THE LONG BEACH RECREATION DOG PARK ASSN.
Summary of BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING: April 5, 2001

Remarks

The May Board of Directors meeting will be combined with the April quarterly members meeting on April 28.

Old Business

1. In his secretary's report, Jim Walters noted that the association's Web site has had more than 1,000 hits since it went up in October. A new page, Our Best Friends, has been established for local dogs of note and those who have died. The most visited page after the home page, Mr. Walters said, is the page for directions to the park.

2. Jim Walters informed the board that the California secretary of state returned the association's revised Articles of Incorporation and the filing fee, stating that they were in the wrong format. Mr. Walters and Jim Knutson signed a revised form and resubmitted them.

3. Jim Knutson reported that the Department of Parks, Recreation & Marine has still not advised the board of a date for another public forum on proposed revised City Code changes pertaining to the Dog Park. Mr. Knutson said that the department's Terry Lortz agreed to omit all references to the association in the proposal, for those recommendations were made by the public, at a public meeting and not by the association.

4. Jim Knutson said that he is working with Phil Hester of the Parks Department to see about obtaining a permanent meeting site for the association at a public facility.

5. Gerry Facon said that he spoke twice with Margo Carter, treasurer of the Friends of the Long Beach Animal Shelter, about the association's reporting requirements. Only within the last few months have details of the association's financial dealings been presented to the board on a regular basis; nor was the board informed of what its city, state and federal reporting requirements were. Mr. Facon said that remarks by Ms. Carter, whose organization is a 501c nonprofit corporation - as is the association - were informative and reassuring. While Ms. Carter said that it appears that the association has not been filing all the documents it should have, the association should not be in jeopardy of loosing its 501c status because it does not exceed the $25,000 annual revenue threshold. The Friends' financial reporting is a bit more detailed than the association's, due to its financial success.

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Noted below are the documents which the association must filed and our status, according to Treasurer Fred Nicas:

• IRS Form 1099: This form is used to document payments to each association contractor or service provider (over $600). Contractors and service providers are required to submit W-9 forms. The association has made no such payments this year, Mr. Nicas said.
• IRS Form 1096: This form summarizes all IRS 1099s for the reporting period. Because the association made no such payments, no form is required this year, Mr. Nicas said.
• IRS From 990-EZ: This form is required to document assets and income - even if under $25,000 per year. Mr. Nicas said that the association has until May 15 to file this form.
• State Form 199: This is the state's equivalent to the IRS 990-EZ and is required by the State Franchise Tax Board to document assets and income - even if under $25,000 per year. Mr. Nicas said that the association has until May 15 to file this form.
• State From RRF-1: This Registry of Charitable Trusts form is sent to the State Attorney General's Office and is required annually for charities with gross assets and income in excess of $100,000. This form was due Jan. 15 and filed Feb. 4, Mr. Nicas said. The association paid no fees, nor any penalty.

This consult, the board generally agreed, demonstrates how the association can benefit in working with like charitable organizations in long-term fund-raising events and other projects.

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6. Gerry Facon told the board that he has bought and donated to the organization materials to cover the other side of the Bark Board. The Maintenance & Planning Committee will obtain a pair of identical locks for the two sides.

7. Jim Walters provided an update for the Procedures List. Letters were sent March 29 to the Parks Department, Chief of Police Jerome Lance and the head of Animal Control, Roger Hatakeyama, asking for their agencies' participation in a meeting. Mr. Walters said that he asked all to respond by April 15 so that a meeting could be scheduled before the end of the month.

8. Fred Nicas said that he has measured the area next to the parking lot that the association hopes to use for Phase II of the Pet Promenade. He said that he would like the association to hold off on taking any more checks for the project until Phase III - if there is a third pour. No date has been set for a pour. Gerry Facon said that if people want more squares poured, the board would come up with a plan for it.

9. Carolyn Reed said that the Dog Park would be used Tuesday, April 10, for a location filming for the "Pet Place" adoption show. In other TV news, she said that Denis Hite and his "talking" dog, Cody, would be featured on "Animal Planet" on Wednesday, April 11.

New Business

1. In committee news:

Projects & Fundraising: : Lori Edwards is chair. Yulanda Rios and Melinda Wallace have agreed to serve as photographers for the "Portraits in the Park" fund-raising events May 5 and June 2; both dates are designed to coincide with monthly raking / cleanup parties. Committee member Gerry Facon said that the panel wants to ask for a $10 donation for each portrait, with additional compensation for reprints. The Dog Walk, Pet Fair & Picnic proposal was discussed by the board. Mr. Facon noted that any of the three elements can be eliminated if they can't be done in time or if unforeseen circumstances arise. Proceeds from the event will go toward additional ground cover.
Maintenance & Planning: Jim Knutson and Fred Nicas are co-chairs. Mr. Nicas said that the next shipment of decomposed granite would be ready for delivery in May. Dates have not been established. The six loads would cost about $1,800, he said. The board approved placing an order for ground cover not to exceed $2,000. Mr. Nicas said that plans for a few additional 360-degree sprinklers in the middle of the park should be considered soon, before work begins on a timer system. Gerry Facon proposed that the panel may want to consider planting a hedge along the fence that separates the little-dog park and the main exercise area to cut down on fence fights. The large mud hole near the newest watering station was investigated by city work crews when the park was closed to spread the last shipment of crushed granite. No broken or leaking pipe could be found. A suggestion to expand the gravel at the watering station was discarded as the water would still collect there. Mr. Nicas said he will investigate whether a drain could be installed that would feed into a sewer line about 15 feet away. He said he would ask Public Works what it would cost to install a grate and drainpipe.

March calls to the Department of Parks and Recreation
When	By	Problem	Result
Sunday, March 10	Walters	Possible leaking pipe next to the newest water station.	Terry Lortz emailed on Monday that crews would investigate while park is closed this week. (See above)

Membership: Carolyn Reed is acting chair. Just under 200 letters with renewal notices were sent to old members just days ago, Ms. Reed said. Dog walkers are asking their clients to join the association, Ms. Reed said. One walker, Karen Embree, reported that 65% of her clients are joining. Membership cards and bandanas will be looked into, Ms. Reed said. The secretary has added 32 more names to the 2001-02 membership roll, putting the total at 63. The total for 2000 was 111.
Communications & Advertising: Jim Walters is chair. The remaining article on the "Portraits in the Park" fund raiser can now be written to complete the Spring 2001 issue of Paw Prints. Four paid ads in the issue brought in $140. Mailing will be April 14. Distribution to advertisers and others needs to be done.
Nominations & Elections: Gerry Facon is chair. No one has announced their candidacy yet. The deadline is May 3.

2. The association's Agreement With the City is due to expire Sept. 14; the June 7 board meeting will be last for the board to exercise our option to renew it. Jim Knutson said that his talks with Parks Department officials made him believe that an extension would pose no problem.

3. Items for the April 28 members quarterly meeting agenda will include:

• Candidate forum and election process
• Committee news
• "Portraits in the Park" photo event

--JIM WALTERS, Secretary, April 15, 2001