Source attachment: 2024_02_03_MSBA_BOD minutes.docx
Minutes of Executive Board Meeting
February 3, 2024, 4 PM
Online via Zoom
MSBA President MaryLaura Fitzgerald called the meeting to order at 4:03 PM.
Attendees:
Mary Laura Fitzgerald, Fred Smith, Kim Mehalick, David Schultz, Valerie Wampler, Russell Sprangel, Toni Burnham, Ben Cooper, Regina Andrew, Susan Polsky, Monica Schmitt, Brittany Llewellyn, Harry Dutcher, Bill Glover, Len Greig, Michael Mehalick, Crystal Lehmanking, Lisa Ghezzi, Thomas Babcock, Jan Day. Non-voting: Allen Hayes, Phil Frank, Eric Malcolm, David Morris, Cybil Preston.
Review and Approval of the Minutes of the October 20, 2023, noting that financials are not included. Kim Mehalick moves to approve, Valeria Wampler seconds, unanimous vote to approve. Minutes of the General Membership Meeting on November 11, 20023 approved with financials provided at that meeting. David Schultz moves to approve, Monica Schmitt seconds, board votes to approve.
Reports by the Officers
President – MaryLaura: Welcome to the 2024 MSBA Board, many of the points that MaryLaura wants to discuss are listed on the agenda and will be discussed during officers reports, though she notes Treasurer is not present. “We have a lot going this year, and I am looking forward to this board and this association.”
Treasurer – This officer is not present or in communication. BOD discussion of actions to taken to date and needed in future due to past problems and need to recover information, access, and to make position effective. Kim Mehalick still has checking account access and additional Board Members MaryLaura Fitzgerald and David Schultz have been added since October 2023 vote.
Vice President – David Schultz: Recent participation in ABF/New Orleans has opened up discussions with a strong bench of potential speakers for future meetings. UMBC will be new site, but great parking, signage, IT, and potential for meetings in future years. Toni notes that costs for this site are high, but include AV and other support we have paid for separately at other venues.
Though plans for this Fall include repeating Montgomery College, there is still potential for alternating with MDA/Annapolis in future years. We receive Montgomery College free except for IT support.
• Winter Meeting, February 10, 2024, UMBC/ILSB Building: Very excited to report strong slate of speakers, including Bill Hesbach, Garett Slater (via Zoom), Nathan Reid and Georgia Department of Agriculture (via Zoom).
• Spring Meeting, June 8, 2024. UMD/College Park: Karen Rennich reports that room reservation cannot be made this far in advance but is confident of availability. Keynote Dr. David Peck
• Fall Meeting, November 16, 2024, Montgomery College/Germantown. Mike Mehalick confirms MSBA reservation for auditorium and honey show site used in 2023.
EAS Director/EAS Conference Update – David Morris (Clyde Strang out of the country). Discussions related to 2024 EAS Conference in Maryland will take place during Old Business session below.
Secretary & BeeLine Editor – Toni Burnham. Seeking greater statewide, multi-county participation by including submissions of MSBA member photographs for Gallery feature, taking place of previous humor section. Would love to explore more ways to engage local participation. Next issue includes contributions from BOD members Lisa Ghezzi and Mike Mehalick. Beeline can work with extremely rough drafts and is happy to help develop articles and other features.
Old Business
• EAS 2024 Update, David Morris. Pleased with work/progress so far. MSBA team Allen Hayes, Kim Mehalick, and Larry Truchon have set up ambitious schedule including first ever “deep dive” sessions. Has been in contact with local associations with little previous EAS experience and is seeking sponsorships (i.e. snack breaks). Working on speaker financial support issues with Fred Smith and Lou Naylor of EAS. May return to MSBA with specific dollar requests in future. Room layouts and usage being finalized. Board discussion of amounts required to support speakers, life member lunch, honey show, opening reception. After weighing many options, board votes $2,000 to sponsor honey show, $5,600 to support opening reception, $1,400 for life members lunch, $6,000 for EAS President discretionary funding of speakers. Motion made by Kim Mehalick, seconded by David Schultz, passed unanimously.
