Marine Aquarium Societies of North America

MASNA April 12^th , 2006 BOD Meeting Minutes

(This meeting was held electronically on April 12th, 2005 9: PM EST)

Attendance:

BOD Present:

Cheri Phillips (President)

Steve Bentz (Vice President)

Charles Scannell (Industry/Webmaster)

Cathy Garey (Public Relations)

Robert Lemcke (Treasurer)

Lisa O’Connor (Internet Promotions)

BOD Absent:

Amy Larsan (Membership & Secretary)

Members Other Than BOD Present:

Steven Pro (PMASI President)

Bill Reed (SJMRC President)

Josh Breeds (The Marine Reef)

Ray Sheng

Doni Posey (Individual Member)

Anthony Calfo

Jim Grassinger (GMRS)

Eric Hall (MASO)

Kelly Jedlicki (LMAS President)

OFFICER REPORTS:

NOTE: All officer reports were distributed via email to the BOD in advance of this meeting. They have been formatted and are inserted into these minutes.

1) President’s Report:

April 2006 President’s Report:

MACNA XIX:

Have been working with the Pittsburgh Marine Aquarium Society to answer their questions and concerns for a possible bid. They have decided to bid but are still working out some hotel issues. They requested and I granted them an extension past the 3/31 deadline to put their bid together.

MACNA XIII:

Responded to request for help in negotiations w/ Reef Central for advertising on the Reef Central website in return for a free booth and free conference registrations for Reef Central moderators/staff. There were extensive eMAILs with MARSH, WAMAS, LMAS (previous history) and MARSH/MACNA consultants A. Calfo, S. Pro and E. Borneman.

Newsletter:

I started redoing the graphics that didn’t look good in the last newsletter, but didn’t get far. The President’s Pen isn’t yet written. I’d hoped to highlight the upcoming calendar kickoff but have no information for it yet.

MASNA Store:

Worked w/ Chuck to change the store highlight on the MASNA home page from the 2006 calendar (no longer for sale) to the Biology of Caribbean Coral Reefs DVD.

Mailed out a calendar (non-member full price) to someone that ordered one. Removed MASNA calendar from the active store item list.

National Speaker Database:

Updated information for Matthew Palmtag and tracked down a new eMAIL address for Bruce Carlson.

Misc:

Stuffed MASNA brochures into 158 remaining calendars – ready for mailing to Steve Bentz to hand out free at the Drs. Foster & Smith Frag Swap event

2) Vice President’s Report:

Organization:

Close to completion of filing for 501(c)3 status from our current 501(b)4 status. Once we can achieve the 501(c)3 status from the US Department of Revenue, we will qualify as a fully charitable organization that will allow us to move forward with our scholarship fund plans. Bob will review and then forward to Cheri for signatures.

Posted the revision of our Mission Statement on the BOD by mistake and cancelled the vote after discussion with Cheri. While the change is necessary, there is too much happening right now to vote on it and she would like other changes to the verbiage.

Signed Washington Mutual Bank documentation for Bob Lemcke as a second signer on the MASNA Bank Accounts.

Sold 5 (five) 2006 Calendars at Pets Plus at a whopping $5/each for a total of $25 and sent the check to Bob Lemcke.

In the process of writing a column for the new Marine Scene.

Membership (Sorry guys, but this is an elusive group):

Still In discussions with Scott at HelloLights for Corporate Sponsorship.

Still in discussions with Dave Barr at Vivid Aquariums for Corporate Sponsorship.

Still in discussions with Harvey Fell at Sera USA for Corporate Sponsorship (competitor of Salifert in Europe).

Still in discussions with Greg Morgan at ReefGeeks about Corporate Sponsorship.

MACNA Follow-up and Presentations:

Dropped off 35 remaining calendars (with Membership Brochures stuffed inside) to the Northeast Council of Aquarium Societies Conference in Farmington, CT.

Speaking at the South Jersey Reef Club Meeting on Saturday, May 6^th with an overview of MASNA and MACNA XVIII at a new LFS called In Living Color.

Will be speaking/attending the Drs. Foster & Smith 2-day Coral Frag Swap event in Wisconsin in June.

Will be speaking at CTARS Reef Club in Connecticut in July (topic TBD).

