[Ethan Tapper]

Let’s run the same one.

[Ethan Tapper]

Draft Animal Power Network

Board of Directors Meeting : October 14, 2012
Minutes prepared by Ethan Tapper

In Attendance: Reva Seybolt, Andy McEvoy, Ed Thayer, Ethan Tapper, Brad Teeter,, Donn Hewes, Erika Marczak, Rick Thomas.

Whereas: “DAPNet” refers to the Draft Animal Power Network, “BOD” refers to the DAPNet Board of Directors, “P and E” refers to the DAPNet Programs and Events committee, “Comm. Comm.” Refers to the DAPNet Communications Committee, “FC” refers to the Finance Committee, “EC” refers to the DAPNet Executive committee, and “NEAPFD” refers to Northeast Animal Power Field Days.

1. Minutes
– Minutes for the September 14, 2012 BOD meeting, as well as the September 15, 2012 DAPNet annual meeting were approved by consensus.

2. Election of officers and moderator
– A slate of officers was put forward by the EC: Reva Seybolt for president, Brad Teeter for Secretary, Andy Carson for Treasurer and Rick Thomas for Moderator.
– The slate was passed by a consensus of the BOD.
– Newly elected officers spoke about things

3. Meeting schedule for the year
– The question was put to the BOD: if we should meet every month, every other month throughout the year, or every month in the winter and every other in summer
– The BOD decided to meet every month in winter every other in summer (starting in April 2013). .

4. Committee Report questions
– Comm comm→ Not sent out yet. Ethan will send out after the meeting.
– P and E minutes have been posted, no comments.
– Finance – minutes posted, no comments.

5. Treasurer’s Report –
– We have cash flow through 9/30/. Additional questions should be sent to Reva. DAPNet has $11,030 plus $5000 from a grant.
– No questions were posed
– Each committee is responsible for putting together their budget and getting them to the treasurer by the December 2012 meeting. Finance committee will pull everything together and issue the DAPNet 2013 budget.

6. Administrator
– Reva and Tim prepared notes from their September 13 meeting with Jean. One highlight is that DAPNet needs a better way of handling membership.
– Jean will remain our administrator through the rest of the year
– Jean’s job responsibilities will be split up between BOD members/committees until we get a new administrator.
– Jean will still do newsletter layout.
– Should DAPNet look to hire another administrator right away? Run an ad in October newsletter? Check in with other applicants that applied last time we advertised for an administrator?
– The BOD agreed that EC should move forward with advertising for position.
– The candidate will raise part of their own funds

7. Nominating committee/ new committee members
– Pam has resigned. Reva will go to Blue Star Equiculture next week to meet with her and a possible intern.
→ the BOD accepted her resignation by consensus.
– Pam will continue to help with comm. Comm. and offer up a potential intern’s services to DAPNet.
-Reva proposed that we take time to consider potential board members before deciding who should fill Pam’s seat. EC will hear any suggestions.
– Jean does not want to be on the BOD this year, but perhaps in future years.

8. NEAPFD
– The Planning committee wants the BOD’s blessing to do a contract with Barton venue for 3 days in September not conflicting w/ Tunbridge Fair or Common Ground Fair.
→ BOD concerns: the placement of this venue may make attending NEAPFD more difficult for southern members. Conversely, it will make the event more accessible to northern members (Maine, Canada).
– The BOD reached a consensus to settle on a contract w/ a “pull-out” date.
– We need an improved sponsor packet → this will be taken care of by comm. Comm.
– The NEAPFD coordinator proposed at the 9/14/12 BOD meeting will not be running the event. The Planning committee needs help finding candidates to run NEAPFD
→ Question: Should DAPNet administrator and NEAPFD coordinator jobs be combined?
– DAPNet should advertise for 2 spearate positions with the potential to combine if the right candidate applied.

9.DAPNet Networking
– Andy M. :should we be plowing ahead with so many initiatives, rather than focusing on networking and connecting?
– Are we becoming a draft animal power advocacy organization, rather than sticking to our mission of networking people and organizations?

10. BOD communication
– Headings in subject lines of emails should explicitly state who the email is going out to (committee name, BOD) followed by subject.
– “Reply alls” should be used very judiciously.
– The forum should be used for minutes, finance reports and committee reports.

[Ethan Tapper]

(Revised) Agenda for BOD meeting 10/14

1. Minutes – Ethan – 5 mins
2. Election of officers and moderator – Tim
- 15 mins
3. Meeting schedule for the year– EC suggestions – Ethan – 5 mins
4. Committee Report questions – Moderator – 10 mins
5. Treasurer’s Report – Reva – 10 mins
6. Administrator – Reva & Tim
- 10 mins
7. Nominating committee/ new committee members- Reva & Ethan
- 15 mins
8. Field Days – Erika -10 mins
9. Tim’s diagram/committee missions – Tim – 10 mins
10. DAPNet Networking — Andy M — 15 mins
11. BOD communication – Ethan and Tim – 5 mins

[Ethan Tapper]

# 2

POSSIBLE DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATOR’S JOB – Oct 2012 ADMIN: DONORS/GRANTS:

Treasurer: manage bank accounts & fins RuralVT contact
Pay bills, deposit dues & income Track Sponsors
VT& IRS contact Thank yous
Budget prep & updates Annual solicitation
BoD meeting Fins Grant writing support
Insurance

Secretary: address for mail prep – Moderator minutes for BoD Meetings & Annual Meeting Logo supplies Telephone answering

MEMBERSHIP: Maintain base Annual solicitation Track dues with treas

EVENTS: 2012 – Athol –BradT & Treas 2013 – ?

