ARBA Board Meeting 1-15-2011

The ARBA Board meeting on January 15,2011. President C. Cieciwa called the meeting to order at 11:19 am EST. In attendance were C. Cieciwa, M. Walters, C. Bazant, R. Andress, B. Petrick, D. Pence, M. Reilly, S. Culver, R. Thompson, A. McIntyre-Lahner, C. Pasheilich and secretary/treasurer C. Payton.

The first order of business on the agenda was the approval of the 9-19-2010 New Board minutes. It was pointed out that this was an error – it was really the 9-17-2010 Old Board minutes that still required approval. C. Bazant moved that the 9-17-2010 Old Board minutes be approved. A. McIntyre-Lahner seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

R. Andress moved that the 10-24-2010 phone conference call minutes be approved. M. Reilly seconded the motion and it passed 8 in favor, 1 opposed.

C. Bazant moved that the 12-13-2010 phone conference call minutes be approved. S. Culver seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Prior to leaving the conference call, A. McIntyre Lahner volunteered to be on the 2011 ARBA Nominating Committee.

Treasurers Report: C. Payton reported that ARBA was able to meet its obligations in a timely fashion, both out of the general account as well as out of the junior account. However the general account was underfunded due to unusual expenses associated with the cost of moving the registry to ASR ($1,500 in 11/09) and the hiring of a new webmaster to revamp the association’s website in the Winter of 2011 ($600.)

Following a discussion on the categorization of certain expenses, C. Pasheilich moved that the ARBA Board appoint a Procedures Committee and that its first job would be to review the funding of junior activity expenses. B. Petrick seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously. C. Cieciwa, S. Culver, D. Pence and C. Payton volunteered to be on the new ARBA Procedures Committee.

Advertising Committee: C. Pasheilich reported that the Advertising Committee used ear marked funds to run a cost share ad in Shepherd as well as in the 2011 Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival Program. Additionally the committee was in the process of compiling a list of publications with breed listings and was planning to send out a survey to membership to solicit opinions regarding future ad campaigns.

Youth Committee: R. Andress reported that Charlene Carlisle had agreed to coordinate the ARBA portion of the 2011 All American Junior Show in Delaware. R. Andress moved that the Youth Committee be permitted to send out a mailing describing up-coming events featuring junior activities to all junior members. S. Culver seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Finance & Budget Committee: C. Cieciwa reported that the budget would be ready for the April Board meeting.

Website Committee: C. Cieciwa reported that Doug Meyer was in the process of converting over the ARBA website and had created a new framework for the membership directory. C. Payton was sending him the by-law changes and the latest approved minutes.

By Law Committee: R. Andress said that the By Law Committee had nothing to report. The sub committee on judges also had nothing to report.

National Sale Committee: R. Andress reported that the National Sale Committee had held 2 phone meetings. Following a discussion of the committee’s recommendations, R. Andress moved that Greg Deakin of Banner Sales Management be hired as the ARBA National Sale Manager. C. Bazant seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously. R. Andress also moved that the ARBA Board accept the committee’s recommendation of a floor price on lambs of $300 and on yearlings of $350. S. Culver seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Finally R. Andress moved that the ARBA Board approve the donation of 2 animals, the proceeds of which were to go to the Morris Culver National Scholarship Fund. S. Culver seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Welcome Packet: C. Pasheilich reported that a welcome package consisting of a folder with some papers plus mailing would cost in the range of $7/new member and, estimating that there would be approximately 50 new memberships in 2010-2011 based on the previous year’s numbers, would require $350 set aside for new member packets. C. Pasheilich moved that the ARBA Board send welcoming packets to all new members. R. Thompson seconded the motion. Following a discussion, C. Pasheilich withdrew the motion so that other possibilities could be considered.

Code of Conduct: R. Thompson moved that the ARBA Board adopt a code of conduct (text of which had been sent to Board members) for the officers, directors and employees of the organization. S. Culver seconded the motion. Following a discussion it was decided that the topic was to be tabled until the April meeting because the By Law Committee had to review the proposal to make certain that it did not conflict with the ARBA by laws. M. Reilly volunteered to be added to the By Law committee. D. Pence moved that the code of conduct be referred to the By Law Committee and that the topic be reviewed in April. R. Andress seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

New Business

Following a Board discussion regarding the timing of the annually held ARBA elections, R. Andress moved that future ARBA elections adhere to the following schedule: Nominating Committee meet between 4/15 and 5/15 and report to the secretary no later than 5/15 with recommendations, biographies be due to the secretary on 5/22, ballots mailed by 6/10, due back by 6/30 and the tally completed by 7/15. After some more discussion, S. Culver amended the motion with the following dates: Nominating Committee meet between 4/1 and 5/1 and report to the secretary no later than 5/1 with recommendations, biographies be due to the secretary on 5/15, ballots mailed by 5/25, due back by 6/10 and the tally completed by 7/1. C. Pasheilich seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

As the result of one-time expenses such as the $1,500 fee paid to ASR in November 2009 as well as the hiring of a new webmaster, C. Pasheilich moved that $5,000 be withdrawn from the ARBA CD at a point in time when it could be accessed without penalty. She further moved that these funds be used to pay the ARBA Board for 2010 travel expenses and that the balance be used for redesigning the website under the direction of the Website Committee with any left-over funds to be placed in a savings account. S. Culver seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
D. Pence reported on the creation of a perpetual National Champion Ram and National Champion Ewe award. After a discussion, D. Pence moved that the perpetual National Champion Ram and Ewe awards be tabled. M. Reilly seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

On the topic of hard copies of recordings of ARBA Board meetings, a motion which was passed by the Board in August of 2009, R. Andress moved that the vote be eliminated because it was no longer needed. Following a discussion, C. Pasheilich moved that 2 volunteers look into the feasibility of obtaining hard copies of recordings of ARBA Board meetings through either the conference calling company or a manual device. M. Walters seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. C. Bazant and C. Payton volunteered to research the cost of recording the meetings and will report their findings to the Board in the April meeting. R. Andress withdrew his original motion and replaced it with a motion that the ARBA Board continue to record all Board meetings but that the President and secretary were no longer required to have hard copies. D. Pence seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

It was agreed that the next Board meeting would take place on Saturday April the 9th at 11 am EST. C. Pasheilich moved to adjourn the meeting . S. Culver seconded the motion and the meeting was adjourned at 2:21 pm EST.

Approved March 2011