SCBA Executive Committee Meeting
February 1, 2019 Minutes
Call to Order: President Kerry Owen at 9:59 am.
Opening Prayer: John Gardner
President’s Update – Kerry Owen
- Accountant Update
- Non-Profit status. The accountant is filing to get our Non-Profit status renewed. Filed with IRS. Request to re-issue Non-Profit. IRS said it’s not uncommon to let a non-profit status expire.
- Tax Returns – Past years tax returns have been Submitted to IRS
- NC/SC Joint Meeting March – Finally have the ability to register. Added SCBA to be able to register. Buddy May will be a speaker. Steve McNeely and Kerry Owen worked with them on Sponsors.
- If 10% of membership shows up for NC/SC meeting, we can vote on the proposed increase in membership dues beginning in 2020. If not enough people, we’ll vote in March.
- Remind local associations to think about nominating the Beekeeper of Year, and Jr. Beekeeper of Year. Will send out email asking for this in March, will vote at EAS meeting.
- ABF Update – Kerry Owen , Buddy May, Glenn Tyler, and others attended ABF in Myrtle Beach. Great meeting.
- Kerry will not be able to attend NC/SC meeting. Danny Cannon and Steve McNeely will be helping in his absence at the meeting, Bryan Owens will have the Square for merchandise sales.
- Tsuruda departure – Will be replacing her with two people. Masters – extension work. PhD will do research work.
Grant Research Fund – Danny Cannon, President Elect
- Received 4 responses for grant research projects. His committee needs two weeks to finish. Will try to make award by end of February 2019.
- Had a number of folks to ask if there is a format for grant application. Kerry said there is not. Dr. Hood originally did this so that anyone could submit a grant request – no experience would be necessary. Kerry suggested we create a format for next year we can use for nominations.
Bill Butts, Vice President
- No update.
Treasurer/Financial Update – Wendy Gray
- Master Beekeeping Fund – $6,020.09
- Research Fund – $8,790.19
- Steve Tabor fund. – $555.73
- Operating Account – $54,384.06
- Accounting Fees – $600 – for doing 4 years tax returns, reviewing the books.
Secretary/Membership Update – Bryan Owens
- SCBA Member Level – 1008
- Membership Lapsed – 789
- Members current: 219
- Existing Group Memberships by Association
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Aiken – 61
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Anderson County – 76
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Charleston Association – 173
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Charleston Community Bee Garden – 37
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Lowcountry Beekeepers – 17
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Oconee – 63
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Piedmont Association – 69
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Wataree Beekeepers – 125
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TOTAL SCBA Members in Database: 1608
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- Bryan has been finalizing renewal process for Group Memberships with Wataree Beekeepers. Will be sending instructions out to Group Membership Administrators once final process is in place.
Master Beekeeper Program Report – Susan Jones
CERTIFIED –
- The Certified Curriculum Project was completed in December 2018. Notice went out to the clubs in mid-December to all affiliated club Presidents and Representatives. Are there any clubs that did not receive the information? Materials include: Admin Packet with instructions/resources, 60-page Study Guide, 16 Power Point Presentations, and updated 2019 Test. We also have several clubs that are sponsoring smaller (hopefully, soon-to-be-affiliated) clubs with Certified classes for 2019.
- To date, twelve Clubs have requested the materials. Our 2 Charleston Clubs have completed their classes & testing with 79 students completing the Certified Level course and passing the written exam. We are experiencing minor delays in recording results due to membership renewals.
- Initial feedback on the project has been positive with some good constructive feedback provided in regards to testing. We are encouraging you to provide constructive criticism. Please let us know what worked, what didn’t, and how we can better meet the needs of your club in regards to beginning level beekeeping instruction.
JOURNEYMAN –
- A number of our Journeyman students from 2018 have been working on their Public Service Credits. To date, we have 12 that have completed the level, with more expected – we are planning to award their certificates at the Spring Meeting.
- The MBP Committee is looking for host clubs to hold testing and Journeyman Courses for 2019. Due to the inability to offer testing and courses at either the Spring or Summer meetings in 2019, we are trying to serve our members by offering alternatives. If your club is interested, please contact me via scmasterbeekeeper@gmail.com
- Due to our inability to offer testing at the Spring and Summer meetings this year, the Midstate club has offered to allow members from across the state to test on their Certified Testing day.
The testing will be Saturday, March 16th at 1:00pm at:
McGregor Presbyterian Church, 6505 Saint Andrews Road, Columbia SC 29212
There is a map at: www.scmidstatebeekeepers.org
We will work with SCBA Secretary to have registration/payment completed online. We will offer Certified, Journeyman, and Master testing PROVIDED that you pre-register and meet the requirements stipulated in the MBP Manual.
REMINDERS:
- The MBP Manual is now posted in entirety on the SCBA website under the MBP tab. All forms needed are available for download in the Appendix section.
