MASNA March 8^th , 2006 BOD Meeting Minutes

 

(This meeting was held electronically on March 8th, 2005 9: PM EST)

 

Attendance:

 

BOD Present:

 

Cheri Phillips (President)

Steve Bentz (Vice President)

Charles Scannell (Industry/Webmaster)

Amy Larsan (membership & Secretary)

Cathy Garey (Public Relations)

Robert Lemcke (Treasurer)

 

 

BOD Absent:

 

Lisa O’Connor (Internet Promotions)

 

 

Members Other Than BOD Present:

 

Charles Stein (Brooklyn Aquarium Society)

Kevin Kohen (Dr. Fosters & Smith)

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:

 

Newsletter:

·        I mailed out a link to the newsletter to all MASNA members

 

·        I received confirmation that Sherri Lindsay (MARSH) who had been considering the Editor position has decided she doesn’t have the time. I have no other leads at this time

 

·        I forwarded a link to the MASNA board of the online magazine that Reefland.com puts out to begin discussion of possible formatting improvements for Marine Scene. Further discussion is required. Chuck and I began discussing an experiment of putting the previous Marine Scene into a new layout (which he believes can be done in about a day), with me designing replacements for the graphics that looked bad this last time. Just as a brainstorm, here are some thoughts for this. We don’t want to create too much different work than we would otherwise be doing anyway so:

 

• I would think the front page (which would stay nearly the same each issue) would be a nice design that says Marine Scene and has our new logo. That would go inside a frame (write word??) that would have links that change each issue to the contents…

 

• One page would always be the “President’s Pen”
  
  
• One page would always be “MASNA Members in the News”

 

• We always need an advertisement for the next MACNA – maybe one page is always devoted to MACNA?

 

• One page always devoted to the ILOC position (the summary of the last USCRTF could go in the next one if Chuck has nothing newer than that)

 

• Maybe one page is always devoted to the scholarship fund

 

• Add another page each for any other things – articles

 

• One page always devoted to whatever ads we’ve got to run?

 

Everybody helps with these pieces which we need no matter what the format and worst case, if the new format is too difficult/problematic, it goes into Publisher just like the last one.

 

MACNA XIX:

 

·        No bids have yet been received, though I received contact from Kelly Jedlicki of the Louisville Marine Aquarium Society. Her club would like us to know that if no other suitable club bids for MACNA XIX, they will put in a bid.

 

MASNA Store

 

·        A set of Bob Goemans’ books were ordered. I arranged shipment though the donor, Weiss Co.

 

Misc:

 

• I reviewed the MACNA evaluation survey that Cathy designed to be used right after the next MACNA. I think it is quite good and the rest of the board should see it and vote on it.
  
  
• I forwarded on to MARSH a generous offer from Dennis Gallagher of a free booth for MARSH to advertise MACNA. 

 

• Responded to eMAIL w/ one of MASNA’s members, Dr. Rob Loring regarding a new LFS opening in his area (Cherry Hill, New Jersey). The owners wanted to offer MASNA an opportunity to hold meetings at their very large facility. I redirected him to the New Jersey Reef Club and the Philadelphia Area Reef Club and also indicated that I’d love to talk to the owners of In Living Color about MASNA Sponsorship.

 

• Corresponded w/ MASNA member Mark Bush regarding his concern over no contact w/ MASNA since he joined in September and that he couldn’t log into the website. I suggested he may have a Spam filtering issue and how to get around that and told him how to register on the site.

 

2) Vice President’s Report:

 

 

Organization:

 

• Working with Bob Lemcke to file for 501c(3) status from our current 501b(4) status. Since this action was approved via vote by the MASNA BOD prior to 2006, there is no need for this Board of Directors to vote on this item. If we can achieve 501c(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.

 

• Sent the revision of our Mission Statement to Cheri for review and will post to the Board via the website next week.

 

Membership:

 

• 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:

 

• Will begin a series of seminars at Pets Plus in Pennsylvania over the next three months to train their employees who handle Marine Aquatic livestock on proper and responsible store maintenance, tank setups, sales and invertebrate health/care.

