MASNA January, 2005 BOD Meeting Minutes

(This meeting was held electronically on January 5th, 2005 9: PM EST)

 

Attendance:

 

BOD Present:

Cheri Phillips (President)

David Anderson (Vice President)

Charles Scannell (Past President/Webmaster)

Amy Larsan (Membership)

Robert Lemcke (Treasurer)

Marc Levenson (Editor)

Joe Scavo (Public Relations)

Lee Morey (Secretary)

John Brandt (Industry/Legislation/Ocean Conservation Rep.)

 

Members Other Than BOD Present:

Steve Howard (WAMAS President)

Kelly Jedlicki (President, Louisville Marine Aquarium Society)

Charles Stein (Brooklyn Aquarium Society)

Amanda (no last name given)

Craig Kuhn (WAMAS Member Relations)

Aventura (no ID given)

 

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:

 

• Started reviewing and organizing the papers and files sent to me by Chuck. Found some tax information needed by Bob.
• MASNA received two orders for items in the MASNA store. I’ve worked w/ Chuck to understand the store process, gain access to the online store and arranged fulfillment of the first of the two orders. I’m still working w/ Joe Ranney at Wild Birds Unlimited to locate the book ordered by the second customer. I’m in the process of finding and organizing the donation records in a spreadsheet, compared against what purchase records I could find and then against the inventory showing in the MASNA online store. I really needed a handle on what is what so that any future orders can be handled in a more timely fashion. Further work w/ Chuck is still pending to teach me where to access the credit card numbers for orders placed and the inventory counts.
• Have been working w/ Marc toward getting the first newsletter issue designed
• Worked with both the Bay Area Reefers (BAR) club and Exotic Reefs business to become a MASNA club member/corporate sponsor.
• Corresponded w/ Tom Strange from the Connecticut Area Reef Society (recent MASNA club members) regarding some ideas for the children’s education program they must create in order to use the Lutz Children’s Museum for their club meetings. They have also expressed an interest in having me come speak to their club some time this spring about MASNA. I think it is an excellent opportunity if it works out.
• Corresponded with Gary Powell of the Marine Aquarium Association of Southern Texas (MAAST) regarding possibly helping us w/ our Education web page. They also have questions about the MASNA bid for 2006 – with they are considering for the city of San Antonio. In regard to the bid, I’ve begun work w/ Chuck to update the bid page on our website and am gathering the information needed to update the bid form itself (such as AZA conference and HH Backer show dates). As soon as the appropriate updates have been made, I will send an eMAIL to all clubs (both member and non-member), pointing them to the bid page. This year’s deadline for returning the bid will be 2/15 or 2/28 – I’m not sure yet which date is best. That may depend how quickly the bid page and form can be ready for folks to look at. I should have begun this in early December, but didn’t realize it.
• I sent an eMAIL to both Steve Howard (WAMAS President) and Glenn Rosenbluth (WAMAS VP) asking them to be sure to have someone attend the next MASNA board meeting so that we get an update on how MACNA plans are going.

 

 

2) Vice President’s Report:

 

·         Received our donated CD copy of a Licensed, single user ACT / Contact Manager Software program.

·         Continued familiarizing myself with the MASNA website and past BOD meeting minutes and Reports.

 

3) Treasurer’s Report:

 

I. Financial Statements (see attached excel file for details)

1.       Highlights from the December Income Statement shows:

a.       Dec Income of   $296.50

b.       Dec Expenses of           $  53.49

c.       Dec Net Income of         $243.01

2.       Fiscal YTD Financial Statements shows:

a.       Income of                      $2,291.50

b.       Expenses of                  $1,160.89

c.       Net Income of    $1,130.61

d.       One third of our revenue comes from each of our membership categories:

                                                                                       i.      Clubs                            29%

                                                                                     ii.      Individuals:                    31%

                                                                                    iii.      Corporate Sponsors:      32%

3.       Total cash balance is $3,665.38

 

II. Electronic Merchant Services (EMS) Credit Card Merchant Processor:

1. Bob Lemcke and Cheri Phillips were added as additional contacts to the existing EMS merchant account.  However, neither of them can make any changes to the existing account.
2. At EMS’ direction, a new merchant account agreement was signed by Bob Lemcke and Cheri Phillips as primary contacts of a new MASNA, Inc. agreement with EMS.  EMS received the new agreement on 12/20 and is processing it.  This new agreement will have the same pricing as the previous agreement.  This new agreement will allow Bob Lemcke and Cheri Phillips to make any changes needed to the account.

 

[* - Secretary note: due to the size and formatting of the Draft Balance Sheet and Draft Income Statement, they are left as an addendum to the monthly minutes]

4) Director of Membership  Report:

 

Current Membership:

	2002-2003	2003-2004	2004-2005	Diff From 2003-2004	Change Since 12/04	Comment
Individual Members	88	64	57	- 7	3	3 Welcome
Club Members	20	27	28	+ 1	3	2 Welcomes, 1 renewal
Corporate Members	10	10	12	+ 2	1	1 Welcome

 

1. Welcomed new members; thanked renewal.

 

2. Contacted the following clubs from the National Club Database, introducing MASNA & seeking membership:

 

• Aquarium and Coral Reef Organization of Sarasota (ACROS)
• Arizona - Fish & Reef Aquarium Group (FRAG)
• Arizona - Propagators Reef Organization Project (PROP)
• Arizona - Sierra Vista Area Reef keepers
• Atlantic Region Reefers Group
• Boston Aquarium Society
• Brevard Area Reef Society
• Brooklyn Aquarium Society
• Bucks Country Aquarium Society (BCAS)
• Calgary Aquarium Society
• Capital Reefs Aquarists Society (CRAS)
• Carolina Coast Reef Keepers
• Central Illinois Marine Aquarists (CIMA)
• Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society
• Central Valley Reefers (CVR)
• Charleston Reefers Club
• Charlotte Reef Club
• Cleveland Saltwater Enthusiast's Association (C-SEA)
• Carolina Coast Reefkeepers Society
• Columbia Marine Aquarium Club (C-MAC)

 

Thus far 7 clubs have responded. If anyone would like to know which clubs and details of their & my reply please let me know.

