GDCA Board Minutes

Minutes of the Board Meeting
May 7, 2005
Atlanta, Georgia

The meeting was called to order at 9:00 AM by President Jane Chopson. 

Board Members present: Jane Chopson, Lynda Moriarty, Lourdes Carvajal, Lisa DeRoulet, Sid Levin, Dianne Powers, Nancy Lerch, Linda Ridder, Pookie Kostuk, David Miller, Susan Davis Shaw, recording secretary.

Board Members absent: Kathy Varian, Paul Hardiman, Cindy Harwin, Dale Desjardins, Chris O’Connell, Tom Sandenaw

Guests present: Diane Taylor, Willie Crawford

All motions are unanimous unless noted.

Jane added to the agenda items:
A letter to address the cropping issues, a request from Paddy Magnusson, and a discussion of health testing. She also asked to take an item out of order, the membership report. Diane Taylor has not had time to run the names by her committee due to the by law change. Also, Diane suggested changes to the membership sponsorship form.

MOTION
To ask Diane Taylor to contact her Membership Committee regarding the applicants published in the first quarter 2005 bulletin.
Moved: Pookie Kostuk 2nd Linda Ridder

Minutes
Jane noted that there was a motion approving a HIT Agility Trophy, which is an award not allowed by AKC. This needs to be corrected, but is not a correction to the minutes. It will be taken up under the 2005 National. Also regarding the minutes, there is a correction to page 3 which should state: “to recommend four names.”

MOTION
To approve the minutes of the meeting of January 14, 2005, as corrected.
Moved: Sid Levin 2nd Nancy Lerch

Corresponding Secretary’s Report
Lynda Moriarty reviewed many items of correspondence, including:
a change in the Eukanuba rules, an invitation to Crufts, correspondence from AKC for Illinois to hold sanctioned matches, the approval of 2005 obedience and futurity, approval of the national, approval for Monterey Bay to hold licensed point shows, Responsible Dog Ownership Day to be held on Sept. 17, 2005, revisions to the agility regulations, a check from Purina, several thank you notes and newsletters. Jane also had received a certificate from AKC for participation in the Meet the Breeds Program. Lynda reviewed the puppy flyer from AKC. Suggestions were made to include Jill Swedlow’s other book and to change some of the drawings.

Absences

MOTION
To excuse the absences of Kathy Varian, Paul Hardiman, Cindy Harwin, 
Dale Desjardins, Chris O’Connell, and Tom Sandenaw.
Moved: Lisa DeRoulet 2nd Lourdes Carvajal

Treasurer’s Report
Sid recommended reinstating several members.

MOTION
To reinstate the following members: Susan Barney-Schmidt, Julie and
Rusty Gray, Steve Cochran, Shirley Brown, CET (Carla) Carey, Cindy Fouts, Sheri Dorethy.
Moved: Lourdes Carvajal 2nd David Miller
Recommendation was also made:
To reinstate the membership of Mona Muller.
Moved: David Miller 2nd Lourdes Carvajal

Several other members requested reinstatement without enclosing their dues. They will be asked to reapply for membership.

MOTION
To approve the Treasurer’s report as presented.
Moved: Lourdes Carvajal 2nd Nancy Lerch

Affiliate Representative’s Report
Dianne Powers reported that she had received no input from affiliate clubs on the subject of how to maintain affiliation. The GDCA requirement is that affiliate clubs must maintain 15 members. Currently, we have four clubs under the 15-member requirement. Direction from the board was to contact the clubs and tell them that we have accepted their dues for this year, but we cannot accept their dues next year if they don’t bring their membership numbers up. We will ask them: “Let us know how we can help you to accomplish this.” Suggestion was made to encourage clubs to increase their membership by adding members involved in obedience, agility, rescue, and rally, as well as other Dane owners. 

Dianne also reported that several clubs are working on by law revisions.

Regarding a question on the cost of trophies, Jane will call Cindy Harwin and Debbie Sandenaw. Suggestion was made for no wooden bases for class wins 2 – 4th place.