 

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

 

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

 

Scholarship Fund:

 

• Received a $2,500 scholarship donation from Dr. Race Foster of Drs. Foster & Smith and am in the process of revamping the Scholarship Fund web page with Chuck S.

 

• Working 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.

 

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

 

• Working with the Board of Directors from “years past” to determine the next steps towards putting together a committee to begin the scholarship process grant process.

 

3) Treasurer’s Report:

 

None submitted

 

4) Director of Membership Report:

 

 

	2002- 2003	2003- 2004	2004- 2005	2005- 2006	Diff From 2004- 2005	Comment
Individual Members	88	64	115	132	+17	New:   William Crook Daniel Williams Benjamin Wise Judith Haliasz   Renewals:   None
Club Members	20	27	44	35	-9	New:   None   Renewal:   None
Corporate Members	10	10	19	24	+5	New:   None   Renewals:   None

 

 

• I sent in all of the welcomes in to the new individual members

 

• I make the corrections on the National Club Database for the Rocky Mountain Reef Club. I also spoke with their president Kip Tani about having a new password and user name setup, along with adding their logo to the MASNA website.

 

• No reply yet from my snail mail letter to Edward Williams. I will try to make contact with him again via snail mail.

 

• I sent Bob L. a membership list for both February and January

 

5) Secretary’s Report:

 

Email Votes:

 

None

 

Board discussions:

 

Helping Greater MN Reef Society Club:

 

http://www.masna.org/forum/postlist.phpCat=0&Board=masna&page=0&PHPSESSID=926d4842b699d37e2bab73b71efa4dbf

 

Scholarship Fund Thread:

 

http://www.masna.org/forum/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=295&an=0&page=0#295

 

• I sent in the meeting notice to all members

 

• I posted the meeting notice on Reef Central and Reefs.org

 

• I finished the February Meeting Minutes (already sent out to the bod)

 

7) Webmaster’s/Industry Report:

 

• Finished putting final touches on Newsletter and posted on the site
  
  
• general email correspondence to webmaster
  
  
• Normal Monthly maintenance updating site content meeting date etc
  
  
• Fixed few access issues for certain members
  
  
• Email distribution updates to include new updated emails for board members
  
  
• Changed webmaster email to also go to Amy and Cheri as backup to ensure email is received with increased spam filtering these days. Most all emails on the site now have some sort of multiple member backup
  
  
• Discussions with Cheri concerning new newsletter format and what it would take to do something similar to the Reefland Magazine format

8) Internet Promotion Officer’s Report:

 

Nothing to report

 

9) Public Relations Report:

 

• Cheri has already forwarded the evaluation form I developed for MACNA XVII, but obviously will be changed for MACNA XVIII.  I hope to get some feedback from everyone on the board tonight.

 

• I participated in 2 board discussions since the last meeting:

 

1. Helping Greater MN Reef Society Club
2. Scholarship Fund

 

• I also shared some thoughts regarding the Reef Hobbyist Online website and MASNA’s newsletter.  If anyone wishes to respond to my comments, I welcome the feedback.

 

• Database from WAMAS is still not active.  I have not had time to spend with this at present.  I will KEEP it on my “to do list”.

 

MEETING CALLED TO ORDER 9:00 PM EST:

 

10) New Business:

 

• Motion made by C. Phillips to accept the February meeting minutes. Second by S. Bentze. Motion passed 5 aye, 0 nay at 9:03 PM EST

 

11) New Business:

 

• Officer report (treasurer) that was missing for the month was covered. B. Lemcke, promised to the BOD to have his report submitted via email the day following the board meeting. The financials will be sent by the coming weekend.

 

12) New Business:

 

• The lack of a 2007 MACNA club bid was brought to the BOD attention by C. Phillips. No bids have been received as of yet. Though normal at this time the BOD is concerned on what it can do to get the word out and garner clubs to place a bid.

