Board of Directors Meeting
March 27, 1998
Ithaca
Minutes

Board members present: Joan Petzen, Beth Spaugh, John Thurgood, Keith Severson, John Ameroso, Les Hulcoop, Ed Staehr, Mike Baker, Steve Hadcock, Monika Roth and Fred Fladd.

Excused: Charlie Mazza, Paul Westfall

Minutes of Fall meeting and annual meeting not available. Keith will supply these.

Motion made to accept Jan. 23, 1998 minutes.

Presidents Report:

Joan attended Northeast Regional Meeting. Only NY/PA/NJ present. Pres. Drost disappointed with attendance.

• Proposal being developed for executive office services/centralized office to deal with communication problem. May need to increase dues because of this increased cost (est. cost to be approx. $15,000-20,000).
• Meeting registration software purchased for national meeting.
• Working on Committee Structure, three councils being developed with committees under them as follows:
• Professional Improvement Council: Agronomy; Ag Econ; Animal Sci., Forestry, Horticulture, Sea Grant
• Extension Development Council: Public Relations & Ag issues, Admin skills, Teaching & Communication
• Program Recognition Council: Communications, Ext. Programs, 4-H & Youth, Professional Excellence, Public Relations, Recognitions & Awards, Scholarship.
• Looking for people to serve on committees. Joan will ask the following people.
  • NY Nominees: Steve Hadcock - Chair, Program Recognition Council
  • Dave Reville - Recognition & Awards - National Chair
  • Larry Hull- Public Relations & Ag issues NE Vice Chair
  • Anita Deming - NE vice chair, 4-H & Youth
  • John Ameroso - vice chair, Professional Excellence
  • John Ameroso or Dave Weaver - Communications vice chair
  • Joan Petzen - Early Career Dev. chair
  • Carl Crispell - Ag Econ NE Chair
  • Les Hulcoop - Horticulture NE Chair
  • Mike Baker - Ani. Science
  • Nate Herendeen - Agronomy NE Chair
  • Paul Westfall - Admin Skills
  • Beth Spaugh - Communications NE Chair
• Continuing struggle with committee leadership at state and national levels.
• Good speaker at meeting-WA State Ext. Director talked about working with stakeholders.
• Joan working to have this session/speaker repeated for ACCEE meeting in NY this fall.
• Thanks to Keith for getting info on awards. Problems with transition of chairs every 3 years and not knowing where to send info. - Need to get info out on who these people are early on. Many people did not get applications. Use website to promote awards. Committee chairs not informed about what their jobs are.
• National dues by December 31, this year-need to inform membership. This must be approved at National Meeting.

Treasurers Report

• Distributed 1997 financial statement. Good financial position going into 98.
• Audit Committee has met, need a report back.
• Motion to Accept Treasurers Report by Severson, second Thurgood, approved.
• CD's being moved to Cornell/FL Credit Union as they come due.
• Motion made by Les Hulcoop that all financial assets be maintained at the CU/FL Credit Union for as long as feasible, second by Mike Baker, all in favor.

Membership

• Distributed list of Extension Educators who are members by district. Membership around 75.
• Charlie has done a great job identifying potential members and current/paid members.
• Need to follow-up and make one-one contact. Lack of time to do this. Suggestion made for a marketing campaign.
• An info packet could be prepared and distributed to new agents (via Fred); provide info for new agent orientation. John mentioned that there are nice National Flyers available, give to Charlie/Fred.
• Question about what people get for membership. Steve suggested we put a membership directory together as a benefit for members.

Discussion about NY Ag Agents Association Struggles.

• Suggestion made by Beth that we have better board orientation.
• District level work is not happening. Interaction is lacking among staff.

