Virginia Master Gardener Association, Inc.

Annual Meeting

June 25, 2005

Call to Order
President Bill McCaleb called the meeting to order at 7: 02 PM in the theater of Torgerson Hall on the Campus of Virginia Tech. President Bill McCaleb welcomed those attending.

Minutes
The minutes of 2004 Annual Meeting were approved.

Vice President's Report
Vice President Cheri Haggerty reported on the number of units we have represented in the VMGA. We have increased from 24 reporting units in 2002 to 40 units reporting in 2005. In 2002 we mailed 15 sets of minutes and in 2005 we mail 3. Our goal is to have representation from all MG units.

Treasurer's Report
Treasurer Pat Reilly reported. The annual audit was completed on June 18,2005.

Overall Balance of Accounts
	Checking Account Balance				$6,876.44
	Money Market (including PDR EEF of $5297.29)				$7,361.20
	CD Balance				$6,494.29
	Total Overall Balance of Accounts				$20,731.93
Checking Account
	Balance as of 5/31/2004				$3,175.17
		Income
			FY 06 dues	$2,638.49
			FY07-FY14 dues*	$3,976.00
			EEF	$734.00
			VT Endowment	$830.00
			Education - lunch, other fees	$997.00
			Misc/Transfer	$2,030.70
				total income	$11,206.19
		Expenses
			Membership	-$1,130.39
			Newsletter	-$3,466.96
			Communication, Unit Support	-$556.20
			Education	-$734.93
			EEF	-$610.00
			VT Endowment	-$830.00
			State Fair	-$53.99
			Officer - President	-$25.00
			Officer - Secretary	-$25.20
			Officer - Treasurer (bank fees)	-$72.25
				total expenses	-$7,504.92
	Balance as of 5/31/2005				$6,876.44

Audit - Jim Scibek - Chair
The audit committee consisted of Ted Jenks (Rockbridge-Bath), Bud Gregory (Northern Shenandoah). The audit was completed June 18, 2005 and is an attachment to these minutes.

President’s Report
President Bill McCaleb reported:

· The President participated in the West Virginia Master Gardener Conference held at Cacapon State Park May 13-15, just outside of Berkeley Springs WV. Their theme for the Conference was “Growing Gardeners, Partnerships, and Communities”.

· The VMGA has partnered with the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association (VNLA), VDACs, Virginia Tech and State University, Virginia Cooperative Extension and local government entities across Virginia. Our support of the VNLA’s efforts secured a $271,000 grant from the Tobacco Indemnification and Revitalization Board to be used to develop species specific to our growing conditions. We will be able to show our rural agricultural counties that there are viable alternatives to growing traditional crops.

· Plant Introduction Program or PIP: We have sites in all parts of the Commonwealth and Master Gardeners will be a part of the evaluation process for the foreseeable future. Research is normally a VT/VCE responsibility but we have a great opportunity to help in the evaluation process, introduce clients, students, and others to our sites.

· We've had a great year full of opportunities and challenges and we have risen to grasp those opportunities and have met the challenges. What lies ahead for Virginia’s Master Gardeners? A future of going and growing. A future filled with satisfaction for the work we do for the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Standing Committee Reports

Education - Fran Shelton and Pinky Deriuex - Co-Chairs

The Education Committee has had a relatively easy year. In September of this past year, we had our Fall program at the State Arboretum in Blandy. 55 attended and 7 cancelled due to the hurricane.

The Good Gardening Symposium was held on March 12, 2005 at the Appomattox Regional Governor’s School in Petersburg, Virginia entitled “Right Plant/Right Place” and was hosted by Barbara Geer. On April 12, 2005, the Chesterfield MGs sponsored a program at Lewis Ginter entitled “Horticulture Horizons, Looking Down the Garden Path”. Both programs were approved by VMGA for educational hours and VMGA members were invited to attend from throughout the state.

The Education Committee established two policy changes, which were approved by the Board:

1. No Refunds - On the registration forms for any educational event, there will be language stating no refunds will be given without 5 days’ notice prior to the event.

2. Cancellation – If it becomes necessary to cancel an educational event due to hurricane, natural disaster, etc., those who have registered for the event will be notified by e-mail within 48 hours of the event. For those not having e-mail, phone calls will be made and voice messages left. In the January Newsletter, page 2, these policies are set forth more clearly. Note: If VMGA cancels the educational program, your monies will be returned.

The Fall program will be held at the Hampton Roads AREC, Virginia Beach, Virginia, on Saturday, September 10^th.

Remember that the Committee normally plans a Spring and Fall Program, so we will assist anyone who would like our help.

Newsletter - Florace Arnold, Editor
Thank you for your support this year. George Graine has always come through with an interesting and timely article for each issue. Pat Reilly has sent in the articles concerning VCE activities that are important to us and Bill McCaleb has done a great job of getting his President's report to me promptly. I would especially like to thank Betty Villers for putting together the News from Around the State. Thanks also to the Unit Representatives who have shortened their reports so that we can get all of the news in the report. Thanks also to all the MGs who have sent in articles and announcements.

We have mailed an average of 542 copies every other month at an average cost of $1.07.

Membership - Pauline Price, Chair
Pauline reported that as of June 20, 2005 we have 565 Regular members and 126 Life members. 251 memberships expired on May 31. During the past year we began adding your expiration date to mailing labels created by Membership for the newsletter.

Unit Support - Frank Reilly, Chair
Members: Pat Reilly, Karen Sacasky, Kerry Goldmeyer, Pinky Derieux, Susie McCrea and Frank Reilly and whomever else we need.

· Northern Neck requested job descriptions for paid MG Coordinators. We poled the paid coordinators we know and provided job descriptions for 5 different positions. Most MG Coordinators have duties in addition to MG Volunteer coordination. These job descriptions will be posted on the web site at the Unit Support Committee page, since it seems likely that additional units will realize the advantage of providing a paid coordinator.

· Pat Reilly and Dave Close appeared on Farm TV in mid July to discuss MG issues.

· Karen Sacasky visited with the new MG training class in Nelson County and gave a presentation. Subjects covered VMGA, VCE, History of MG Program, History of Land Grant Universities and Cooperative Extension

· We answered a question from a Unit concerning the use of Local Association Funds, and required wording on MG Association Banners.

· We maintained a page dealing with the Critical Staffing Initiative, and arranged four email solicitations urging Master Gardeners to contact their legislators.

Communication Committee - Frank Reilly, Chair
Members: Cheri Haggerty, Kathryn Debnar, Shelby Snyder and Chair Frank Reilly and whomever else we can get.

· November 12^th marked our sixth anniversary as VMGA.net. We’ve grown from a single page giving the minutes of the last meeting to a large web site with more than 250 pages of content and nearly 100,000 visitors annually.

· Since the last Annual Meeting 93751 visitors to VMGA.net. We average 257 discrete visitors per day.