B.U.F.F. Board Meeting of February 16, 2005 Minutes

The February meeting of the B.U.F.F. board of directors was held at the Church of Ascension and Holy Trinity in Wyoming, Ohio. The meeting was called to order at approximately 7PM and adjourned at approximately 8:45 PM. Future minutes will include a list of attendees. Items discussed were as follows:

Administrative Items / Proposals

1. Membership Health
No issues.

2. January, 2005 BOD Minutes
The minutes were approved with some changes. In the future, the minutes will be distributed before the meeting with members to submit changes to Pat Hider. The corrected minutes will be posted on the website.

3. New Board Effective in March, 2005
At the March meeting, the President will make a request that budget request forms be filled out and brought to the April meeting. By April, Mike Bryant would like to have a vote on the 2005 budget. The fiscal year will run from April to March.

4. Fly Fishing Show
The total number of attendees was around 600. A suggestion was made that the last presentation take place no later than 3:30PM. Once the banquet is over, Mike Bryant will host a critique of the show on a Sunday afternoon. Mike asked all board members to think of what might be done differently for next year’s show.

In regard to budget, a decision has to be made as to the goal of the show – break even or make a profit? The raffle generated gross revenue of $625.

The small mouth alliance wrote up how great the show was and no exhibitors stated that they didn’t want to return. Jon Kennard made a CD of digital pictures associated with the show. Jon will send the disc to Joe Panfalone to get the pictures on the web site. The Community Press wants a picture for an article it is preparing.

Next year’s show will be on February 11, 2006 at Receptions.

5. Banquet Update
Debbie Hampton reported that donations are going well. Roger, Patti and Debbie will determine the grand prize. Fourteen guide trips and 10 store coupons have been donated.

As of the meeting, 122 people had signed up for the banquet. Last year there were 180 attendees. Mixed feedback has been received on whether or not to feature a speaker at the banquet. Debbie suggested surveying this year’s attendees on the subject. Patti Howell stated that an informal survey was done last year and no speaker was preferred. The banquet is seen as primarily a fund raising event for BUFF.

NKFF will be contacted again to make certain they are aware of the show. Lou Haynes will send notice to Bass Pro. Debbie Hampton will email a flyer on the show to Bobby Gray.

Debbie Hampton requested that she receive a list of the fly fisher of the year nominees.

6. Display Funds
$2,000 was authorized by the board. The total spent on the new display is approximately $2,300. Jim Boude will report on the actual amount spent at the next meeting so the additional funds may be authorized by the board.

7. Printer / Laminator / Asset List
A HP color portable printer was purchased for $89.99 and a USB cable was purchased for $21.99 making the total spent $111.98. A motion to approve the expenditure of the printer was made by Don and seconded by Dave. The motion passed with no opposition. The printer will be used at future meetings.

Dave commented that the laminator to made name badges is getting slow and a new one will cost approximately $75 - $100. The item will be included in next year’s budget for replacement. Lou Haynes is updating the club’s asset list to include a 20 ft. cable, Polaroid camera and the newly-purchased printer.

8. BUFF Shirts
Columbia shirts cost about $45 – 50. The Reddington shirt, which is cotton only costs about $20 plus $5 for the embroidery. Order for shirts, in blue, will be taken at the next monthly meeting. The order form will also be put on the web site and in the April Buffer with checks being mailed to Don Hogue.

Roger will prepare a plan to be presented at the March or April board meeting indicating the process for selling the shirts to the membership. If the shirts were sold for about $30 each, the club would realize a small profit. Lou Haynes made a motion to spend about $300 on the shirts and it was seconded by Tom Baker. The motion passed with no opposition and 10 shirts will be purchased for sale to the membership. Debbie Hampton will purchase the shirts.

9. Insurance
Mike Bryant will work with Steve Lilly on the insurance issue.

10. Influencing Legislation
Discussion ensued about the prohibited activity of “influencing legislation” under 26 USC 501(c)(3). Pat Hider reported that there does not have to be specific legislation before a body, “attempts” to influence legislation are prohibited. Direct and indirect appeals to legislators and the public in general are prohibited. The activities must be substantial to be found in violation of the statute and in general, an organization organized under 501(c)(3) for tax purposes may not contact, or urge the public to contact, members of a legislative body for the purpose of proposing, supporting or opposing legislation or advocate the adoption or rejection of legislation.

11. Other items
Volunteer Hours
Lou Haynes needs information on the volunteer hours that must be reported to the Secretary of State. Is there a form for this and why are the hours reported? Mike Bryant wants a process for capturing hours put in place.

Mail Box
Bob Mackey picks up the club’s mail. Don Hogue commented that he has not received any mail lately.
 

Report of Chairs / Owners

1. Outreach
Patti Howell is doing a Casting for Recovery retreat in Indiana. The BUFF-sponsored retreat will be in September, 2005. Mike Bryant stated that he wants to make sure follow-up with donors was done in regard to the retreat in 2004.

Lou Haynes suggested that a donation be made to Fishing Has No Boundaries after the banquet.

2. Treasurer
Don Hogue reported that the balance in BUFF account will be about $599.56 and that money was lost as a result of the show. Don handed out budget balances for each fund. The income from the calendars sold was not reflected in Don’s summary.

3. Communications
Articles for the BUFFER are due Monday after this meeting. A discussion of copyright law ensued.

4. Trips
Patti Howell is contacting all of the trip coordinators for updates. Joe Panfalone has summaries of each trip that he will put on the website. Tom Gribble will be the trip coordinator for the steelhead trip. That trip will take place the end of March, beginning of April. A trip to Montana might be looked at. Twenty five members have signed up for the trip to the Nantahala River.

5. Education
Beginner fly tying will be held on March 4. Lou Haynes reported that 31 people have signed up for fly fishing 101. All new members will be contacted regarding the trip and it will not be open to the public.

Lou will contact Phil Parsley on the Greater Miami River Days Festival. A list of all education activities will be handed out at the next meeting.

A discussion took place on whether or not the club should sponsor scout merit badges in fly fishing. It was decided that members could pursue that on their own at the present time but it would not be included in the formal education program.

6. Conservation
Tom Dressman was not present at the meeting. A conservation committee will be created after the banquet.

7. Membership
Bob Rohrbach reported that there are currently 258 BUFF members with 17 new members since the last board meeting.