August 2018 Minutes

PO Box 904, Orinda CA 94563

Meeting commenced around 7PM

Reminders:

Membership Dues are due on Sept 15;

One horse: $360

               Two Horse:$720

               Associate: $50

               Riding Partner: $25

Dues not received by Oct. 1 are considered late, and a $10 monthly late fee will apply.

Save the date: Annual Meeting – Saturday September 8 – 4PM Potluck Dinner – At OHA

Work hours: are due in September 30. Please fill out the hours in the work hour’s book, or email them to Diane Livoti on or before September 30

• • 25 hours for one horse per year
  • 40 hours for two per year
  • New members owe at a rate of 2.25 hours per month (For example a member accepted to OHA on August 1, 2018 would owe 4.5 hours at the end of September -2 months x 2.25=4.5 )
  • Members are permitted to pay for up to 50% of their hours, payment should be submitted to the OHA PO Box. OHA needs money, as much as it needs work hours – there is nothing wrong with paying for some of your hours.

 

All Members: Everyone is assigned a pasture team – hay tarping is the shared responsibility of all members:

1. All pasture teams are responsible to tarp their hay on or before August 31.
2. Know your pasture team- It is everyone’s responsibility to be aware of the work, rotation schedule and preparations needed for their pasture assignment
3. Pasture Teams are responsibly for hay area preparation and tarping. If you aren’t assigned to a pasture that has hay being delivered – please reach out to other pastures to assist with this task.

 

MINUTES

Board Members Present:   Linda, Heather, Sally and Anna

• Proposed Agenda – Approved
• Meeting Minutes – Approved
• Review Planning Grid
  • 1. Fall vaccine clinics –
       • Alix will coordinate Ormond
       • Sara S will coordinate Obrien
       • Cheryl will coordinate Alana
• Membership Issues:
  1. As part of the annual process, the board is supposed to review associate memberships. The board decided to defer this to the new board, so that the review would include a review of who has/hasn’t paid dues in September.
  2. Open Spaces –
     1. After many years as a significant contributor to OHA, we are saddened to share that Morris has resigned his membership. The board unanimously agreed he would be granted honorary membership status. This honor is bestowed upon members who have been members for significant periods of time, and allows them to remain part of the organization without owning a horse.
     2. Eddie is working on filling the two open spaces. If you’re interested in being on an interview committee, contact Eddie.
  3. Mentorship List – The board reviewed and provided a list of potential mentors to Eddie. Criteria for mentors included: regularly visiting the pasture, role modeling a cooperative spirit, a desire to help others succeed, and able to support and help new members through feeding season (exemplary feeders who know the herd).

1. EBMUD
   1. EBMUD is asking for tracking on work hours completed – Heather will send out an email with the tracking sheet. It is different from prior years, and is designed to help EBMUD understand how work is being performed on their property.
   2. Wakean will provide work hours for the ring pasture to EBMUD
2. Treasurer’s Report
   1. We will present a retrospective budget at the Annual Membership Meeting
   2. Annual Dues are due on Sept 15 for everyone (proprietary/probationary members owe dues in Sept and June).
3. Grazing rotation

1. Erica shared a tentative proposal.
2. Hay

• • 1. Tarping should be done by the 31^st – pasture teams are responsible for this.
    2. The board approved ordering additional hay to provide hay for the stack on El Toyonal. This will reduce having to move hay, and allowing for hay for purchase.
    3. Michael Bowen is donating a hay tent, and will install it in the Lower Sullivan – Heather and other members have offered to help.
    4. The board voted, and approved the purchase of two chargers

• Capital Improvement Projects

1. The red barn repairs are largely completed – Wakean continues to work on this

• 1. Ring Pasture Fence – Wakean and Linda will coordinate repairs to ring pasture
  2. Lower Pasture corral – we are going to do no climb between pasture/paddock, and the rest of the paddock will have e-fence inside of the existing boundary fencing. Keep your eyes out for work party info.
  3. EBMUD has encouraged us not to fence the pond. Fencing the pond takes a considerable amount of time and effort, and this past year only two horses stayed out. This effort does not seem worth it, and it has been increasingly difficult to get volunteers to unfence/fence the pond. Therefore, the board has decided not to fence the pond, and members who do not want their horses in the pond may keep them in an alternative locations. Members interested in avoiding the pond should consult the board for advice on locations. If a significant number of members want to keep their horses out, and take on the fencing/unfencing work, then they are welcome to approach the board with this proposal.Next Board Meeting – Annual Membership Meeting

     Thank yous: (Email Anna if you want to “toot your horn” and be included in the next Minutes)

1. Everyone who attended the work parties
2. Sally, Wakean & Linda for coordinating work parties
3. Pasture Teams for preparing for hay delivery
4. Allison for managing the feeding schedule
5. Doug for helping with Tarping
6. Dave for managing the hay delivery