2020/2021 OBA Meeting Minutes

For review –

February 14, 2022

Olympia Beekeepers Meeting Minutes
On February 14, 2022, the Olympia Beekeepers met at the Olympia Community Center, with the meeting
beginning at 6:00. Board attendees included David Bruun, VP. Jess Colpitt, Membership, and Steve Walker,
Outreach. Several members joined via Zoom.
The treasurer was not available for a report, but it was noted that funds as of January amounted to about $2500
in the checking account, and about $4500 in savings.
Jess Colpitt reported 44 paid-up members as of meeting date.
The Librarian was not available for a report.
A call was made for any member who is able to take custody of the club’s property, currently stored at Frank
Scolaro’s.
It was noted that the apprentice class is proceeding via Zoom, with Margaret Ho and Gail Booth monitoring.
No journeyman class is currently being held.
By unanimous voice vote, the Vice President was authorized to assume the duties of President, including
inclusion as signature on the club’s bank account.
Steve Walker gave a Powerpoint presentation on nucs and packages.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:45.

September 13, 2021

OBA Club Meeting Agenda

  1. Call meeting to Order 700 pm
  2. Minutes – Approved from June 14, 2021
  3. Membership – Just prior to the meeting our membership count was at 107.
  4. Treasurer – Our Savings Account Totals $4,576.11, Our Checking Account Totals $2,631.76, Cash on Hand Totals $ 54.00
  5. Education – Absent but 1 student showed so club members pitched in and review Chap 1 and Quiz.
  6. Librarian – Announce reminder that book list is on website, and what books were brought for the meeting.
  7. Outreach – No report.
  8. Other announcements –
    1. Board members needed! Elections in November.
    2. December meeting options.

Meeting adjourned. General discussion had.

Prior Meeting Minutes – Approved by Membership

June 14, 2021

OBA Club Meeting Agenda

  1. Call meeting to Order 700 pm
  2. Minutes – Approved from March 9, 2020 & May 10, 2021 Our last meeting’s minutes are posted to the website. Next meeting to be determined.
  3. Membership – Just prior to the meeting our membership count was at 100.
  4. Treasurer – Our Savings Account Totals $4,575.76, Our Checking Account Totals $2,880.16, Cash on Hand Totals $ 54.00
  5. Education
    1. Journeyman Certificate presented to Linda Fuller (congratulations!)
    2. Sign up for Apprentice classes
  6. Librarian
    1. Announce reminder that book list is on website, email Librarian to check out book.
    2. Coordinate OBA returns with Librarian email.
  7. Outreach
    1. Hotline # 360-515-1068 to contact board and report SWARMS.
    2. County fairs closed to public. State fair OPEN and looking for volunteers Aug.
    3. Glen Bushman Pollinator Garden coordination and sign up.
    4. Club Apiaries:
      1. Gov. Mansion on hold
      2. Airport died over winter. Still managed by Frank
      3. Tenino Heritage School opportunity. More info needed for proposal.
  1. Other announcements –
    1. Board members needed! Need dedicated members to continue the joy of OBA, BONUS- be part of the inner circle of all the happenings of Honey Bees!
    2. WASBA Conference Oct. 2-3 at the new WSU Bee Research Facility in Othello, WA.
    3. Cascadia Venom Collection for hornet nest removal 360-866-1834
    4. Summer Picnic to be determined.

BREAK FOR CONVERSATIONS AND NETWORKING

  1. Presentation- Honey Bee Sages Panel (Paul Longwell and Jeff Ott)
    1. Get a mentor and be a mentor
    2. Build your own bee gear and remember the ‘bee space’
    3. Treat for Varroa Mites. good info from https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/ and Sam Ramsey
May 10, 2021
OBA Meeting Minutes
  1. Call meeting to Order 6:32 pm
  2. Minutes – We need a secretary. Our last meeting’s minutes are posted to the website. At our June meeting, we will call for approval of those minutes and the ones from today.
  3. Membership
  4. Just prior to the meeting our membership count was at 84.
  5. Treasurer
    1. Our Savings Account Totals $4,575.65
    2. Our Checking Account Totals $2,667.98
    3. Cash on Hand Totals $ 54.00
  6. Education
    1. There is be a presentation at the June meeting about upcoming classes
  7. Librarian
    1. Announce reminder that book list is on website, email Librarian to check out book.
  8. Outreach
    1. Committee – Work on Fair building
    2. Committee – Tenino Apiary opportunity
    3. Board Members needed
  9. Other announcements –
    1. Governor’s Mansion – No bees there
    2. Airport Bees – Ask Frank

Presentation by Paul Longwell about Varroa mites.

