THE LONG BEACH RECREATION DOG PARK ASSN.
Summary of BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING: Nov. 2, 2000

Remarks
Secretary Jim Walters said that he will not be able to attend the December board meeting; Gerry Facon agreed to take those minutes.
Treasurer Miriam Yarden said that next month's meeting would be her last as a board member.

Old Business

1. Jim Knutson reported that the new small-dog park is nearly complete. City workers think they will complete work on the new gates and fencing, and pour a concrete pad for a new entrance gate by week's end. A new east-end watering station, tapped off from the watering station now in the new small-dog park, is operational. The board agreed to keep the old small-dog park enclosure at the west end or the park, for members use it as a "time-out" area, a place to corral dogs that just don't want to go home and a place to put stays that have been dumped at the park.

2. Miriam Yarden reported that the fall edition of Paw Prints has been complete and sent to the printer's. Gerry Facon said that he wished the board could have seen it before it was printed. Ms. Yarden said that the board hasn't reviewed it before publication in the past. She asked Jim Walters to mail the issues out but he pointed out that she has the mailing list and that his involvement in the process would only slow things down. Ms. Yarden agreed to mail out the issues.

3. Gerry Facon said that issues concerning dates and addresses must be decided before the proposed bylaws are ready to be submitted to members for a vote:

• MOTION by Joan Shamitz, second by Jim Walters to make the organization's fiscal year run from July 1 to June 30, that dues run current with the fiscal year, that elections be held in July, and that the July general meeting serve as the association's annual meeting. Approved, 7-0. Miriam Yarden noted that the first of the year is a slow time for membership dues, with people paying holiday bills, working on their taxes, etc. The board agreed not to collect dues for next year until after members have a chance to vote on the proposed bylaws.
• MOTION by Gerry Facon, second by Jim Walters to make the president's home address the association's office, or serving address. Approved, 7-0. The board agreed to look into obtaining a post-office box for the association's mailing address. Mr. Walters said he would contact the post office for information and obtain an application form.

Mr. Facon agreed to send a final draft of the proposed bylaws and a cover letter to board members next week for their approval via email. After that, copies of the current and proposed bylaws will be mailed to members and posted on the association's website and the Bark Board, hopefully by month's end. The board agreed to let anyone who is not a member who was interested in voting on the bylaws to register with the secretary through Dec. 15, the final date to vote. The results will be announced at the quarterly meeting in January.

4. Jim Walters reported that the website now contains pages covering park rules and regulations, news events, updates on park projects, general information about the park, meeting summaries and a board of directors roster. He and Joan Shamitz will work on a short history of the park to include on the site. Mr. Walters also said that our site has been registered with several search engines but it will be several months before we are included due to backlogs.

New Business

1. The board decided not to take action concerning board members Rae Steiner and Barbara McPherson who have not attended the past three board meetings. To remove them from office would also require appointing replacements, a situation the board would like to avoid until the bylaws issue is resolved. several members said. Gerry Facon said that the last thing the board needs at this time are charges of cronyism and others agreed.

2. Jim Knutson brought up the subjects of self-watering stations and cigarette cans. Miriam Yarden noted that unless the water is circulating, there are health risks. Board members agreed to look into how other dog parks have tackled the issue. The board agreed to see if the city might have some discarded ashtrays.

3. Joan Shamitz also brought to the board's attention several unused concrete picnic tables in a city park near her home that the board might want to look into. Jim Walters noted that the fact that they aren't moveable may be a drawback as the wood tables can be moved a few feet to level the ground after dogs start digging holes under them. No action was taken but it was agreed that this might be worth checking into at a later date.

4. Jim Walters called City Hall to ask about obtaining more old parking meters to be used to collect donations at the park. He was told that none were on hand but employees would look further.

5. Jim Walters outlined a welcome package for new members that he and member Lillian Estrada had discussed:

• A letter which would include the status of current projects.
• A fold-out brochure with a tear-off membership form.
• A dog bandana

Mr. Walters said he will try to have the brochure finished by January.

6. In maintenance matters, Jim Walters told the board that the west gate hinge has been repaired, but that the bottoms of the inside and outside gates at the west end are rusting through, just as one of the posts. Jim Knutson said that he'll ask the Parks Department to look at the gates when it looks at the post.

--JIM WALTERS, Secretary, Nov. 8, 2000