Kona Coffee Farmers Association
Monthly Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
January 24th 2007, CTAHR Conference Room, Kainaliu
Board of Directors Meeting Called to Order by President – 4:05pm
President gave a welcome to all and stated that in his opinion, in the first year of its existence, the KCFA has done extremely well.
Introduction of New Board
Ken Sheppard - President - present at meeting
John McClure - Vice President - present at meeting
Suzanne Kustusch - Secretary - present at meeting
Joanie Rowe - Treasurer - present at meeting
Nancy Griffith - present at meeting
Mary Lou Moss - present at meeting
Sandra Scarr - present at meeting
Bruce Corker - present at meeting
Colehour Bondera - apologies for absence from meeting (on mainland)
President stated that in order to keep the election of new Directors more even from year to year, he would stand for only one year, allowing for the election of 4 new Directors next year and 5 the year after.
Members and Guests thanked for attending BoD Meeting.
Review Minutes of December 20, 2006 BoD Meeting
Move to approve Minutes as written - Joanie Rowe
Second - Mary Lou Moss
8 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried, Minutes approved
Review Minutes of January 20, 2007 BoD Meeting
Move to approve Minutes as written - Mary Lou Moss
Second - Joanie Rowe
8 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried, Minutes approved
A request was made by Fred Housel to resume sending out Minutes of the Board of Directors meetings sometime soon after each meeting to all members. Secretary agreed to do so as soon as possible after corrections and Board approval..
Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer reported a balance of $6,283.43 as of January 16, 2007, income of $1,375.00 and expenses of $402.35 since that date, for a balance of $7,256.08 as of January 24, 2007. Sandra Scarr moved to accept Treasurer’s Report. Mary Lou seconded it. 8 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried, Treasurer’s Report accepted.
Treasurer reported that KCFA has received a donation of $500.00 from Albin and Nancy T, Jubitz, friends of the Bondera’s. Board enthusiastically thanked donor.
Treasurer asked if KCFA should send $75.00 to Destination Kona Coast. President suggested creating a committee to monitor the Destination Kona Coast project. Mary Lou suggested Kathy Wood, as Chairperson, and said she would talk to her about it. Sandra Scarr moved to pay Destination Kona Coast. Mary Lou seconded, 8 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried.
Treasurer said she would attend the Specialty Coffee Association event in May to find out how to get into the organization. Sandra Scarr said she would help her with the Specialty Coffee Association.
IRS Submittal
President reported, per Mr. Jennewein from the IRS, that as submitted, the KCFA did not meet the requirements for a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization. The IRS forms must be resubmitted within 90 days of the last submittal to prevent losing the money already paid. The resolution which was signed at the December BoD meeting was not mailed and many Board members have changed since the original submittal so President proposed that he and Christine Sheppard and Sandra Scarr meet to correctly complete the forms and to resubmit the paperwork. Joanie Rowe moved to have them resubmit the forms. Bruce Corker seconded. 8 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried.
Appointment of Chairpersons to Committees:
*Education - Colehour Bondera will serve until someone else is appointed. Fred Housel will consider the position.
*Estate - Joanie Rowe
*Fundraising - Mary Lou
*Grants - Sandra Scarr
*Legislative - Bruce Corker
*Membership - Joanie Rowe
*PR - Christine Sheppard
*Resources & Best Practices - Nancy Griffith, Fred Housel will be on the committee. Alan Frank said he would consult on benefits to members.
*Website -Mark Shultise
Committee Reports:
*Education - nothing to report, Chairperson Colehour Bondera apologizes for absence from BoD Meeting.
*Estate - Two new Estates were evaluated and recommended by Chairperson Joanie Rowe: Charlie Brown, Wailapa Farms, and Patricia and Reginald Pekar, Pekar Farm. Sandra Scarr moved to accept them both. Mary Lou seconded the motion. 8 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried, Estates were accepted.
*Fundraising - Chairperson Mary Lou Moss asked Virginia Easton-Smith if green coffee and/or parchment could be dropped off at the CTAHR office by February 21st to be used for the Brew Fest and Pua Plantasia on March 10th and the Chocolate Festival on March 24th. Virginia agreed.
*Grants - Chairperson Sandra Scarr had nothing new to report.
*Legislative - Chairperson Bruce Corker said committee activity would be discussed under Old Business.
*Membership - Chairperson Joanie Rowe announced 4 new members from the AM, Susan Southworth, from Koa Mana Farm, and 3 members from Buddha’s Cup, Manuel, Lori, and Mario Ochoa and one new member since the AM, Berry Levine. Sandra Scarr moved to accept all 5 new members and Bruce Corker seconded. 8 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried, members approved. Chairperson reported that 59 people were present at the Annual Meeting and 43 members registered to vote. Chairperson will email names of past members to Board Members to contact for renewal. Chairperson announced the months for the Members Meetings: April, July, November and next January. Mary Lou Moss will work with Chairperson on the planning of these Meetings.
*PR - Chairperson Christine Sheppard had nothing new to report.
*Resources & Best Practices - Chairperson Nancy Griffith asked the BoD to take action on having a code of ethics statement. She moved that the Board poll members to see if members wanted it. The motion was not seconded. Chairperson then moved that the Board vote yes or no on whether or not a code of ethics should be considered for the Board of Directors and the Members. Sandra Scarr seconded the motion so the Board could discuss the motion but opposed having members sign such statement. 1 aye, 5 nays, 2 abstentions. Motion did not pass. Bruce Corker made a motion, and Sandra Scarr seconded, that the Board consider a proposal from the Resources and Best Practices committee to establish a code of ethics for the Board. 8 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried.
*Website - Chairperson Mark Shultise had nothing new to report.
Old Business:
Legislative Action Plan
Chairperson Bruce Corker reported that Rep. Herkes has introduced HB72 to the State House and Senator Kokubun has introduced SB661 to the State Senate. Hearings may be heard in the Agriculture Committee, the Economic Development and Business Concerns Committee and the Consumer Protection Committee for the House and the Water, Land and Agriculture Committee, the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee and the Housing Committee for the Senate. The Agriculture Committee hearing could be as early as February 2, 2007. Rep. Tsuji is the Chairperson of the Agriculture Committee. Senator Kokubun is the Chairperson of the Water, Land and Agriculture Committee.
Chairperson reported that it is VERY important to call each of these two legislators ASAP to:
1) Make a statement to support HB72 and SB661
2) Ask to have a hearing
3) Ask for email notice of the hearing date
For Rep. Tsuji: 974-4000 - 68480#
For Senator Kokubun: 974-4000 - 66760#
Chairperson reported that the cost of a lobbyist was $25,000.00 and so was cost prohibitive. He then moved to approve an expenditure of up to $2,500.00 to send members to the hearings and to put information in the newspapers and approval to send the letter Re: Pending Legislation on 75% Kona in Kona blends to the members. Mary Lou Moss seconded. 8 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried.
The Secretary reported that she was in the process of setting up an online petition for 75% Kona in the bag and would send the information out to members ASAP. She reported that the paper petitions have to be turned into any Board member by Monday, January 29th so the petitions can be mailed to Honolulu on Tuesday, January 30th. Bruce Corker suggested telling friends and customers about the online petition.
New Business:
None
Meeting Adjourned at 5:34pm
Next Board of Directors Meeting:
February 21, 2007 at CTAHR Conference Room, Kainaliu, at 4:00 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Suzanne Kustusch, KCFA Secretary 2007
