MASSACHUSETTS THROUGHBRED BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Minutes

 

March 19, 2009

Vinny T’s,  Dedham, MA

Chairman George Brown called the meeting to order at   6:53 PM

 

 Board Members Present

Absent

Guests

Brown, George - Chair

Barreira, Laurine - alternate

Brown, Arlene –Recording Secretary

Catapano, Frank

Dirico, Joe

Robbins, Harland -Financial Director

Ferguson, Meg

Joyce, Daniel

Robbins, Bill - Accountant

Janjigian, Armand

Piona, Joan - Alternate

Wakely, Chip

Loebelenz, Lee

Spadea, Anthony/Treasurer

Horky, Theresa

Reagan, Kathleen

 

Shelansky, Keith

Rose, Gregg

Salim, Adel

Stone, Ed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.) Secretary’s Report:

Minutes from November 20, 2008 reviewed by board.  Spelling error noted by Meg Ferguson in item 3.

 

Motion to accept minutes as amended :   Lee Loebelenz       Second:   Adel Salim

Motion carries unanimously:                            

 

2.) Treasurer's Report

Bill Robbins is now reporting restricted and un-restricted revenue separately on the reports as requested by Dan Joyce.  He reports that we finished the year with a larger balance than he had predicted and thus our financial position now is better than last year at this time

 

Motion to accept report: Armand Janjigian              Second:  Lee Loebelenz      

Motion carries unanimously:

 

3.) Chairman’s notes and comments

1.      George Brown requested a moment of silence in remembrance of Michael Benson.

2.      The Morrissey Fund Raiser was attended by Lee Loebelenz and George Brown.  George reported that Michael Morrissey offered encouraging words on the slots when he spoke with him.

3.      George reported that the slots legislation is being worked on behind the scenes and that he has the feeling they are trying to offer something to everyone to ease the conflict between tracks.

4.)    Old Business

a.       Kathy Reagan said that she would still be interested in doing Equine Affair.  We will try to find help for her.  George Brown asked the board to think of someone we could approach to co-chair this committee with Kathy.  A motion was made to make the deposit on a booth now which is refundable if we cancel.

 

Motion: Armand Janjigian            Second:  Gregg Rose

Motion carries unanimously:

 

b.      Harland asked for volunteers to present trophies this year.  The trophies will be framed pictures again as this seems to be very popular with the recipients..

c.       Arlene Brown reported on the membership flyers that were printed out and mailed to past members and other possibly interested parties.  The amount allotted for the brochure was $5000 but the cost of printing and mailing came to less than $700.  Five hundred brochures were printed.

 

The money allotted for stallion directories was $1000 but Arlene reported it’s almost impossible to print out that 700 booklets and pay for postage for that amount.  She did all pedigree and racing research on free web sites but that took a lot of time and still the cost came to $1123.  Arlene also discussed the difficulties with getting mail labels on them since the HBPA doesn’t give them to us any more.  George had to make 2 trips to Boston to bring the boxes of brochures and pick them up to bring back to the Seekonk post office.  In addition there was some difficulty with the indicia printed on them.   In the end stamps had to be added to them anyway.  This whole process delayed the mailing by about 2 weeks.

 

Armand suggested buying a mail list from a company.  Gregg Rose said he would get us a mail list for next year and send it to Harland.  Harland said he would get it printed up on mail labels.

d.      Members of the board were asked to think of a guest speaker to appear at the annual meeting next year.  We would devote business to just elections and then enjoy the speaker.

 

5) New Business

a.       George Brown nominated Kathy Reagan to fill the vacancy on the board.  The board voted unanimously to elect her.

b.      Bill Robbins has done all the filings with the secretary of state for the year 2008.

c.       Since there are a few new people standing stallions in Massachusetts this year, Arlene will send copies of stallion domicile reports and list of mares bred to each stallion to everyone with a registered stallion in MA as a reminder. In case they aren’t aware of the requirement, it will serve to notify them of the law.

d.      The question of tracking resident mares to make sure they comply with the requirements of producing Massbred foals was discussed again.  In the event of slots and higher purses, cheating is inevitable.  How it should be approached is the issue – whether at the state level or at the breeder association level.  Bill Robbins suggested that if the slots do happen that a position of MA Bred Auditor be instituted and paid for by the Mass Breeders Association in compliance with the state department.

 

A motion was made to create a committee to look  into what other state bred organizations do and come up with recommendations

 

Motion: Lee Loebelenz            Second:  Kathy Reagan

Motion carries unanimously:

 

 

e.       George Brown asked the directors to think about a nominee for the TOBA award to be voted at the next meeting.

f.       At a meeting with Tommy Creole, it was decided to run the first 4 stake races the same as last year.  The dates must be set by the racing secretary and as of the moment he has not done that.

g.       Bill Robbins and Arlene Brown agree to a continue in their respective positions for the ensuing year at their current level of compensation.  Amotion was made to award contracts as such.

 

Motion: Frank Catapano            Second:  Armand Janjigian

Motion carries unanimously:

     

6).  Next Meeting:  April 16, 2009 at Za Za’s Restaurant in Saugus.  Time 6:30 PM

     

 

 

7). Adjournment:   8:31 PM 

Motion:   Armand Janjigian                     Second:  Lee Loebelenz

Motion carries unanimously:

 

 Respectfully submitted

 

 

Arlene Brown