 

3. Replied to Anthony form Aquadesignz.com, Barry from Clamsdirect.com about becoming corporate sponsors.
4. Contacted Bill Horrigan cleared up any confusion he had in regards to his registration on MASNA. No reply received.
5. Answered three private messages on Reef Central from individuals who wanted to know what MASNA was about. Two intend to join in January.

 

5) Secretary’s Report:

 

• Sent in December Meeting Minutes
• Made a motion to allow Bob to spend $100 to purchase a new or refurbished
  Credit Card machine/terminal via email. Seconded by C Scannell. 5 aye, 0 nay motion passed.

 

6) Editor’s Report:

 

At long last I've had time to tackle the newsletter's Winter Edition.  It is coming along nicely, now that I've set up predetermined page lengths in HTML format.

Amy has provided me with the list of corporate sponsors, and I've emailed all 12 for them to submit a 900 x 500 pixel ad to be used this year.  As far as I know, each one gets on free 1/2 page ad per year.  What I'm still needing to know is who has paid for additional ads for how many issues, and if we owe ads to anyone.

Ad rates need to be updated or corrected on the MASNA site.  I believe rates should be the same for B&W as for color, as some advertisers may want to use B&W to stand out more.  This is an advertising technique employed more that the world tends to put everything in color.

To see the current newsletter as it stands now, but still a work-in-progress:  http://www.melevsreef.com/masna/dec_04_newsletter_with_ads.html 

If your club or a member club (of MASNA) has an upcoming event they'd like listed in the newsletter, please let me know.

Newsletters will be hosted on the MASNA site, and an email notification will be sent out in HTML format to let the membership know it is available for viewing.  A sample notification was sent to Cheri of what our club uses when we contact our own members.  The format is easy to transmit, doesn't add any notable bandwidth, and thus the only newsletter-generated traffic will occur when the person clicks the link.

A spreadsheet has been set up with the sponsors and the date when their free ad will run, along with other pertinent data.

 

7) Webmaster’s Report:

 

The last month was much the same for me. Working with Cheri on the
store and updating the website with new information. Updating any
Banners or Logo's send by Amy or clubs or corporate members. I lost all
old email in a computer crash and as a result have sent an email to all
clubs and corporate members to check and see if they sent me any updates
that they have been applied and if not to resend any such information.
When I received email I place it into a TO DO bin and then when completed
put it in a DONE bin for MASNA. As such because of the crash I lost
everything so just covering all bases. Hopefully with improved contact
we can keep our site content fresh.

Cheri and Bob have brought up the idea of a calendar as well as Cheri
specifically the news page content. Hopefully given that I hope to work
this coming month on both of these two areas. Please any news content to
update our news page please sent to me at webmaster@masna.org or my
regular email omegatron@comcast.net

 

8) Industry/Legislation/Ocean Conservation Representative’s Report:

 

No report this month

 

9) Public Relations/Internet Promotion Officer’s Report:

 

I have been working closely with my club, the Boston Reefers Society, to promote MACNA XVI DVD sets to MASNA clubs and members for a discount. 

 

I’m assisting Marc with minor graphics work for the Newsletter.

 

 

MEETING CALLED TO ORDER 9:03 PM EST:

 

10) MACNA update/discussion

• Almost done with the drayage and shipping contracts with Freeman, final negotiations in the works.
• Glenn has almost finalized the advertising deal w/ Reef Central and reefs.org
• Has decent full size high res images finally for website and print
• Am working on finalizing our 501c3 as well as the vendor contract packages
• Needs help with vendor coordination, selection of print venues, selection of major print sponsor magazine.
• Michael Gerdes is working on good line up
• Discussed concerns with 30+ speakers.
• Discussed processing with credit cards

 

11) New business: M Levenson gives newsletter update

• Close to being finished, in need of one more article.
• The latest version was sent in an email to the BOD
• Concern for overall shape was addressed and will be managed.

 

12) New Business:

 

• C Phillips to have BOD look over the meeting minutes for the previous month and vote via email to accept them. (results in Secretary report above)

 

13) New Business:

• J Brandt addressed notifying MASNA members of the USDA/Caulerpa ban. He was unable to make public comment because the period expired quickly. Is waiting for a USCRTF summary of the Miami meeting he attended. He will be unable to make a report in time for the newsletter release.
• Raised the question of fund raising for the tsunami ornamental fishers victims. Is now In the MAC BOD meeting he was nominated for a vacant Secretary position. Accepted.
• L. Morey inquired to John about information on FWC Marine life effort management program? http://myfwc.com/whatsnew/04/marinelifeprog-st.html  John will look into it.

 

14) New Business:

• J Scavo will send out a notice to Lee and Chuck promote the DVDs. Working on a possible better discount. At this point:  DVD's $175 to your door with a t-shirt, mug and poster. 21 DVD’s in all. 1 session per DVD

 

 15) New Business:

• C. Phillips will send out 2006 MACNA bids. Closing bidding by the end of February.

 

 16) New Business:

• Discussed potential 2006 MANSA Calendar. J Scavo will lead with B Lemcke and C. Scannell assisting. 

 

Motion to adjourn meeting to general discussion made by C. Phillips, seconded by C. Scannell.  Passed 7 ayes, 0 nays; at 10:51 PM EST.