General Meeting (March 2021)

The Capital Regional Beekeepers Association (CRBA) meets on the second Thursday of every month.

This meeting usually starts with a beginners/intermediate beekeeper corner 30 minutes before the regular club proceedings start around 7pm.

Agenda

6:30PM

• Welcome
  Confirmation of membership and quorum present on-line

AGM Agenda

• Minutes of 2020 Annual General Meeting
• Overview of 2020 – Bill F
• Financial Statement for 2020 – Kazlyn B
• Budget for 2021 – Kazlyn B
• Call for candidates and election of First Vice President
• Call for candidates and election of Second Vice President
• Motion to confirm Simon Lightbody as Secretary for 2020 and 2021
• Motion to confirm Nicole Sleeth as Membership Secretary for 2020 and 2021
• Call for candidates and election of Treasurer
• Call for candidates and election of Directors at Large
• Presentation of administrative changes to Constitution and By-laws – Simon L
• Motion to accept Special Resolution to amend By-laws
• Motion to adjourn the Annual General Meeting

7:00PM

• What to do in March and April – Larry L
• Q&A What’s top of mind for you. Give us your questions and we’ll give you a whole bunch of disparate answers as good as any bunch of beekeepers can possibly offer!
• Just So Ya Know – Everyone

7:45PM

• New beekeepers corner – Don L

8:30PM

• Close

AGM Minutes

Chair – Bill Fosdick (President)

Bill Fosdick called the Annual General Meeting to order at 6:XX PM.

Quorum was met. XX members were present via Zoom.

Bill presented the agenda for the AGM.

Motion: I move to accept the agenda for the AGM of the CRBA was made by XXXX, seconded by XXXX. Motion carried.

A motion for acceptance of the minutes from the March 12, 2020 AGM was made by XXX, seconded by XXXX. Motion carried.

Presentation of the Annual Report of the CRBA was made by Bill Fosdick.

Election of CRBA Executive:

• 1st Vice President – 2 year term – from March, 2021 to March, 2023
  Nominee: Don Lambert
  Nominations from the floor were requested. There were no nominations from the floor. Don Lambert was acclaimed 1st Vice President.
• 2nd Vice President – 2 year term – March, 2021 to March, 2023
  Nominee: Carloyn Hissen
  Nominations from the floor were requested. There were no nominations from the floor. Carolyn Hissen was acclaimed 2nd Vice President.
• Treasurer – 2 year term – March, 2021 to March, 2023
  Nominee: Rinah Kline
  Nominations from the floor requested. There were no nominations from the floor. Rinah Kline was acclaimed as Treasurer.
• Confirmation of Secretary and Membership Secretary Positions:
  In the 2020 AGM, there were no nominees for these positions. Therefore, the executive appointed Simon Lightbody to the Secretary position and Nicole Sleeth to the Membership Secretary position after the meeting. A motion to confirm the remainder of the Secretary and Membership Secretary’s terms until the March 2022 AGM was made by Bill Fosdick, seconded by Carolyn Hissen. Motion carried.

Introduction of Directors at large for 2021 was made. Cindy Parker, Kazlyn Bonner and Victoria Schedel have volunteered to serve in these rolls for 2021.

Presentation of the 2020 Annual Financial Statements and 2021 Annual Budget was made by Kazlyn Bonner.

A motion to accept the Annual Financial Statements as presented was made by Simon Lightbody, seconded by Don Lambert. Motion carried.

A motion to accept the Annual Budget was made by Simon Lightbody, seconded by Bill Fosdick. Motion carried.

Special Resolution (Bylaw Amendments):

A presentation of the proposed bylaw amendments was made by Simon Lightbody. Several minor edits were discussed and made during the presentation.

A motion to accept the proposed Bylaw Amendments as further amended in the meeting was made by Simon Lightbody, seconded by Nicole Sleeth. Motion carried.

A motion to close the Annual General Meeting was made by Simon Lightbody, seconded by Don Lambert. The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned at 7:33PM

Regular meeting minutes

Meeting started at 7:34pm (via Zoom)

Don begins the Regular meeting (approx. 46 attendees)

Larry What to do in March

• Feed. Lots of food being used at this time of year
• Clear entrances.
• Reverse – ensure bottom super empty if going to top.
• Are you going to re-queen this year.
• If above 12C can take hive apart and clean bottom board. If bottom empty and not reversing, can remove.
• Check for laying queen.
• Feed warm syrup.
• Doesn’t hurt to add pollen patty.
• Check for disease including varroa.
• Ensure mouse guards clear.
• Determine if new equipment needed.
• Queens may be available from overwintered nucs.
• Earliest local queens around 9th of May.
• Imports may be available earlier.
• A story…

Questions:

• Some NZ bees packages have died in transit.
  • Seems there have been some issues.
  • Keep records and photos if you have an issue.
• Does anyone use pro-biotics?
  • Tara may have tried this.
  • Urban bee may use it.
• Kate is selling the Catchy Wasp trap
• Best to catch the queens in the spring.
• Email in the Beeline
• Question about Ethical Bees
  • There were some complaints on the Facebook page last year. There was indication from the company that they would try to work things out. May be able to contact them through the Facebook thread.
• Kate missing an 8 frame box from Iotron trip if anyone comes across it.
• Heads up that there is some confusion on whether comb sent to Iotron requires inspection before sale.
• Bees seem to be accepting the “creamed” honey created by the Iotron.
• Any issue with hives being stolen? No reports.
• Any issues with bears? People in the highlands, Metchosin, Sooke, Cowichan have issues. Ratchet strap as tight as you can. Any suggestions other than ratchet or electric fence? Electric fence is about the same value as a colony. 12-15 foot ratchet straps are recommended.
• At what temperature should you take the winter wrap and moisture board off your hive? Don answers that there is information from the UK that you can leave insulation on. Leave on until the nighttime temperatures are consistently well above freezing at night.
• Nicole is making a list of mentors for the website.
• Beeculture magazine subscription has been renewed.
• New Beekeeper’s Corner
  • Don does a show and tell on beekeeping equipment and starting with a nucleus.
  • How does a clumsy person mark a queen? Nailpolish and the little cages you can buy. One quick dab. Practice on drones.
  • Saskatraz Bees
    • Don has issues getting NZ queens through winter.
    • Transporting queens (and bees) is an issue.
    • Local bred are generally better.
    • Saskatraz are said to have some varroa resistance
  • Mite treatments at this time of year? Lots of opinions
    • Some say don’t open hive for a while.
    • Some say you’ll burn larvae.
    • If mites are getting away on you, you may have to treat.
    • Oxalic or formic are the options. Likely too cold for formic. Oxalic doesn’t get mites in brood.
    • Probably ok to wait a little while they build up.
• Meeting adjourned at 8:39pm