North Carolina Association of County Agricultural Agents

October Board Meeting

October 10, 2008

Brickhaven Building, Raleigh, NC 

 

President –Stanley Holloway, presiding 

 

President Holloway welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order at 10:10 am.  Introductions were made and board members present were:  Stanley Holloway - President, Kelly Groves - President Elect, Randy Wood (SC), Barry Foushee - Treasurer, Nancy Keith - Secretary, Della King (SE), Amanda Hatcher (SE), Charles Young (WC), Allison Brown (WC), Will Strader (NC), Lewis Smith (NE), Craig Ellison (NE), and Diane Turner (West).   

 

Secretary’s Report – Nancy Keith   

Minutes from July Meeting were sent out via email.  Charles Young made a Motion to accept minutes.  Randy Wood Seconded the motion. Motion carried. 

 

Treasurer’s Report – Barry Foushee 

      Checking as of 1/4/08   $18,145.78 

      Checking as of 10/10/08                     $     898.80

                       1 outstanding check (reflected in balance)  

             Total Income:     $27,353.69

             Total Expenses:  $44,600.67 

      Savings Account:        Balance as of 01/01/08  $ 8,662.75

                                                Balance as of 10/10/08             $1,512.85

                        Total Checking & Savings:  $2,411.65    

            Total Income:      $  5,350.10

            Total Expenses:  $12,500.00 

North Carolina donated $4000 to Florida in 2004 and $7500 to Kentucky/Ohio in 2006.  This money was paid out of the state board and will be paid back from the 2008 Committee. 

 

2008 NCACAA State Meeting Report – Diane Turner 

The 2008 NCACAA State Meeting was held at the Koury Convention Center on Friday, July 11, 2008 just prior to NC hosting the NACAA Professional Improvement Conference.   There were 137 members and guest  registered for the banquet, 3 children and 6 late registrations.  There was a total of $2905 income from state meeting registration.

 

2008 NACAA Meeting Report – Barry Foushee 

On behalf of the ’08 Committee Barry thanked everybody for help with the meeting.  There has been a tremendous amount of feedback from across the nation.  There were 1500+ people registered which were approximately 200 more than the meeting was budgeted for.  Everything has not been finalized as of today, but it looks as if there should be a reasonable profit for NCACAA.  There will be a committee appointed to determine how the funds will be used.  Future meeting locations for NACAA are: 

 

’09 – Oregon, ’10 – OK, ’11 – KS, and ’12 – SC.  

 

2009 NCACAA Meeting Update – Will Strader 

The North Central District is the host of the 2009 NCACAA meeting.  Locations that have been looked at are in the Raleigh and Durham area.  After getting bids on locations in the Durham area it was determined to have the meeting in the Raleigh area.  The committee received bids on room rates from North Raleigh Hilton of $119.00/night and Brownstone of $85.00/night.  Currently the committee is looking toward the Brownstone  possibly the week of June 16-19.  The North Central District has their committees set up and is working diligently on finalizing date and location.  They are planning to have the banquet on Wednesday night and the softball tournament on Thursday evening.  They are planning to utilize NCSU Extension Specialists for professional development and will also be looking at award winners to do presentations. 

 

Trust Fund Discussion – Stanley Holloway 

Lenny Rogers agreed to serve as the chair of the Trust Fund Committee.  The balance in the Trust Fund account as of 08/29/08 is: [not disclosed to the public]

 

It was discussed and decided to leave the ’88 funds where they are and put the ’08 money in a different location. 

 

Federation President-Elect – Stanley Holloway 

NCACAA is in rotation to have President-Elect.  Heather Lifsey has been contacted to see if she would serve in this position but she has not responded as to whether she would serve or not.  She has served as Secretary and Bill Ellers has served as Treasurer. 

 

Federation Forum – Stanley Holloway 

The Federation Forum is scheduled for December 12, 2008, 9:30 – 2:00 on the campus of NC A&T University in Coltrane Hall.  This will be a question/answer session of issues and concerns and each association can send up to 13 members.  The Vice-Director from each district attends as well as the state officers.  Please get concerns that you have to address at the forum to Stanley Holloway by October 31, 2008. 

 

Travel to the forum will be reimbursed from the NCACAA. 

 

JCEP Regional Meeting

The JCEP Regional Meeting will be held February 10-12, 2009 in Orlando, Florida.  Stanley Holloway and Kelly Groves will be attending. 

 

PILD

PILD is April 27-29, 2009 in Arlington, VA and Gerda Rhodes and Kelly Groves will be attending. 

