Lewis and
Minutes of Board Meeting
Call to Order: President Jean Ketchel
called the board meeting of the Lewis and Clark Humane Society to order at the
Since
the last meeting, we have received notice of resignation from the board of
Vickie Thacker, Renee Kowalski, Terey Artz, and Lynda Benson.
Most
of the board members reported that they had not received the September minutes,
so approval is deferred until a future meeting.
The minutes of the October meeting were approved.
Gina
reported that she and Christine Stipich have, along
with employees of the Humane Society of Cascade County, have been spending time
at the Toole County Fairgrounds in Shelby supervising
the volunteers who have been caring for the approximately 170 dogs that were
seized for cruelty at the Sweetgrass border
crossing. Toole
County has promised that they will pay for the wages and expenses our staff put
into this effort, but the details of this have not been worked out. The board discussed setting a deadline for
them to hire local supervision, but decided to wait until after Jean and Denise
have visited with them.
Robyn
distributed a proposal by First Nonprofit Companies to provide unemployment
insurance at 65% of our current costs.
Anne O'Leary agreed to investigate whether this would be a viable option
for us.
Robyn
said that she was interested in using Quick Books Non-Profit software, which
would integrate several functions that she is currently keeping in separate
software packages. Apparently this
software has a required Internet component, and the board deferred approval
until more information is available on what components of our data and software
would be unavailable when the Internet connection is down.
Robyn
said that the board needs to appoint someone as our contact with Montana
Shares. Jan Sheehan volunteered to do
it.
Gina
said that we had been invited to have a booth at the Home and Garden Show at
Carroll College April 4-7. Tia volunteered to organize the event. Santa Paws will be at Big R on December 7 and
8. Jane Benson agreed to organize it.
Gina
reported that the Student Assistance Foundation
donated 10 $60 dog beds to the Shelter.
These are cordura beds mounted on short legs
that can be cleaned by hosing them off and eliminate the need for bedding and
washing the bedding. Gina also purchased
3 kennel decking mats that also eliminate the need for bedding.
Gina asked that the board approve the job description of the
Adoption Counselor and authorize her to advertise the position. It was moved, seconded, and approved that we
do so.
Jean announced that the Silver Star Steakhouse wants to donate the
coins from its wishing wells to the Humane Society if we would provide a
plaque. We authorized Jean to have a
plaque made.
Jean and other board attendees of the Boo Bash at Capital Hill
Mall described the event and said that it went very well. Big R coincidentally had a similar event the
same day. Jean attended both events and
said that Big R agreed that we should have a single event together at their
store next year.
Jean described our meeting with the Mikal
Kellner Foundation board. They are putting together a fund-raising
calendar for their spay-neuter program and want us to provide information about
it at our public events.
The board discussed what to do about absent board members. It was agreed that any members who do not
attend the November, December, or January meetings will be asked to resign.
Shauna asked that board adopt a policy of microchipping
every animal that is adopted. The
microchips cost $8.50 each, or $7.15 if we buy them in lots of $200. Shauna also has a source of vaccines cheaper
than the Animal Center now provides us at their cost. The board authorized the Shelter to determine
what increase of our costs will result from the microchipping
and less-expensive vaccines, start microchipping the
adopted animals, and increase the adoption fee to cover the cost.
We have about 1500 printed donation envelopes that are now
obsolete because we increased the membership fee last month. Two board members agreed to try to print up
some stickers with the new rates that we can put on the envelopes.
Gina said that the Montana Senior News offered us space for a
200-word article about the Humane Society and a 1/8-page add for $157. The board approved a motion to have an
article and ad composed and to pay to put in the paper.
The board discussed finding a new place to meet. December's meeting is traditionally at a
board member's house, and we though that Denise might want to do it this
year. Tia
offered the use of the Companion Animal Hospital meeting room in the future.
Respectfully
Submitted,
Gerry Daumiller