BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

MINUTES: JANUARY 27, 2008

Board Members Present:

Joan Blankenship President

Sid Ryan Vice-president

Pam Bryant Secretary/Treasurer

Robert Blankenship Conservation

Jeff Franklin Tournament Director

Loel Schaaf Region 1 Director

Steve Woodroof Region 2 Director

Bo Copely Region 3 Director

Bill Winemiller Region 4 Director

Mike Bryant Region 5 Director

John Terry Region 6 Director

Jim Geiser Region 7 Director

Ed Clayton Region 10 Director

Joan Blankenship, president, called the meeting to order at Lamplighter in Clarksville, VA, at 9:10AM.

Minutes from the last meeting were approved as read; Motion by Bo Copley, Region 3 and second by Steve Woodroof, Region 2. All approved.

Treasurer’s Report was approved unanimously: Motion by Jim Geiser, Region 7 and Jeff Franklin, second.

Joan, introduced Jim Geiser, Region 7, and Bill Winemiller, Region 4, our new directors.

Joan introduced Ron Southwick, Assistant Director, Fisheries, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. He spoke about meeting with organizations again this year. If any clubs want speakers or help at the local level, just call them and they will be glad to meet with you. Also, discussed VH D in fish and a way to keep from spreading it. Ron discussed creel surveys this year and which waters they would survey..

Old Business:

Budget for 2008 approved: Motion by Ed Clayton, Region 10 and second by Bo Copley, Region 3. All approved. A vote was taken to continue to use RJ Davis as our webmaster and approve his expense. Motion by Mike Bryant, Region 5 and Second by Jeff Franklin; approved unanimously.

Update on Mid-Atlantic 2008. Joan met with Mary Willis, of Clarksville, and also coordinated with BASS. We need 10 volunteers for tournament days. The states are responsible for all activity for regional events. The meal for the states at the mid-atlantic has been donated and will be on Tuesday, September 9, 2008.

Calendar 2008 updates for youth and change of board meeting in June. The His & Hers on Saturday, June 21, 2008, will be an open tournament and if needed there will be a short board meeting following the tournament. The scheduled board meeting for Sunday, June 22, 2008, has been cancelled due to schedule conflict. Changes to the youth schedule were given to the directors and posted to our website. Due to the BASS schedule change we had to make some revisions and delete one state tournament for the youth. Joan spoke about the youth w/BASS and BASS has added a mid-atlantic youth being held in conjunction with our mid-atlantic.

OCHS Boat show and board meeting in March1-2, 2008. Lake Anna Open on March 15, 2008, we need participation and flyers were given to the directors to post in their regions. Also, make a change from 14” to 12” fish.

Sid Ryan, Vice- President, announced the deadlines for the quarterly Hook Set. Please send more information and sell ads. We are now posting the Hook Set on the website and this gives advertisers more publicity. We need to set a rate for web publicity. The Hook Set deadlines for 2008 will be Spring 2/28/08, summer 5/31/08, fall 8/31/08 and winter 11/30/08.

The Alliance package has been signed w/Triton and Mercury. Skeeter and Yamaha have signed w/BASS. Our members have Champion, Skeeter, Triton and Ranger cup opportunities.. BASS will be using angler boats this year for the Bassmaster Classic and other Elite events. All companies will have boats at the classic.

Discussed Lowrance contract and the new advertising.

Conservation budget will be expended for the year after we install the pump at Clarksville, VA. Some of the materials have been donated. If any regions can make donations for the pump it would help. After installation, the park will keep up all maintenance. Volunteers are needed to help with this project now.

Proposed by-laws vote:

42.2 Region numbers will remain as they are now.

5.2-1 and 5.2-3 Submission of Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws: Submit changes to by-laws in November to take effect in January. Unanimous approval

7.2-6 All boats used in state and region events of the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation of VA must have no less than $300,000 liability insurance on these boats. In order to use a boat, proof must be provided for all events. – Administrative Change to increase amount of liability.

7.4-3 All individual awards provided or won through team activities, including entry in the Bassmasters Classic Tournament with travel expense reimbursement guaranteed by the Federation Nation, shall be divided equally between the team members and the state after withholding $1,000 for the division winner expense. Unanimous approval.

8.1 Tournament Rules – 14. Safety Equipment

Participants, throughout the official practice and competition hours, shall whenever their primary propulsion engine is running, wear a very type personal floatation device, or life jacket, which is approved by the United States Coast Guard – Administrative change

16. Official Inspection of Boat and Safety Equipment

There will no longer be a boat inspection on Thursdays and Fridays prior to tournaments. Each team will be responsible for checking their team prior to 12:00 noon on Friday. You are to call Pam Bryant, Secretary or other designated person and check your team. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. There can be an inspection of boats at any time prior or during a tournament. All boats must meet all guidelines specified in Regulation #14 and #15.

19. Permitted Fishing Locations

Fishing on tournament waters is permitted anywhere except within 100 yards of the tournament headquarters or as otherwise specified by the Tournament Committee or within 50 yards of another competitor’s boat which was first anchored. – Administrative Change (Delete 50 yards from gas pumps)

27. Tournament Creel and Size Limit

Any fish presented for weigh-in, which is judged to be dead will result in an eight-ounce penalty for each such fish, deducted from the total weight of fish unless you have a lunker fish then the eight-ounce penalty will be deducted from the lunker weight. – Administrative Change

7.3-1 Mr. BASS Tournament

Proposed to make the 2008 Mr. BASS an open tournament – NO

(Clarification): The Tournament Committee should be defined as the board of directors. Approved

The locations, dates and landings for all state tournaments are to be selected by the board of directors and approved by the board.

The Fall Classic will be at Smith Mountain Lake on October 25-26, 2008.

New Business:

Certificate of Insurance – New form

JWC Update – New changes on calendar

2009 Activities – Boats shows or Bassmaster University? OCHS Boat Show is free for vendors and it needs more participation. We need to develop something for the BASS federation for marketing. .

Jim Geiser, Region Directors: 7 – Working on Mr. BASS. Hotel info?

Reg. 10 has the same shelter for the JSQ and ramp for the youth tournament.

Conservation – Already involved in Vote US Foundation establish recycling points for monofilament fishing lines. Monofilament cannot be taken to any recycling places, it must be specially handled. There are special collectors in place. Robert wants us to construct containers and put at boat ramps on most of the lakes. Possibly youth could participate in this for conservation. Some one needs to check and send to Berkley for recycling. Possibly each region and/or club could construct. Bo Copley, said Fed Ex could print the stickers for the containers. Maybe Berkley could give us envelopes to mail to them automatically. Possibly get sponsors to help donate the funds to build the collectors.

Jeff Franklin, Tournament Director – Issue about lunker fish. Make admin. Change to state that the penalty for a dead fish will come off the lunker fish first before determining the total weigh of the creel..

Purolator Cash Awards – New claims forms and updates. For copy please contact Pam Bryant

Motion to adjourn by Mike Bryant, region 5 and second by John Terry, region 6. Our next board meeting will be Sunday, March 2, 2008, in Orange, VA. (Holiday Inn Express of Orange has graciously donated a meeting room and continental breakfast)

Pam Bryant

Secretary/Treasurer