Eighth Annual Meeting & In-Service Training Meeting Minutes

The business meeting for the Eighth Annual Meeting & In-Service Training of the Horticultural Inspection Society, Southern Chapter, was held on September 13, 2006.  President Tom Finn, VA, called the meeting to order, at 12:45 p.m. at the Best Western Saddleback Inn and Conference Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

PRESENT
Nineteen members representing nine states were present: Voting Delegate Tim Johnson representing the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries; Secretary Beverly Bachus, Treasurer Steve Bostian, Voting Delegate Vernon Griffin and Delbert Wisdom, representing the Arkansas State Plant Board; Voting Delegate Joe Collins, Terri Gater and Webmaster Carl Harper, representing the University of Kentucky and the State of Kentucky; Voting Delegate and Immediate Past President Allen Whittington III representing the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry; Voting Delegate Tim Lockley from The Mississippi Department of Agriculture; Voting Delegate Rickey Gregory and Phillip Wilson representing the North Carolina Department of Agriculture; James Branham, Morris Boothe, Voting Delegate Gene Brown, Vice President Harley Holsten and John Nunnery representing the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Voting Delegate Sherman Clem representing the Texas Department of Agriculture; and President and Voting Delegate Tom Finn representing the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

States not represented were Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, South Carolina and Tennessee.

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

MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
President, Tom Finn, VA, called for corrections or additions to the minutes of the Seventh Annual Meeting and In-Service Training Business Meeting.  It was noted that the minutes provided at the meeting were from the Sixth Annual Business Meeting.  Allen Whittington, III, LA made a motion that the minutes be approved as exhibited on the website.  The motion was seconded by Texas.  A vote was taken and the motion passed.

TREASURER’S REPORT
Treasurer Steve Bostian, AR gave the Treasurer’s Report.  Audit Committee Chairman Joe Collins, KY gave the report on behalf of he Audit Committee stating that the committee had reviewed the records of the income and expenses incurred by the Chapter up to June 30, 2006.  A copy of the Treasurer’s Report was given to the meeting attendees.  Oklahoma made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report.  Louisiana seconded the motion.  Vote was taken and motion carried.

OLD BUSINESS
President Tom Finn, discussed his trip to the Southern Plant Board Meeting held in Savannah, GA in April of 2006.  The 2007 meeting of the Southern Plant Board meeting will be held in Kentucky in April of 2007. President Tom Finn, VA, asked if there was any other old business to consider.  No other old business was addressed.     

NEW BUSINESS
EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORT: The Education Committee report was given by Sherman Clem, TX.  Mr. Clem stated several issues that the committee had discussed. The committee wanted to reiterate that a representative from each state would provide information to the editor and website. The committee stated that the Central Chapter HIS had their training manual on CD-ROM and that they wanted to look into using various information from the CD-ROM on the website with permission. The committee stated an interest in creating an e-mail list for educational sharing. The committee wanted to insure that the lead administrative contact in each state receive the HISSC newsletter. The committee discussed forwarding each state’s agency newsletter to the editor for use in the Chapter newsletter if needed. The committee discussed the idea of putting a PowerPoint presentation of the meeting’s presentations onto the website.

RESOLUTION COMMITTEE REPORT: Resolution Number Seventeen was read by Tim Lockley, MS. The resolution concerns Host State Appreciation. A motion was made by Louisiana to accept the resolution and was seconded by Alabama.  Vote was taken and motion carried.

AWARD COMMITTEE REPORT: The committee report was given by Committee Chairman Rickey Gregory, NC.  Mr. Gregory stated that there was need for more state participation in the nominations for the Tavo Good Spirit Award and the HISSC Distinguished Achievement Award.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT: Committee Chairman Allen Whittington, III, LA, presented the following nominations:

Editor Selection  Chairman Whittington stated that the committee nominated Joe Collins, KY, for the office of Editor.  Mr. Collins accepted the nomination. President Finn, VA, asked for other nominations from the floor.  There were no other nominations. Alabama made a motion to elect Joe Collins to the office of Editor.  Arkansas seconded the motion.  Vote was made by a roll call of the states.  Motion carried.

Treasurer Selection: Chairman Whittington stated that the committee nominated Steve Bostian, AR, for the office of Treasurer.  Mr. Bostian accepted the nomination.  President Finn asked for other nominations from the floor.  There were no other nominations.  Oklahoma made a motion to elect Steve Bostian to the office of Treasurer.  North Carolina seconded the motion.  Vote was taken by a roll call of the states.  Motion carried.

Secretary  Selection: Chairman Whittington stated that the committee nominated Beverly Bachus, AR, for Secretary.  Ms. Bachus accepted the nomination. President Finn asked for other nominations from the floor.  There were no other nominations. North Carolina motioned to elect Beverly Bachus to the office of Secretary.  Alabama seconded the motion.  Vote was taken by a roll call of the states.  Motion carried.

Vice President Selection: Chairman Whittington stated that the committee nominated Guy Buford, MS, for the position of Vice President.  Secretary Bachus stated that Mr. Buford was not present at the business meeting but had accepted the nomination prior to his departure from the Annual Meeting.  President Finn asked for other nominations from the floor.  There were no nominations other nominations.  North Carolina made a motion to elect Guy Buford to the office of Vice President.  Kentucky seconded the motion.  Vote was taken by a roll call of the states.  Motion carried.

President Selection: Chairman Whittington recommended the nomination of Harley Holsten, OK, for Chapter President. Mr. Holsten accepted the nomination. President Finn asked for other nominations from the floor.  There were no other nominations.  Alabama made a motion to elect Harley Holsten to the position of Chapter President.  Arkansas seconded the motion.  Vote was taken by a roll call of the states.  Motion carried.

HOST STATE FOR THE 2007 ANNUAL MEETING: Secretary Bachus stated that she had discussed the 2007 Annual Meeting and In-Service Training with Guy Buford, MS before his departure.  Mr. Buford stated that they were considering three sites, Gulf Port, Greenville or Meridian Mississippi as possible locations for the 2007 Annual Meeting.

DESIGNATE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE SOUTHERN PLANT BOARD MEETING: President Finn stated that in the past the Chapter President would attend the meeting, and if they could not attend, would appoint another member of the Executive Committee to  attend the meeting.  Mr. Holsten stated that he was looking forward to attending the meeting.

OTHER BUSINESS:
President Finn asked if there was any other business to discuss.  Joe Collins, KY stated that he felt the Chapter should embark on more meaningful resolutions regarding timely topics during our business meeting to indicate to the Southern Plant Board the HISSC involvement in such timely issues.

Allen Whittington, III, LA discussed interstate inspections should be pursued as well as a possible HISSC state worker exchange program should be considered.  During discussion it was determined that issue should be considered for a resolution the following year.

Sherman Clem, TX stated that hot topics in each state should be submitted to the Vice President for consideration in inclusion in the Annual Meeting. Sherman Clem, TX inquired about the possibility of providing CEU’s (College Education Units) when attending the annual meeting.  Discussion ensued.  Louisiana made a motion to table the discussion of providing CEU credits for the annual meeting to next year.  North Carolina seconded the motion.  A vote was taken and motion carried.

PASSING OF THE PRESIDENCY:
President Finn, VA passed the Presidency to Harley Holsten, OK