American Association of Pesticide Safety Educators

Minutes of the First Annual Meeting --- April 14, 1993

The American Association of Pesticide Safety Educators met in the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans, Louisiana on April 14, 1993. This was the first official meeting of this group and involved the election of officers, a Board of Directors, the collection of membership dues, the discussion of strategies and key issues, and the posing for a group photograph of charter members. . There were 57 persons attended and signed the attendance roster. 

Details

The American Association of Pesticide Safety Educators (formerly called the National Extension Pesticide Educators Association) met as a group in New Orleans, Louisiana as part of the National Pesticide Educators Meeting. The meeting was called to order by Norman Nesheim, Extension Pesticide Coordinator, University of Florida, at 7:00 p.m. on April 14, 1993. Norm asked Susan Whitney, Pesticide Coordinator, University of Delaware, to summarize the minutes of the last organizational meeting held on April 17, 1991. Norm asked for acceptance of the minutes. Since that time, a group of coordinators, headed by Barry Brennen, Pesticide Coordinator, University of Hawaii, has worked to pull the group together, including drafting a constitution and by-laws.

A motion was made to accept the minutes as read. The motion was seconded and voted on by the group. The minutes were approved as read.

Norm then asked for a report from the Chairman of the Constitution & By-Laws Committee (Barry Brennen). A discussion followed including minor changes to several sections of the By-Laws. A discussion followed and a motion was made to approve the Constitution and By-Laws as reported. The motion was seconded and passed.

After passing the new Constitution, the group broke into a recess to fill in membership forms, pay an initiation dues of $25.00, and to sign the Constitution.

The group convened again. The By-Laws were read by the committee and Norm asked the group for a motion to adopt the By-Laws. At that point a motion was made, seconded and the By-Laws were adopted.

Dr. Nesheim asked for a report of the nominations committee who worked at an earlier date to compile names for nominations to APPSE offices. Members included: Don Rutz (Cornell), Ruth Morgan (Mississippi State University), Don Cress (Kansas State University) and Barry Brennen (University of Hawaii))

Nominations were made from the committee and the nominations were voted into office as follows:
 

The group recessed to take photographs of the officers and Bud Paulson, President of APPCO, who was the first charter member of APPSE. The group convened with Mac Horton as president. Mac thanked Barry Brennen for his hard work to establish the organization. Mac recommended that the first job of the awards and recognition committee was to send a plaque of special recognition to Barry's Dean for presentation to Barry and to recognize Barry as the group's first past president.

The group was then broken into the four regions to elect representatives to the APPSE Board of Directors. The following are the results of that election. 


   

The group reconvened after some pictures were taken. Mac Horton thanked Bud Paulson and welcomed him as the first charter member of APPSE. Mac then adjourned the meeting.

Following the meeting the Board of Directors and Officers met to discuss future issues and directions of the new organization. The following are minutes of that meeting.

John Impson, National Program Leader, PAT, USDA/ES, addressed the group. John identified areas which needed to be addressed by APPSE during the next few years. Until committees are appointed, action and direction on these issues was inappropriate at this time.

John suggested that APPSE work with him to draft a position paper on the future funding and program organization. This should be reviewed by members and through the committees. It would include direction and budget needs and should be finalized in time to prepare for the 1995-96 budgets.

John indicated that information was needed immediately for the FY95 budget. PAT was in a good position for permanent USDA funding. The PAT budget items and direction was being prepared in a two page paper for OMB and Congress. The budget would be around $18 million, with $9 million coming from USDA and another $9 million from EPA.

John indicated that no changes were needed for the Plan of Work for 1995. They are looking for a review of the POW in 1996. A committee should look at the PAT POW for the next four years. APPSE committees could be involved in program changes.

Special projects included contracts and grants sent to a steering and review committee. USDA needs recommendations on how to spend the money and standards for review. Also there was need for review of existing educational materials. The National Ag. Library was a current repository, but this needed to be looked at and there was further need for a good repository.

Mac Horton the committees needed to be organized and most of the members would come from a list of volunteers (listed on the membership application). Some of the tasks needed to be accomplished during the next 15 months included: formal finalization and publication of the By-Laws and Constitution, a record of what needs to be done and publication of the minutes, a list of committees, an accounting of the funds, a membership list, organization of the next meeting, a history, and communication by E-mail to the group. The Board should work with John Impson to tackle some of the issues, review and correct the APPSE documents, make decisions on membership and voting and committee appointments, links with APPCO, and incorporate the organization.

A brief discussion followed with Vivan Jennings of USDA/ES about the direction of the organization. The meeting was then adjourned.

Submitted Respectfully by Michael J. Weaver, Secretary