MASNA January 2007 BOD Meeting Minutes
This meeting
was held electronically on January 11, 2006
BOD Present:
Cheri Phillips (President)
Kim Lowe (Vice President)
Bob Lemcke (Treasurer)
Chuck Scannell (Industry Representative)
Becky McAlister (Director At Large)
Marie Dempsey (Internet Promotion)
Eric (Webmaster)
Cathy Garey (Public Relations))
BOD Absent:
Del Brashares (Editor)
Membership/Secretary (position vacant)
NOTE: Officer reports were distributed via email to the
BOD in advance of this meeting. They are inserted into these minutes.
1) President Report:
MACNA XIX:
-
Participated in discussion with Steven Pro
and Adam Cesnales (PMASI) regarding negotiations w/ Reef Central. I offered
to have MASNA participate in the discussions but PMASI does not wish our
help at this time.
-
Send email created by PMASI to all MASNA
members on 12/22/06 regarding MACNA XIX.
MASNA Membership:
-
Received email correspondence from expired
member Michelle Daddio complaining that she’d received a renewal postcard
from MASNA but had only received one email communication from MASNA for the
entire year. She requested her membership fee for 2005-2006 be refunded. I
called her, sent a test email from
president@masna.org and she received it. I subsequently forwarded 7 of
the most critical emails sent during the last fiscal year. She confirmed
receiving them all. I sent her a complimentary MASNA calendar with enclosed
letter reminding her that her membership had expired and no further
communications would be sent w/o renewal.
MASNA Store:
·
Added MACNA XVII 7 DVD set to the MASNA store.
·
Received order for BCCR DVD for someone local to
me. I will deliver this in person at the SEABay meeting on 1/20/07.
Misc:
·
Responded to an email inquiry about MACNA bid
process for the Madison, WI Convention Center
·
Worked w/ Eric on updates to MASNA’s membership
application page and form to encourage people to pay the correct pro-rated
amount.
·
Responded to several questions by one of our
newest clubs, Manhattan Reefs.
2) Vice
President’s Report
Open Items:
·
In the process of investigating scholarship information from
business and schools that already have an awarding system in use.
3)
Secretary
- November 2006 BOD
meeting minutes were compiled and sent to the BOD.
- Sent announcement of
the 1/11/07 BOD meeting to all members and posted in both the MASNA forum on
Reef Central and the Announcement forum
4)
Membership Report
- Current
Membership:
|
|
2003-2004 |
2004-2005 |
2005-2006 |
2006-2007 |
Diff
From 2005-2006 |
Diff From
09/06 Report |
|
Individual
Members |
64 |
115 |
176 |
94 |
-82 |
+69 |
|
Club Members |
27 |
44 |
44 |
31 |
-13 |
+30 |
|
Corporate
Members |
10 |
19 |
28 |
12 |
-16 |
+9 |
- Welcomed the new
members; processed and thanked renewals
- Responded to an eMAIL
inquiry about being on a “mailing” list from Atlantis Fish Tank Services.
- Received request from
a member to stop receiving any MASNA eMAIL and updated the Membership
database appropriately
5)
Treasure’s Report
- Financials
Here is the Summary Income
Statement by month for this Fiscal Year:
|
|
Sept ‘06 |
Oct ‘06 |
Nov ‘06 |
Dec ‘06 |
Sept-Dec 2006 |
|
Total Income |
4,756.94 |
1,329.51 |
5,747.07 |
438.79 |
12,272.34 |
|
Total Expense |
4,508.95 |
302.48 |
401.92 |
1,120.46 |
6,333.81 |
|
Net
Income /(Loss) |
248.02
|
1,027.03
|
5,345.15
|
(681.67)
|
5,938.53
|
As of December 31st, MASNA's Operating
Fund Balance is $12,838.34 and the Scholarship Fund Balance is $5,269.93.
- Washington Mutual
Checking Account
Began the process of removing
Stephen Bentz from the account
3. MACNA XIX
Recommended to and approved by
the BOD during the December BOD meeting: Eric created a second private forum on
the MASNA Web site where selected representatives from the MACNA Hosting Club
can post status reports, progress reports or any questions or concerns
concerning hosting MACNA.
4. PayPal
During December, I sent PayPal
two more faxes as well as made several follow-up phone calls to have the
restrictions removed, but to no avail.
On 01/10, I should be getting
requested documentation to forward onto PayPal that PayPal has requested in
order to lift the restriction.
Lifting the restriction may take
a few more weeks to resolve since I have to transfer my club’s PayPal account
from me to another individual.
- Other
Nothing to report on having
MASNA’s Monthly BOD Meeting held via some sort of voice communication format
rather than internet chat although this would have helped regarding our December
BOD Meeting.
UPCOMING TREASURER ACTIVITIES
- PayPal
To remove the restriction on our
account or possibly closing this account if their issue cannot be resolved.
Possibly moving the PayPal funds to another financial institution where a high
and safe return can be obtained.
- MACNA XIX
Will invoice PMASI for
Installment #1 (of 4) per Host Agreement prior to January 31st
- Merchant Processing
a. To
investigate lowering our Merchant Processing fees which may include changing our
Merchant Processing company
- MASNA’s 2007 Marine and
Reef Calendar
a. Will follow
up with the BOD members who received 2007 Calendars at MACNA to sell them
- Survey to MASNA Clubs
a. Discussed
with Cathy Garey the idea of having her do a survey to send to our clubs to
obtain various facts about them (e.g., club size, merchant processor, etc.) and
what they things they would like to see MASNA offer.