Dianne has a request from a club regarding the color code. Due to lack of a motion, the issue was dropped.

Agility
Lisa DeRoulet spoke to the difficulty in getting agility tabulations. 

MOTION
If Keri Caraher is unable to provide agility tabulations and AKC is unable
to provide agility tabulations, tabulations may be taken from Front and
Finish magazine.
Moved: Lisa DeRoulet 2nd Dianne Powers

By-Laws
Lourdes Carvajal reported that the vote on the revisions to the by-laws was unanimous. She will now go back to AKC with a letter requesting permission to make these changes to our by-laws. She asked the Board’s permission to now have the new by-laws printed.

MOTION
To have Lourdes Carvajal work with Sid Levin to negotiate the printing of
the By-Laws.
Moved: Pookie Kostuk 2nd David Miller 
The board directed Lourdes to use her own judgement regarding the weight of the paper and number of copies.

Futurity
Dave Miller reported 231 puppies nominated to date (117 dogs and 114 bitches) with 165 litters nominated.

Health & Welfare
Jane mentioned a request to give an award of $100 to the Best of Breed winner at the national if the winner has a CHIC. She will email the information to the board.

Jane also reported that J.P. Yousha had asked permission to place two articles on the GDCA web site. Jane gave her permission to do so, feeling that it did not need Board approval.

MOTION
To approve the updates to “Surgical Guidelines for Great Danes”.
Moved: Lourdes Carvajal 2nd Nancy Lerch

Judges Selection
Lynn Brown-Quick is in the process of contacting the finalists, and her report will be sent to the board when all finalists have been contacted.

Membership
There was discussion of the ballot procedure for the honorary memberships.

MOTION
To send out separate ballots on the proposed honorary members.
Moved: Lisa DeRoulet 2nd Nancy Lerch

When the election process is completed, Jane will compose letters to the honorary members, and Lisa DeRoulet will make up certificates to go with the letters.

2005 National
There was discussion regarding a motion that had been made to incorrectly award HIT rally and it was the decided to replace the previous motion with the following motion:

MOTION
To award 1,2,3, and 4th place in the six rally classes.
Moved: Lisa DeRoulet 2nd Sid Levin

The 2005 National Specialty premium was reviewed. 

2006 National
Lourdes Carvajal reported that everything was going well and ahead of schedule. The introductory brochures will be ready for distribution at the 2005 national. The revised schedule has been sent to Carol Grossman. Obedience and rally scheduling were discussed, as well as the two planned education days with health screening and semen collection.

2007 National
The Northeast Division representatives will be meeting in a week.

Sid Levin discussed a need to revisit the rules and regulations regarding timing.
Pookie Kostuk mentioned that they never closed down the 2004 national.

MOTION
To approve the final financial report on the 2004 national.
Moved: Lourdes Carvajal 2nd Sid Levin
1 abstention

Rescue
Pookie Kostuk reviewed eight grant applications.

MOTION
To recommend to the Charitable Trust that the following 8 grant
applications be approved and paid.
Moved: Lisa DeRoulet 2nd David Miller 

1. Williamette Valley Great Dane Club (1) $500.
2. Williamette Valley Great Dane Club (2) 500.
3. Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League NY (1) 500.
4. Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League NY (2) 500.
5. Illini Great Dane Club (1) 500.
6. Great Dane Club of Des Moines (1) 500.
7. Great Dane Club of Met. Washington (1) 500.
8. Great Dane Club of Met. Washington (2) 500.

Pookie also reported on her participation in an evening with Smith Barney. The turnout was disappointing, but she did receive one check for the Charitable Trust and she will continue to work with them.

Standards Committee
Jane reported on a brief conversation with Bob Edison. He has made progress on the illustrated standard and now he needs head studies. There was a discussion on the illustrated standard. Hopefully, we will have something to look at in August. Mention was made of suggested changes to the standard.

