Pennsylvania Bass Federation, Inc.

February 10, 2008 Board Of Directors Meeting Minutes

·        Meeting called to order by Mike Pierro at 8:22 AM, delay due to inclement weather

·        13 clubs necessary for quorum.  Roll Call:

o       Allegheny Mountain Bass Anglers

o       Bass Buddies

o       Berks Bassmasters

o       Borderline Bassmasters

o       Brandywine Bass Masters

o       Chester County Bass Masters

o       Clarion County Bass Masters

o       Delaware River Bassmasters

o       Hunters Run Bassmasters

o       Lancaster County Bassmasters

o       Lebanon County Bass Anglers

o       Mountain Valley Bassmasters

o       North West Bassers

o       River Hills Bass Masters

o       Schuylkill County Bass Anglers

o       Shy Beaver

o       South Central PA Basscasters

o       Standing Stone Bass Masters

o       Susquehanna Valley Bass Club

o       Team Keystone

o       Tri-County Bass Masters

o       Tyrone Bassmasters

o       Washberry Bass Club

·        Quorum established, 20 of 38 clubs present

·        Motion to accept minutes from November 11, 2007 BOD meeting made by Susquehanna Valley

o       Seconded by Chester County

o       Unanimous vote in favor

o       Minutes from November 11, 2007 BOD meeting accepted as presented

·        Motion to accept the agenda for the current meeting made by River Hills

o       Seconded by Clarion County

o       Unanimous vote in favor

o       Agenda for February 2008 BOD meeting accepted as presented

·        President’s report – Mike Pierro

o       Legal update:  All things are in order, settlement has been agreed to in principal, Fed Nation has not yet signed the settlement.

o       Budget – sheet handed out

§         Web site understated by about $700

§         Discussion on youth and conservation fund raisers ensued

§         Motion to put all monies raised by youth/conservation directly into sub-accounts designated specifically for their use made by Allegheny Mountain

·        Seconded by Northwest

·        Unanimous vote in favor

§         All funds raised by youth or conservation will be earmarked for their programs by the treasurer

§         Motion to drop booth at farm show grounds for 2009 unless we find a sponsor made by Bass Buddies

·        Seconded by Team Keystone

·        Passed: 21 for; 1 against; 2 abstain

§         Motion to accept the 2009 budget made by Berks Bassmasters

·        Seconded by Clarion County

·        Passed: 22 for; 1 against

o       Mid-Atlantic Update

§         Most arrangements are made

§         Week of September 21^st

§         Practice Sunday 21^st through Tuesday 23^rd

§         Tournament Wednesday 24^th through Friday 26^th

o       Policies and Procedures panel being convened to update for passage this year

§         No volunteers for chair, so Mike Pierro will chair this committee

§         Volunteers include:

·        Mike Pierro - chair

·        Charlie Sykes

·        Bob Kline

·        Albert Swortwood

·        Mike Burgess

·        Dave Ciarletta

o       Divisional Team Contract Change is Necessary

·        Due to the new formats, Co-Angler gets the same $1000 automatically as Angler

§         Motion to pay top Angler and top Co-Angler $1000 each advancing to divisional tournament made by Northwest

·        Seconded by Chester County

·        Unanimous vote in favor

§         Motion to guarantee two $1000 awards from the general fund if tournament proceeds do not cover made by Borderline

·        Seconded by Northwest

·        Unanimous vote in favor

·        Vice President’s report – Tammy Johnston

o       Divisional team contracts must be completely filled out, signed, and returned by next BOD meeting

o       Shirts and jackets for officers to be purchased from Ranger at a large discount from previous costs.  Ranger is a major sponsor donating clothing to some of our teams and we will support them as well.  A show of hands strongly supported outfitting officers and directors with 2 shirts and a jacket.

o       Fund raisers

§         Sheetz coupons are available. For $4 you get a coupon for a sandwich and drink valued normally around $6 and we get a rebate back from each coupon. Contact Tammy for more details and coupons.

