Teleconference - Clydesdale Board of Directors

Teleconference - Clydesdale Board of Directors Tuesday - December 6, 2016 - 8:00 p.m.

President Bagley called the meeting to order.

Roll call resulted in the following being on the teleconference: Chuck Cryderman, Dennis Johnson, Ken Airgood, Greg Bagley, Dave Hennen, Andrew Stalhiem, Shannon Cobbs, Sierra Covell and Cathy Behn. Pat Connors was not be able to be on teleconference due to a prior engagement and left a message with President Bagley.

President Bagley moved to the Approval of minutes - November 1st Teleconference. Chuck Cryderman moved to approve the minutes of the November 1st, 2016 Teleconference. Andrew Stalhiem seconded the motion and motion carried.

President Bagley moved onto the Executive Directors Report - Cathy Behn reported all the Association pages were done and proofed for the Clydesdale News. She reported that a CBUSA ad was done and sent to the Canadian Contact, along with the message from the President. Cathy Behn reported the newsletter and dues notices had been sent out and dues were coming in daily. She stated that at last count, there were still approximately 500 members that need to pay their 2017 dues, so she will be sending out a postcard as a reminder the next week stating the grace period ends December 31st, 2016. Shannon Cobbs asked if there could be a lifetime membership offered at a higher cost to eliminate dues notices annually. He stated other Associations offered such a membership and thought it would be a good thing to research. Cathy Behn also suggested that a discount be given for members that pay 5 years of dues or better at one time.

President Bagley moved down the Agenda to the Approval of bills. He stated that Cathy Behn had sent a spreadsheet of November bills and copies of the bills to be approved December 1st to the board via email. President Bagley stated the executive committee had not approved the Legacy Prints bill as they felt any bills over $500 should be approved by the entire board. Cathy Behn explained the Legacy bill was for the promotional breed cards used daily to promote the Clydesdale Breed and Association. She also stated the bill could be submitted to the USLGE to see if they would pay for the project and then if they don't pay, she suggested putting a grant into the Clydesdale Education Foundation as they have help pay for them in the past. Dave Hennen asked if the bill was going to be paid or the discussion was just about find funding. President Bagley stated the bill is approved but they were looking at options for funding other than the budget. President Bagley asked if there were any other questions on the bills. There were no further questions. Shannon Cobbs moved to look to the USLGE funding to pay the breed card bill of Legacy Print and to approve the remainder of the November bills. Ken Airgood seconded the motion and the motion carried.

President Bagley moved onto the World Show Report. Keith Mann was not able to make the teleconference so President Bagley reported that Keith Mann and Cathy Behn are working on the WCS budget. President Bagley asked the board to approve the class list presented by Keith Mann to start getting class sponsors. Sierra Covell moved to approve the class list for the WCS. Dave Hennen second the motion and motion carried.

Moving on with the agenda Sierra Covell was called upon for a Fundraising Committee report. Sierra Covell stated with the class list being approved, the committee could move towards securing class sponsors for the WCS. She reported that Wrangler had requested more information to consider some type of sponsorship. She also reported that the Haasse Pressure Washer Company will not be contributing cash but will contribute something for the auction at the sale. Sierra Covell stated the corporate sponsorship program was slow going, but it would be continued with diligence. She stated she still wanted to look into some sort of digital brochure to present to Corporate sponsors. She had researched the cost and found them to be approximately $1800 for 50 of them. Dave Hennen said he sent an email after the board workshop of prices that some of his contacts could get the product for allot cheaper. Dave Hennen and Cathy Behn stated they would try and forward the email to Sierra. Cathy Behn suggested that Sierra go on the Draft Horse Classic from Grass Valley, CA show's website as they had a nice, short trailer regarding their show. Sierra Covell stated that the Association Accountant approved releasing the 990 and it was released to the committee.

President Bagley reported on the agenda item of a Gelding Amnesty Program, relating he had added that to the agenda to begin some discussion on the topic. Shannon Cobbs stated that personally as an Association, the grade up program should not be dealt with as stud foals are not even being registered. He stated he had purchased 3-4 geldings in the last few months and none of them have papers. He stated he was paying all transfers to get papers as no one wants to transfer the papers on the geldings. Shannon Cobbs stated he had talked to a few people about papering geldings and they felt there were too many fees to do so without any benefits. Dave Hennen stated he agreed with Shannon Cobbs as there has to be an incentive to register geldings. Shannon Cobbs stated that the only way to promote registered gelding is to have registered gelding hitch classes. Dennis Johnson stated that he felt the Association should make it easy to register any foal in your barn and suggested registrations could be offered at a discounted price such as $10 per registration as an incentive. Shannon Cobbs stated he felt that gelding registration fees should be $20 or $25. He stated the current fees were too expensive for incentive to register a gelding. President Bagley stated he would be willing to put together a proposal on an amnesty program that would include lower fees for stud colts as an incentive to register them. Dave Hennen questioned that if the board came up with a program to increase revenue for the Association, if members would get the benefit of registering the stud colts or geldings. Shannon Cobbs stated that going forward, the Association needs to encourage registered gelding hitch classes for an incentive. Dave Hennen stated that would also come at a cost to shows and events to add more classes.

Ken Airgood reported for the Queen Committee stated he had emailed the board a letter that would be presented to Queens to make the process of receiving a stipend more efficient. President Bagley stated he did see the letter and thought it very good. He asked board members to look at the letter and approve it on the next teleconference.

