Call to order: 11:00 AM PST [via Zoom]

Quorum (7 Directors Minimum, 10 Present): Banks, Lewis, Meckes, Pierce, King, Saporito, Comstock, Edwards, Connor, Boeraeve

Directors absent: Simmons, Hollenback

Others present: Dan Fox (Mid-States Chapter), James Clever (Ad Chair)

 

(1) 2022 ABS Annual Meeting/Conference update (Shanti Pierce) –

(a) Dates: October 21-23, 2022.

(b) Location: Kashi Ashram, Sebastian, Florida.

(c) The program is under development, might include papermaking and medical uses of bamboo.

(d) A gallery in Vero Beach is interested in hosting a month-long bamboo art exhibit which attendees may visit during the meeting.

(e) Bamboo.org and BAMBOO Magazine should be regularly updated.

 

(2) 2023 ABS Annual Meeting/Conference update (Judge Edwards) –

(a) The LGCC meets in February and will zoom monthly.

(b) Location(s) and programs have yet to be decided.

 

(3) Arts/Crafts Competition (Shanti Pierce) –

(a) New info has been updated on the meeting website.

(b) Bamboo.org and BAMBOO Magazine should be regularly updated as well.

(c) See (1)(d) above.

 

(4) Website and Membership (Carole Meckes) –

(a) There is some inconsistency in the numbers reported on aMember for ABS membership. There are 321 Chapter Primary and International members. The 384 total includes 7 “ABS” members and the secondary members.

(b) Not broken out are the Institutional members.

(c) There are 11 Commercial members included, and 4 have purchased a business-card size ad through aMember.

(d) The ads and new commercial members are due to the efforts of James Clever (ABS Ad Chair) and Carole Meckes (Membership, Co-Treasurer).

 

(5) ABS end-of-year financial report (Carole Meckes) –

(a) The ABS finances are sound, and the income was $1200 more than expenses in 2021. Note that the 4th issue of BAMBOO Magazine was delayed into 2022, during which 5 issues may be published.

(b) The ABS Net Worth on 31.Dec.21 was $104,611. There is $3830 in Accounts Payable still pending disbursement.

(c) Access to the ABS bank account at Capital One is limited to Bill Hollenback. A MOTION (Meckes, seconded by Lewis) to add Carole Meckes, David King, Luc Boeraaeve, and Judge Edwards (as Wm. P. Edwards III) as authorized users CARRIED unanimously.

(d) Banks use Zelle, a fairly complicated cash transfer service. (Info only.)

(e) Boeraeve suggested looking into interest-bearing bank accounts or CDs since interest rates will soon rise. King advised waiting until actual hikes occur, since banks delay their interest payment increases until well after the Federal Reserve raises rates.

(f) The newly-reorganized Florida Caribbean Chapter is probably owed back Chapter dues. The ABS Treasurers can check aMember payments but only since 2020.

(g) Recurring member dues payments are the default for new and renewing members since October 2021. Members can opt-out. It was uncertain whether aMember or PayPal notifies members of an upcoming automatic charge — the first ones are not up for renewal until Oct 2022.

 

(6) Nominations for the Board – (King)

(a) Nominations for one At-Large ABS Directorship are needed this year (Carole Meckes’ term is expiring). King will contact Harry Simmons to see if he is interested in doing nominations this year as he has done in the recent past.

(b) Nominations must close between 50 and 120 days before the Annual Meeting, per the ABS Bylaws.

(c) Ian Connor suggested nominations info be on bamboo.org, in BAMBOO Mag, and on Facebook.

 

(7) Next Board Meeting –

Board: 13.March 2022, 11am PST via Zoom.

 

Adjournment: 12:45PM PST.