§         Clothing sales are underway for youth and conservation benefit

§         A cruise is being pursued for February 2009 to benefit the general fund.  This is a fund raiser that appeals to fishermen and non fishermen alike and will offer discount prices to all who book through the federation.

o       Sponsors

§         Looking for sponsors in addition to fishing sponsors.  They want to know what they get for their donation.  Packages being prepared with different levels of exposure.

·        Treasurer’s report – Ron Rook

o       Account balances given

o       All clubs with an EIN number must file with the IRS.  There is no longer a waiver.  The form for most clubs to fill out is the new 990-N e-postcard which is due the 15^th day of the 5^th month after your fiscal year end, for anyone who hasn’t changed their fiscal year end, this is May 15^th.  This is a requirement for the 2007 tax year to be filed now.

·        Membership report – Dave Ciarletta

o       Membership at 501 still with many updates pending

o       Thank you for your diligence in figuring out how to do everything in the web site

o       Youth invoices are printing with state membership amounts, ignore those and send only the TBF amount

o       We have discovered since the meeting that Youth Premium TBF memberships may be selected by clicking on the box marked “standard” when selecting members for the invoice and changing it to “premium”.  The proper amount will be billed.  Again, ignore the state fee.

o       On line membership must be completed by the TBF before your club is insured.  All clubs who have not received notice that the TBF has accepted the invoice do not have insurance.  This applies for a clubs first invoice of the year.  For those clubs not yet complete, please do so as soon as possible and certainly before any club activities including youth and conservation activities!

o       Clubs with web sites hosted on PA Bass may contact me for credentials.  All clubs must maintain their own web site from now on.  This change is to reduce our cost for administering the web site.

o       Would the following clubs please email me:  Northeastern, Jr. Bass Busters, Pike County

o       Keep FLW memberships current!  Members may not fish in any tournament if FLW memberships are not current, plus, we may not get the $2 per member towards youth and conservation back to the Federation.

·        Conservation report submitted by Bill Reichert – read by Mike Pierro in his absence

o       Smallmouth study on the Susquehanna is being initiated by the state of Pennsylvania and will probably be ongoing for several years to study the increased die off of young-of-the year which has been happening for several years now

o       The state has voted to ban bass kill tournaments in the Susquehanna watershed indefinitely

o       Youth Bass Anglers Conservation School (YBACS) July 13-17, 2008.  Maximum of 20 applicants accepted.  Applications accepted only from March 1^st through April 30^th.  For more information and application form: http://www.fish.state.pa.us/promo/ybacs/00ybacs.htm

o       YBACS needs boaters to volunteer and donations.  Please contact Bill Reichert for either.  All help is very much appreciated.  No added costs for boaters above their time and travel/boat expenses.  Meals and lodging are provided.

o       2008 Adopt-A-Lake workshop, March 21^st and 22^nd 2008 at the H. R. Stackhouse school of conservation, Belfont, PA

o       Large scale lake habitat projects on Sayers, Pymatuming, Nokamixon, Glendale

·        Youth – Tammy Johnston

o       Budget – kids have been selling to raise money for youth programs and so far it is going well

o       Reel Kids kits are not yet available although they were expected to be received before this meeting

o       To receive your kits please provide your club name, date of event, estimated number of kids at the event

o       Follow up reports requested from the events as well

o       Reel Kids finals will be in the eastern part of the state

o       Youth tournament on Erie Friday, Saturday August 22^nd and 23^rd.

o       Fund raiser shirts are now available.  Trying to get copy on the web showing designs and an order form.

o       Sheets coupons are available now.

