Minutes of the 1998 Annual Meeting: The minutes were approved as corrected.

Treasurer’s Report: Gary Bill reported that VMGA, Inc now has a CD with Crestar Bank in the amount of $5500, and a Money Market account with a balance of $5000 plus interest as it accrues from both accounts. Our business checking account has $1921.00 and we have some uncleared deposits. Our total net worth is $12232.45. The report was approved as read.

Audit Report: President Goldmeyer read the report of the audit committee. The reports found the financial records for the year ending May 31, 1999 to financially and materially reflect the status of the VMGA, Inc.

Committee Reports:

Communication: no report was submitted.

Education: Chuck Norrington reported that the Education Committee used suggestions obtained from a questionnaire distributed at last year's MG college to plan their activities. The first Continuing Education Program was held in August at Sandy’s Nursery. In November, Tough plants for Tough Places was the topic. The Mid-winter training opportunity was the VA Beach Flower and Garden Show, and Virginia Nurserymen's Meeting. Subsequent continuing education programs were held in Chesapeake, and in Warrenton. President Goldmeyer augmented the report by mentioning that education is one of three primary purposes of the VMGA, Inc. So we have five Continuing Education Programs per year, located throughout the state to help all MGs to maintain their active status re continuing education. Bud Gregory has agreed to take over the chair of the Education Committee.

Membership: Pat Reilly reported that of 409 active members, 189 were paid through 2000. She asked that everyone please dispose of all the old forms and use the new membership forms. Since last year, VMGA, Inc. has gone through three Membership chairs, so she begs our pardon while she catches up the membership roster. With the help of Gary Bill and the Feris’, she had been reconciling the membership roster and the mailing list for the VMGA Report. The membership roster is in a MS Word table now which is easy to use. She plans to move the roster also into Outlook for ease of reporting, but also keep it in MS Word for ease of use of the next Membership Committee Chair. She is planning to provide expedited membership renewals by next year, and hopes to update the web page to accept memberships and renewals. She plans to provide unit reps with the names of members in their areas.

Newsletter: The Mike and Mary Feris submitted a report, which was read by Kerry Goldmeyer. The most recently mailed VMGA Report was sent to 442 individuals. The costs have been held to a minimum by 4.5 cents per page for printing. Obtaining and certifying the mailing list for bulk mailing has made further savings. They praised the editors of the local associations' newsletters for their witty and informative work.

Kerry thanked the members for providing zip + 4, and urged the rest to do so to further reduce our mailing costs.

State Fair

Kerry Goldmeyer read Evelyn Parker’s report. At the State Fair in 1998, we also helped cover the Virginia Nurseryman's booth. The VA Nurserymen donated $500 to the VMGA, Inc. The State Fair will be on the fair grounds for the next two years, but will move after that, since the land has been sold. She is organizing this year's fair coverage by units, but would like a unit representative to contact her to organize the participation of each unit. Please contact her prior to August 18-19. She will still accommodate individual volunteers, but any individuals need to call her earlier to give her a chance to set it up. The 1999 State Fair will run from 23 September through 3 October.

Unit Support:

Wilma Pacely was present but asked Kerry Goldmeyer to report. Kerry stated that the purpose of the Unit Support committee is to help units to form up and to get needed support from other units to meet the needs of local units. For example, Wilma will be getting a list of speakers that are available from Pat Reilly.

There was no old business

A motion to accept the nomination of Frank Reilly to finish out the term of Secretary of VMGA, Inc. was made seconded and passed by a slim margin.

Vice-President ratification:

A motion to accept the nomination of Sybil Przypek to finish out the term of Vice-President was made, seconded, and passed unanimously.

Bimonthly Regularly Scheduled Meeting of the VMGA, Inc. Board of Directors:

The dates and locations of the board meetings were agreed upon: The Bimonthly, Regularly Scheduled Meetings of the VMGA, Inc. will be:

The Board has recommended that the dues continue at $10 per year and $100 for a life membership for the Fiscal Years 1999/2000 and 2000/2001.

Kerry Goldmeyer thanked Diane Relf and especially, Sheri Dorn for their efforts with Master Gardener College and for helping with the Master Gardening Program and listening to our suggestions throughout the years. She appreciated having two rather than three speaker each morning in the format for Mater Gardener College this year. This changer made the day seem less rushed, but still full. Speaking for VMGA, Inc., she thanked the New River Master Gardeners for all their diligent efforts in helping with the local arrangements for the Master Gardener College, and thanked the board for bringing the dessert for the Garden Party.

President Goldmeyer reminded us of the 3 purposes of VMGA, Inc. - namely, Education, Fellowship, and Communication.

While at MG College, she had a meeting with Dave Barrett the Acting Director of VCE. As a result of that meeting both Kerry Goldmeyer and Dave Barrett are serious about having a meeting between the VMGA, Inc. Officers, and VCE Leadership in the fall. So she urges us to think about where we perceive that we are being roadblocked in the Master Gardener Program. She said that she left the meeting feeling that VMGA, Inc. and MGs in general are being listened by VCE. By way of a historical perspective Kerry pointed out that MG started in Washington State in 1972. Now we have MGs in 76 out of 105 counties of Virginia, and she thinks that we should be able to have MGs in every county in the near future.

Lastly, President Goldmeyer thanked all of the MGs for all we do, and reminded us that we are the reason that VMGA, Inc. does what we do.

Mr. Roddey Jones thanked all of us for our work.

A motion to adjourn was seconded and passed. The meeting adjourned at 9:00 PM.

Respectfully Submitted:

Frank Reilly,

Secretary, VMGA, Inc.