1 LORAIN COUNTY FARM BUREAU, INC. ANNUAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 2, 2004 DETAILED AGENDA FOR SPEAKERS BUFFET SERVING Sterks Catering will serve between 6:45PM and 7:30PM
BREAK TO CLEAR TABLES
Al DiVencenzo
As you finish your meal, feel free to get up and stretch or look at your program. In your Program you will find a copy of the minutes from the 2003 Lorain County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. Please be sure to read over them so we can approve the minutes later on the agenda. We will take just a few minutes to clear the tables. We will start the business meeting in about 5 minutes.
WELCOME (1 Minute)
Al DiVencenzo
Good evening and welcome to the 2004 Annual Meeting of the Lorain County Farm Bureau. It is exciting to see such a good turnout this evening and, as President of Lorain County Farm Bureau, it is my privilege to welcome you.
TRANSITION TO INVOCATION (1/2 Minute)
Al DiVencenzo
To help us give thanks for the bounty we enjoy, I have asked Kevin Ziegler to give the invocation. Kevin would you please come forward.
INVOCATION (1Minute) CALL TO ORDER (1/2 Minute)
Kevin Ziegler Al DiVencenzo
As President of the Lorain County Farm Bureau, I call the 2004 Lorain County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting to order.
INTRODUCTIONS (5 Minutes)
Al DiVencenzo
At this time, I would like to recognize a number of Farm Bureau leaders, elected officials and special guests. As I call your name please stand and be recognized. Please hold your applause until all have been introduced. (See attached PINK SHEET with list of names of people to introduce)
2 PRESENTATION OF LAST YEAR'S MINUTES Sandy Denes
Included inside tonight's program is a copy of the minutes from the 2003 Annual Meeting of the Lorain County Farm Bureau, Inc. I hope you have had an opportunity to read them. Are there any corrections to the minutes from the 2003 Annual Meeting?
APPROVAL OF LAST YEAR'S MINUTES Hearing none, the minutes stand approved as presented.
Al DiVencenzo
TRANSITION TO FINANCIAL REPORT
Al DiVencenzo
To present the 2003/2004 Financial Report of the Lorain County Farm Bureau is Ron Pickworth, Treasurer of the Lorain County Farm Bureau Board of Trustees. Ron , would you please come forward with your report?
FINANCIAL REPORT (3 Minutes)
Ron Pickworth
Included in the program is a copy of the audited financial report of the Lorain County Farm Bureau for the fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2004. For that time period, the financial statement shows that; - Dues revenue was $330,885
- Less portion payable to OFBF of $264,708 - Resulting in net dues income of - Total other revenue was - Resulting in a total revenue of $66,177 $41,519 $107,696
-Total expenses for the period were $97,011 - Resulting in an increase of net assets of $10,685 Are there any questions concerning the financial statement or the balance sheet for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2004? Ms. President, I move that the financial statement and balance sheet be accepted.
ACCEPTANCE OF FINANCIAL REPORT
Al DiVencenzo
Is there a second to the motion on the floor to accept the financial statement and balance sheet for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2004? (Wait for second) All those in favor of accepting the financial report as presented signify by saying "aye" All opposed same sign. The financial report is accepted.
3 EXPLANATION OF DUES INCREASE_______________________________Al DiVencenzo This evening you will be asked to approve a change to our county Farm Bureau Code of Regulations. The code change proposed addresses the amount of membership dues required for combined county, state, and American Farm Bureau membership. In December 2003 at the Ohio Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, the delegate body, consisting of about 340 elected representatives of every county Farm Bureau, approved a change in the Ohio Farm Bureau Code of Regulations. The change in the OFBF code increases the amount of each members dues sent to the Ohio Farm Bureau and American Farm Bureau from $36 to $46. This change becomes effective October 1, 2004. The delegates approved this code change because of a need for the Ohio Farm Bureau to increase funding to meet the challenges that our members want the organization to address. These challenges were identified as part of a long term planning process defining the “Envisioned Future” of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. At your tables this evening is a brochure which I encourage you to review as you consider this code change. This brochure describes program enhancements that are in progress as a result of the increased funding approved by the delegates last December. As County President, I encourage your support by voting to approve our code change proposal as presented to you this evening. I now invite Ron Pickworth, Chairman of the Code Committee to come up and report on the suggested code change. CODE REPORT Ron Pickworth
On April 1, the code committee suggested changes to the county code to the Farm Bureau Board. They recommended that the code be changed, and the board approved bringing the code change to be voted on by our members at annual meeting. The code change that was recommended by the board appears in your program. MOTION TO ACCEPT CODE CHANGE We need a motion to adopt the resolution… At this time we open the floor for discussion. Al DiVencenzo (Motion gets made and seconded) (Discussion)
Ballots are located in the packets that active members received tonight in their program on the pink piece of paper.