·        Tournaments – Bob Kline

o       For 2008 state tournaments, the form must be printed off and legibly hand lettered.  Please be neat.  No hand drawn forms will be accepted.  We will endeavor to get a form on the web page that can be filled in and printed by computer.

o       A current FLW membership is required for all tournaments

o       For state tournaments make checks payable to:  Pennsylvania Bass Federation, Inc.

o       For district tournaments make checks payable to:  Pennsylvania Bass Federation, Inc.  District #     (# is the district number that is running the tournament, not necessarily your district number)

o       Do not make checks out to the person accepting the applications!

o       Guaranteed boater/rider pairs must be sent in the same envelope with all monies included to be guaranteed.

o       If you desire a confirmation, enclose a self addressed stamped envelope with your application

o       Cutoff for MR BASS is March 28^th

o       April 17^th 7PM mandatory meeting at the Charles County Government Building.  Do not be late as they have advised us they will lock the doors for security purposes after the meeting starts.  If you are not at the meeting, you will not be able to fish the tournament!

o       As an example, a 50 boat field will contribute an estimated $3000 towards the divisional team and have a 9 person payout for both the Angler and Co-Angler divisions

o       Bass Club Digest is free to all bass clubs.  Sign your club up online at: http://www.bassclubdigest.org/club_delivery.htm

o       MR BASS will qualify 10 anglers and 10 co-anglers for the classic

o       Regionals will qualify 70 spots for the classic, divided un-equally by region depending on participation ratios in each region

·        TBF report submitted by Mike Dunkerley – read by Mike Pierro in his absence

o       The new college club program is in progress.  Read about it here: http://www.collegiatebasschampionship.com/pdfs/ACA_release.pdf

o       Introduced Dave Steinour – president Penn State Bass Fishing club

§         30 members

§         Finished 5^th and 2^nd last two years in Big Ten tournament

§         Hoping to join the federation as a college club

§         Web site:  www.psubassclub.com

§         Email:  dhs5009@psu.edu

§         Phone:  717-253-3487

o       Sidebar discussion: The club would be very receptive to fishing tournaments either state or club as rider guests to fill out boats where needed.  They would pay tournament fees.  The state will entertain the notion of accepting college clubs without requiring membership fees just as we have youth members of adult clubs. Would ask that boaters waive their rider fees if a college member is fishing with them. They would not ask to fish specific waters unless asked by the boater. TBF fees would be required along with FLW membership if not already paid through the new college TBF program. College members would count towards our state TBF membership numbers and return $2 per member to the state for youth and conservation just as regular members do. If your club would like to host one of these fishermen in a tournament, make sure to register that tournament as an open for insurance purposes. More to come.

o       Reiterated the possible lapse in insurance coverage if dues are not in on time.  This means accepted by the TBF by December 31^st.

o       School club program is looking for a national sponsor; one possibility is the National Guard.

o       TBF is looking for a National Conservation Director

o       Mike Pierro and Bill Reichert will be at Lake Wiley for the annual national meetings

·        Unfinished business

o       The projector purchase is tabled until all budget concerns are addressed

o       Web site contract, expecting the same basic contract, negotiations are not complete.  We are looking into creating a “current events” type of page with stories, pictures etc.

o       Clubs in bad standing due to not attending BOD meetings. Trying for suggestions to be voted on in June.

·        New Business

o       TBF participation with college clubs – noted in side bar conversation in TBF report above

o       Lure sales to benefit the federation – chattebaits are available from Bob Kline at $4 each.  ¼ oz size only

o       Adding pictures to the web site will be pursued.

o       District 3 Flea Market will be held in Wellsville, PA on March 8^th and 9^th

·        Open Tournaments

Each tournament must be listed separately.  This can be a drag entering a series of open tournaments each week during the summer.  Thanks to Irvin Whitsel who came up with a unique way to enter these that meets the criteria of showing each start and end date.  Here is his submission using the web form.  This worked even for 5 nights in July.  I’ve removed his email and phone number but you can probably find them if you need them:

name: IRVIN    WHITSEL

email:

phone:

sponsor: Independent Bass  Masters

eventname: Tuesday Nite Lunker

eventbegin: 2008-6-17 &  24

eventend: 2008-6-17 & 24

eventlocation: raystown(snyders run) lake

Submit: Submit