May 11, 2016  (May 2016)        ..

New Mexico Dressage Association

Board Meeting

May 11, 2016

At: PRE House, 115 Elm, Albq

(Note: Bold indicates ‘to-do’ items.)

Board Members Present: Cindy Kavan-Winfield, Dawn Foster, Gina McKay, Nance McManus, Winnie Fitch, Barbara Burkhardt, John Collins.

Board Members absent: Harold Baskins.  Guest:  Dianne Fay

The meeting opened at 6:30 pm.

Officer Reports:

Secretary:  The minutes of April 13, 2016 were accepted after corrections.

Treasurer:  Dawn had emailed out a “NM Attorney General Office – NM Charitable Organization Registration Online System (NM-COROS) Questions:”  Every Board member needs to answer the questions and get it back to Dawn ASAP so she can finalize the NM AG Office’s registration.  Member Taminy Marshall has assisted Dawn on the Financial reporting for NM AG Office non-profit registration – due by June 30.

     2016 YTD Financial Report:

General Fund  1/1/16 . . . .  $19,971.63

General Fund 4/30/16 . . . . $17,088.14

Bank CD  4/30/16 . . . . . . . .$ 5,353.44  

Committee Reports:

Membership: Winnie reported we have 135 members. She also mentioned that in 2015 there were 24 members from Santa Fe – this year there are 26 Santa Fe members.

By-Laws Sub-committee: Dawn presented proposed By-laws language, re: Treasury reimbursement of ‘customary & usual’ Association expenses – a hold over topic from March and  April BoD mtgs.

From the March 8, 2016 Minutes:  “Approval of budgets: Dawn asked what the policy is about reimbursing expenses. The policy needs to go in the Standing Rules. ‘The treasurer or president can write checks for all ‘standard’ expenditures for Schooling Shows and equipment upkeep. ‘Extra’ expenses for Schooling Shows or events/programs must be discussed and approved by the Board. Clinic expenses and details must be discussed (a budget presented) and approved by the Board before the clinician is contracted.”  Wording of this S.R. will be discussed at the next Board Meeting.” (This is reprinted here as a suggestion for wording of the S.R.)

From Dawn:   “Board may approve periodically, the Association’s ‘customary & usual’ expenses (including, but not necessarily limited to, the amounts to be paid to show judges, venues, and incidentals like purchase of dressage tests, ribbons, office supplies, awards) to be paid by the Treasurer without further approvals being provided on an individual basis for Board-approved events.”

              Dawn also presented a list of expenditures for review and comment by the Board, and eventual approval of what constitutes ‘customary & unusal’ expenditures and what needs further Board approval. It was discussed that expenses for clinics, events and ‘over the top’ Schooling show expenses must have Board approval prior to the event. Dawn will work on wording for this proposed By-Law inclusion. Upon it’s approval, the list of ‘customary & usual’ expenses will be made part of the Standing Rules.  

Schooling Shows: The question of how to apply non-member fees (per entry or per event) at NMDA Schooling Shows was presented and discussed. Motion to “charge a non-member fee (rider and/or owner) for every horse/rider combination Entry Form submitted by a non-member.” Was proposed, seconded and passed (6-2 + 1 abstain). Since this is an exception to USEF rules    language to this effect will need to be added to the Standing Rule (with “Schooling Show rules”),  by the board.

        The SS Entry Form needs to be corrected (by Cindy), under “Divisions A/A” to “19 and over” (instead of “over 19”).

       A new Canopy has been bought, it will be marked with instructions that the tarp should not be separated from the frame when taking it down.

Education:  Cindy reported on the Pilates clinic. It was very well received and another Pilates clinic is planned (private, not NMDA-sponsored) for later this year. Probably October 7-10.

Western Dressage: Here is Nance’s report:

May 2016 NMDA Western Dressage Report

Listed all of the NMDA schooling shows* on WDAA website as well as the State Fair. *These shows have to be judged by an USEF judge.

WD Booth at Trainer’s weekend 21st and 22nd of May….will hand out NMDA membership forms.

The NM Paint Horse Association has asked that I might speak at their meeting on May 16th about their offering WD at their shows.

Fiesta de Western Dressage at 4 Winds Equestrian Center July 9th with Sandy Welch. Would NMDA like to sponsor the pizza for lunch? Ad is going into Horse Around as well as NM WD Facebook, WDANM website, and May the Horse Be with You website and mailing list. I have listed it on the WDAA website calendar.

        At the May meeting the board has approved $50 towards lunc I will make signs and table tents pointing out NMDA and their sponsorship.

June/July NMDA information has been sent to Horse Around NM Magazine.

       

Awards:  Barbara suggested a “New Mexico Dressage Assn. ‘Hall of Fame’ to put on the web. She will mail a proposal to Board Members before the next Bd mtg for discussion/consideration.

Youth: Gina presented plans for a Junior/Adult ”School Figures” clinic, proposed date June 18 at Vista Sandia. Dianne Fay will be the clinician. The clinic will consist of geometry and other things dressage riders need to know in the am (morning). In the afternoon: school figures, tack check, etc. Lunch will be provided, The Board approved budgeted $50 for lunch. Charge $10 Youth (18 & under); $20 Adult members, $30 non-member adults. (Afternote: It was decided by the clinician that this would be Youth (18 and under) only.)

        Other possible clinics are: Braiding and grooming clinic, a de-spooking clinic with the Albq Mounted Police, test calling, judge’s perspective, and a Vet clinic.

        Gina also proposed a “Most Helpful Youth” Award. She will submit a proposal for discussion in the future.  

Old Business:

Volunteer Liability Forms: John said all members are covered for horse related injuries, non-members need to be put on a list to be covered – volunteers are covered under the NM Equine Liability Law if they are injured by a horse-related incident. And volunteers present will need to be placed on a list documenting that they volunteered that day.  Dawn interpreted that the law suggests that NMDA is not covered by non-horse-related incidents, e.g. a trip and fall injury while assembling the arena.

Activity Income/Expense Summary:  Dawn reminded everyone that this form needs to be filled out for each schooling show and event by the manager of said event. Contact Dawn for the form.

Tabled Items from April:

“Upper limit $1000 check amount to be written without Board Approval: This was discussed and found to be too restrictive.  Instead of the “upper limit” Dawn proposed a list of “usual expenses” for Schooling Shows. It was discussed that expenses for clinics, events and “over the top” Schooling show expenses must have Board approval prior to the event. Dawn will work on wording for this proposed By-Law inclusion. The list of “usual SS expenses” will be put in the Standing Rules.

All reimbursements require original receipts: Yes.

Neither President nor Treasurer can write checks to themselves: It was agreed that both the President and the Treasurer may not write checks to themselves. This should be a By-Laws proposal. It can be put in the Standing Rules in the mean time.

Non-taxable Transaction Certificates (NTTC):  Dawn reminded everyone to send business names to her and she will attempt to get NTTC’s.

Affiliate of The Digital Horse.com: It was suggested all Board members check out the website and further discussion at the next Board meeting.

Donation to PRE for use of the house for meetings. It was motioned and passed to donate $100 to the PRE house for us having meetings there through the rest of the year. Treasurer to send check to PRE.

Meeting adjourned at 8:10 pm.

Respectfully submitted by Barbara Burkhardt, Secretary.