- We have been actively reviewing and updating MBP Please submit any questions or documents via email to scmasterbeekeeper@gmail.com. Please contact me prior to mailing anything – most records can now be digitally scanned and emailed. We are trying to go digital!
- Kerry Owend complimented Susan on the great job she and her team did.
- Add Susan Jones to EAS agenda.
- Bee Bowl
- Need 4 members with 1 alternate for Bee Bowl – she’s leaning on Mid State to help.
- Need a judge for SC.
- Need host clubs to host Journeyman Course in 2019. Would like to do it in the Southern Region.
- Due to inability to offer test at spring and summer, Mid-State will allow members to test there on March 16, 2019. Need to setup online registration. Susan will get with Bryan to do this.
- Remind your club members to see if their Master Beekeeping information is in their online record. If any changes need to be made, send Email to Susan Jones.
EAS Update – Kerry Owen
- Been involved in the planning of EAS. Kerry Owen is handling vendors and sponsors, and possibly T-Shirts.
- Been offering to help with EAS any way we can.
- Greenville Convention Center
- Hilton – Dinners
- Suggested that SC members going to EAS, to encourage more members to come, offer an incentive. Give us a promo code and provide a discount. But, EAS was concerned that the promo code would be shared outside of SCBA. EAS encouraged SC members to volunteer at EAS.
- Buddy May expressed his disappointment in not having very many folks helping with EAS. Kerry suggested we provide a list of people willing to volunteer at EAS. We passed a sheet out to get folks who would be willing to help with EAS; Kerry will send list of folks who signed up to Buddy May Volunteers get a discount based on hours of service at EAS. Kerry suggested we support EAS in any way we can.
- Proposed SCBA donates back to our members that go to EAS, a certain amount. At check in at EAS, the member will go to desk and we will give them a gift card. Steve McNeely suggested we give them a $50 amount on gift card, the meeting itself is $180 for 3 days, $360 for 5 days, 1 day pass is $70. Tradition is that hosting state will sponsor a keynote speaker, or a breakout session, etc.
- Thomas Dailey from Laurens motioned we sponsor Black Jar $500, second by Butts, voted, approved unanimously.
- Thomas Dailey suggested we try to get 150-200 from SCBA to attend EAS.
- Steve McNeely suggested we create a registration on our site, we take money, give the money to EAS. They must sign up for 3 day minimum.
- Strohm made a motion that we give $75 full conference, $50 for 3 day. – Table motion until we agree on a total amount.
- Steve McNeely motioned we provide up to $10,000 budget for EAS rebate, $50 per person, David seconded the motion, discussion ensued, voted –unanimously approved.
- Send EAS confirmation to SCBA, we will verify they are a member, then we’ll send an electronic gift card. Will need to work these details out.
- Spring 2020 conference will be in Columbia.
- July 2020 conference in Anderson Civic Center.
Jeff Blackwell
- No Report
Directors Reports
Rosalind Severt – Mid-State Director
- I would like to ask the executive committee for access to the member database for Regional Representatives so we may adequately represent those in our regions. I cannot represent those SCBA members that do not belong to (and attend) their local club meetings, without hearing from them. Kerry said we could not do this, it’s a security issue.
- Requested we get a roll call of all members in attendance. It was agreed to and a sheet of paper was sent around for attendees to sign.
- The requirement for each club to verify that they are in compliance with the SCBA By-laws, should be instituted immediately. How is SCBA to know if a club has 51% of the club membership as active SCBA members if the SCBA doesn’t even know how many members a club has? I know when I came into leadership with our organization, we didn’t even know that was a requirement, OR that Board members needed to be SCBA members. The SCBA should know who the current officers and Board members are of each organization. Kerry and Steve will ask each President to provide a list of all members, and who are SCBA members.
- Has a club who wants to become an official SCBA club. Ridge Beekeepers Association in Edgefield. Will send info to Bryan.
Thomas Dailey – Laurens
- 35 people taking acertified class
Wes Boomer – Mid-State
- Potentially going into new Prison for SCBA.
Chuck Marion – Greenwood – Regional
- New class. Only had 4 sign up so far.
- Extended Spring Sign Up class.
David McFawn – Congaree
- Will be requesting permit updated in March.
- 5 full days of EAS presentations, 6 keynoters, 43 speakers for short course, if you sign up for short course you get to go on Wednesday also.
Kerry closed the meeting at 12:05pm.
Present at meeting:
Bill Butts
Kerry Owen
Wendy Gray
Chueck Marion
Kerry Edmonds
Vickie Manning
Garry Moore
Thomas Dailey
Henry Lowrimore
Brian Motley
Hank Smalling
John H. Coons
Glenn Tyler
Susan Jones
Bennie Copeland
John Gardney
Steve McNeely
Danny Cannon
David MacFawn
Jim Strohm
David Wilson
Rosalind Severt
Wes Bommer
Bryan Owens
Executive Committee Meeting Minutes – Nov 2, 2018