4 TRANSITION TO NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORTAl DiVencenzo
At this point, it is time for the nominating committee report. Would Joyce Ziegler, Chairman of the nominating committee, please come forward with her report?
NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT (5 Min)
Joyce Ziegler
The Nominating Committee's purpose is to identify active Farm Bureau members who would do a good job serving on the Board of Trustees or as a Delegate to the Ohio Farm Bureau State Annual Meeting. As chairman of the Nominating Committee, I would like to thank the committee and everyone running for Trustee and Delegate positions. Your commitment to Farm Bureau is greatly appreciated. At this time, I would like to introduce the candidates. As I call your name please stand and be recognized.
Running for the Lorain County Farm Bureau Board of Trustees are: Al DiVencenzo Sandy Denes Ron Pickworth Harland Holcomb William Dodd
Running for Delegates to the 2005 OFBF Annual Meeting are: Harland Holcomb Janice Brill and John Born Ron Pickworth Judy Pickworth
Sherry Norton
Lois McDowell
Are there any nominations from the floor? Thank you for running for Trustee or Delegate. Ballots for Trustee and Delegate positions were distributed to voting members of Lorain County Farm Bureau, in their program on the blue sheet of paper. Are there any active members who did not receive their ballot? Please take your time now to vote. We will come around and collect the ballots as you finish voting.
TRANSITION TO POLICY DEVELOPMENT
Al DiVencenzo
Thank you Joyce for the work of the nominating committee. Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization, all of the policy that guides our organization on the local, state, and even the national level comes from people like yourself. Our policy, which you will vote on, tonight, came from ideas given by your friends and neighbors and maybe even one from yourself. At this time I would like to introduce the Chairman of this year's Policy Development Committee, Ron Pickworth.
5 REPORT OF PD COMMITTEE (5 MINUTES) Ron Pickworth
The Policy Development Committee of Lorain County Farm Bureau met three times to study policy suggestions submitted by our members, and to meet with local, state, and national public officials regarding many issues facing Lorain County. The Policy Development Committee then drafted the proposed policy resolutions contained in the program. The committee did an outstanding job of identifying the problems facing Lorain County and putting these issues in the form of proposed resolutions. I would like to introduce the committee members. As I call your name please stand and be recognized.
The 2004 Lorain County Farm Bureau Policy Development Committee included: Al DiVencenzo Sherry Norton Lois McDowell Ted Schriver Joyce Ziegler Bill Dodd Rita Canfield Richard Carlson Sandy Denes Janice Brill
Dwight & Elaine Holt Corwin Burrer Gary Sweet
Lou & Dianne Morlock
Orrin Leimbach
Thank you for all your hard work and congratulations on a job well done. -Are there any questions or amendments to the proposed LOCAL policy resolutions? ( If there are any amendments, amendment needs to be in writing. The President must handle the motion, second, and the voting. ) -Are there any questions or amendments to the proposed STATE policy resolutions? (in writing, president handles motions) -Are there any questions or amendments to the proposed NATIONAL policy resolutions? (in writing, president handles motions)
Mr. President, I move the policy resolutions be accepted for voting as presented.
VOTING ON POLICY RESOLUTIONS (5 MIN)
Al DiVencenzo
Is there a second to the motion on the floor. (after second) Please mark your ballots and after you have voted please pass your ballots toward the head table so we can pick them up. Policy resolution ballots were distributed to active members in their programs on the yellow sheet of paper. Please mark your policy resolution ballot at this time.
6 TRANSITION TO YOUNG FARMER REPORT Al DiVencenzo
Every year Lorain County Farm sponsors several Young Farmers to Ohio Farm Bureau Young Farmer Conferences. This year attendees were; Tim Gest, Jason Shriver, Colin Gordon, Jayne Gest, Josh Mole, Lisa Marie Fox, Jonathan Mole, Brad Knoble, Carl Schlechter, Will Schlechter and Susan Schlecter.
I believe that Will, Susan and Lisa are here this evening. Would you please come forward and share with us a little about your experience at the conference.
YF CONFERENCE REPORT
Will , Susan & Lisa
TRANSITION TO YOUTH REPORT (2 MIN)
Al DiVencenzo
As part of the our Youth program each year, Lorain County Farm Bureau sponsors a number of youth to attend Jr. High Quest Farm Bureau Conference, Farm Bureau Regional Youth Leadership Conference and Ohio Farm Bureau State Leadership Conference. This summer, the following youth attended these conferences.
State Leadership: Regional: Quest:
David Carlson & Megan Carlson, Tyler Basci, Nicole Boudreau & Carlene Wesemeyer Matt Boudreau
Would those attendees who are present tonight, come forward and give a short report. I also believe that Farm Bureau Youth President, David Carlson, has some comments that he would like to make.
