Michigan Association of Timberman MAT Board Meeting

Audie’s Restaurant of Mackinaw City, MI

Timser Board met prior to MAT Board meeting.

Present: Lonny Lutke, John Fowler, Warren Suchovsky, Jim Maeder, Charley MacIntosh, Wes Windover, Roger Carroll, Alvin Rush, John Binegar, Brian Nelson, Glen Tolksdorf. Absent: Paul Burton, Wade Vankeulen. Staff: Anna Frampton Guests: (9:15am) Tuffy Burton, (11:30am) Tom Buckingham, Dawn Bufford, Forest Attorney Mikael Hahner.

Call to order by President Lutke at 9:15am, 7/17/15 Moved by Maeder, supported by Nelson, to approve revised agenda. Motion carried, no nays.

Moved by Nelson, supported by Maeder, to approve meeting minutes from March 13, April 16-18. Motion carried, no nays.

Maeder with Treasurer’s Report:  Covered general checking, CDs, select savings, MITree, Birtcher, and Timber PAC account balances.  Discussed what direction to take for CDs. Looking for solutions for lowering interest rates. Options include, transferring CD to different account, keeping in different account for emergency fund, reward items for raffle.  Mentioned that Birtcher’s scholarship candidates can be either a student or educator from the natural resources/forestry industry. As a major contributor to the fund, the Birtcher family makes strong recommendations regarding potential awardees. Suchovsky and Tolksdorf were appointed to work with MAT staff and Birtcher family on 2016 scholarship program.

Moved by Maeder, supported by Suchovsky, to receive and place treasurers report on file. Motion carried, no nays.

Lutke presented information from Henry Schienebeck , GLTPA, regarding a letter of support for biomass energy by Congressman Reid Ribble, WI, et.al. to the Administrators of EPA, DOE and USDA. Moved by Nelson, supported by Maeder, to sign on as a supporter of the Ribble-Bishop Biomass Letter. Motion carried, no nays.

Lutke informed the board of an initial conversation with Mike Smalligan, FRD-DNR regarding a request for MAT to provide some form of incentives to foresters to encourage their attendance at forester training sessions FRD plans hold. He will report back to the board after he has more information from Smalligan for board consideration.

Lutke announced that Katie Parker, our summer assistant, will be sending out thank you letters and other information to the recent PAC fund donors.

Lutke led discussion on the degree of oversight of MAT employees by Forest Staff, Buckingham and/or Bufford. He feels that some help from Forest in monitoring daily activities of our staff would be useful . The following points regarding oversight by Forest management staff are established:  Forest will not direct MAT staff with regard to their MAT responsibilities.  MAT staff will keep Forest informed on presence in/out of the office during normal business hours. The MAT president will approve any requests to be away from the office for personal reasons.  Forest will monitor MAT staff with regard to adherence to dress code and behavior in office. MAT staff will mirror Forest policies regarding these issues.

With concurrence of the Forest Board and by agreement, the MAT Board approves Forest staff to provide the above described oversight services of MAT employees.

Moved by Fowler, supported by Lutke, to approve MAT will pay $50/month toward Anna’s personal cell phone. Motion carried, no nays.

Health insurance for Anna was discussed. Part of the offer of employment to Anna Frampton was that MAT would subsidize a health insurance plan for her. Lutke and Buckingham have explored alternatives. Lutke and Frampton will continue the discussion on a plan for her. Lutke has the authority to determine the amount of the subsidy and will notify the board of that amount for its consent. Let the record of this discussion show that un the past MAT had established a cap and in the 2012 edition of the Employee Handbook this was deleted and language was changed such that MAT did not offer health insurance based upon the needs of staff at the time. The board feels that the Employee Handbook for MAT should mirror Forest’s. The last revision was in 2012. The Executive Committee will review the handbooks and make recommendations for amending. They will meet in August 2015. In a related matter, a written terms of employment agreement form needs to be entered into with Frampton as only a verbal offer and acceptance have been established at this point in time.

10:00am Several miscellaneous issues were brought to the boards attention:  New lock for shed. Paul Burton. Maeder or another board member will look into this when in town.  Get key for MAT office. Anna is to check with Dawn for Brenda’s old key.  Call Lew Bennet to fix door frame.  New credit card with Anna’s name. Anna is to research possible reward based credit cards. Moved by Suchovsky, supported by Maeder, to authorize a MAT credit card in Frampton’s name and to also be placed as a signatory on bank and CD accounts. Motion carried, no nays.  At logging congress there is to be a video running of current jobsites, etc. Anna, with the help of board members will look into hotel reservations for congress in Escanaba. Anna will send email for booth volunteers. Volunteers should respond with date and time available.  Check on what promotional items we have in inventory in shed at MAT office. Maeder believes that Brenda had recently ordered new stocks, check on status of this order.  Locate MAT banners to use at Logging Congress. Locate projector and pictures for slideshow at congress.  Order more mud flaps.  License plates: requested to have metal frame with plastic cover. Anna will check with Nelson as to what style to order. Also, locate previous order form.  Executive Director positon will remain vacant.  Timber Talk newsletter is to be addressed. Anna will provide introduction and a recognition for Katie’s help. Objectives for newsletter will include several new topics such as, current issues, meetings attended, member spotlight, new members, and will be sent out electronically. 10:17am Discussion of potential updates to membership brochures. Aesthetic changes will include incorporating new logo. Prospective draft changes to Select Member Level pricing may appear as follows: Sections:  Industry (voting) Members o Individual $150 o Corporation $275 o Industrial $500 o Lifetime $2,500 (delete?) o Retired $75

Request for report which shows the dues received by different members of classes.

Moved by Suchovsky, supported by Nelson, to keep brochure format the same but change to new logo and order 1,000 brochures. Motion carried, no nays.

Discussion was held regarding the letter from Ray Miller informing us that a Michigan Wood Energy Team funded by USDA, Forest Service, MSU and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been established and they are inviting MAT to join the team. Suchovsky indicated he had been asked to join (not necessarily representing MAT) and will be attending the first meeting July 21, 2015 in Lansing. It would be appropriate for MAT to also be represented on this team by another director. MacIntosh indicated some interest. It appears that it will be possible to access meetings by several electronic means.

Intermission 10:50am Resume 11:15am Conversation of Anna’s schedule when out of the office. Anna will notify Dawn, Tom, and Lonny of location.

Forest’s Attorney Hahner discussed a letter regarding share holder and individual board member liability within MAT. Suggested to thoroughly insulate companies by keeping paperwork current.

Warren brought forth internal audit discussion. Need to change internal policy. Volunteers consist of Charley, Jim, Warren, and Lonny. Lutke appointed himself, Maeder, MacIntosh, and Suchovsky to preform audits on occasions such as employee resignations and new hires.

Moved by Lutke, supported by Suchovsky, to amend IP7-01 Audit of Financial Accounts by adding a sentence at the end which would read: The MAT Board may have the president appoint an audit committee consisting of the treasurer and at least two other board members . Motion carried, no nays.

Audit meeting will meet at MAT office in Newberry on August 21st at 9:00am. The Budget meeting will follow. Next Board meeting will be Thursday morning, September 10th in Escanaba before congress starts. Moved by Suchovsky, supported by Maeder, to have Anna attend the Michigan Forest Association Annual Meeting in Munising with MAT reimbursing expenses. Motion carried, no nays.

Moved by Suchovsky, supported by Maeder, to adjourn meeting. Motion carried, no nays.

Meeting adjourned at 1:00pm.

Respectfully submitted by Anna Frampton, Administrative Assistant.

Approval(s)______Date ______