Kona Coffee Farmers Association
Monthly Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
May 21, 2008, CTAHR Conference Room, Kainaliu
Board of Directors Meeting Called to Order by President – 4:00 pm
Board Members Present
Bruce Corker - President, Suzanne Kustusch - Secretary, Colehour Bondera, Nancy Griffith, Kathy Wood and Mary Lou Moss. John McClure - Vice President, Deb Sims - Treasurer, Sandra Scarr, Joanie Rowe and Sandy Masterson absent with apologies.
Coffee Provided for Board of Directors Meeting
Coffee compliments of Mary Lou and Chuck Moss, Cuppa Kona.
Introduce New Members and Guests
None present.
Review Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting of April 16, 2008 as written by Secretary Suzanne Kustusch
Kathy Wood moved to approve Minutes as written. Mary Lou Moss seconded the motion. 6 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried, Minutes approved.
Review Treasurers Report as written by Treasurer Deb Sims
Treasurer absent with apologies. Report read by Secretary.
Treasurer reports $7,935.00 in the bank, with $691.00 Income from 4/17/08 to 5/21/08 and $4,070.00 Expenses from 4/17/08 to 5/21/08. A copy of the Balance Sheet and the Profit and Loss Statement were provided. Suzanne Kustusch moved to accept Treasurer’s Report as presented. Nancy Griffith seconded the motion. 6 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried, Treasurer’s Report approved.
Committee Reports
Education Committee Report:
Co-Chairpersons John McClure and Ken Sheppard
Great organic farming workshop was held last Sunday (May 18) at Robert and Dawn Barnes, Kona Rainforest Coffee Farm. HOFA (Franz Weber), Bonnie Perata, and Melanie Bondera were presenters with 25 attendees plus the six people presenting and facilitating. Thanks to all who helped and attended and especially to Robert and Dawn for providing the location, and to Mary Lou for working the registration and merchandise tables. This was a very educational event, even for non-organic farmers. Special thanks to Colehour Bondera for organizing the Organic Workshop. The next workshop will be on July 5th at CTAHR, subject: Small Scale On-Farm Processing from cherry to roast. The cost will be $10.00 for non-members, which can be put toward the $25.00 membership fee, and free to KCFA members.
PR/Promotions Committee Report: Chairperson Cea Smith
In Cea’s absence, Christine Sheppard reports:
1. Wrote and issued May newsletter
2. Finalized Calendar and sent to printer, with help from Deb and Cea.
3. Created PR materials for the Calendar product launch, including handout, point-of-sale flyer, website graphic for KCFA, website graphic for our members to use, press kits for use at Coffee Fest.
4. Spoke with reporter from West Hawaii Today. Supplied photos for use in an article due to come out June 1 and phone numbers of farmers to be interviewed.
5. Supplied flyer to Hadley Catalano for article in BIW due on May 28
Bruce thanked the PR Committee for all their work in getting the word out to the public, including articles in the March and April editions of Tea & Coffee magazine. He also thanked Ken Sheppard for the important article in the May KCFA Newsletter about average per acre coffee yields.
Cea subsequently requested the prices previously given be amended to read as follows.....sent 4/22/08 and got Board approval as result::
I am very sorry, but I miscalculated the cost of the Ball caps, in saying we could get 36 hats for $360 and the Board approved the $360 last Wednesday. I missed the one time set-up fee for the embroidery cost.
---If we get 36 ball caps, they cost $13 each (or $468) + a one time $60 fee or $14.67 each.
---Instead, if we get 48 ball caps, they will cost $10 each (or $480) plus a set-up fee of $60 or $11.25 each.
---We would sell them for $20 each.
I won't be at the May meeting, so that is why I taking this unusual method and writing to ask for the Board's approval to spend $540 to get 48 caps. We want them for the Coffee Fest in early June and to sell them throughout the year at our various events. We are having our Bumper Sticker art put on these high quality green Ball Caps.
Membership Committee Report:
Co-Chairpersons Joanie Rowe and Colehour Bondera
Colehour reports that we have 212 Members: 178 Farmer Members, 31 Associate Members and 3 Supporting Members. Janet Jones of Kona Pure Coffee Company is our newest Farmer Member. While no new members came from the Organic workshop May 18, many opportunities continue as our reputation builds. We look forward to the opportunities at upcoming educational events.
Legislative Committee Report: Chairperson Bruce Corker
The “input and collaboration” of KCFA called for by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 102 (SCR102) to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) was provided in meetings held in Kainaliu on April 8 and April 24. HDOA representatives Jeri Kahana and Bill Pierpont participated on both dates. KCFA provided detailed input and collaborative suggestions on the wide range of coffee issues identified by SCR102. Because Jeri and Bill deferred a number of key questions to HDOA Chair Sandra Kunimoto, KCFA sent a follow up communication on April 25 to the Chair restating those questions. We are awaiting response from the Chair.
