BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Nov. 3, 2003
Doherty Hotel, Clare

The Board Meeting was called to order by President Maday at 6:00 PM.

Board members present: Craig Arnold, Fred Bates, Tim Boonstra, Tom Cook, Ron Kistler, Jean Maday, Joyce Ross, Ron Thomas and Steve Youdes. Also present were Russel Kidd, representing MSU Extension and Cathi Bates, Newsletter Editor.

The Secretary’s report was reviewed and approved. The Treasurer’s report was handed out to each member, reviewed by the Treasurer and approved by the members.

It was noted that due to an administrative change there was a mix-up in the continuation of membership for several paid members. Due to this lapse these members had not been receiving the benefits of membership. It was suggested and approved to extend their membership through the 2004 year without charge.

The Fall Tour was well attended with about 80+ people registered. The weather was damp but bearable as attendees visited several sugarhouses throughout the central and eastern U.P. Next year the tour will be centered SW of Mt. Pleasant in the Blanchard area. Steve and Lynette Hensen will be our tour host. It is tentatively scheduled to take place Saturday, September 25, 2004.

Jean Maday gave us the NAMSC-IMSI delegate report. She filled us in on the NAMSC long term strategy plan and core types of the all day meetings. We were informed that the IMSI is proposing to standardize syrup grades on an International scale. These would include the typical A, B, C Grades along with commercial and industrial grades. While there, Jean attended several breakout sessions dealing with maple. These included road and trail construction, sap ladders, the new micro-spout, and syrup filtering.

The Connecticut Maple Producers Association has developed a syrup producers’ manual for their organizational use. The have also been able to draft a proposal of regulations known as The Pure Maple Syrup Act. A committee of Ron Thomas, Mary Douglass, and Tim Boonstra has been asked to examine and summarize these documents for potential usage here in Michigan.

The Annual Winter Meeting is slated to be held on January 17, 2004 at the Doherty Hotel in Clare. A block of rooms has been reserved for those members desiring overnight accommodations. There may be a re-arrangement of the vendor display area to ease the congestion and provide better lighting for the sale items and a separation of vendors. The pool area may serve this purpose well, thus freeing up the lobby area. The menu for the noon meal will remain essentially the same but seating will probably take place in the main conference room.

A decision was held regarding an honorary member for the year and a candidate has been selected.

Nominations for vacated Board positions and the upcoming elections were reviewed. Nominees selected and willing to serve include Bernard Aikens, Terry Coleman, Ron Thomas and Tim Boonstra. Other persons having an interest will be contacted to see if they are willing to be included on this year’s slate.

Several ideas were exchanged in regards to registration fees for the annual meeting and our annual dues. It was decided that the fee schedule will remain the same for the coming year.

Once again, vendors will be asked to donate for the benefit of the door prize drawing.

The syrup contest will be held as usual at this year’s annual meeting.

A tentative agenda for the annual winter meeting has been formulated with the assistance of Russel Kidd. Glenn Goodrich will be our main speaker and will discuss all aspects of tubing systems. His air fare, room and meal expenses, and a $300 fee will be paid by the MMSA. For the 2005 annual winter meeting we will attempt to bring back Randy Heiligmann to discuss off flavored syrup. This was a program that he brought to us about 10 years ago and was very well received by the membership.

Tom Cook reviewed the web-site with us and notified us that the regional listings of the producers-suppliers are not yet complete. He has also reviewed the membership application and 1,000 have been ordered for our usage. Tom is also working on an update of the maple fact sheet and will order up to 10,000 when revision is completed. They will be sold at the rate of $8.00/100 to members to be given out as an educational tool to the general public.

The NA Annual Meeting will be held in upstate New York, north of Albany, on Oct. 16-22, 2004.

With no further business to be brought before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 8:50PM.

Respectfully submitted,
Tim Boonstra, Secretary