6) Industry Representative Report
·
Not much here to report this month
·
Sorry but I shall have the December
minutes in the next couple days before my cruise. I was all set to do them
yesterday and realized that I was not at home or even at my computer and over a
friends last month so it will take me a few days to get the log file.
·
If anyone has it then send it and I
can get them sooner but since I normally use to do the logging for Amy I did not
ask
7) Editor’s Report
None sent
8) Director at Large’s report
·
Worked w/ Del to complete and distribute newsletter in Dec.
·
Posted a link to Marine Scene in all local club forums on Reef
Central.
·
Sent a copy of Marine Scene to former sponsors to promote MASNA
membership.
·
Will begin working on a "Welcome to MASNA's BOD" document.
·
None
9) Internet Promotions report:
None sent
10)
Webmaster’s report:
·
Created a second private forum on the MASNA Web site where
selected representatives from the MACNA Hosting Club can post status reports,
progress reports or any questions or concerns concerning hosting MACNA.
·
Highlighted Current quarter Membership fees on the MASNA website
and updated the registration form to match. I will be changing this each quarter
as needed.
·
Changed the logo and fixed the size for
Manhattan Reefs on the MASNA Club Members page
·
Temporarily removed references to being able to use PayPal as a
method of payment for membership
·
Added Reef Builders banner to the banner rotation
Open Items:
·
Currently looking into the massive Spam problem we have. Looking
into possibility of moving host to fix the problem. – Have found a way to hide
our email addresses listed on the site from search bots, this will help with
some of the spam.
11) Public
Relations Report
None sent
GENERAL
MEETING BEGAN at 9:00pm EST
1) Java
Chat
- Motion to purchase Java Chat for 49.99 approved
2) MACNA XVIII
- Cheri will resend the PMASI report to BOD
- Steven Pro answered questions re: MACNA
- 309 attendees and 59 booths currently
- Bob will send Steven Pro an invoice for MASNA fees.
- No issues encountered thus far
- Cheri will send Steven contact information for the
Seahorse.org group
- Still need to promote MACNA to local clubs, Cheri will
be sending out a e-mail to all clubs written by Steven
- Becky will put a notice in the newsletter (which will
be published by Feb. 15th
- Kim Lowe will sent Steven an explanation of the last
MACNA club promotions
- PMASI is pre-selling raffle tickets through their
website for a dollar each. This was offered as a convenience to registrants
so that they could pay for raffle tickets by credit card ($700.00 so far).
- Bob will e-mail Steven the link to our special MACNA
forum
- Eric will explain to Steven offline how to use the
forum
s
- A person needs to register on the forum and then Eric
can set their user ID to access the forum
3) November Minutes
- Bob had one correction and will send it to Cheri
- Motion passed to accept minutes with Bob’s correction
4) Public Relations
- Finished October minutes and will send out January 12th.
- Will vote on them on the board forum and will start a
thread for approval
- Chuck will have December minutes in the next day or
two
5) Internet Promotions report
- Updating the database about 10percent is done
- Will be accomplishing more now after the holidays
- Need help sending out mass e-mails to clubs, Cheri
will help
- Club database includes both members and nonmembers
6) Vice President Report
- In the process of investigating scholarship
information from business and schools that already have awarding system in
place.
- Will be meeting with her school’s financial aid office
next week after the next semester starts
- Kim will be talking with Steve Bentz to compare ideas
next week
7) MACNA XX
- Cheri will email all club to make them aware the
bidding period is beginning
- Only MASNA members can bid to host MACNA
- A motion was made and passed for the bid eMAIL to go
out to all 44 clubs from 2005-2006
- MARSH needs to renew its membership
- Clubs showing interest so for: ARC
8) MACNA Host Contract Changes
- Cheri will start a board forum thread to discuss
potential contract changes
- A copy of the current contract is available in the
members only area of our website
9) Membership and Secretary
- Positions still vacant with no one showing interest
- Marie Dempsey will write up January minutes
- Despite repeated e-mails and postcards we are not
doing well getting renewals.
- RC should renew any day now
- We may need to make phone calls to solicited
membership, may divide it up regionally
- MASNA may need to explain what its role is and why
membership is important
- Corporate sponsors may need individual attention
- Uberfrags.com just became a corporate sponsor
10) Dues
·
Should we change from prorated dues to annual dues?
·
The restrictions placed on PayPal account have been removed and we
can use it again
·
PayPal offers the option that members can either be sent a renewal
notice/e-mail or be automatically charged
·
This would be the Membership Chair’s responsibility
·
PayPal automatically keeps up with the renewals in its database
·
ARC has gone to the above mentioned system
·
Bob will look into our by-laws and see if there is anything there
about prorating dues
·
We will continue discussing this on the board forum
11) Calendar Sales
·
Will discuss this on the board forum
12) Reef Aquarium Guide (RAG)
·
Patrick Stoning said that each year negotiations of professional
courtesies for a booth and two registrations with a different group of people is
inconsistent
·
RAG finds it difficult to authorize becoming a MACNA Corporate
sponsor if each year they run into these problems
·
RAG is having difficulties negotiating with the current MACNA Host
for this exchange
·
Patrick would prefer some guidelines to be established so things
are more consistent
·
The MASNA BOD pointed out that other organizations have to
negotiate each year with the Hosting Club and several BOD members argued that
each Hosting Club needs the ability to make their own negotiating decisions
·
Board members said negotiations are variable each year because of
the region, location, costs etc.
·
Patrick was invited to come up with guidelines and that the BOD
would be willing to review them.
·
Kim will request from Shane the amount of hits MARSH received from
each site with a MACNA banner and registrations
Meeting adjourned at 11:38pm
EST
