July 18, 2007

MINUTES

 

Board Members in Attendance: Sharon Costello, Ingrid Fortunato, Donna Welty, Irene O’Connor, Kendail Gonzales, Jennifer Groves, Nikki Stamper-Smith, Nydia Thornton, Rita Biddle and Shani Stewart-Robbins

Meeting Called to Order at 9:11 PM EST

Motion made by Jennifer G. to accept Minutes from July 11 with the following correction:” Mr. Alessandra requests 30 Euros for meals and 30 Euros for expenses …” Seconded by Ingrid F. Motion passed.

President’s Message: Board members greeted and reminded due to lengthy agenda to please keep on topic and let’s try to keep committee reports brief. Also, have received many phone calls and emails concerning many mistakes made in latest Neogram. Ms. Costello requested Board liaison to contact Heather Giallella.

Secretary’s Report: Following Correspondence received since last Board Meeting:

  • Email received from Mr. Juan Carlos Stauring requesting the New Board to look into the process of changing current club rules regarding membership.
  • Email received from Ms. Cathy White requesting a change in the rules for sponsoring associate membership.
  • Email received from Ms. Cathy White concerning International membership as printed in the Neogram.
  • Email from Mr. Robert Gravel stating the members of the previous IT Committee.
  • Email from Mr. Robert Gravel seeking clarification on the posted reorganized committees
  • Emails from Mrs. Nydia Thornton and Mr. Scott Thornton seeking information on the status of Scott’s full membership.
  • Email from Ms.Nataly Means Holova seeking information on her membership application.
  • Email from Ms. Peggy Wolfe questioning clarification on committees as posted on website.
  • Emails from Mrs.Jennifer Groves on various topics for the 2008 National.
  • Email from Heather Giallella requesting contact information on Board Members for Neogram.
  • Notification from Ingrid Fortunato of a new fax number – 360-352-5652
  • Membership Application received from Lori DeSimon-Olsen for associate membership sponsored by Cathy White. Lori lives in Tooele, Utah .

Treasurer’s Report – The VIP check for $9,028.10 has been deposited into General Fund. Still waiting for Rescue Check and money from other account. The USNMC 2006 Tax Return was received. On Saturday, July 21, 2007 at 11 AM, a meeting with an accountant has been set to review paperwork and account numbers. Laura Lymon (CANADA) was sent a notice requesting an International Money Order.

Committee Reports:

Communications – liaison Ingrid Fortunato

Neogram – Many complaints received. Ingrid will contact Heather Giallella. Information and articles for the next Neogram must be submitted to editor by August 15th. Some suggestions were made for a future articles: Rescue dog “spotlight”, health, printing of the board minutes, quarterly Treasurer’s Report. Anyone wanting to contribute an article, send a copy to Ingrid and Heather asap. Volunteers for committee should contact Ingrid.

Website – Concern voiced by Sharon Costello re: comment made on USNMC referring someone to NeapolianWorld.com to have their question answered. Discussion ensued on alternatives to having a chat room on club website. Jennifer Groves volunteered to research some different choices. Ingrid and Donna voiced a strong concern over the fact that our club website is connected with a personal and business server listing of Mr. Gravel. Discussion was held and consensus was that the Board DID not want a mixing of personal and club business.

Code of Ethics – liaison Shani Stewart-Robbins

Contact us button on the website has been set to go to Shani’s email. Shani will determine to which committee the email inquiry will be sent.

Legislation – liaison Rita Biddle An update on the status of the CA AB 1634 was given

Show Committee – chairperson Jennifer Groves

Jennifer informed us that the hotel contract has been signed and the contract with the Old Dominion Kennel Club has not been signed.

Somewhere in this time frame – Rita Biddle lost phone contact with the conference call.

Jennifer Groves moved to Table the rest of the committee reports at this time so that the Board could enter Executive Session. Ingrid Fortunato seconded the motion. All were in favor.

EXECUTIVE SESSION HELD

Shani Stewart-Robbins moves to untable the committee reports and to return to agenda. Ingrid Fortunato seconds.

Fund Raising – liaison Nydia Thornton

Sharon volunteers to continue working on committee. Nydia will call her. Sharon and Donna will be meeting with a possible artist who will work on some items – this artist was used for the 1999 National held in Gilbertsville, PA.

Judges’ and Public Education – liaison Sharon Costello

Sharon informed us that she is doing the seminar for Dr. Penta’s Judges’ Group held in western PA on August 16th. She is currently working on the commentary and all the required items stated by Dr. Penta. All this information is due to the Pentas by July 30th. She went over the compensations offered by this judges’ group and asked if anyone could bring dogs (need 6/7 examples of the breed ) Anita offered to bring a dog or two and someone suggested that Brian King be contacted. The Seminar is to be held at the Indiana Holiday Inn.

Sharon also noted that the Breed flyer sent out by the AKC when people register their puppies, needs to be updated with the correct contact information and then send a hard copy asap to the AKC

2008 National – Show chair Jennifer Groves

Jennifer reported that she had received the corrected contract from ODKC, she was in contact with the banquet restaurant to review the menu and that she had sent out 100 or more emails to companies asking for donations. Many of these companies were requesting proof of our non-profit status. Jennifer has also found an artist to create the 2008 National’s logo and the website dedicated to the National should be up this weekend.

Nothing to report at this time from the following committees:

Historian

By-laws

Local Clubs

OLD Business

Membership – a few emails received inquiry about their status

Need to look into procedure for associate members. This will be an item to be conducted by the Membership committee once people volunteer to serve.

By- Law committee– Scott Thornton volunteered by Nydia T., Jennifer G. reported that Dale McDonald was interested in this committee.

Inventory Lists – Board gave Jennifer Groves permission to use her judgment on what was salvageable from the 30 boxes sent to her.

Donna will send out letter to membership regarding judges’ selections for 2009 and 2010 –

ATIMANA – letter needs to be sent asap to Guiseppe Alessandra stating number of dogs registered and the number of litters born so that yearly fees can be assessed..

Meeting adjourned at 10:55 – Motion made by Jennifer Groves