District Reports

• Southeast, Les Hulcoop - meeting April 27, touring Harness Racing Museum. Planning a June 11 picnic with Capital District. Jerry Skoda retirement party April 4. Plaque to be presented by Donna Moramarco. Bill Snedeker, retired agent on Dutchess ag program committee. Lucy Joyce is planning to leave CE to be a mom.
• Capital, Steve Hadcock - met recently; Hort Agents not happy with fall training school, no topics of interests.
  • Tom G. reported that 3 NY agents submitted stories for the County Agent Magazine.
  • Livestock responsibilities NY—who does this? Mike reported that most counties/regions covered by someone-- Webpage available for beef, also listserve is available for livestock. Suggestion made to provide info page on resources/support available for livestock. Dave Balbion coming back into Central NY Dairy Team, Cooperstown—recruit to be a southern tier member.
• Northern, Beth Spaugh - lack of interest and activity. There is a regional meeting planned which provides a marketing activity for assoc. Tim Smithling has left CE working for local cooperative.
• Central, Ed Staehr - same lack of activity. Meeting coming up that provides an opportunity for promoting assoc. Thad Wengert leaving system for Tops. Animal Sci. position is filled in Cayuga-Vinton Smith. Oswego hiring for fruit position.
• Southern Tier, John Thurgood - no meeting, no activity, no chair. New agent in WS Ag program - Cameron Clark from Arkansas, not a member yet. Carl Bannon left for job with Pioneer. July 21-23-Agency Tour of WS AG Program, CCA, soil and water credits (11).
• Finger Lakes, Mike Baker - not much activity. Jim Capron serving on program planning committee for ACCEE, also Tom Nally will help with tours.
• Western, Paul Westfall - met Jan. 29 East Aurora (all assoc.). In support of idea for paying half dues for new agents. Thanks to Beth for Webpage. Logo needs work. Comments re ACCEE - none received info/dues, etc. Suggestion that Ag Agents meet in conjunction with ACCEE meeting in Waterloo, willing to help with tours/program. Tech and teaching topics should be included on agenda. Meeting again in April 3, learning about displays.

Old Business

Ag and Food Systems Leadership Training - Joan reported for Diane Conneman.

• Planning committee: Mike Baker, Joe Walsh, Dave Reville, Tom Nally, Laura Pederson; need some home ec and nutrition educators on committee. Planning meetings via conference call. Diane needs commitment from us. Interested in feedback from potential participants so program is relevant. Ballpark cost $2000-3000, 4 sessions, 24 month period, over 3 budget years. Agents Assoc. source for scholarship fund , and other CU sources.
• Question about how this is different from Inservice Training. Staff who participate should be willing to transfer knowledge to staff who do not attend.

Educational Partnership - Joan reported that she has 3 volunteers: Joel Allen, Bruce Tillapaugh, Dave Reville.

• Topics for inservice: institution/agency partnership; conflict resolution. Other suggestions: ag economic development—lots of new positions on line (CE & planning); critically evaluate scientific data/information, esp. from internet/other states-how relevant is info to NY conditions/legal issues, etc. Beth suggested technology training is needed but may not be the focus of this program.
• Bob Feldman is planning regional meetings. Fred suggested we meet with Bob in June. Steve suggested that we need training in using technology in ed program delivery.

New Agent Dues Fund - Joan appointed a committee, Steve to Chair, Les will help. Steve also asked to involve Tom Gallagher and Lisa Kempisty. Need a bylaw change to accommodate this provision to pay half of a new members dues. Beth pointed out that we are not paying half dues for new agents, but agent pays half, fund pays half, therefore may not need bylaws change. Committee needs to consider how funds will be handled. Also need a definition of new member (new to NYS CE Assoc-first time).

• Additional bylaw change recommended: remove dues dollar amount from bylaws as national dues will go up this fall, brought up before and it was voted down. Dues may become an issue in relation to ACCEE participation. Charlie will be on committee to work on how dues of ACCEE affiliates will be handled.
• By June meeting need a draft bylaw change proposal to bring to membership.

Webpage Update - lots of info. Membership Directory in two files-general access and CENet ID access.

• Set up listserve with NYSACAA members. Looking for a short description about what ag agents do.
• Need life members included/listed.
• Logo Review - suggestion we take logo to Cornell Media Services to make a workable logo for webpage & letterhead. Need state in logo, and association name. Monika will bring logo to CCE graphic designer for some preliminary help.

