FLORIDA STATE BEEKEEPERS

ASSOCIATION ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

November 12, 2005

Ag Center, St. Johns County, FLORIDA

 

Laurence Cutts, President, called the Annual business meeting to order at 9:30AM.

 

Associations In attendance:  Escarosa, Central Florida, Tupelo, Tampa Bay, Ridge, North Escambia, Northeast Florida Honey Bee Assn, South Florida.  Not present, Tri-County, Hernando and Palm Beach.

 

Jean Vasicek
Stephanie Tarwater
Joe Tarwater
Morgan Bullard
John and Micki Westervelt
Vernon Gwaltney
Sylvia Bullard
David Webb
Bert Gwaltney
Reno Plenge
Doc Bullard
Gary Ranker
Carolee Howe
Elmore Herman
Jerry Turner
Daniel Vasicek
Wayne and Pauline Miller
David Miksa
Raymond Vickerman
Evelyn and P.N. Williams
Berry Bowman
Lee Del Signore
David Hackenberg
Bill  and Mary Fay Roberts
David Mendes
Ed Cooksey
Gregory Brown

 

Reading of the minutes of the last meeting in Tampa as printed in the St. Augustine program and on the World Wide Web at http://floridabeekeepers.org.   Motion to accept as published by David  Hackenberg  (Seconded by Jerry Turner).  Passed.

 

Executive Secretary’s Report:  Since the last general meeting, four (4) newsletters have been produced with ads.  Four (4) are scheduled for the next year.  The full mailing list is 358 and the cost of the newsletters is pushing $600 per issue.  They are mailed using first class postage; this is a much better way to keep track of who receives newsletters and when.  Most associations have gone this route rather than bulk mail.

 

Membership status is 72 Active 2004; 100 Active 2005; 34 Active 2006; 97 Life members; 7 Extra milers; 26 advertisers; 7 complimentary and 7 provisional.  Those not renewing for two years 2004 and marked provisional will receive two (2) more newsletters before being purged from the list.

 

Web Site:  Turned over to the Executive Secretary last year by Bill Overman, represents a savings of $1000/year based on old billing.  Use of the FSBA list at Yahoo.com is continuing; 55 people have subscribed last year.

 

Membership Flyer:  A membership flyer was published last year (2,000 copies printed at $217.00), now  exhausted.  A new run is needed with new officers.

 

Annual Meeting.  Executive Secretary with the aid of the Northeast Florida Honey Bee Association coordinated the convention at the St. Johns Ag. Center, considered by many to be one of the best ever with an attendance exceeding expectations of 125.

 

Treasurer’s  Report:  Bert Kelley reported $5,900 in the bank and an  income of $1483.40 for the  state fair, $439 for the Chipley convention, and $2337 from the auction.  This report was audited  by the audit committee and  found  to be  in order.  Motion to accept the report by Elmore Herman, seconded by Bert Gwaltney (passed).

 

Conrad Memorial Apiary Report:  Elmore Herman has collected $3,680 from those running the apiaries.  There was discussion about how to report or account for losses in the apiary.  For example, no specific colonies are designated state association property in the outfit run by Jerry Turner (65 colonies is considered a running average), while in Lee Del Signore’s apiary, certain colonies are specifically tied to the Association and this number was decreased by 2 last year due to normal loss.  Discussion about a more rigorous reporting for the apiary ensued.  It was reiterated that the vice president is considered to be in charge of the apiary as  written in the bylaws, along with specific reporting responsibilities.

 

State Fair Report:  Bert Kelley reported this year’s event to be a success and that he will coordinate next year’s and issued a call for volunteers.  The Fair will be from February 9 through 20 in Tampa; setup begins January 23, 2006.  Laurence Cutts remarked that the honey for sale at the fair continues to improve in quality under the leadership of Bert Kelley.

 

Motion to have the Fair Board declare February 14, 2006 as Honey Day by Gary Ranker.  Seconded by Elmore Herman (passed).  Subsequently, this was accomplished via official letter from the Fair dated November 15, 2005..

 

It was suggested that those paying assessments to the honey board who were entitled to receive a  quota of free materials (pamphlets, etc.) from the National Honey Board, could best put these to work at the state fair..  These should be sent to Bert Kelley to exhibit at the fair.  Those paying assessments are urged to contact the Honey Board to have this accomplished.

 

Doc Bullard issued a preliminary invitation to have next year’s convention in the Panhandle region.  Several associations (Escarosa, Tri-County, North Escambia, Tupelo) exist in the area and their efforts might be coordinated to put on a meeting.  Doc will investigate the possibilities and provide a report in the near future.  It was suggested that a reason for the success  of  the  meeting in St. Augustine was that the place was selected far in advance of the event.

 

The nominating committee provided a slate of officers, including Elmore Herman (President), David  Webb (Vice-President) and Bert Kelley (Treasurer).  No nominations from the floor. David Hackenberg motioned that the slate be elected by acclamation, seconded by Wayne Miller (passed).

 

Meeting adjourned 10:20 a.m.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Malcolm T. Sanford

Executive Secretary