At its biannual convention on May 3, 2008, the Hawaii County Democratic Party adopted a strong “Resolution Calling for Truth-in-Labeling for Kona Coffee”. The Board unanimous authorized a letter to the Chair of the Hawaii Democratic Party expressing appreciation for the Resolution and letters to Big Island Legislators and members of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees--with copies of the Resolution and requesting their support for the Truth-in-Labeling measures identified in the Resolution.
Grants Committee Report: Chairperson Sandra Scarr
Due to Chairperson’s absence, the Grants report will be deferred to next month’s meeting.
Chamber of Commerce and Board Alive Seminar Reports:
Nancy Griffith
Nancy reports that KCFA is now a Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce Member. She feels it will be a good way to get our message out to the Community through networking with the other Members and being featured in West Hawaii Today and the Chamber’s Newsletter. KCFA can send three Members to any of the Chamber’s functions for free. Nancy feels we should reapply for Chamber membership when our current membership ends June 30.
Nancy attended, as a KCFA representative, the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii joined with The Hawaii Alliance for Non Profit Organizations Seminar: Board Alive: Best Practices for Nonprofit Board Governance. Nancy felt the Seminar focused more on forming and organizing a Board of Directors and the relationships of Committees to the Board, than what she expected, which was how a Board of Directors could interact and become leaders in the Community. She felt the most worthwhile portion of the Seminar for KCFA was the information on Board insurance. Bruce said he would look into the insurance question.
Social Committee Report: Chairperson Lisa Corker
Chairperson reports that the dinner at Holuakoa Gardens went very well last month and was well attended with 21 members enjoying the outdoor candlelit dinner with complimentary pupus.
The next social event will be a tour of the Paleaku Peace Garden. It turned out to be quite costly to have the astronomer speak to our group so Kathy Wood will do a presentation at the Garden and she invites all who participate to have pupus and beverages at her home after the tour.
Estate Committee Report: Chairperson Joanie Rowe
Chairperson reports no new Estates since last Board Meeting.
Website Committee Report: Chairperson Mark Shultise
Chairperson reports that he put the calendar on the website with member and non-member prices. If members buy calendars, the discount will be applied right before totaling. Because the Post Office increased shipping prices, Mark will now change them on the website. He will also add tax to the items on the website. He is in the process of updating the front page and adding coming events and 2008 Board Members.
Fund Raising Committee Report:
Co-Chairpersons Mary Lou Moss and Kathy Wood
April was a quiet month for Fundraising except for working Alii Drive on April 9 and finalizing the Kona Coffee Calendar. But JUNE is busting out all over! An e-mail will be sent to members asking them if they are interested in selling their coffee (on consignment) at any of the June events. Mary Lou would also like to have some green/parchment donations to have some KCFA coffee available.
Coming Up events:
Coffee Fest: June 6-8 Hilton Waikoloa
Koa coffee scoops, Kona coffee jewelry, and ladies t-shirts have been ordered in preparation for Coffee-Fest. Any KCFA member who would like to "showcase" his/her coffee at Coffee-fest should call me or Kathy Wood. We will be taking coffee on consignment to sell at Coffee-Fest.
Kona Coffee Calendar Girls Calendar
The calendars will be in on May 29. Calendars will sell for $6.00 to members/wholesalers and retail for $12.00 on the web.
Borders has agreed to buy at least 40 of our calendars and wants to have a "signing" in June and one in the fall.
June 21, Seed Exchange
We will be taking the coffee shack to the seed exchange at Amy Greenwell’s Ethnobotanical Garden. We will be also selling honey, jams/jellies, calendars and of course, members’ coffee on consignment.
Kona Coffee Fair – Lanihau
June 28th is the date for The Kona Coffee Fair. People’s Choice Coffee Competition/Award. Anyone who would like to sample their coffee at Lanihau contact Kathy Wood, 328-9548.
Office of Elections
Sept. 20 & Nov. 4. Need volunteers to assist voters at the polling places. KCFA receives money for this service.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Nov 7-16
Banquet is set for Sunday, Nov. 16
Same as last year. King Kam hotel, same banquet rooms & same menu & cash bar
EXPO next January 2009 is set for Jan. 17th at the Airport Pavilion.
Old Business:
Bishop Estate Leases
Bruce Corker suggested that KCFA form a Bishop Estate Leasehold Committee to help our leasehold farmers. We need a Chairperson who has leasehold property. Members will ask those farmers.
New Business:
Talmage Nakamoto- State Spelling Bee Champion
The Board approved sending $50.00 to the fund to help send Talmage’s mother and siblings to the National Spelling Bee in Washington DC. So they can watch Talmage. His plane ticket as well as his father’s ticket have already been paid for. Sent with the contribution, our message to Talmage was: “Kona’s coffee farmers congratulate you on winning the Hawaii State Spelling Bee. We are as proud of your accomplishment as we can be--and we wish you the best of luck in Washington, DC.
Meeting Adjourned at 5:00 pm
Next Regular Board of Directors Meeting:
June 18, 2008 at CTAHR Conference Room, Kainaliu, at 4:00pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Suzanne Kustusch
KCFA Secretary 2008
