MN Horse Council Sept 13, 2016
MINNESOTA HORSE COUNCIL
BOARD MINUTES
September 13th, 2016
Meeting Location: Nutrena Conference Room – Leatherdale Center U of MN St Paul
Board Members
Present: Darrell Mead, Glen Eaton, Meg Sax, Tim Bonham, Sue McDonough, Dawn Moore, Tom Tweeten, Kris Kelly, Missie Schwartz, Kim Otterson, Tracy Turner, Marian Robinson, Trina Joyce, Dave Fleischhaker, Doug Persian, Kari Newman
Absent: Barb Anderson-Whiteis
Members/Visitors: Barbara Fleischhaker
I. Meeting called to order: 6:38 P.M. by Vice President Darrell Mead.
II. Introduction of Board Members/Visitors.
III. Call for Additions/Changes to Agenda
A. None.
IV. Treasurer’s Report for July was presented by Tom Tweeten in electronic format prior to the meeting. July’s treasurer’s report presented for approval. Glen Eaton motioned to approve the treasurer’s report as presented. Kim Otterson seconded, motion carries. Tom Tweeten presented the Management Report/Statement of Activity for August and September. Tom Tweeten then presented the Budget vs. Actual Annual Budget for the same time frame. The invoice from ARG came in for $100 to continue to offer our membership liability insurance to our membership.
V. Approval of Minutes – Minutes from the July meeting were presented to the board electronically prior to the meeting, as well as in hard copy at the meeting. Tim Bonham motioned to approve the July minutes with the correction of three typos. Glen Eaton seconded, motion carries.
VI. Secretary’s Report – Missie Schwartz advised there is one new member and one application that is waiting for payment. Missie Schwartz passed around a form asking for the zip code each board member departs from to attend the meeting. Missie Schwartz is going to research a more centralized meeting location. Tracy Turner arrived and assumed direction of the meeting.
VII. OLD BUSINESS
A. MHC Vision- Tracy Turner tabled this item until October.
B. MHSEA Update- Dawn Moore advised they are still accepting applications. Tracy Turner asked the MHSEA Committee to supply a financial report to the MHC board monthly.
C. Investment Update- Tom Tweeten advised there was a meeting with Keith Payden on wealth management. Keith Payden requested the MHC board determine the financial directions of the board in both the short and long terms. Two major components missing from the financial position provided to the board monthly according to Keith Payden; the MN Horse Exposition and the MN High School Equestrian Association. Tracy Turner opened a discussion on the investment direction of the board of the MHC. Discussion followed. The MHC board determined to invest in a moderate position with the goal of $1,000,000 principal before beginning withdrawing funds.
D. University of MN Opportunities- Tracy Turner opened a discussion on the opportunity offered by the U of MN. Kris Kelly motioned to table the discussion. Tom Tweeten seconded. Kris Kelly withdrew her motion. Discussion followed on the available budget for 2017. Tim Bonham motioned to fund one Veterinary Summer Scholars participant for $6,000 in 2017. Trina Joyce seconded, second withdrawn. Motion dies for lack of a second. Trina Joyce motioned to consider funding one Veterinary Summer Scholars participant for $6,000 in 2017. Tom Tweeten seconded. Discussion followed. Motion carries. Kari Newman opened a discussion on the Graduate Student Fellowship. Kari Newman motioned to consider offering $6,000 towards the Graduate Student Fellowship program. Doug Persian seconded, discussion followed. Motion carries.
VIII. COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. Expo-Glen Eaton reported: The planning for the 2017 Minnesota Horse Expo of course is well under way. Requests for vendor booths and stall are being received. Speakers are being interviewed by Kathy. Promotion is going great with the table at the Aisle of Breeds. Different this year is a check in the amount of $200,000.00 was issued to the Treasurer of the Minnesota Horse Council from the Minnesota Horse Expo for funds from the 2016 Expo. This was usually taken place at the Expo meeting in September but it was felt we wanted it issued from the 2016 Expo business. The fiscal year for the Expo ends August 31. We had a great Expo in 2016 and we are looking for a better one in 2017. The dates of the 2017 Expo are April 28, 29 and 30
Tracy Turner asked the MN Horse Expo to supply a financial report to the MHC board of directors monthly.
B. Direct Funding- Mark Ward absent, no report.
C. Show Facilities- Tom Tweeten and Kris Kelly submitted the following electronically. There is nothing much to report for facilities this month. Kris is just finishing a couple of additional changes that came about this summer on a couple of arenas websites. When this is changed, the list will go to the website, as requested by Tim. The State Fair is over and there has not been any formal information released, other than the people I talked to who had shown there were pretty pleased. Tom wrote an article below) about the State Fair that appears in the September MHC Newsletter.The Facilities Committee would like to discuss, at the September meeting, going back to a bi-annual or at least quarterly report rather than a monthly one.
