Source attachment: 2023_05_18_MSBA_BOD minutes.docx

Minutes of Executive Board Meeting
May 18, 2023
Online via Zoom

MSBA President, Fred Smith called the meeting to order at 7:10 PM.

Attendees:
Fred Smith, Mary Laura Fitzgerald (with proxy for Crystal Lehmanking), Toni Burnham, David Schultz, Larry Truchon, Doug Shuman, Carl Guerci, Susan Polsky, Russell Sprangel, Brad Luff, Mike Raide, Brittany Llewellyn, Harry Dutcher, Dave Kyger, Len Greig, Michael Mehalick (with proxy for Kim Mehalick), Jan Day, Scott Edie (after being voted in). Non-voting: Allen Hayes, Phil Frank.

Review and Approval of the Minutes of the January 20, 2023, BOD Meeting. Jan Day moves to approve, Russell Sprangel seconds, board votes to approve.

Reports by the Officers
President – Fred Smith: welcome to the meeting, happy to welcome new Washington County VP, thanks Greg Gentry for his service. EAS preparations are ongoing, looking forward to special June meeting at UMD.
Treasurer – Stefanie Ottenstein did not attend.
Vice President – Mary Laura Fitzgerald: Good meeting coming up in June. Two keynotes, including Dennis vanEngelsdorp of UMD and Ramesh Sagili of Oregon State University. Dr. Sagili has recently won an EAS award for his research specializing in honeybee nutrition. He is a compelling speaker. The UMD lab team is organizing visits to their labs after the morning’s talks, an active and interesting day with many personnel and organizational support from their side.
For the November meeting, we have Virginia Webb in person and Juliana Rangel via Zoom, though she is looking to whether her schedule may place her in our area in November. Ms. Webb will speak on honey shows, we are looking at a list of proposed topics from Dr. Rangel. Drs. Sagili, Rangel, and Slater (our February speaker) all come to us through the BeeInformed Partnership auction. Dr. Slater is extremely strong on queen rearing. Though the auction provided only one lecture per speaker, we are working on adding a talk from each. We are also hoping to add Dr. Deborah Delaney to our February agenda.
We have learned that the space we have been using at Harford Community College is under construction, and we have been offered a space in Darlington Hall that has proved problematic in the past. We are looking at other locations. John Knapstein has offered to do a site visit to see the current setup at Darlington Hall.
Howard County Community College has just informed us that they cannot accommodate us in November despite multiply assurances since last year. We will be reaching out to Montgomery College and UMBC to find alternatives.
EAS Director – Clyde Strang: Not present.
Secretary & BeeLine Editor – Toni Burnham
Upcoming Programs:
• Fall Meeting, November 11, 2023, Virginia Webb, Juliana Rangel (zoom) at Montgomery College
• Winter Meeting, February 10, 2024, Garret Slater (tent), Harford County Community College

Old Business

• New Washington County Second VP: Greg Gentry has suggested Scott Edie, who is willing to serve. Mary Laura nominates Scott Edie to this post, Russell Sprangel seconds, board approves unanimously and all welcome Scott.
• Speakers Bureau proposed google doc demo (Russell and Toni): draft document published for review and feedback by BOD members, have learned that it was shared with club program chairs though it is only in draft form with much speaker info requiring confirmation. Folks were frustrated at outdated emails but excited for the resource. UMD speaker topics and details confirmed so far. This effort requires board members to participate.
• Final decisions (mark up, product list) MSBA-logo items for individual purchase created as a pilot/proof of concept, https://www.zazzle.com/store/md_beekeepers (Jan and Toni). Jan shares site with range of merchandise, sizing, color options. MSBA has chosen not to mark up the items significantly to increase utility to members. It is possible to add more items. This costs the club nothing. Russell moves that this be a board approved offering going forward, Mike Raide seconds, motion passes. Phil Frank will add pass through to Zazzle from main t-shirt sales on website. Toni will mention in BeeLine newsletter.
• Tukka support update/Final? Treasurer not present, but funds no longer being collected.
• Sentinel Apiary Support: Eric Malcolm not present, Toni confirms that MSBA provided discount codes to 5 county clubs interested in participating (Montgomery, PG, Chester County, Susquehanna, Howard).
• EAS update: Valerie Wampler: Contract signed with Turf Valley Resort. Many board members involved. Theme for EAS 2024 is “Think Like a Bee.” Logo competition with 29 entries, one has been selected pending copyright clearance. Maryland team continues to meet with Lou and Linda of EAS. Kim Mehalick and Larry Truchon are working on the short course, Allen Hayes is working on speakers. Work cannot begin in earnest until this year’s conference is over. EAS is seeking volunteers for this year’s conference in Amherst, Massachusetts. Some board members who have registered for that conference have lessons learned to apply to 2024, including room and meal management and master beekeeper exam fees. David Morris has done a phenomenal job of organizing and all the people who are in charge of their areas are really active. Our EAS contacts believe planning is on schedule.
New Business
• Creating MSBA Zoom account: MSBA has been using the UMD account for its hybrid meetings, but with the departure of Mark Dykes, our access is more complicated. Toni requests that MSBA set up its own account for $200 per year and manage scheduling, recording, and access independently. Russell moves to establish account, Jan seconds, board approves motion.
• Stabilizing Apiary Extension support (fundraising, other requirements?). Mark Dykes has been a key support to MSBA activities and is no longer with UMD. Can MSBA access this support in another way? Based on conversations with Karen Rennich and Dennis van Engelsdorp, there is no prospect for s full time extension position before September 2024. They will work with us using available time from existing staff. For his part, Mark does not wish to return even should funding be raised. Should we be reaching out through the Maryland Farm Bureau to get additional funding for an extension position? BOD members think it best to talk to the extension folks before making the ask. Discussion ends with decision to table until meeting scheduled with UMD staff next week. BOD members are invited to send questions they would like discussed during this meeting.
A motion to adjourn was made by Fred Smith and seconded by Larry Truchon, the motion passed. The meeting adjourned at 8:14 PM.