Correction to the summary of the April 15 meeting 

The vote taken on agenda item #3 was mistakenly reported as unanimous.  The vote was actually 6 to 1 in favor of no disciplinary action to be taken with two directors abstaining from the vote.  You have my most sincere apologies for having initially reported inaccurate information.   

Summary of April 15, 2008 ABGA Board of Directors Meeting

The ABGA Board of Directors met on April 15, 2008, at 7:00 PM, via teleconference.  The following is a summary of that meeting and the board’s actions.

All directors were in attendance for the meeting and business was conducted following the agenda which had been posted.  In consideration of agenda item #3, the supposed sending of a potentially harmful email by one of the board’s directors, the board reviewed the attorney’s answers to specific questions previously raised by the board and then voted unanimously to take no action against that director.  The board further directed the board president to notify the member, who had made the original statement of complaint, of the board’s decision.

The board’s next item of business was to approve the ballots to be sent out for the coming regional director elections.  The ballots were reviewed and approved to be sent out to the membership in their respective regions.  The board further directed a policy be composed, to be acted upon at the next meeting of the board, for the purpose of recounting the votes in these and future elections, should that ever become necessary.  It was also approved by the board to give the director candidates the opportunity to complete a survey of biographical information.  The purpose of this survey is to allow the members within each region to know more about the candidates prior to casting their vote.  Each director candidate will have the option to submit this information for posting on the ABGA website.

The board went on to review several contracts.  The board first approved the extension of a research study being conducted by Texas AgriLife Research of The Texas A&M University System.  The study centers around the treatment of CL and will be extended until December 31, 2008.  The board went on to approve the month-to-month contract with the company which provides the security system for the ABGA’s physical offices.  The board further considered two proposals which would provide the technical support for the maintenance and service of the ABGA office’s computer system.  The board elected to approve the proposal from NewQuest IT Solutions, LLC.  Discussion was held in regard to the handling of credit card transactions and the possibility of a potential for cost savings should other mechanisms be implemented.  It was determined by the board that more information would be necessary prior to making any decision on this matter.

Limited discussion was held regarding the proposed Code of Conduct and Ethics as further legal review of the document is underway. 

Nomination and action to address the currently vacant director seats was the next item on the agenda.  Prior to nominations being made, a motion was made and seconded supporting the reappointment of all directors previously removed from the board for failure to maintain their regular membership at all times as required by ABGA Bylaws section 3.3(g.).  The motion did make an exception for region 14 which was previously represented by two directors, proposing that only one director be reseated from that region.  (In discussing the proposed motion, the board president made note of the Board of Directors meeting from February 2008, at which he proposed that either all or none of the removed directors be reappointed to their positions and that a decision to reappoint all be made with the unanimous support of the board.  The discussion by the board at that time suggested that reappointment of all of the previous directors was not desirable and would be counterproductive to the board moving forward.  However, further discussion by the board at that meeting suggested unanimous support for whatever decision the board president would ultimately make.  The board president made the determination, announcing it to the board at a later meeting in February, that, in light of the board’s recent performance and after considering counsel given by the current board members, attorneys, and others, that none of the removed directors would be considered for appointment to their previous seats.  The president’s decision was supported by the board at that time.)   A vote was taken on the proposed motion with 5 to 4 in favor of the motion.  The ABGA Bylaws are clear in section 3.5 that the process of appointment requires that nominations to fill the vacated seats be made by the board president and then approved by a majority of the whole board.  The board member’s positions on this issue were duly noted, and the president proceeded with the nomination of candidates to fill the currently vacated director positions.  Nominations were made to fill regions 4, 5, 10, 11, and 14, regions vacant but not up for election this year.  All nominees failed to obtain the necessary votes for appointment.  Nomination of a candidate to fill the vacant position in region 18 was also made.  The nominee is running unopposed in this year’s regional director election.  That nominee also failed to obtain the necessary votes for appointment.

The board approved an addition to the ABGA Rules and Regulations concerning animals requiring a unique tattoo for entry into the association’s database.  That specific rule will be posted prominently on the association’s website and appear in the upcoming issue of the association magazine.  It will also be distributed via email to those members who have an email address on file with the ABGA office.  The board went on to clarify previous actions of the board regarding the new ennoblement point system.  The new point system will be applied to all shows effective January 1, 2008. 

In further business, the board has elected not to schedule a judges’ certification course at present.  This will be reconsidered in the future.  The board did act to approve for two members of the office staff to attend a professional training course for the purpose of furthering their education and providing them with skills which will ultimately benefit the association office and its members.

With there being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

The complete minutes of this meeting will be available once transcribed and approved by the board.

John Jones

President, ABGA

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