Source attachment: 2008 MSBA EB 20080404 Minutes.doc

Minutes
of the Executive Board meeting held on April 4, 2008 at
Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center
975 Indian Landing Rd, Millersville, MD 21108
Recorded by David Morris, Secretary.

Call to order: Steve McDaniel, President, called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM
Officers present at the meeting:

Steve McDaniel, President
Adele Morris, Vice President
David Morris, Secretary
Bob Crouse, 2nd VP
Loyd Luna, 2nd VP
Jody King, 2nd VP
Jerry Fischer, 2nd VP/Inspector
John Moyer, Director/Editor
Bob Cory, 2nd VP
Marc Hoffman, Director
Wayne Esaias, 2nd VP
By Proxy: Adam Finklestein, 2nd VP, given to David Morris
By Proxy: Matt Redman, 2nd VP, given to Steve McDaniel

A quorum was in attendance.

Members present at the meeting: Byron Rice

Teleconference: Marc Hoffman and Wayne Esaias arranged for a teleconference connection in the meeting room. Participating by teleconference
Toni Burnham, 2nd VP
David Papke, CMBA President

Steve welcomed everyone and thanked them for attending and expressed appreciation to the Arlington Echo staff for the use of the facility and to Jerry Fischer for arranging the meeting.

Reports of the Officers
Secretary’s report: Minutes of the Board meeting held November 30, 2007 were previously distributed by email and read by the members present.
Motion to accept the minutes made by Jerry Fischer, John Moyer seconded; passed by voice vote.

Treasurer’s report: Jon Bealer was not in attendance. He submitted his report to the Secretary. The Treasurer’s reports noted the following as of 31 March, 2008:
Net assets: $22,789.90
Revenues: from 1 January $5,387.02
Expenditures: from 1 January ($2,900.81)
Net from 1 January $2,486.21
Lifetime memberships 302
Annual memberships 332
Complimentary members 6

Steve McDaniel noted low number of members, 539, including life members. A discussion followed on the topic of how MSBA can attract attendees and members. Everyone commented on how hard it can be to get people to come to MSBA meetings. Steve McDaniel said he finds it helps to have a person at each meeting with applications and membership cards for people and to collect membership applications. Members commented that the Treasurer is always the meetings with those materials. Some people really want to have the MSBA membership card.
Action: Steve McDaniel will get membership cards and applications to all VPs

Marc Hoffman lead a discussion asking what services does, or can, MSBA provide? He suggested a committee be formed to work up ideas of membership benefits. Jerry Fischer willing to be a member of a membership benefits committee. There were no volunteers for the position of committee chair.
Action: Steve McDaniel will appoint a Membership Benefits committee chair and other members.

Legislative report: Marc Hoffman helped the Montgomery County Beekeepers Assoc. research the legality of lobbying and learned that an association can file a onetime “election” (Form 5768) to be allowed to lobby; the election may subsequently revoked by the association. A certain percentage of the organization’s budget may be used for lobbying without jeopardizing its non-profit status. Marc was unsure at the meeting what the percentage would be for MSBA. There is an IRS pub for regarding non-profits and lobbying.
Action: Marc Hoffman will provide to the secretary with the relevant IRS publication number.
[From research on the IRS.gov web site. The IRS identifies political activities and legislative activities separately. Political activities are partisan activities in support of a candidate or party. Legislative activities, or lobbying, is attempting to influence legislation. An organization may not qualify for 501(C)3 status “if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation”. Expenditure test: “Under the expenditure test, the extent of an organization’s lobbying activity will not jeopardize its tax-exempt status, provided its expenditures, related to such activity, do not normally exceed an amount specified in section 4911. This limit is generally based upon the size of the organization and may not exceed $1,000,000.”. A preliminary search of the IRS instructions indicates MSBA would be limited to spending 20% of its annual expenditure on lobbying.]

Program Report:
Summer meeting,
June 16, 2008, Oregon Ridge Nature Center
David Papke arranged for the meeting at Oregon Ridge Nature Center, holds about 100. No cost to MSBA for room use. CMBA will arrange for lunch to be delivered.
Kim Flottum will speak on “Bee Math” and “Making Pheromones Work for You”.
CMBA will make arrangements for have outdoor hive workThere are hives at the nature center that belong to a CMBA member. CMBA will bring in colonies. Jon Bealer has top bar hives nearby; Jerry will ask about bringing them in. Please note in Beeline: bring your own protective gear if you expect to participate in open hive. If we invite the public, may need extra gear for any of the public who is interested. J Fischer has extra gear.