WEBSITE: 2012 – Jen & ?

This is the Administrator’s job description divided among officers and committees. This could be shifted in steps. Logo and telephone could be other than the secretary. ComCom and the Secretary would have to oversee membership, newsletter, and the website.

[Ethan Tapper]

Agreed. I think I told a story on this forum of a forester whose first experience with horse-logging was seeing a horse logger skidding a log down a brook… It takes a lot of skill and consciousness to do a good job in the woods, not just a good set up.

I do see examples of, as Carl said, ‘compromised’ forestry to enable the use of these machines. I don’t really know if, if you looked at just it effects on soils, these type of machine should ever be in the woods, and no operator can change that type of effect that his machine has. That alone is a huge compromise, but it also extends to silviculture and residual stand objectives and standards. I also know that the performance of these operators is pressured by the financial strain of owning many hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment… You have to cut a lot of wood to pay the crew, fix the machines and make those loan payments. Foresters know this and have to put them somewhere where they will be able to work fast and cut a lot of wood.

But, again, more and more it seems like I would rather see this type of woods work done than have people use more fossil fuel intensive building materials for their houses, or than let the land be cleared for development. In providing wood products (which these large operations do the bulk of), we in some ways pick the lesser of two evils.

[Ethan Tapper]

That makes sense to me.

[Ethan Tapper]

Ann,
Nice to have another person from the west coast here! Seems like our community is reaching out your way more and more these days. It sounds like you have a great setup out there. I also am working Shires right now and really like them.

I, like Chum, would like to see your invention. If you are planning on selling your tool, consider becoming a business member of DAPNet (see draftanimalpowernetwork.org) and getting listed in our Web Business Directory, or advertising in one of our publications. By the sound of it, people in our community would be really interesting in checking the Anny’s all-in-one.

Otherwise, it sounds like you have some expertise and passion about draft animal power to share, and we can’t get enough of that around here.

Welcome the network! We’re glad to have you.
Ethan

[Ethan Tapper]

I don’t know what prices you are getting over there for hemlock sawtimber vs. pulp, but in New York the pulp market is pretty strong right now. I am working for a forest management firm that sends all their hemlock logs to pulp markets, because by the time they get those sawlogs up to Canada (granted, in their case it goes via a concentration yard) the price isn’t any better than pulp. They also work on a very different scale from most horse loggers, so maybe this isn’t applicable.

However, I would think about a more local pulp market (they are buying in NY) which shipping a small load to might not be such a big deal. By the time you take into account the price drop you are likely to get from shipping old logs, it might be worth it.

I have also talked to a horse logger who ships his own wood, a thousand board feet at a time, on a trailer behind his truck. If you find a local buyer, that could be an option (though a hassle at this time of year).

[Ethan Tapper]

Well Stacy, welcome!

Glad to hear that you have big plans with draft animals, and some good equipment to start with. It’s good to see folks from the Western US on the forum. Browse the forum to find helpful resources and meet the great resources that the members of our community are.

Also, you should know that this website is maintained by the Draft Animal Power Network (DAPNet), a non profit organization that also runs events, puts out quarterly print newsletters (and e-newsletteers) and connects people and organizations that are interested in draft animal power. To check us out visit our resource website at draftanimalpowernetwork.org (or click the ‘draft animal network’ button at the top of the screen) and you see about what we are doing and how to get involved in our organization through becoming a member, donor, volunteer, etc.

We’re glad to have you. Welcome to the network!

Ethan Tapper
Secretary, the Draft Animal Power Network (DAPNet)

[Ethan Tapper]

Has anyone tried just standing with the team and correcting them with the lines every time they mess with the pole? I know that chewing on stuff can be a larger problem for horses, but it seems to me that standing manners are like any other manners and should be trained. Even if a check rein kept the horse’s head above the pole (which I’m not sure it could/should) I wonder if that’s really the best solution. Maybe it is, just wondering.

[Ethan Tapper]

Just keeping everybody thinking about this $1000 challenge. This Friday (5/25) is the deadline, so if you’re thinking about becoming a sponsor, donor, or advertiser please act now! We need all the help and support we can get to make this summer newsletter a success for DAPNet and our community!

[Ethan Tapper]

Me too. Sorry, guys. Next Monday is good.

[Ethan Tapper]

Hi there ‘k’,
Welcome to the forum and to the Draft Animal Power Network (DAPNet) community. There are a couple options that you could check out up my way, if you are willing to make the significant drive, Natural Roots Farm and the Green Mountain Draft Horse Associations clinics. I’m guessing there are options closer to you, however. Looking at the forum’s member map (see ‘direct link to member map’ on the forum homepage) there are a couple of folks in your area. You might look at that map and see about contacting those folks.

Welcome to the network!
Ethan

[Ethan Tapper]

Welcome Dmitry, glad to meet you. I think you are our first Russian member, but I’ll bet you won’t be the last.

The organization that runs this forum is called the Draft Animal Power Network (DAPNet), and you can check out our organization website (draftanimalpowernetwork.org) to see what we do or become a member.

Otherwise, enjoy the forum, and welcome to the network!

[Ethan Tapper]

This is a bit of a tangent (from what it sounds like the wood gasification that you guys are talking about is), but at UMaine they are working on a process to refine wood into gasoline (see link below)… I find it a little scary (more so than what you all are talking about).

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/18/us-cellulose-oil-idUSTRE79H6SL20111018

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