Meeting adjourned.

March 9, 2020
OBA Meeting Minutes

Meeting called to order by Maren
New people introduced themselves
Raffle items available on the table so get your tickets at the break

Minutes approved

Membership
Just prior to our meeting the membership was 71 Please pay your dues for 2020.

Treasurer reported savings account total was $4574.05 and checking as $2,114.53.

Education:
Reminder the Washington State Apprentice class begins at 6 here in the cafeteria. Sustainability Apiaries Club meets in the library from 6-7 pm before our general meeting. Accelerated apprentice classes will be starting March 24. Thanks to Tim and Shelby Weible. Look for bee cruze information and availability.
Gail is our contact person for education

Lynn, our librarian, reminded folks to return books that have been out for several months. She brought a few books as well as a list for people to look at and she will bring them if anyone wants them. Go to OBA.org where there is a list of books available
There is a podcast once a week called Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Outreach
Tammy taught a beginning class, through Lacey Park and Rec in February. We have an observation hive if anyone wants to use it.

We are starting a pollinator garden and need volunteers.

Mason bee cocoons can be purchased. Maren has seller contact information.

There is a survey we would like people to fill out regarding the bee vendors last month.

If you are interested in being a mentor or need a mentor, there are forms on the table to be filled out to match up people.

Break
Raffle
Introduction about our program for tonight which is mason bees taught by Ron

February 10, 2020
OBA Meeting Minutes

Maren called the meeting to order.
There were some new people
Announced that there are bee vendors here
Motion made and seconded to approve minutes from January. Voted to approve. Only 22 people came last month in the bad weather.

Thanks to Margaret Ho for teaching apprenticeship class.
Asked for approval of Jessica Colpitt as new membership chair. Approved unanimously.

Lynn Phillipi, librarian, brought books that teach about swarming and native plants for bees. Subscribe to free gardening magazine or seed catalog to learn about plants that provide nectar and pollen. She also brought a book about sun hives; similar to skep.

Need to replace mentorship chair. Let us know if you are interested. Discussed hives we keep at mansion.
We are planting a pollinator garden to help get OBA introduced to the public. There is a signup on the table for volunteer opportunities.
There are tickets available for purchase for raffle.

Six bee vendors from as far away as Seattle are here to discuss and sell their packages and nucs. Robbins Honey Farm, Dolce Bella Bees, Schaffer’s Honey Bee Farm, Rainy Day Bees, Beeline of Washington, Wood’s Bee Co.

Liz has brought her cork hive for show and tell.

Jeff and friends have a podcast on beginning beekeeping, beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Put out yellow jacket traps now baited with meat, fruit, juice, sugar to catch queens.

We are now offering an accelerated apprentice beekeeper class. It is limited to 40 students and almost filled.

Meeting continued with members talking to bee vendors. Raffle held about 7:45.
Talking to bee vendors continued.

January 13, 2020
OBA Meeting Minutes

Welcome by Maren.
Glad you made it through the weather Any new people?

Minutes

Motion and second and vote approving Minutes from November meeting

Updates on club hives. All our airport hives have perished

What will happen to empty hives at the airport? Suggestions entertained Mansion hives – Maren found smaller one more vigorous than larger one We need more volunteers to keep bees at airport and mansion.

Volunteer at fairs will be a learning experience. Get more hands-on experience there Jacqueline and Susan had to cancel so we will be discussing bee purchases tonight Getting plant and funding together for the pollinator garden

Friends of Rocky Prairie trying to prevent port of Tacoma from purchasing pollinator habitat for industrialization.

What plants are best for bees and other pollinators? Melissa Garden site is one resource

Librarian asked for books out for months to be returned and brought books that might be of interest

Some chairs are out sick so there will be no report from those committees Club will not endorse any certain bee seller

Membership renewal starts tonight Break then a discussion of bee purchases

Andy P: good results from package per member – Jeff

Tammy is a proponent of nuc to give bees a head start. You need to know how long bees have been in nuc box so you aren’t buying bees just put into box

Roy presented a list of bee sources in this area and more places will be added to the list  We might have a bee fair. Vendors will be invited to have a table in the hall where they can

present their bees and bees might be purchased at that time. A motion was made and approved to send an invitation to those on the list

Raffle numbers called

Program for the next 3 months have been planned for the sustainability group We may have an accelerated apprenticeship class

The meeting was adjourned early before the weather gets bad.