Working with the Philadelphia Area Reef Club to coordinate Anthony Calfo visit in September prior to MACNA XVIII.

Scholarship Fund:

Revamped the Scholarship Fund web page with Chuck S.

Worked with Bob Lemcke, the Wisconsin Reef Club and Drs. Foster & Smith to assist with the Coral Frag Swap event in June – our goal is to have the proceeds donated to the Scholarship Fund. We are not able to provide any assistance with a raffle in the State of Wisconsin so our opportunity to support the GMRS and F&S with this event can’t happen. However, we are looking at other ways to still raise funds at this event that are still within legal guidelines and I am in touch with Kevin Kohen at F&S LiveAquaria about it.

Still in discussion with two major suppliers which may bring an additional $5,000 to $10,000 to the Scholarship before September, 2006.

Posted a proposed set of roles to fill the Scholarship Fund Committee on April 9^th for the BOD to review. Once the roles are approved, we will vote on who should fill each role and the length of those terms.

3) Treasurer’s Report:

Provided on-line access IDs and passwords to Cheri Phillips for both Washington Mutual and PayPal accounts.

In early March, I updated Jim Grassinger, President of the Greater Minnesota Reef Society (GMRS), stating that we are still investigating Wisconsin raffle laws and that Steve Bentz was having discussions with Drs. Foster & Smith and continuing to research options.

Received and deposited $25 Steve Bentz check representing calendars sold on consignment by LFSs.

Discussed with Steve Bentz the timing of the returning of the $100 commercial dues. Steve said that that we should postpone repayment until he speaks to owner.

Reimbursed Marc Levinson for shipping costs of frag tank which he manufactured and donated as MASNA’s MACNA XVII prize.

Provided Steve Bentz with a three year Income Statement for fiscal years ending August 31, 2003, 2004 and 2005 (same one presented at our annual meeting in Sept, 2005) for our application to create a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

2006 Photo Contest/2007 Calendar

Spoke separately to Lisa O’Connor, Steve Bentz, and Cheri Phillips about 2006 and 2007 photo contest/calendar project concerning types of sponsors, objective(s) of this project, pre-selling to clubs and LFSs.
Received, reviewed and edited high level task list from Lisa

Began assigning deadlines/timeframes/milestones to high level tasks

4) Director of Membership Report:

2002-

2003

2003-

2004

2004-

2005

2005-

2006

Diff

From

2004-

2005

Comment

Individual Members

115

138

+23

New:

JoAnne Reed

Daniel Jackson

Thomas Cunha

Don Prokopow

Jacquelyn Kalionzes

Renewals:

Lynn Zurik

Club

Members

-6

New:

South Jersey Marine & Reef Club

Chattanooga Reefers

Renewal:

Razorback Reef Marine Aquarium Association

Corporate Members

New:

The Marine Reef

Renewals:

None

Sent in all welcomes and renewal thanks you emails.

Worked with William Reed (president of South Jersey Marine & Reef Club) to have his club entered into the National Club Database. Sent his original banner and new banner to Chuck to place on the website. I also emailed with him to let him know of the benefits of being a MASNA member at MACNA.

I emailed The Marine Reef’s banner to Chuck. I also emailed him the required sizes for his ad in our Newsletter. He will email Cheri and Cathy when that is ready.

I took Cheri’s advice and double checked the information entered by our members on their applications to be sure there are no typos. I still have more to double check, but am half way finished.

I emailed Kip Tani again to see if he has he’s clubs logo ready. No response

I emailed to ask for the missing reports and finical information promised from the last meeting, so that I can move forward on a possible new sponsor for MASNA

I sent out a package of MASNA brochures to Steven B.

I mailed and visited all MASNA clubs to have a list of club events for the next newsletter. I have already sent that to Cheri and Cathy

I made a list for Bob L of the January and February members and emailed that to him

I tried to answer to any board threads, though not as well as I would have liked. I am sorry for that.

I emailed the leaders of ReefNest about their organization as well as if they would like to be a part of MASNA. Waiting for a reply.

I am emailing back and forth with a vendor to become a sponsor of MASAN and to see about making a donation to the Scholarship Fund.

5) Secretary’s Report:

Email Votes:

None

Board Thread Votes:

MASNA Mission Statement – On hold for further review

Secretary Report April 2006

I sent out the meeting notice too all MASNA members

I made threads in all message boards that have a MASNA forum, as well as the announcement forums.