At this time President Bagley was cut off from the teleconference.

Dave Hennen moved onto the Sale Report and President Bagley came back on the teleconference. Dave Hennen reported Cathy Behn had sent the 2017 updated Sale forms to the Sale Committee Chairs for review. He reported that the committee felt the deadline for ownership of Feb. 1st should be removed as long as all the proper paperwork was in the Clyde Office two weeks prior to the sale. He also stated that substitutions would be allowed for the same gender up to two weeks prior to the sale, with all proper paperwork being submitted to the Clyde Office. He had discussed this process with Cathy Behn and she felt it was fair and would increase numbers at the sale. Dave Hennen stated he was working on the shavings with a vendor that would supply shavings at a better price, and the sale would just pay the facility for the clean up fee. He stated he also had a phone message into Liz at the National Equestrian Center to discuss the issues. He stated there would be a Riding portion added to the sale. He gave an example of the sale schedule as; Geldings, Riding, Stallions, Mares. In order to sell a horse in the riding section the consignor would need to ride the horse in front of the committee as a pre-screening. The Sale Committee in no means would endorse the horse, but will state the horse is eligible to be ridden in sale in that category. He related that the Stallion Row will become the Breeders Row and Sierra Covell has worked up a Press Release and form for that activity. Dave Hennen reported that as an incentive for early entries, Cathy Behn had came up with the idea that the first 15 horses entered in the sale could pick their selling spot in the appropriate section.

President Bagley moved on to the topic of an Audit update on the agenda, asking if Dennis Johnson anything to share on the process. Dennis Johnson had nothing to report. Cathy Behn stated she had received the written audit report and a copy had been mailed to each board member. She also reported the auditor had done all the 990 tax forms. President Bagley stated the audit cost had stayed in the budgeted amount including the tax forms. It was noted the bill for the audit had been included in the November bills in the amount of $7,576.

President Bagley reported for the by-laws committee, stating that he had worked on a preliminary draft for by-law changes. He stated he took Chuck Cryderman's advise and tried to keep the changes simple with a targeted date to compile by mid December. Once the preliminary document is compiled it will be presented to the board on the January teleconference for review and approval to present to the membership. President Bagley reported his committee members were; Marty Soukup, Layne Anderson, Pat Connors, Cathy Behn, Jack Parnell, Patrick McCarry, Doug Johnstone, and Doug Lindsey.

Dave Hennen was called upon for the National Show Judge topic, stating he had sent an email out November 9th for nominations for judges from the board and to date had not received one email from any board members for a National Show judge. Chuck Cryderman asked it to be tabled until next teleconference. President Bagley was again disconnected from the teleconference. Dave Hennen stated he had no problem tabling the topic but if everyone wants a voice, they needed to get nominations to him so it can be voted on and sent to the Indiana State Fair. Shannon Cobbs stated in the future the selection of the National Show judge should be added to the agenda for the Fall Board Meeting.

President Bagley moved onto discussion of accounting processes. He stated that at Lansing there was still $4000 to $5000 to cut from the budget. He stated discussion was held on places to cut some expenses would include accounting. President Bagley stated he had questioned why the accounting for 2016 was approximately $2300 more than in 2015. He stated upon review, there was more money handled and thus the increase. President Bagley felt the Board should review the current accounting costs and put the services out for bids from other firms in an attempt to save some money. Dave Hennen stated he felt is was healthy to get quotes every three years or so. It was the consensus of the board to solicit bids of 2 or 3 more outside vendors as accountants. President Bagley stated he would work with Cathy Behn on that process and have bids by the next teleconference.

President Bagley shared he had contacted Andy Behn about a month prior to talk about the rent and getting a lease for the rent. He stated that Andy and Ali Behn had been very busy with the Clydesdale News. President Bagley reported that his discussion with Andy Behn was that he would have a contract or lease on the rent to be presented to the board at the sale. Chuck Cryderman agreed that would make sense as the time frame is only 90 days away. Discussion was held on getting contracts and such on a fiscal year basis. Ken Airgood stated presenting the contract at the sale was acceptable. It was consensus that the rent payment will stay at the current rate until discussion could be held and lease agreement presented at the National Sale.

President Bagley suggested that the board enter into executive session to discuss protocol for budgeting and bill paying for WCS, National Sale and National Show. He suggested that Cathy Behn remain on the phone for said executive session.

Sierra Covell reported for Social Media prior to executive session as it was skipped over on the agenda. She stated the Clydesdale Breeders Facebook was currently set up as a public group and not a page. She said after research she felt there would be more advantages to the sight being a page as far as advertising opportunities and such. Discussion was held on the difference and what the advantages would be. Sierra Covell offered to switch the Facebook to a page and has had offers from members of her committee to help post things regularly to the page. It was the consensus of the board that whatever would bring more attention to the Clydesdale Breeders of the U.S.A. is the priority.

President Bagley asked to go into executive session at 9:12 p.m. with Cathy Behn to stay on the phone.

At 9:45 p.m. President Bagley reconvened the teleconference. It was the consensus of the board to add the invoice for the Clydesdale News ad for $500 for the WCS to be added to the approved November bills.

President Bagley wished the Board a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. He asked everyone to remain positive and to help Dave Hennen find horses for the sale. Andrew Stalhiem moved to adjourn the teleconference at 9:50 p.m. Chuck Cryderman seconded the motion and motion carried.

Respectfully Submitted by Cathy Behn, Executive Director Clydesdale Breeders of the U.S.A.