MOTION
To direct the Standards Committee to make two changes in the text of the
standard correcting the proportions and clarifying acceptable mantle color.
Moved: Nancy Lerch 2nd Linda Ridder

Mention was made that the packet for judges’ education that Judy Harrington put together is outstanding. The board showed interest in seeing it in August. It will be added to the agenda.

Web Site
Nancy Lerch asked board members to look through the photo gallery on occasion and let her know if you see anything that needs to be checked. Nancy reported that we could cut expenses if we put the quarterly bulletin on the web site. The bulletin costs approximately $14,000 a year between printing and mailing. It was decided to put out a notice and form to members as follows:

MOTION
Included in the Honorable Member mailing will be a form stating that, in
order to reduce costs, the GDCA will deliver the bulletin electronically on the web site in a downloadable format beginning with the third quarter 2005 bulletin. If you need to continue to receive a hard copy, you need to return the form. Hard copies will continue to be sent to all affiliate secretaries.
Moved: Nancy Lerch 2nd Lourdes Carjaval

Ballots will be returned to Lynda Moriarty.

Special Committees
Breeder Referral
There was discussion to transfer the responsibility of breeder referral chairman to the web chairman. Lynda Moriarty was directed to notify Ruth Piatoff.

MOTION
To confirm Jane Chopson’s appointment of Nancy Lerch as Breeder
Referral Chairman.
Moved: Lourdes Carvajal 2nd Dianne Powers

Charitable Trust
Jane Chopson reported that the Great Dane Club of No. California recently held an auction and voted to donate the entire proceeds of $8,220 to the Charitable Trust. It was noted that donations to the Charitable Trust should be sent to Lourdes Carvajal. Lourdes reported that all donations are listed on the GDCA web site. Also, a new donation form is on the web site. Trustees will work on developing a new brochure.

Historian
Jane reported that she was outbid on ebay in her attempt to purchase the Gauthier original drawings.

MOTION
To direct Jane Chopson to contact Debbi and Tim Jones to offer to 
purchase the Don Gauthier drawings so that they can be displayed at our National Specialties as an important part of our club’s history.
Moved: Linda Ridder 2nd Dianne Powers

Pookie commented that she would like to see more history on the web site. She will contact Norvel Benoit.

Yearbook
Jane reminded all that June 1st is the deadline for yearbook submissions.

New Business
1. Request from Paddy Magnusson
Jane reported a request from Paddy Magnusson to have her most recent column placed on the web site.

MOTION
On a quarterly basis, to publish Paddy Magnusson’s column on the web site
in the bulletin.
Moved: Pookie Kostuk 2nd David Miller

2. Letters to Address Cropping and Breed Specific Legislation
Jane will ask Tom Sandenaw to draft two letters addressing the cropping issue and breed specific legislation. The cropping letter will include a statement that our standard permits both cropped and uncropped ears.

3. Health Testing
The issue of health testing to enter the futurity and to be listed in the GDCA breeders list was discussed.

MOTION
To poll the membership on the following questions:
1. Should the GDCA require breeders to do at least one health check test in order to be listed on the website? Acceptable tests would be OFA hips, Pennhip, OFA cardio, OFA thyroid, CERF.
2. To enter puppies in the futurity, parents must have at least one health test, effective 2007.
Moved: David Miller 2nd Lourdes Carvajal

This vote will be included in Lynda’s mailing and Jane will send the exact wording out to the board.

4. Nominating Committee
Jane asked approval of her nominating committee.

MOTION
To approve the Nominating Committee of Bob Edison, Dave Miller, Dianne Powers, Jessie Gerszewski, and Pookie Kostuk, Chairman.
Moved: Lynda Moriarty 2nd Nancy Lerch

Election of New Members

MOTION:
To vote into membership the following applicants:

Moved: Lisa DeRoulet 2nd Dianne Powers

The next board meeting will be held on August 6, 2005, in Chicago, Illinois.

Motion to adjourn
Moved: Dianne Powers 2nd Lisa DeRoulet

Respectfully submitted,

Susan Davis Shaw
Recording Secretary
Approved August 6, 2005

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