Anthony Calfo recommended Ron Hessing for an addition to the National Speaker Database. I sent Ron and invitation and he accepted. I entered him into the National Speaker Database. I also emailed Chuck a username and password for him so that he is able to access the website.

I spoke with Cheri and she agrees that it would be a good idea for me to mail all the people we currently have on the speaker database to be sure that they have access to our website. Also to ask them if they would like any updates to the information we have listed, as well as any suggest for new speakers. I have finished putting together emails for this and will take on that project shortly.

7) Webmaster’s/Industry Report:

The standard normal monthly website updates I do each month

Worked on MASNA Store on Cheri's behalf to update some entries and presentation

Worked on updating some fundraising/scholarship pages with changes made by Steve

Helped a few MASNA members in relation to login issues and updating information from affiliation to new banner logo

Registered for USCRTF meeting the first week of May in DC

Received a list from NOAA via correspondence finally of upcoming meetings and receiving which meetings would be appropriate for me to attend there.

8) Internet Promotion Officer’s Report:

I spoke with Bob and we have started work on the plans for the calendar

9) Public Relations Report:

None submitted

MEETING CALLED TO ORDER 9:00 PM EST:

10) New Business:

The MACNA XIX bid made by PMASI was discussed. The MASNA BOD reviewed the bid and was able to ask questions of PMASI president Steven Pro.

Some questions that were asked:

Is this a tentative for PMASI to hold MACNA XIX? - None yet

What hotels if any have been lined up as a possible location? – Three potential hotels

What room rates is the club looking at? - So far the Radisson Inn and Expomart room rates would be $109 per night; they’re the most appealing thus far. These hotels are a bit father from the airport. The closer hotels room rate cost from $119 - $129

Will there be any shuttles from the airport to the hotels? – Yes. For one hotel the cost might be up the $34.

How is the club set in terms of startup monies? – PMASI generally have about $2,000 on hand at any given moment.

Are the hotels union or nonunion? - The Radisson/Expomart is non-union. The others have some union stuff that comes into play if the vendors bring in pallets. Boxes that are not palletized are ok, no union guys needed

Some points given by Steven Pro are that all offers give PMASI the meeting and vendor rooms for free. The Radisson also includes piping and draping, loading and unloading, 24/7 security guards, and a few other perks that the more expensive hotels will bill for.

Motion made by C. Phillips to accept PMASI to host MACNA XIX. Second by C. Garey. Motion passed 6 aye, 0 nay at 9:28 PM EST

11) New Business:

The 2007 MASNA calendar was discussed next. B. Lemcke gave an update that a timeline is about to be set and should be ready within a weeks time.

In the coming month threads in the BOD forum will be made. They will cover such items are duties of the BOD to assist in putting together the calendar. There will also be a thread started about the overall objective of putting out this calendar. If MASNA wants it to be more about breaking even and gaining membership or about making a profit.

C. Phillips will get into contact with Reefcentral.com and other forums about having the advertisement like we had for last years calendar.

12) New Business:

The status of the spring newsletter was covered next. Though behind on its release, the hope is to have it ready by May 1^st.

S. Bentz sent in a piece on the scholarship fund and A. Larsan sent in all upcoming club events. C. Garey had no time to contact the sponsors but will do so in the coming week.

C. Phillips will work with C. Scannell with formatting

13) New Business:

A raffle update was given by S. Bentz. Dr. Fosters & Smith will hold a frag swap and donate raffle prizes. Wisconsin law will not allow a "real" raffle for money but they can donate prizes without receipt of cash for tickets. S. Bentz is working with Kevin from DF&S on many issues (such as accounting) so that GRMS does not get stuck like last year. S. Bentz will keep the BOD updated.

This has brought up a point to MASNA that they need to be aware of the gaming laws in the state hosting MACNA so that no rules/laws are broken when holding their small raffles. According to S. Bentz’s research this years MACNA being held in Huston TX will be fine.

Motion to adjourn meeting to general discussion made by C. Garey. Second by C. Scannell. Passed 6 ayes, 0 nays; at 10:24 PM EST

MASNA'spurpose is to:

MASNA's
purpose is to: