2007 Spring Meeting Minutes SDCAA

SDCAA Fall Meeting

Swiftel Center, Brookings, SD

October 16, 2007

The Fall meeting of the SDCAA was called to order by President Clint Clark. Ann Price volunteered to be the acting secretary in the absence of Connie Strunk. Sergeant at Arms Paul Johnson reported 28 members were present.

Secretary minutes from the previous meeting had been emailed for all to review. Chuck Langner moved and Paul Johnson second to accept the minutes as previously emailed. Motion passed (attachment A).

Bill Keck motioned and David VanDerVliet second to accept the treasurer’s report. Motion passed (attachment B).

OLD BUSINESS:

County Agent Prints—Dale Curtis and Ray Gosmire are the recipients of the County Agents framed prints this year. Clint Clark is to present the prints at the Awards Banquet on Thursday night to Dale and Ray. Terry Hall said he’d make sure Ray was planning on attending.

AM/PIC—Clint Clark, Heather Gessner, Steve Munk, Mike Huber, David VanDerVliet, Crystal Stewart and Steve Sutera and his wife attended the National Meetings in Michigan in July. Clint Clark read a thank you from the Michigan group for attending the conference and for providing snacks with ND for a break. The group reported the resolution from the floor from SD regarding waiving registration fees for first time attendees with less than 10 years of service passed on the first attempt. They commented that it’s very rare to get any resolution passed on the first attempt and even rarer for it to be one from the floor. It was also noted that Steve Munk was elected to serve as the National Policy Committee chairperson.

JCEP—Discussion was held regarding the tabled resolution from the spring meeting on JCEP. Steve Sutera moved and Mike Huber second to provide $500 each for the President and Vice President to attend JCEP. Policy will now be that if either the President or Vice President cannot attend, we will go down the list of officers to fill that vacancy.

By-Law Changes—Heather Gessner presented the group with the changes made to the by-laws.

Article III Membership

Current wording, “Sec. 2 Any County and/or Area Extension Agent, Extension Assistant, Extension Associate, Associate Extension agent, employed by the South Dakota Extension Service may become an active member of the Association by paying annual membership dues.”

Proposed wording, “Sec. 2 Any County Extension Educator, Extension Associate and /or Extension Specialist employed by the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service may become an active member of the Association by paying annual membership dues.”

Article V Executive Committee

Current Version, “Sec. 4 The President of the Association may call a special meeting of the Executive Committee at anytime, if he deems it advisable.”

Proposed wording, “Sec. 4 The President of the Association may call a special meeting of the Executive Committee at anytime, if deemed advisable.”

Article VI Districts

Propose striking WASHABAUGH from the county listed in District 4.

Article VIII Vacancies—part 1

Current wording, “Sec. 1 A vacancy in any office or committee for any cause other than expiration of term of office shall be filled by appointment by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors.”

Proposed wording, “Sec.1 A vacancy in any office or committee for any cause other than expiration of term of office shall be filled by appointment by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee.”

Article VIII Vacancies—part 2

Current wording, “Sec. 1 3^rd paragraph If the Office of President and Vice-president would be vacated at the same time between Annual meetings, the Director and Vice-Director from the district the President was from will submit a name from their district to the Executive Board for approval.”

Proposed wording, “Sec. 1 3^rd paragraph If the Office of President and Vice-president would be vacated at the same time between Annual meetings, the Director and Vice-Director from the district the President was from will submit a name from their district to the Executive Committee for approval.”

Tyler Melroe moved and Bob Fanning seconded to approve the by-law changes. Motion passed (attachment C).