ACCEE - Nancy Potter

• What is ACCEE? Nancy explained ACCEE represents all Cornell Extension system staff and educators. Important to have ag agents participate. John Ameroso our liaison to ACCEE Board. Goal is to address common issues and host annual conference, encourage interdisciplinary efforts, allows flexibility for new areas of programming to connect through sections (eg environmental issues educators work together). Another concern is shrinking employment---fewer staff participating in professional agents associations, therefore lack critical mass.
• Affiliation/Section: 20 + members with common interest is a section, added to ACCEE bylaws. Sections have formal rep/vote on the ACCEE board. Currently Ag agents is only ex-officio. Sections to date are: Epsilon Sigma Phi, 4-H and Family & Consumer Sciences. Working on section for office professionals.
  • No joint membership structure at this time, eg become member of ACCEE and NYSACAA automatically. Currently you would have to become a member of ACCEE and NYSACAA. Need to avoid making people chose. Also need to market benefit of NYSCAA/National Agent affiliation (national issues, awards, etc).
  • Financial commitment: voluntary request for seed money for fall conference, Oct. 14-16, Holiday Inn Waterloo.
  • Hoping to develop one dues sheet for ACCEE membership that lists sections. Current ACCEE dues are $25.00. For 1998 complimentary membership is available, send in name and you can become member.
  • How are individual section funds distributed back to a section (eg ag agents dinner fundraiser, who gets money..does ACCEE get part?). How to handle this is being discussed.
• Discussion: Joan suggested we need to look ahead to make sure we are comfortable and not on outside.
  • At National level there is a Joint Council of Extension Professionals, but no move to merge at national level.
  • Suggestion that we participate in ACCEE conference this fall and vote on affiliation. Get info out to members, Q&A format. Suggestion that the program for conference needs topics that will motivate ag staff to attend.
  • We could develop concurrent workshops, incorporate topics that were suggested under ed partnership proposal.
• Should we move ahead with affiliation?
  • Thurgood made a motion that the benefits and drawbacks of ACCEE membership be presented at Fall Conference and that the NYSACAA Board supports Ag Agents Association becoming an ACCEE section, second by Severson.
  • Motion carried.
• Fall Conference Proposal:
  • 3 hours needed for State Association meeting, need room for 50 people
  • Recognition banquet for Ag Agent Awards, could be joint with other awards
  • 4 concurrent sessions (ag focused-two of the sessions might be the tour)
  • ag/hort tour - half day (Tom Nally)
  • Motion by Steve Hadcock to request of ACCEE conference planning committee to co-sponsor and plan the following: 3 hours time for Ag Agents Annual meeting, 4 concurrent ag related sessions and/or ag/hort tour, recognition banquet for Ag Agents awards (joint or separate); second John Thurgood, all in favor.
  • Poster Session: planned for ACCEE meeting, Cathy Martin needs help. Steve Hadcock volunteered.
  • Motion by John Thurgood to provide $500 seed money for ACCEE/Ag Agents Fall Conference and that in the event of a profit, that NYSACAA receive pro-rata share of conference profits of up to $500, remainder of profits accrue to ACCEE, second by Les Hulcoop. All in favor.

State Flag Replacement - Motion by Baker to approve up to $100 for the purchase of new flag, second Thurgood, all in favor. Joan will follow through on this.

June Meeting with Director/Dean - possible dates: June 1, 2, 16, 17, 29, 30, maybe 8, 9, 12

• Discussion topics: Production Ag school needs, esp. horticulture training topics; collaboration with sister agencies-need specifics; accomplishments; need for director support (attend assoc. meetings); loss of benefits for moving within system, lack of support for moving expenses; grant PI status for agent staff
• Last years topics: agency relations, pesticide training, performance review
• This year accomplishments: Lead-NY, Ag Upbeat, CCE notes improvements

Awards Program - need to make system more user friendly. Maybe have one mailing of all info, and one place to send info. Get info out earlier. Deal with this topic indepth at future meeting. How many applications submitted??

National Meeting

• need to appoint delegates (3 plus alternate): Motion by Thrugood, second by Severson to appoint Joan Petzen, Ed Staehr, Les Hulcoop as delegates to national conference, John Ameroso as alternate, all in favor.
• Suggested PA/NY or Northeast Hospitality since NY group of attendees may be small

Clippings

• No issue sent yet. John has info, Joan has some info on inhouse/outhouse awards. Beth will provide info on webpage. Include ACCEE info. Profiles from new board members: Charlie & Monika. Educational Partnership-Fred, Agent Leadership Proposal-Diane. Provide by Friday April 3. Scholarship info. Annual meeting announcements, state meeting announcements. Watershed ag tour-John.

Adjourned 2:30 pm

Joan will confirm June meeting date.