 

• LMAS (Louisville Marine Aquarium Society) has offered to place a bid if no other clubs steps up. They would like to know at the mid point in March weather or not it is needed for them to fill out an official bid.

 

• C. Phillips will send out another email reminder to MASNA club members of the 2007 MACNA bid.

 

• The BOD agreed to the idea of making a thread in the BOD forum on ways to help make MACNA more appealing for clubs to bid on.

13) New Business:

 

• It was brought to the attention of the BOD by C. Phillips that S. Bentze and B. Lemcke agreed to do what is needed to make the switch for MASNA from a 501(c)4 to a (c) 3. The paper work is lined up and all is moving forward.

 

14) New Business:

 

• Much appreciation was given to S. Bentze for coordinating and for Dr. Fosters and Smith very generous donation of $2500 to the MASNA Scholarship Fund.

 

• Based on past MASNA information a total of $5000 is the intended amount needed before the first MASNA Scholarship can be given.

 

• S. Bentze suggested putting together a committee of 5 people, from multiple disciplines to best represent the hobby at large. It would up to that committee to help decide who is most deserving of the scholarship.

 

• The BOD agreed and liked the above idea but also hope for a criterion that is set forth keeping the BOD involved with how the decision should be made. S. Bentze will get in touch with Nancy Swart on past MASNA information and scholarship intent to learn more about what will be needed. 

 

15) New Business:

 

• C. Phillips brought up the suggestion that was made to her that MASNA donate the remaining 2006 calendars. The BOD agreed with this idea.

 

• Charles Stein (Brooklyn Aquarium Society) brought to the BOD attention that there is a major conference in Farmington Connecticut called The Northeast Council in April. The thought of donating some calendars to this event was suggested. With 17 hobby clubs attending it would be good exposure for MASNA.

 

• Another place to give the calendars away at is Dr. Fosters and Smith’s frag swap that S. Bentze will be attending.

 

• Motion made by C. Phillips to send 35 calendars to the Northeast Council and the rest to Steve Bentze to eventually get to the Frag Swap. Second by C. Scannell. Motion passed 6 aye, o nay at 10:00 PM EST

 

16) New Business:

 

• The topic of the 2007 MASNA calendar was brought up. The number of calendars that will be ordered this time is still up in the air. The BOD needs more stats on past sales and membership that was brought in to make a better assessment. A tentative number of 400 calendars sound like a good target number with the information known thus far. C. Phillips and B. Lemcke will look into putting together more information to present to the BOD in the month to come. A thread will follow in the BOD forum with the information.

 

• Minor changes (if needed) in layout or graphic size will be covered when more major information is gathered as well.

 

• B Lemcke and L. O’Connor will put together a list of jobs/duties in the BOD forum needed from the rest of the BOD.

 

17) New Business:

 

• C. Phillips next brought up the MACNA evaluation form C. Garey worked on and sent to the BOD. Brainstorming was done on how to get the responses from individuals for the forms.

 

• The idea of having both an online forum to fill out and a physical forum at MACNA was brought up. The idea of giving more opportunity to get as much feedback as possible was well liked by the BOD. As well as the idea of having a raffle at MACNA for those who took to the time to fill out a forum. K. Kohen (Dr. Fosters & Smith) offered to donate a needed item for raffle idea.

 

• More details will be put together in the coming month.

 

18) New Business:

 

• The idea of having a Hospitality suite at the next MACNA was brought before the BOD. MASNA has not had one set up in many years and little is known on how it has worked in the past.

 

• The reason for the Hospitality suite is a way for MASNA to promote it’s self at MACNA, as well as identify a central contact for the meeting.

 

• C. Garey will work in the coming months to put together costs, tasks and other information needed for the BOD. She will also speak with Nancy Swart on what had been done in the past with the Hospitality suite.

 

Motion to adjourn meeting to general discussion made by C. Garey. Second by C. Scannell. Passed 5 ayes, 0 nays; at 10:29 PM EST