YOUTH CONFERENCE REPORTS (5 MIN) (Each was asked to give 1-minute presentation about Youth Conference.)
YOUTH GROUP REPORT
David Carlson
7
TRANSITION TO SCHOLARSHIP (1 MIN)
Al DiVencenzo
Thank you campers and David for those reports. Now, Sherry Norton, chairwoman of the promotion and education committee will come up and fill us in on the scholarships presented this year.
SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATIONS (5 MIN)
Sherry Norton
In April, the scholarship committee met to review the applications that were submitted for this year. This years committee included; Richard Carlson, Sandy Denes and Al DiVencenzo. I would like to thank the scholarship committee for taking their time to serve. Each year Lorain County Farm Bureau offers scholarships to high school seniors who plan to attend a college or university. One scholarship, for $1000, is reserved for an individual planning to major in an agricultural field of study. The second scholarship, for $500, is awarded to a high school senior whose family is a member of Lorain County Farm Bureau. The winner of the second scholarship may pursue a degree in any field of study. Lorain County Farm Bureau also offers a third scholarship for $1000. This scholarship is for a student who is enrolled full time in an agricultural related field whose family is a member of Lorain County Farm Bureau. The scholarship is awarded after certain academic requirements are met. The winners of the 2004 Lorain County Farm Bureau Scholarships are: Beth Norton Brittany Jasko Kurk Ziegler $1,000 Ag Scholarship $500 General $500 General (coming) (no) (no)
Would you please come forward to receive your scholarship awards. Congratulations to all the scholarship recipients and best of luck in your studies.
TRANSITION TO OFBF TRUSTEE
Al DiVencenzo
It is my pleasure to introduce Sparky Weilnau representing the counties of Erie, Huron, Lorain, and Cuyahoga on the State Board for a report on what’s happening on the state level
OFBF TRUSTEE REPORT
Sparky Weilnau
8 TRANSITION TO AWARDS Introduce Connie Ward Al DiVencenzo
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION (10 MIN) (Connie insert some witty banter here)
Connie Ward
TRANSITION TO ELECTION RESULTS
Al DiVencenzo
I believe that the tellers and nomination committees have had time to tabulate all the votes for Trustee and Delegate. Joyce will you please come forward and let us know the results.
RESULTS OF TRUSTEE ELECTIONS
Joyce Ziegler
Winning election as Trustee on the Lorain County Farm Bureau Board are: (circle winners) - Al DiVencenzo - Harland Holcomb - Sandy Denes -Ron Pickworth
- William Dodd
Winning as Delegates to the 2005 OFBF Annual Meeting are: (Circle 5, others are alternates) Harland Holcomb Sherry Norton Janice Brill and John Born Ron Pickworth Judy Pickworth
Lois McDowell
INTRODUCTION OF ANNUAL MTG. CHAIR
Al DiVencenzo
Planning for tonight's meeting started nearly a year ago, and has required a lot of planning and preparation by the members of the Annual Meeting Committee. I would like to thank them for their efforts and especially Kevin Ziegler, who served as chairman of the Annual Meeting Committee. Kevin would you please come forward and introduce your committee members.
INTRODUCTION ANNUAL MTG CMTE.
Kevin Ziegler
I would like to thank all the members of the Annual Meeting committee for all their hard work and planning they did in preparation of tonight's annual meeting. As I call your name please stand and be recognized. Sandy Denes - Sherry Norton -myself
9
COUNCIL AWARDS/DOOR PRIZES
Kevin Ziegler
And now for the door prizes and the Advisory Council Awards. There are two prizes for Advisory Council attendance. The first is for the Advisory Council with the largest actual number of council members here tonight. The second prize is for the council highest percentage of members present to tonight’s Annual Meeting. The same council can’t win both awards. Now, let's see which council has the most members present. Are there any councils with more than 10 members present? ( If yes, go on to 11, then 12, etc. until winner is determined. ) What council has the highest percentage present? (same deal). Winners may see Joyce at the door for their prize
DOOR PRIZE (do what you want, it’s unscripted!)
Kevin Ziegler
CLOSING REMARKS (3-5 MIN)
Al DiVencenzo
I would like to thank all of you for coming this evening. Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization and just as a blade of grass receives its strength from its roots, so Farm Bureau receives its strength from you, our members. I challenge you to help Farm Bureau to remain a strong, growing organization whose foundation remains firmly anchored in the local agricultural community. The Lorain County Fall Farm Tour will be September 26 th. There are brochures available on the back table, please pick one up and make sure to mark Sunday, September 26 th on your calendar. Have a safe trip home and I hope to see everyone at the 2005 Annual Meeting of Lorain County Farm Bureau, and thank you for coming.