Tabled motion - Mileage Reimbursement

Whereas; South Dakota Cooperative Extension’s presence is made publicly visible by having an Educator in almost every county in the state,

and Whereas; part of being a viable and respected resource in the county and state requires that County Educators drive to other towns for presentations and teaching opportunities and also travel to remote locations to check on fields, pastures and provide financial information and assistance to area producers,

and Whereas; many times the use of a pickup is required for these trips into pastures and fields and they have a lower mileage rate than a car,

and Whereas; many of the County Educators do not have access to either a State or County owned and maintained vehicle and are using their own vehicle to travel when the job requires it,

and Whereas; the current cost of fuel and maintenance of personal vehicles is not being met by the current State Reimbursement Rate,

Therefore, Be It Resolved; that the South Dakota County Ag Agents Association supports any and all efforts made to adjust the State Mileage Reimbursement Rate for Extension Educators using their own vehicle as they provide education, service and assistance to the people of South Dakota.

Be It Further Resolved; that the SDCAA would support a formula that would determine a fair State Mileage Rate that ties in the cost of fuel based on the quarterly average price of fuel in South Dakota as determined by a nonbiased organization (including by not limited to the AAA of South Dakota).

Much discussion was held on this topic. It was noted that counties differ on their reimbursement policies. Paul Johnson moved and Maurice Lemke second to accept the resolution. Motion failed.

NEW BUSINESS:

Duaine Marxen was the only new inductee to the Association. Duaine is the Livestock Educator in Grant County. In lieu of treats, Duaine told members a little bit about himself.

Sigma Epsilon will be proposing a resolution at the SDCEA meeting that all JCEP and PILD attendees need to come back and do some sort of leadership training/activity to demonstrate what they learned at the conferences. Epsilon president Tracy Renelt asked that SDCAA support this resolution. Discussion was held. Paul Johnson moved and Mike Huber second to support this resolution. Motion carried (attachment D).

Dues were discussed. Ken Wonnenberg moved to leave dues at $90. Motion died due to lack of a second. Dues will remain $90 with $50 going to National, $5 to SDCEA and $35 to SDCAA.

Election of Officers:

Officers for 2008 are as follows:

Vice President – Paul Johnson – Moody County

Sec/ Treas. – Connie Strunk – Turner County

Sergeant of Arms – Tyler Melroe – Marshall County

Committee Reports

Life membership—Terry Hall—Ray Gosmire has been added to the list since Spring

Conference. It was also discussed about the need to get retired Educators

involved at the Spring Conference.

Retirement—Bill Keck—Be sure to check on your retirement benefit situation if you’re

planning on retiring between now and June 2009

Recognition and Awards—Mike Huber—Explained the AA and DSA awards to new

members

Teaching and Educational Technologies—Bob Fanning—Handed out the communication

award certificates. Since the treasurer was absent, the checks will be put in the mail. Award recipients include: Bill Keck ($40), Connie Strunk ($25), Heather Gessner ($55), Lanette Butler ($85), and Terry Hall ($25).

4-H/Youth—Steve Munk—There is the possibility of changing the structure of SD YD/4-

H. Send your suggestions/comments to your DED. Steve also raised the questioned the possibility of sharing awards with the 4-H Association.

Congressional Liaison—Paul Johnson—There is a bill in the works for charging a

regulation fee for pesticides to support PAT and county weed budgets.

Legislative—Jerry Mills—Urged us to keep Community Leader Meetings a function of

SDCEA and not to let Administration take those roles over

SD Pork Producers—Steve Sutera—There is a scholarship available for post secondary

students. Contact Jessica Dornic. Annual meeting will be held Jan 10 and 11.

SD Association of County Commissioners—Maurice Lemke—prairie dog issues, county

memorandum to kill NAIS in the county—check to see if your commissioners have signed it—this is in light of Colorado’s mandate to have all premises’ registered before allowing them to show in 4-H Shows.

SD No-Till Association—Roger Barrick—thanks for the help.

The following committees had no reports at this meeting

Members were asked to e-mail Paul Johnson with their preferred location for the Spring Meeting—Cheyenne Ridge Lodge or the Isaac Walton in Pierre.

Being no further business, Clink Clark passed the gavel on to Heather Gessner to take over as 2008 President.

After the meeting elections for directors were held and Ann Price and Vicki Larson were selected.