[board] What has been on my mind

[Dana Pepp]

Hi,

Gary, thank you!
I agree that we all need to be more “on it,” more professional board members, so we can take this club up a notch!
And, it is always good to have at least one person who is really detailed.  Thanks for being that person!

A couple thoughts:

1.  Do we still want the retreat on 7/23 or better to wait until later August, to have the new president/chair and possibly new secretary on board?  Thoughts, please!

2.  Writing mission and vision statements is definitely important and a chunk of time for our retreat.  I like what you started.

3.  David declined the secretary position way before the start date, so Paul was actually in the position before our meeting on 7/2.

4.  I believe we (either Paul or Jim) need to send an email, sharing Robert’s choice to decline the position and letting folks know that we are open to a new club president/chair.

5.  We definitely need D & O liability insurance!  Thanks, Gary!

6.  I agree that we also need to be more “on” the record keeping.  Paul, thoughts?

7.  And, let’s put a Treasurer’s Report on the next board agenda.


Let’s all chime in about next steps.
If we push the retreat to August, we need a July zoom board date.

Thanks, all!

Dana

> On Jul 8, 2026, at 10:31 PM, Gary Denison <gary at marinbees.org> wrote:
> 
> Board members:
> 
> I have been giving a lot of thought to our upcoming Board retreat on July 23rd.   I have decided to share with you some of my initial thoughts.  These are just my thoughts and  obviously I am not suggesting I have all the answers.  However, I am very interested in and look forward to  hearing the thoughts of others.  My purpose in sending this in advance is that I hope each of you can use some of this to develop your own thoughts ahead of the meeting.  I believe coming more prepared will hopefully facilitate both more meaningful discussion and a productive meeting.
> 
> Thoughts on vision and mission statement:
> As some of you know, Lynette and I recently visited the country of Slovenia, which touts itself as the beekeeping capital of the world.  The country has a Bee Institute which trains beekeepers in best practices and bee health.  It also has a Museum dedicated solely to the history of Beekeeping.  In public parks, you see “Bee Cabins” which are really a collection of different resident's hives placed inside a well-designed public structure (usually a log cabin) with pollinator plants around them.  You see bee hives at hotels, houses and businesses.  Beekeeping is really a part of their culture and heritage. It is something you could never replicate elsewhere. 
>  
> Marin County’s open space is an important part of what makes it a unique place.  Through the decades there have been considerable efforts to preserve that open space and it has become part of Marin’s culture.  Open space provides valuable foraging grounds to honeybees and the honeybee are important to the pollination of that open space.   Without bees our open space would not be the same.  Consequently, our vision statement might want to incorporate something to the effect that “Honeybees are recognized as an integral and important part of Marin County by its residents.”   Our Mission therefore would be “to educate Marin County residents on the important role of honeybees and how to help them proliferate within Marin county.”  
>  
> Managing MCBA as a professional organization
> The MCBA is a legal entity and is designated as a 501 (c)(3) tax exempt organization.  As board members it is important that we have a firm understanding of what is required of the Board under our By-Laws.  This includes, the handling of resignation, filling of vacancies and our authority to make appointments.  In my reading of those by-laws, David cannot just quit as Secretary, he will need to formally resign since he was duly elected to that role.  However, I sincerely hope that he will continue to serve as Board member at large.  That said he does need to resign as Secretary.   Like the vacancy of President, that position will need to be put to vote to be filled.  Consequently, I think it is essential that we spend some time as a group going over the requirements of our by-laws.
>  
> We cannot operate like a loose club and by necessity we are going to have become more purposeful and formal in how we conduct the administrative affairs of the organization.  In an age of litigation, documentation and transparency of our actions is essential.  Non-profit organizations are corporate entities subject to the law and can be sued.  Consequently, we are held to the same legal duties as for-profit businesses, such as honoring contracts and exercising a reasonable standard of care in our operations, etc.    This accountability helps ensure that anyone harmed by a non-profit’s actions (including ours) has a legal pathway for resolution.
>  
> Directors and Office Liability
> Based upon my research, even a nonprofit's Board members can be held personally liable for any legal claims brought against the organization, putting our personal assets at risk.  Therefore having a Directors and Officers liability insurance policy is essential.  This policy protects board members and officers from personal liability arising from their actions or decisions made on behalf of the organization.
> D&O insurance typically covers legal expenses, settlements, and judgments resulting from lawsuits alleging wrongful acts, such as negligence, mismanagement, or breach of fiduciary duty. By having D&O coverage in place, we can hopefully continue to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve on the board and be assured that our personal assets are protected from personal financial loss.  
> 
> Recordkeeping by the Board
> We have had several meetings where motions were made and specific actions carried out.  Whether these motions and voting actions are in person or handled via email; those actions to be noted in a formal set of Board minutes.  Further these minutes are to be read and approved as accurate at subsequent Board meetings.  This is spelled out specifically in our by-laws.  Similarly copies of the recently signed lease agreement and liability policy also need to be made a part of the official board minutes as these are legally binding documents. 
>  
> Roles and Responsibilities
> What does our club really need in terms of a President?   I think our members believe that the President needs to be extremely knowledgeable about Bees and beekeeping.  I disagree, especially given the beekeeping skill level of this board.  I believe our President needs to be a person interested in beekeeping but who has experience in knowing how to run an organization, delegating tasks and holding people accountable for completing those tasks and ensuring that things get done.   Consequently, when we begin soliciting the membership for interest in that role, we need for them to understand we aren’t looking for a beekeeper… we are looking for a person who can lead people and help bring forward our vision and mission statement.  The Board and MCBA members can take care of the bee keeping part, independent of the President.   Again, this goes back to roles and expectations.  Surely, we have people in our organization who have helped manage and run organizations? 
>  
> Reporting By Treasury
> Obviously, not at our retreat but as Treasurer I do need to bring everyone up to date on MCBA finances.  Our Fiscal year end is June 3Oth, so we have closed the fiscal books for the year.  I am also putting together a very preliminary budget for the coming year, that I will be requesting the Board’s input on.  While rent is our major expense, the aforementioned D&O insurance and speaker fees also need to be discussed and decided upon for budget purposes.   Jim has also raised the possibility of upgrades to our communication/email systems and having ephemeron pins available (I was thinking about this at the Marin County Fair and our exhibition hive…what if?)  I’m sure there are many other things that need to be considered.
>  
> MCBA Income is largely derived from Membership dues.  We also have a five month CD at US Bank that is maturing August 20, 2026 at 3.44%.   I will require direction from the Board on whether we want to roll the CD over for another five months or consider some alternative investment. 
>  
> Finally, as a 501 (c)( 9)  non-profit organization we are eligible to apply for grants (a process I know nothing about) and receive charitable contributions, either from members or outside organizations.   Members who are looking for charitable giving may not even realize that MCBA is a nonprofit and any contributions (outside of dues) are tax deductible.  I have a charitable contribution form similar to the reimbursement form I distributed earlier.
>  
> 
> Again, I love the chemistry and the excitement of the current Board  and I am excited about working with each of you.  However,  we do need to treat MCBA as a legal entity and not as just a fun hobby club.  That may be what it is for our members but as board members we have a fiduciary responsibility to our members and to the Marin County public.
>  
> Thanks for letting me share my thoughts.  I would be happy to discuss any of this with you  individually or as a group if you have questions.
>  
> Gary 
> 
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