State Fair Horse Show Excitement
We just ended 12 days of “end of summer’ fun at the Minnesota State Fair. A record 1.94 MILLION people attended over that time period. There were three record setting attendance days. The opportunity for our horse industry to present itself to these attendees is why Glen Eaton, Trina Joyce, and Kathy Juhl, Minnesota Horse Council members, work so hard to have a presence at the Aisle of Breeds in the horse barn. Along with EquiMania, fair attendees have an opportunity to pet horses, meet horse owners, learn more about horses and horse ownership, and receive an invitation to the Minnesota Horse Expo.
Thorough the work of Judy Jensen, Karen Clark, Minnesota Horse Council members, along with Mark Goodrich and Samantha Fischer of the Minnesota State Fair a State Fair, a Show Committee was formed in the fall of 2015 that has brought new life and excitement to the Minnesota State Fair Horse Show. Through those efforts, the both show participants and show attendees had a wonderful experience as shared through conversations at the fair and Facebook postings. The Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Horse Expo are our two most well attended venues to show off our horse industry to the general public Kris Kelly motioned to have the committee report in the months March and September. Tom Tweeten seconded, discussion followed.
D. Aisle of Breeds- Glen Eaton reported: The Aisle of Breeds went very well with the horse stalls being full each day and the table was attended well thanks to Trina Joyce. A lot of promotion material was handed out for the Council and Expo. The public really enjoyed the Aisle of Breeds. I want thank all of the people that help put up and take down the display. Those people include Darrell, Trina, Robert, Dave, Tim, Kim, Meg. I also want to thank Adam of the State Fair and his crew for keeping t he aisles clean and cleaning the stalls. I think we had a great Aisle of Breeds. A GREAT THANKS TO TRINA JOYCE AND DARRELL MEAD. Trina Joyce for getting the table crew and Darrell for being at the Aisle of Breeds eight out the twelve days at about 6:30am before I arrived and everything was set up.
Trina Joyce advised there were 31 volunteers to run the table. Marian Robinson was a there most frequently with four shifts. Sixty seven of the seventy available shifts were filled. $117 was paid for parking; $910 would have been the cost if MHC had covered everyone’s parking. Several hand outs were so popular they ran out, such as Certified Stables, Riding Lessons, Horse Rentals and Therapeutic Riding programs.
E. Coalition of State Horse Councils- Glen Eaton, no report.
F. Budget- Tracy Turner asked all the committees to review their current budget and get their changes into the Treasurer within the next two weeks.
G. Communications- Missie Schwartz advised: We are still desperately encouraging articles, photos, updates – etc from our membership for the newsletter. This is a large expense if the items are not timely and relative to the organization. If anyone has any ideas – please contact me. No idea too far out there at this point.
H. Promotions- Meg Sax advised the following: Procedures The Promotions Committee reviewed the Promotions Committee Procedures and made updates to the procedures. These updated procedures will be presented to the MHC in October for approval.
Marketing Plan
The draft Marketing Plan was reviewed and committee approved. This included a survey to be sent to breed associations that are currently MHC members and then a similar survey will be sent other associations that are not members, a post card will be sent to members to remind them of the programs available to members. A list of advertising opportunities is being generated for review to streamline our MHC advertising. The current MHC brochure will also be reviewed for updating in upcoming months. A complete inventory of information sheets is being developed to be used in planning for events in the future. Promotional items were discussed and it was decided to move forward with window stickers, post-it notes and notepads. Other items will be discussed in the future. Discussion on the clothing inventory was held and the committee is making plans to reduce this inventory during the next year. We will be doing the barn buttons again in 2016.
Sponsorships
For 2016, MHC Promotions Committee has approved sponsorships for 3 events and will be developing a plan for securing more sponsorships at our next committee meeting.
Trade Shows
MHC will have a booth at the following trade shows in 2016:MN Horse Expo, Running Aces Horse Expo, Aisle of Breeds - MSF
We will be taking a look at a plan for posting to increase awareness of MHC at our next Promotions Committee meeting.
Next Promotions Committee Meeting:
The next meeting will be set following a Doodle Poll that will be sent out shortly to Promotions Committee members.
I. Trail Blazers- Darrell Mead advised the committee has been working with St Croix State Park on their 20 year plan. The excessive rains washed out all the small bridges at Tamarack, they have since been rebuilt. Lake Bronson is a new area looking to MHC Trail Blazers to assist with their pump. There is a lease in process for the parking area.
IX. NEW BUSINESS
A. None.
Announcements:
· September 16th is the deadline for submissions for the next newsletter.
X. Tracy Turner adjourned the meeting at 8:48 PM.
NEXT MEETING
October 11th, 2016
6:30 p.m.
Leatherdale Equine Building
1801 Dudley Ave.
St. Paul, MN
University of MN Campus
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