THE LONG BEACH RECREATION DOG PARK ASSN.
Summary of BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING: Jan. 4, 2001

Remarks

President Jim Knutson said that the board has received the resignations of members Gary Hovanian (Nov. 15), Miriam Yarden (Dec. 7) and Barbara McPherson (Dec. 28).
Mr. Knutson was forced to leave the meeting early for a family emergency; Carolyn Reed was in an auto accident and cast her votes by phone.

Old Business


1. Jim Knutson reported that former treasurer Miriam Yarden had given him her records of the association. They will be split up between the new treasurer and the secretary. An inventory reveals:

• Membership lists for 1998, '99 and 2000
• Two boxes of checks and a "for deposit only" endorsement stamp
• Bank statements from Sept. 22, 1997, to the present.
• Bathroom keys and a list of individuals (73) who have obtained keys (75)
• Bills and change box for fund-raising events
• Keys to the Bark Board bullet board
• Golden State Humane Society spay/neuter vouchers
• Purchase papers for the fund-raising parking meter
• Invoices and bills
• Permits and insurance
• A binder of tax information and correspondence with the State Franchise Tax Board and the Internal Revenue Service.
• Various files of correspondence.
  

2. In light of the fact that resignations have reduced the number of board members to six, that Rae Steiner has not attended a meeting since August, and that the December meeting had to be canceled due to a lack of a quorum, the remaining members opted to appoint two interim members in order to remain a functioning board.

• MOTION by Jim Walters, second by Gerry Facon, to appoint Fred Nicas to the Board of Directors. Approved, 3-0.
• MOTION by Mr. Facon, second by Mr. Walters, to appoint Carolyn Reed to the Board of Directors. Approved, 4-0.
  

It was agreed that the two appointees will serve until the July 2001 election.

3. Secretary Jim Walters reported the tally on the recent general membership vote on a revised Articles of Incorporation and a new set of Bylaws. Members approved the documents by a vote of 16-1; one new member's vote remains outstanding as the former treasurer failed to relay the member's address to the secretary so that a ballot could be sent on time. The single no vote came with a comment that the new bylaws failed to note how many board members were necessary to constitute a quorum. The board agreed that the dissenter was correct and added the following sentence to Article V, Section J, No. 2: "Board meetings require a 50% quorum to vote on any issue or proposal presented at that meeting, i.e., a meeting can occur but votes are not valid unless a quorum is present."

• MOTION by Gerry Facon, second by Mr. Walters, to certify the vote over the revised Articles of Incorporation and new Bylaws. Approved, 5-0.
  

Mr. Walters will submit copies of both documents to the California Secretary of State, the Long Beach City Attorney's Office and publish them at the association's website.

New Business

1. With the resignation of Miriam Yarden, the association's bank account with Wells Fargo, 4550 Atlantic Ave., has been closed; a new account is being established at Farmers and Merchants' Bixby Knolls branch with the new treasurer's and president's signatures. A total of $4,061 that remained in the old account will be transferred to the new account.

• MOTION by Jim Knutson, second by Jim Walters, to appoint Fred Nicas as treasurer. Approved, 4-0, with Mr. Nicas abstaining.

2. With the adoption of the new bylaws, the following standing committees will be established:

Projects & Fundraising: This group will coordinate fund-raising events with the association's quarterly meetings and the quarterly newsletter.
Maintenance and planning: This group will coordinate maintenance efforts with the city, organize park cleanups and help develop a list of long-range improvements for the Dog Park.
Membership: This group's strategy is to broaden our membership base by not only attracting new members but keeping the members we already have. This group will coordinate its activities with Communications and Advertising as well as Projects and Fundraising.
Communications & Advertising: The secretary will head this committee which will publish the Paw Prints newsletter, maintain the Bark Board and website, publicize association events and oversee brochures and other publications. Volunteers will be need to help submit articles for the newsletter, to assist with flyers and brochures and distribution.
Nominations & Elections: Jim Walters volunteered to oversee this panel during this first election under the new Bylaws, assisted by a few volunteers as the nominating process gets underway and the election nears. Mr.Walters said he will prepare a schedule for the 2001 Board of Directors elections to be presented at the quarterly members meeting later this month. Henceforth the vice president will chair this committee.

3. Four new members were added to the rolls in December, bringing our 2000 membership to 111 members:

4. It was discovered that the Bruins Den had been reserved for Saturday, Jan. 27, for the next quarterly members meeting, but Miriam Yarden told the board in November that the date was Sunday, Jan. 28. Since flyers announcing the meeting had already been printed and were in sealed envelops ready to be mailed tomorrow before this weekend's postal rate increase, the board directed Secretary Jim Walters to ask the Parks Department if the reservation could be moved back a day. He is to contact the department tomorrow.

The board agreed that the following topics should be on the agenda for that meeting:

--Articles of Incorporation and Bylaw vote: results, the quorum addendum; questions.
--Board of Directors election: timelinee and discussion.
--Standing committees: discussions, vollunteers.
--Fundraising efforts: Ice Dogs final ffigures, Karen Embree's yard sale, other suggestions.

5. The board agreed to seek a post office box at post office in The Village off Carson Street. Jim Walters told that board that after contacting the main post office on Redondo Avenue and a smaller office at Los Altos shopping center, that it is the only Long Beach office that does not have a waiting list. A clerk at that office told Mr. Walters that only a few of the smallest boxes are available and that they are $40 for six months. Gerry Facon's inquiries into private post office boxes revealed higher prices.
The board's current mailing address, 53½ W. Pleasant St., Long Beach CA 90805, was Miriam Yarden's home address. A new address is needed on the recently approved Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws before the secretary can submit them to the state. The new address will be P.O. Box 8337, Long Beach CA 90808-0337.

• MOTION by Jim Walters, seconded by Gerry Facon, to obtain a post office box. Approved, 5-0.
  

6. Jim Walters agreed to oversee the production of the quarterly Paw Prints newsletter. March 16 will be the deadline for articles for the next issue; it will be mailed out April 14, two weeks before the next quarterly members meeting. He also agreed to oversee the Bark Board, which hasn't been reviewed in several months - when he is mobile again. Mr. Walters also agreed to add a link from the association's website to the Friends of the Animal Shelter website and noted that our site has recorded more than 500 hits since it was established in October-more than 100 hits per month.

7. The proposed revisions in the city code pertaining to the Dog Park remain at the City Attorney's Office, according to Dave Ashman of the Parks Department. Jim Walters told the board that Mr. Ashman had contacted him earlier in the week and asked if the association's members would like to review the proposal one last time at a community meeting before the City Attorney's Office presents it to the City Council. Board members agreed that members and others would probably benefit from learning the reasons behind the proposal and Mr. Walters agreed to relay the board's sentiment to Mr. Ashman.

8. In fund-raising news, Gerry Facon reported that the association's night with the Ice Dogs hockey team netted the association a total of $384. The organization's next money-maker will be the Saturday, Jan. 6, yard sale at Karen Embree's home in Seal Beach.

9. In maintenance matters:

--JIM WALTERS, Secretary, Jan. 8, 2001