strips for bee colonies in Maryland based on approvals of this kind in other states (Delaware, Vermont, New York). The State Chemist does not support a 2(ee) for this use. He requests that Maryland beekeepers lobby the product manufacturer, ApiBioxal, for a change to the label in order for the use of oxalic acid extended release strips to be legal since two different modes of use are already approved. Cybil also counsels beekeepers that pesticide director Rob Hofstetter has instructed her that Apiary inspector responsibilities require them to cite beekeepers if the illegal use of this product should it be observed, an infraction that would involve a fine up to $1,000 or 60 days in jail. MSBA BOD members discussed communicating directly with these officials,reaching out to new administration, a possible petition, and communicating with other beekeepers to alert the illegality/risk of use of extended use strips. At this time the board agreed that further research and investigation into existing approvals, the manufacturer’s plans, and conintuing communication with our state regulators. Greg Gentry moved that MSBA work constructively toward obtaining a Section 2(ee) approval for the use of Oxalic Acid Extended release Strips, Jim Fraser seconded. Motion passed with one opposed.
• A motion to adjourn was made by Fred Smith and seconded by Greg Gentry, the motion passed. The meeting adjourned at 8:32 PM.