Tenth Annual Meeting & In-Service Training Meeting Minutes

The business meeting for the Tenth Annual Meeting & In-Service Training of the Horticultural Inspection Society, Southern Chapter, was held on September 10, 2008. President Guy Buford, MS called the meeting to order at 11:55 a.m. at the Doubletree Suites in Lexington, Kentucky.

PRESENT
Twenty-two members representing eight states were present: Secretary Beverly Bewley, Voting Delegate David Blackburn and Treasurer Steve Bostian, representing the Arkansas State Plant Board; Voting Delegate Stacey Simmons representing the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Voting Delegate and Editor Joe Collins, Webmaster Carl Harper, Katie Kittrell, Vice President Janet Lensing and J.D. Loan representing the University and State of Kentucky; President Guy Buford and Voting Delegate Jeremy Moore, representing the Mississippi Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry; Rick Gregory, Bonnie Faulkner, Voting Delegate Frank White and Phil Wilson, representing the North Carolina Department of Agriculture; Immediate Past President and Voting Delegate Harley Holsten, John Nunnery and Barbara Shove representing the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Gavin Berry, Voting Delegate Brad Cavin and Steven Long representing Clemson University and South Carolina; and Voting Delegate Danny Johnson representing the Texas Department of Agriculture.

States not represented were Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, Tennessee and Virginia.

ROLL CALL OF STATES
Secretary Beverly Bewley, AR, conducted the roll call of states. A quorum was declared.

MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
President Guy Buford, MS called for corrections or additions to the minutes of the Ninth Annual Meeting and In-Service Training Business Meeting. There were no corrections or additions to the minutes. Oklahoma made a motion to accept the minutes as written. A voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

TREASURER’S REPORT
Treasurer Steve Bostian, AR, gave the Treasurer’s Report. Audit Committee Chairman Frank White, NC, gave the report on behalf of the Audit Committee stating that the committee had reviewed the records of the income and expenses incurred by the Chapter up to June 30, 2008. A copy of the Treasurer’s Report was given to the meeting attendees (see attached). Discussion ensued about the appearance of two Southern Plant Board Donations received this year. Treasurer Bostian reported that the Southern Plant Board was late in their 2006 donation and he had received a donation for the 2006 and 2007 meeting in the same year. Arkansas made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report. Oklahoma seconded the motion. A voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

OLD BUSINESS
President Buford, MS, gave a report of his trip to the Southern Plant Board Meeting held in Nashville in April of 2008. The 2009 meeting of the Southern Plant Board will be held in South Carolina in April 2009. President Buford noted that he had encouraged support and input from administration at the meeting.

President Buford, MS, asked if there was any more old business to consider. No other old business was addressed.

NEW BUSINESS
EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORT: Committee Chairman and Editor, Joe Collins, KY, gave the report on behalf of the Education Committee. Editor Collins stated that he intended to publish more newsletters in the coming year and encouraged material submission to the newsletter from all.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT: Committee Chairman Stacey Simmons, FL, gave the report for the Membership Committee. Ms. Simmons made a motion for the funding of membership promotional materials such as key chains, calendars, etc. to encourage membership. Ms. Simmons stated that these materials should cost around $100. The motion was seconded by Oklahoma. A voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

Ms. Simmons then discussed changes to the web page highlighting the membership application on the home page. Discussion ensued with Webmaster Carl Harper stating that the website was always up for discussion and changes as needed.

RESOLUTION COMMITTEE REPORT: Resolution Number Nineteen was read by President Buford, MS. The resolution concerns Host State Appreciation. North Carolina made a motion to accept the resolution. The motion was seconded by Arkansas. A voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

Resolution Number Twenty was read by President Buford, MS. The resolution concerns appreciation for the USDA Post Entry Quarantine training received by the delegation earlier in the week. The resolution recommends the training to all HIS chapters. Oklahoma made a motion to accept this resolution. The motion was seconded by Florida. A voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

AWARD COMMITTEE REPORT: Rick Gregory, NC represented the Award Committee and stated that the award committee had discussed promoting and encouraging more participation in the HISSC award nomination process from each state through more email solicitation.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT: Rick Gregory, NC represented the Award Committee and stated that the award committee had discussed promoting and encouraging more participation in the HISSC award nomination process from each state through more email solicitation.

Editor Selection: Mr. Holsten stated that the committee nominated Joe Collins, KY for the reelection of his office of Editor. President Buford asked Mr. Collins if he would accept the nomination. Mr. Collins stated that he would accept the nomination. President Buford asked for other nominations from the floor. There were no other nominations. Arkansas made a motion to reelect Joe Collins to the office of Editor. North Carolina seconded the motion. A voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

Treasurer Selection: Mr. Holsten stated that the committee nominated Steve Bostian, AR, for the reelection of his office of Treasurer. Mr. Bostian accepted the nomination. President Buford asked for other nominations from the floor. There were no other nominations. Kentucky made a motion to reelect Steve Bostian to the office of Treasurer. Oklahoma seconded the motion. A voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

Secretary  Selection: Mr. Holsten stated that the committee nominated Beverly Bewley, AR, for the reelection to the office of Secretary. Mrs. Bewley accepted the nomination. President Buford asked for other nominations from the floor. There were no other nominations. Florida made a motion to reelect Beverly Bewley to the office of Secretary. North Carolina seconded the motion. A voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

Vice President Selection: Mr. Holsten stated that the committee nominated Fred Singleton, SC, to the office of Vice President. Brad Cavin, SC, stated that he had discussed the nomination with Mr. Singleton and they had reached the conclusion that Mr. Cavin should be the Vice President nominee. President Buford asked for other nominations from the floor. There were no other nominations. Kentucky made a motion to elect Brad Cavin to the office of Vice President. Florida seconded the motion. A voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

President Selection: Mr. Holsten stated that the committee nominated Janet Lensing, KY, to the office of President. Ms. Lensing accepted the nomination. President Buford asked for other nominations from the floor. There were no other nominations. Oklahoma made a motion to elect Janet Lensing to the office of President. North Carolina seconded the motion. A voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

HOST STATE FOR THE 2009 ANNUAL MEETING: Newly elected Vice President Brad Cavin, SC, accepted the nomination to host the 2009 Annual Meeting and In-Service Training in South Carolina, with a tentative date of September and a possible location of Myrtle Beach. Vice President Cavin discussed a possibility of regulatory training such as P. Ramorum to encourage attendance. Stacey Simmons, FL, suggested another in-service training such as PCEP or another Federal Program. Harley Holsten, OK, agreed that the Post Entry Quarantine training at this meeting had encouraged his state to send more inspectors. President Buford, MS encouraged the use of speakers from each state to encourage attendance. And Editor Collins, KY suggested a USDA IES Document training. Discussion ensued.

DESIGNATE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE SOUTHERN PLANT BOARD MEETING: Outgoing President Buford stated that in the past, the Chapter President would attend the meeting and if they were unable to attend, Incoming President Lensing would appoint a member of the Society to attend in her place.

OTHER BUSINESS:
President Buford asked if there was any other business to discuss. Editor Collins asked if the Federal Per Diem rate was a consideration in sending inspectors to attend the annual meeting. Discussion ensued among the members with some states saying yes, their state went by the federal per diem rate and some saying it didn’t make a difference in their state.

PASSING OF THE PRESIDENCY:
President Buford stated that he had enjoyed his tenure as president of the chapter and passed the Presidency to newly elected President Janet Lensing. President Buford gave a walking stick as a gift to President Lensing.