MASSACHUSETTS THROUGHBRED BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Minutes

 

March 20, 2008

Vinny T’s Dedham, MA

Chairman George Brown called the meeting to order at  6:55PM.

 

 Board Members Present

Absent

Guests

Brown, George - Chair

 

Brown, Arlene –Recording Secretary

Benson, Michael

Spadea, Anthony/Treasurer

Harland Robbins-Financial Director

Catapano, Frank

Janjigian, Armand

Bill Robbins - Accountant

Dirico, Joe

Joyce, Daniel

Chip Wakely

Ferguson, Meg

Rose, Gregg

Renee Doyle

Loebelenz, Lee

 

 

Reagan, Kathy - Alternate

 

 

Salim, Adel

 

 

Stone, Ed

 

 

 

1.) Secretary’s Report:

Minutes from November 20, 2007 reviewed by board

Motion to accept:   Mike Benson                                               2nd:   Adel Salim                                   

Motion passes unanimously

 

2.) Treasurer's Report

Bill Robbins informed the board that all levies against the organization by the IRS have formally been released now.

 

Bill presented a chart that showed the financial condition of the organization.  At the end of 2007, most of the ending assets from 2005-2006 had been spent down and we finished the year with $10,837.16 ending assets. So far this year, revenues from simulcasting are down about $16,000.  With this information, Bill has projected that we can afford only about $400,000 to put into stakes races this year.

Motion to accept:  Lee Loebelenz                                                2nd:   Adel Salim                                   

Motion passes unanimously

 

3.) Chairman’s notes and comments

a.       George Brown brought up the fact that he felt charging Associate (non-voting) Members  $100 dues was excessive and suggested we charge them only $50. 

 

Discussion also followed about the $100 – one time fee to be deducted from the first awards check earned by a non-member.  Should it be $150 to coincide with late membership dues since the first awards checks would not be going out until June. Late membership fees are in force on May 1st.

 

A motion was made to adopt these two changes.

Motion: Joe DiRico                                                 2nd:       Mike Benson                               

Motion passes unanimously

 

4.)  Old Business

a.       Arlene Brown told the board that the stallion directory cost $495 for printing,, $322.48 for postage and $166.80 for Sir Speedy to put on the mail labels.  The last cost is new because Suffolk Downs does not give out the mail list any more.  This created a problem this year because there were not enough directories printed to send out a mailing to all MTBA members in addition to the Suffolk Downs list.  Therefore some MTBA members who did not have a horse running in Boston this year would not have received a directory.  The board decided to print out enough directories to cover both lists next year.

 

Arlene Brown told the board that the cold laminating done for the member dues cards this year was not that successful since they came apart easily.  She did find an inexpensive laminator that uses heat and works very well.  A motion is made to reimburse Arlene for the laminator and supplies – about $28.00.

Motion:  Lee Loebelenz                                                 2nd: Mike Benson                                    

Motion passes unanimously

 

b.      Contracts for Bill Robbins, Arlene Brown and Andy Hunt are due for renewal.  The board voted to renew all of these at the same salary as last year.

Motion:  Lee Loebelenz                                               2nd:    Adel Salim                                  

Motion passes unanimously

 

c.       Lee Loebelenz was asked to do the trophies for the stakes races again this year.  Everyone thought the framed pictures went over well with all the recipients . 

Motion:  Adel Salim                                               2nd:    Meg Ferguson                                  

Motion passes unanimously

 

d.      George Brown mentioned that TOBA nominations will be due in April so he asked everyone to think about nominees so that we could elect them at the next meeting

 

e.      Mike Benson talked about Equine affair and the possibility of MTBA having a booth there to promote the breeding and racing of thoroughbred horses.  He mentioned that it would be a lot of work and that the booth would have to be manned by knowledgeable individuals.  He will look into it and bring back more information.

 

f.        Bill Robbins will look into filing 501(c3) forms again this year.

 

5.) New Business

a.       Because only $400,000 is available for stakes races – only 8 @ $50,000 this would be a drop of 4 stakes races from last year.  Many ideas were discussed from the possibility of running only $30,000 races (no black type) to many combinations of $50k and $30k.  Ed Stone discussed the possibility of looking for grant money from individuals who might want to sponsor a race if it were named after them.  Bill Robbins cautioned that this may constitute “selling” naming rights which would be a problem for a non-profit organization.  Harland Robbins brought in an application for the “Amelia Peabody Foundation” grants.  He has already discussed the possibility of obtaining grant money from them and he said that they sounded very open about it and welcomed us to submit an application. The board voted to have Harland pursue the Amelia Peabody grant and for Ed Stone to talk to his contact about grant money without specifying the “naming rights”condition.

Motion: Joe DiRico                                               2nd:    Mike Benson                                  

Motion passes unanimously

 

b.      Harland Robbins discussed the possibility of offering MTBA items for sale to the membership.  He said he has received requests from people to buy additional jackets.

George Brown requested that any new items offered have the real MTBA logo on them The board voted to have Harland bring in samples and suggestions to the next meeting.  .

Motion:Lee Loebelenz                                            2nd:       Mike Benson                               

Motion passes unanimously

 

c.       Arlene Brown discussed joining the ELCR (Equine Land Conservation Resource) which is a nationally recognized “Best of” organization to promote and help state and local governments and private individuals to set up trusts for land conservation devoted to horse activities.  Many state breeding organizations as well as National Organizations are “Equine Partners”.

It costs $100 per year to join the organization. The board voted to join.  Material and applications were given to Harland to pursue.

Motion:  Mike Benson                                                2nd:   Ed Stone                                   

Motion passes unanimously

 

d.      Harland Robbins brought in a copy of paragraph “A” and Appendix 4D section (9) from the Articles of Incorporation and felt that these prevent us from establishing in our by-laws the requirement that directors have a “financial”  interest in thoroughbred racing and creating “Associate memberships” and “partner memberships”.  The Articles of Incorporation were requested by and a copy given to the lawyer who drew up the changes to our by-laws last year to make sure that all changes were legal.  Kathy Reagan looked over the two excerpts quickly and said she wasn’t sure and would need to see the whole set of Articles.  George will call the lawyer who drew up the by-laws and bring him a copy of our membership application for a decision.  Arlene will also fax a copy of the Articles to Kathy for a second opinion.

 

6.)  Next Meeting:  April 17, 2008 at Vinny T’s - Dedham

 

7). Adjournment:      9:17 PM 

Motion:   Lee Loebelenz                                               2nd:     Frank Catapano                                  

Motion passes unanimously

 

 

Respectfully submitted

 

 

 

Arlene Brown