Discussion moved to “Meet the beekeeper program” at the Montgomery County Brookside Gardens; a beekeeper in gear explains to the public.

Fall meeting:
Nov 1st, 2008, MDA Headquarters, Annapolis
Re-introduce Pot Luck dinner for centennial celebration.

Winter meeting:
3rd Saturday, possibly Feb 21st 2009
Howard County Fair Grounds? (To be decided)

Beeline: Deadline Friday, May 2nd
Soliciting articles. Marc Hoffman asked to summarize his work for an article.
Suggestion: Report on MAAREC meeting

Nominating Committee: Board has several vacancies; a Director, Regional VPs for Charles and Queen Anne counties, and the District of Columbia.
Motion by Wayne Esaias, seconded by Marc Hoffman, nominated Toni Burnham as DC 2nd VP. Motion passed by unanimous voice vote. Toni will remain as 2nd VP for PG until a replacement is chosen.

State Apiary Inspector Report: Jerry Fischer reports the MDA budget has been cut so drastically that he has no more money for the rest of the fiscal year (FY is July1 – June 30), Expenses have exceeded budget (as a result of budget cuts). The MDA has lost 10 positions.
Board members asked about possibly receiving a list of registered beekeepers. Jerry indicate he does not have the money to buy labels to print the list on. We discussed alternative, such as delivering the names in an electronic file.
Action: Jerry Fischer will look into te possible delivery of beekeeper names to MSBA in an electronic file.

Reports by Committee:
Honey Show: No Chair volunteered, no suggestions. Past chair David Morris noted that he worked on the principal of having a chair and a senior judge, it helps lighten the work load. The chair organizes the show and volunteers. The senior judge may select the judges if desired. On the day of the show the chair oversees the entries and paper work, the senior judge makes the judging assignments and all judging decisions.

A comment was made that Pete Lisko was not doing well.
Action: Secretary to send a card to Pete Lisko “from the Board”.

September is Nat’l Honey Month. A Honey Festival was discussed as a possibility for Sept.; Saturdays are 6, 13, 20 and 27. Need to get organized; need a chairman.
Possible locations: Patuxant Visitor Center (bldg under renovation until Dec?);
USDA Lodge Visitor Center; MDA in Annapolis; Centennial Park in Columbia; Piney Run Park;
Howard County Fair Grounds;
Brookside Garden (Need to consider lead time for publication in county newsletter. Get in touch with Jim Frasier. 301-518-9678, 301-253-8941, Might be a MCBA beekeeper to organize? Marc will help find a chair. Toni Burnham to help.)
How many people would we expect? A one day vendor license from the county and state might be required. Bee hive demos. Alert the media: “Bee Ambassadors”

Africanized Honey Bee: Marc Hoffman. MDA employee Dr. Casper, DVM, is responsible for the State Disaster Plan for Animals. The MDA is the point agency in Md. for animal disaster relief. People in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina died because they would not leave their pets. Maryland is developing a new post-Katrina plan. Marc will get a notice for the next meeting and would like input from beekeepers. Dr. Casper indicated MSBA can “have a seat at the table”. Advantage: MSBA in the door at MDA. Jerry Fischer reported that New Jersey has a plan and discussed the MDA Apiary Office disaster plan.
Casper asks for a write up in advance of the meeting. Disaster: AHB problem, bee spill, hurricane, Bee Culture has video. MSBA can organize live bee demos for training.
Public protection is major purpose. Question: is a beekeeper who responds to bee spill under MDA insurance?
David Morris is willing to work on the project with Marc Hoffman.

Awards: Barry Thompson has the plaques for Best Club Showing and Imirie Award.
Board approved a $100 award for Imirie winner on January 12, 2007.
Action: Jody King will chair the Awards Committee, taking over from Wayne Esaias

Public Events: MDA Open House
Marc Hoffman took on responsibility for the Open House at the last minute and ran the display. There was some confusion with the MDA staff whether or not it was removed from the basement display area, but apparently, it was removed as required.

