March 6, 2006 – Board Meeting Minutes

 Kona Coffee Farmers Association
Meeting Minutes:

Board of Directors Meeting,  1:15 PM March. 6, 2006

Location: Sandra Scarr’s House

Present:  Rick Funk, Nancy Griffith, Sandra Scarr, Joanie Rowe, Suzanne Shriner (quorum present)
Absent:  Fred Housel, Mary Lou Moss
Others present:  Christine Sheppard, Mark Shultise, Barb Housel

(Sandra Scarr agreed to take minutes in Fred's absence)

Meeting Minutes of 2/26/2006 were reviewed and approved as written.

Treasury Report: Received applications from four new members
treasurer's report accepted

Everyone is pleased we are going to BrewFest (Chuck Moss, Colehour Bondera, Rick Funk and Nancy Griffith will do the booth) and probably to Pua Plantasia (Kathy Wood, Christine Sheppard, Joanie Rowe, and I will do the booth).  We will have ready 300-500 brochures and inserts for the Natural Products Expo and have a booth at the Chocolate Festival (both March 23).  Joanie Rowe, Melanie Bondera, Mary Lou Moss, and I will do the booth.  We can hand out membership cards and brochures.

Committee reports:

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Membership:

 Discussed membership application form - need additional fields (sell cherry, sell parchment), need to change "address info to "Mailing address" and "Farm Address"

Need to break apart info needed for Estate program (physical address and TMK of farms) from personal membership info. - decided to use separate forms.

Joanie will follow up with new members to separately collect farm information

Nancy suggested that we create a policy of asking new members to make an annual donation based on some formula related to farm size or income.  After discussion, Nancy agreed to prepare a proposal and submit to the board that could be discussed at the 3/15 meeting.

Recruitment plan:  Membership committee will come up with a recruitment plan/drive idea for 3/15 meeting.  Joanie will provide her "talking points" list to Nancy for input.

Legislative Committee:

Promotions Committee:

Proposed that KCFA join the Destination Kona Coast organization, membership dues $75/year.  Proposal accepted.

Proposed that KCFA join the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce.  Proposal accepted.

Proposed that KCFA join the Hawaii state "Seal of Quality" program, an initiative to purchase and apply stickers provided by the state signifying Hawaiian grown products.  Membership costs $50, stickers cost $.005 each.  Proposal approved.

Proposal to print banner.  Proposal approved.

Proposal to print Membership Recruitment Cards.  Concluded that a 3x5 card would be best (no brochure).    Committee will determine what it would cost to print the cards.  Proposal approved to pursue the design and content of the cards.

Proposal to accept a $2,000 loan from Sandra Scarr for a 2-year term to help KCFA with initial expenses.  Proposal accepted.

Proposal to place an initial order for T-Shirts in men's, women's and tank tops styles and sizes.  Proposal accepted.

Proposal to create a strategy to ensure that all KCFA members get a fair chance to participate in marketing their coffee.  After much discussion we concluded that we need a committee and much input from members.  Topic to be added to the 3/15/06 meeting agenda.

Proposal to purchase Seal Stickers, 50 rolls at $12 per roll.  Proposal accepted.  Initial printing will have a white background, when 1/2 the stickers rolls are sold we will re-order 50 rolls with a clear background to offer members either choice.  The Housel's offered to loan KCFA funds to purchase the stickers.  Offer accepted.

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Grants Committee:

Meeting adjourned 3:45 PM.