 

District Reports 

 

West District – Diane Turner

 

Have a meeting scheduled for October 29 in Buncombe County and hosted the 2008 NCACAA meeting in Greensboro. 

 

West Central – Allison Brown

Last meeting was October 3^rd at Mountain Tree and Landscaping in Ashe County.  Learned about some of the agritourism  opportunities that they offer.  This was the first meeting of the old NW and old SW districts.  Officers were elected and they are as follows:

Allison Brown, Director

Charles Young, Vice-Director

Damon Pollard, Treasurer

Phil Rucker, Secretary 

 

South Central – Randy Wood

Have had first meeting with new alignment and elected officers and they are as follows:

Randy Wood, Director

Becky Spearman, Vice-Director

Mary Hollingsworth, Treasurer

April Madison, Secretary 

 

North Central – Will Strader

Last meeting was held at Maple View Dairy and have also been involved in planning for the 2009 State Meeting.  Officers are as follows:

Will Strader, Director

Michele Wallace, Vice-Director

Carl McKnight, Treasurer

Mary Helen Ferguson, Secretary 

 

Northeast – Lewis Smith

Last meeting was in Edgecombe County with three new counties present.  Wanda Sykes gave an administrative update.  There are several retirements in the Northeast District.  New officers are as follows:

Lewis Smith, Director

Craig Ellison, Vice-Director

Katy Shook, Treasurer

Jacob Searcy, Secretary 

 

Southeast – Della King

Last meeting was in September in Onslow County.  New officers are as follows:

Della King, Director

Amanda Hatcher, Vice-Director

Mark Seitz, Treasurer

Emily Adams, Secretary 

 

Comments from Administration – Dr. Ed Jones

Dr. Jones indicated that the Governor had called for a 2% reduction and may extend to a 3%.  Currently plans are to cut 2% and make adjustments accordingly.  Most can be handled on campus at this time.  Any positions that are currently open will be slow to be filled.  Annual Extension Conference was cancelled and will absorb approximately $150,000 - $180,000.  There have also been cuts out of the Federal Budget.  Some of the allocations for IPM, Cotton IPM, Farm Safety, and Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) come from Federal budget.  The state will have to cover until receive Federal Funds.  The Federal money may not be available until May and will not go back but 90 days.  We will probably see a call for proposal for IPM projects. 

 

Tom Melton will become the Director for Center of Integrated Pest Management. 

 

Currently working through a process on strategic planning for research stations. 

 

Travel – With increase in fuel cost and rate continuing to increase; is there going to be any additional $$ for travel??  Dr. Jones mentioned the possibility of some of the commodity associations kicking in some money for travel.  Example – Soybean Association may allocate funds for travel based on soybean acreage in the county. 

 

Raises – based on merit – only way to have more flexibility is to cut back on people and it is also difficult to get money out of legislature for operating. 

 

State Retirement System is tied to the stock market. 

 

Other Business 

The District Treasurers have received their membership information from Barry Foushee.  They need to make sure that the new agents know about membership and get them to join.  Please send name, address and email information to Barry on all retired agents.  The state association pays the life membership ($50) for retired agents.  Send names of any retirees since January 2008 to Barry.

The membership information and dues needs to be sent to Barry by 12/01/08 so that he can get everything compiled and sent to national. 

 

There will be a conference call on October 30 with the NACAA Board to settle up the 2008 national meeting. 

 

Committee Structure – The committee structure is the same on the district, state and national level.  If you are on a committee, you can go to the NACAA website and find out the responsibilities.  There is always a call for chairs and vice-chairs of national committees.  Look at what committee positions are available for Southern Region and consider applying.  Get involved. 

Frank Winslow is the state chair of the Benevolence Committee.  If a life member or an agent passes away, please let Frank know and copy message to Barry Foushee because the state association sends a $50 memorial.  

 

Barry Foushee ran for National Treasurer in 2006 and has been approached by National Officers to consider running for Treasurer in 2009.  The official announcement will not be until January 1, 2009 and needs to come from the state association.  Nancy Keith made a motion that NCACAA support Barry Foushee for National Treasurer in 2009.  Allison Brown seconded.  Motion carries. 

Voting Delegates and Award Winners – Voting delegates receive $400 from administration and $100 from association (receipts up to $100) upon returning from National Meeting.  If voting delegate and DSA or AA winner you receive $400 from administration, $100 from NCACAA board, and $500 award and do not have to get a 1099.   

 

Next Meeting :  January 9, 2009 – 10:00 am.  Allison Brown made a motion that the January meeting be via elluminate and try to split the distance difference between the mountains and coast for a face to face meeting in April.  Diane Turner seconded the motion.  Motion carries.  

 

Meeting adjourned.