NASA Nectar study: There are 27 beekeepers from 9 counties reporting hive scales. Wayne Esaias reported on the status the program.
The Board was asked if MSBA could help acquire scales. It would cost about $5000 to purchase 24 scales in order to put two scales in every county that does not already have a scale hive. Bob Crouse advised Wayne Esaias to ask the Central Maryland Beekeepers Assoc. for funds..
Motion by Wayne Esaias, seconded by Adele Morris, for MSBA to provide $1000 toward the purchase of hive scales which MSBA will purchase and own, in support of NASA climate research conducted Wayne Esaias. Motion passed by voice vote.
Bob Cory proposed that a beekeeper could get first priority for receiving a scale by donating $100 to an MSBA hive scale fund. Wayne expressed that he would like to avoid clumping of data points by providing hive scales to a cluster of individuals who paid for the scale. The purpose of the funding is to support provisioning scales in unrepresented counties.
Action: Wayne Esaias and Steve McDaniel will work out details of a hive scale purchase and lending program.

Continuing Business
State Legislature: Marc Hoffman is representing MSBA to the state legislature, Farm Bureau and attends MAAREC meetings. MSBA needs a policy making process. Legislature is receptive; acts on bills from the Governor. Beekeeping needs a sustained commitment, not a one-time fix.
New Business:
UMd Extension: Adele Morris and Marc met with Assoc Dean for Extension and Chair of Entomology. Receptive to beekeepers but no financial support offered. Instead, said the University system is hard up for cash and asked MSBA to help UMd to raise money. Made suggestions of support that wouldn’t cost dollars: willing to let MSBA use 4-H building for meetings, centrally located. Apiary building is said to be no longer available for use due to poor structural condition and insurance.
Future meetings were offered.
Jerry Fischer is working with Dr. Dennis Franks and Andrea Morris to write grants for fund for possible extension service.

Honey Standards: Byron Rice, proprietor of Lord Byron’s Honey, producer/packer expressed to the Board his concern about adulterated honey being sold as pure honey as this is consumer fraud . and undercuts Md. beekeepers. (See ABJ March 2007 pg 221 by Kirsten Traynor; ABJ Feb 2008 pg 143 by Nancy Gentry.; ABJ News Notes April 2008 pg 287, January 2008 by Sylvia Enzawa and others.)
Mr. Rice Proposed that MSBA take action to encourage and support the MDA to establish a regulation on honey definition.. Labeling laws allow country of origin to be practically hidden and does not specify how much from each country.

Honey Quality Committee: A committee was appointed by the President; Byron Rice will chair the honey quality committee, Marc Hoffman is a second member.

A question was raised whether MSBA should sponsor workshops for Eastern Shore beekeeping. It was opined that Mike Embry’s short course seems to have little interest. No interest was expressed by the Board.

Marc Hoffman proposed that an email list be established to discuss Maryland beekeeping issues, government and emergency actions, not management. A second email list was proposed for MSBA board members. No actions were proposed by the Board.

Adjournment: A motion to adjourn by Jerry Fischer was passed; the meeting was adjourned at 10:00 PM

Summary of Motions passed April 4, 2008:

Motion to accept the minutes made passed by voice vote.

Motion to nominate Toni Burnham as DC 2nd VP passed by unanimous voice vote. Toni Burnham appointed by Board as DC VP; she will remain as 2nd VP for PG until a replacement is chosen.

Motion for MSBA to provide $1000 toward the purchase of hive scales which MSBA will purchase and own and to support NASA climate research being conducted by Wayne Esaias; passed by voice vote.

Summary of Actions from the April 4, 2008 meeting:
Steve McDaniel will get membership cards and applications to all VPs

Steve McDaniel will appoint a Membership Benefits committee chair and members.

The Secretary will send a card to Pete Lisko “from the board”; he isn’t doing well

Jerry Fischer will look into the possible delivery of beekeeper names to MSBA in an electronic file.

Jody King will chair the Awards Committee, taking over from Wayne Esaias

Marc Hoffman will provide to the secretary with the relevant IRS publication number.

Honey Quality Committee: Byron Rice will chair a Honey Quality Committee, Marc Hoffman is a second member, appointed by the President

Wayne Esaias and Steve McDaniel will work out details of a hive scale purchase and lending program.

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Minutes of the April 4, 2008, meeting

Maryland State Beekeepers Assoc, Inc.
Dedicated to beekeeping in Maryland since 1908

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