MASSACHUSETTS THROUGHBRED BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Minutes

 

August 16, 2007

Vinny T’s

Dedham, Massachusetts

President George Brown called the meeting to order at  7:15 PM.

 

 Board Members Present

Absent

Guests

Brown, George - Chair

Dullea, Shirley

Brown, Arlene –Recording Secretary

Robbins, Harland-Treasurer

Joyce, Daniel

Bill Robbins - Accountant

Benson, Michael

Szymt, Gus

 

Dirico, Joe

 

 

Janjigian, Armand

 

 

Loebelenz, Lee

 

 

Rose, Gregg

 

 

Salim, Adel

 

 

Spadea, Anthony

 

 

 

1.) Recording Secretary’s Report:

Minutes from July 19, 2007 reviewed by board.  Under Item 3b, the name “Robert” should be changed to “Richard”.

Motion to accept minutes as amended:  Anthony Spadea    Second: Motion:    Armand Janjigian                             Motion Carries  

 

2.) Secretary/Treasurer's Report:

Harland Robins reported that two more adjustment computations have been settled in our favor by the IRS.  One of $12,200 and another of $36,700.  There is only one left still being reviewed by the IRS for $3,259.13.

Armand Janjigian offers congratulations and thanks to Harland and Bill Robbins for their efforts in dealing with the IRS over this issue.

 

Congratulations were offered to Mr. Ed Stone on being named “Breeder of the Year”.  Mr. Harland Robbins stated that all the arrangements have been made and Mr. Stone is looking forward to his trip to Kentucky.  Arlene Brown asked if a congratulatory ad was being placed in “The Bloodhorse” magazine and Harland Robbins stated that he would look into it.

 

Harland Robbins stated that the Beacon Hill Institute has been paid half of the money owed for the report they are preparing for us.

 

Harland Robbins expressed a desire to have the Board meetings scheduled consistently on the same day each month.  The change was made this year to Thursday because Wednesday became a racing day making it difficult for people who had horses running on that day to attend meetings the same night.

 

Mr. Harland Robbins proposed that the MTBA buy jackets to be given to members when they pay their dues.  Discussion followed about the types of jackets and possibly of offering higher priced apparel with the MTBA logo for sale.  Mr. Robbins will bring samples to the next meeting.

 

Mr. William Robbins passed out and discussed the revenues for July with charts showing the planned and actual figures.  He stated that he was optimistic about reaching the plan for the year.  He also stated that the momentum in August was not as good as July but still shows that we are closer to the plan by about $9,000. 

 

Mr. William Robbins asked that a third signor be added to the checking account in case there was a problem reaching  one of the primary signors when 2 signatures were needed.  This signor would be used only in an emergency.  A motion was made to nominate Anthony Spadea and Michael Benson and have two secondary signors.

 

Motion to nominate the two secondary signors: Armand Janjigian  Second: Joe Dirico  Motion Carries

 

Mr. Harland Robbins asks if $60,000 of the money held in reserve in the unrestricted or administration account (held in case the settlement with IRS did not go in our favor) be transferred into the restricted or awards account to be used for the stakes races.

 

Motion to transfer: Greg Rose  Second: Anthony Spadea  Motion Carries

 

Motion to accept Secretary/Treasurer’s Report: Anthony Spadea  Second: Adel Salim  Motion Carries

 

3.) Chairman’s notes and comments

a)      Mr. George Brown explained that he spoke to Andy Hunt and relayed the message to Mr. Bakeman at the Beacon Hill Institute that the emphasis of our study should be on the impact of the breeding  not the racing industry on the state.

b)      George Brown explained that the letter to Mr. Fields was sent and acknowledged by his staff and that Mr. Fields is satisfied that the  rumors did not originate with the MTBA

c)      A copy of page 5 of the Dartmouth report that was given to the governor office was passed out.  This is the only page that referred to incentives for the racing industry.  A discussion followed and members felt that it was unrealistic to offer dogs the same amount of money as horses due to the inequities of feeding, housing, breeding and the amount of “open space” required.

 

4) Old Business

a)      Arlene Brown explained that she bought a Brother copy machine for $200 and Harland Robbins bought a Cannon copier for the same price.

b)      Adel Salim passed out copies of the rules and regulations of the NY breeders association.  Arlene Brown passed out a summary of similar information for six other states. A discussion followed about formalizing security for registering massbred foals, mares and stallions and the actual rules determining what a massbred is.  In Massachusetts it is controlled by the state.  In only one other state of the seven investigated is the registering controlled by the state.  In all other states it is controlled by the breeder’s organization.  A copy of the law establishing the state as being in control of this procedure is needed before any further discussion takes place.  Mr. Harland Robbins states that he is working on obtaining it through his representative.  The board decides to devote the September meeting to these issues and also to the issue of dues.

 

5) New Business

a)      The directors whose terms expire this year are: Harland Robbins, Dan Joyce, Gus Szymt and Shirley Dullea

b)      The annual meeting will be Tuesday, October 23, 2007 at Vinny T’s in Dedham at 6:30 PM

c)      A by-laws meeting will be scheduled for 9/6/07 at 6:30 at Vinny T’s.  The directors who come will constitute “the committee”

 

6) Next Regular Meeting:  September 20, 2007  6:30PM, Doubletree Inn in Waltham

 

7). Adjournment:         9:25  PM 

 

Motion from:            Mike Benson        Second:  Lee Loebelenz                     Motion  Carries

 

Respectfully submitted

 

 

 

Arlene Brown