• Education Committee, Kim Mehalick: January Nucs and Splits Class with 33 students and four new teachers was well received. Queen Rearing Class scheduled for April 16, fee $100. All day class for 24 students with teachers Valerie Wampler, Russell Sprangel, and Kim Mehalick, all day class held at Mission Believe facility in return for two class seats. Hoping to organize honey extraction class in cooperation with UMD at some point in 2024.
• Maryland Farm Bureau Meeting Report December 2023, Fred Smith: Fred attended with George Meyer of Talbot County. MSBA had no agenda items, as issue with DNR banning beekeeping from Maryland parks had not taken place. MFB continues to support bear control. Suggests continuing to stay in touch with MFB and to work with them as issues arise.
• December 2023 Apiary Inspector Letter Mailing Complete: MDA distributed 4,000 copies of the annual Apiary Inspectors Fund support letter that is included with the apiary registration renewal form. Greg Gentry (former Washington County VP) assisted Fred Smith in composing a compelling, entertaining letter that drives both Apiary Inspector Fund contributions and MSBA membership renewals.
• Also included was an EAS Mailing to support the upcoming conference. Toni notes that MSBA got benefits of scale from doing reproductions of both enclosures at a local vendor and delivery to MDA ourselves.
• Update: threat to legal beekeeping in Baltimore: Rob Yochem not on call. Has retained counsel but has not yet incurred legal fees. Counsel says results of hearings like that which barred him from keeping bees are often overturned. Possibility of a neighbor appeal exists.
New Business
• Yellow Legged Hornet Outreach, David Schults: At present, no official Maryland Department of Agriculture division assigned to this. Not possible to get federal funding until pest is found in state. Should that happen, there will be a need to move quickly. It may be important for MSBA to communicate this concern to MDA in order to facilitate organization of a strategy.
• Treasurer problems continue, Toni Burnham: After November election and stating willingness to serve, elected treasurer is not performing duties. We are unable to determine status of financial assets, reporting, insurance, member license plate program. No funds are missing. Though additional BOD members (President, 1st VP) are getting access to checking accounts, Toni recommends a vote to remove and replace treasurer with Fred Smith. First motion: remove Stefanie Ottenstein as MSBA treasurer. David Schultz moves, Russel Sprangel seconds, all approve. Toni Burnham moves to nominate Fred Smith as interim treasurer until November 2024 election, Kim Mehalick seconds, all approve
• Advocating MSBA cooperation with American Beekeeping Federation (ABF), Lisa Ghezzi: Lisa has been MSBA representative to ABF since January 2023, joining Allen Hayes (MSBA delegate of many years). Currently, Lisa is one of four state delegates serving on the state delegate committee to the board of ABF, with a two year appointment! Recommends having MSBA to continue to have two delegates to ABF because of important current and emerging issues. While ABF sets the number of delegates based on the number of ABF members in Maryland, these positions are appointed. Among issues affecting beekeepers included the Farm Bill are pesticides and livestock losses: the bill has failed to pass at this time but has been extended. The Hive Act (https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/118/hr4764/text) also impacts us, including a national standard for honey, protection against adulteration, and country of origin information. Lisa Ghezzi will request information on current Maryland ABF members and will work with MSBA president to identify additional MSBA delegates to ABF in time for the January 2025 ABF meeting.
• Senate Bill 278, David Schultz: Included on agenda to inform board members and to allow them to inform local members of the nature and impact of this proposed legislation. Senate Bill 278 proposes penalties for legal requirements to register apiaries that are not currently enforceable. A non-MSBA group recently sent a mass mailing opposing this bill: MSBA distributed an email from David Schultz discussing these events, highlighting the several benefits of compliance for Maryland beekeepers, and seeking a conversation on this matter among our members. Cybil Preston informs that this bill was submitted on behalf of several MDA divisions. For beekeepers, penalties would apply if an unregistered apiary was identified: a notice giving 30 days to complete the free annual registration would be sent. Failure to complete registration would incur a $25 penalty.