Aug 21, 2021
OKIAAI Board Minutes 8/21/21
Date: August 21, 2021
Time: 10:17 a.m.
Location: Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Call to Order
Made by President Bill Hollander.
Roll Call
Present at Meeting: Bill Hollander (Pres.), Chris Woodall (1st VP), Ashley Stephens (2nd VP), Tim Reeves (2nd yr.), Rodd DeSmet (2nd yr.), Steve Rhodes (1st yr.), Jim Wilhelm (1st yr.), Renee Southerland (Secretary)
Absent at Meeting: David VanBuskirk (Past Pres.), Fred Henderson (3rd yr.), Jeremy Robbins (3rd yr.), Jonathan Wilk (Treasurer)
Reading and Approval of Minutes
Bill Hollander read the July minutes, Todd DeSmet made a motion to accept the Minutes, Seconded by Ashley Stephens, motion carried and approved.
Membership
One new member, David Vesely. Bill Hollander made the motion to approve his membership, seconded by Tim Reeves, motion carried and approved.
Treasurer’s Report
Since the Treasurer was absent, the Treasurer’s Report will be presented in the September meeting. Renee Southerland will be meeting with Jonathan Wilk in a few days to provide him with check payments she has received in the last month so that those can be deposited.
CFI
None.
Website
There were no website changes, however, Dan will need to add in a list of sponsors and vendors when Renee has that list prepared. Chris Woodall also advised that NEFCO has advised they want to do “more” for the organization and possibly pay to have their company advertise on our website as they had stated to Chris Woodall it was done on other chapters’ websites. It was requested to check with Dan regarding the cost associated with adding some sort of advertisement or banner on our website.
Annual Conference
- Chris Woodall – Dan Gottuk is now speaking instead of Tripp Wagner on the same topics and Bill Cathcart will add additional information as well. One of the presentations from Dan will be on OSAC, Organization of Scientific Area Committees, and Chris will get his info.
- Todd DeSmet – Need Dan’s information and Ashley will send that to Todd.
- Renee Southerland – Bill Cathcart has coordinated with the past Oklahoma Arson Advisory Council representative regarding a presentation they want to make to the Burn Camp during the conference.
- Chris Woodall – The presentations from Custer and Abraham will not overlap.
- Tim Reeves – Wants to make sure we have boxes of masks available and Renee will get those purchased.
- Bill Hollander – Wants to also put hand sanitizer at each table.
- Chris Woodall – Wants to discuss raising the vendor cost but this is going to be tabled for next year after the conference.
- Ashley Stephens – An announcement can be made at the beginning of each conference that if you are not feeling well to go ahead and leave the conference.
- Tim Reeves – Was able to secure $1,000 from the Quapaw Tribe and also received ten pounds of ham, roast, and brisket for the raffle. An ice chest needs to be purchased. This meat is from the Quapaw Cattle Company.
- Renee Southerland – Advised Curtis and Conner are still deciding what to buy to give away in the raffle as they are purchasing items that total $400-$500.
- Jim Wilhelm – Will buy a freezer and get the meat from Tim to transport to the conference.
- Tim Reeves – A discussion was had regarding other raffle items that he has been trying to obtain.
- Bill Hollander – Discussion was had regarding snacks and what would be purchased from the casino and who would be sponsoring those snack items throughout the day since we have received sponsor money. Menu was reviewed and it was decided to get two snacks each morning and two snacks each afternoon. Motion was made by Bill Hollander to accept these snack choices, seconded by Ashley Stephens, motion carried and approved. Renee will order.
- Ashley Stephens – Will submit documents from the speakers to the Oklahoma Bar Association for Continuing Education approval and will pay that amount and get reimbursed from the treasurer at a later date.
- Tim Reeves – Wants coffee in the room but coffee is available for free at the drink stations at the casino.
- Renee Southerland – Passed around photo contest pictures that she had received. It was decided to pend the voting on who would win the arson and accidental contests until the next meeting since the deadline is October 1st for the contest pictures to be submitted to the organization.
- Bill Hollander – We need to change the submission date for the photographs to 9/1 instead of 10/1 for the next year’s conference.
- Jim Wilhelm – Will call Neal Moore to double-check his attendance for the conference so that he can get his award.
Old Business
Todd DeSmet advised that the Oklahoma Claims Association would like for us to set out a vendor booth for our organization on September 17 at their annual conference. Chris Woodall advised he could man the booth that day and Jim Wilhelm advised he could man it for the first half of the day. It was requested that a foam board of the agenda be made along with membership form copies, a scholarship award, and a bowl for business cards (to give away the scholarship for the conference), as well as getting candy for the table.
New Business
Renee Southerland purchased flowers for Dave Hallman’s funeral and would like to be reimbursed. Chris Woodall made a motion for reimbursement, seconded by Todd DeSmet, motion carried and approved.
Next Meeting
Next meeting will be Thursday, September 30, 2021, at Farm Bureau in Tulsa at 10:00 a.m. A motion to adjourn was made by Todd DeSmet and was seconded by Chris Woodall, motion carried and approved.