CORTLAND – Trumbull County Farm Bureau members met at their annual meeting Aug. 8 to honor 10 members with star awards, the state’s highest accolade for local programming.
Committee coordinators achieving this high standard were: Richard Montgomery, public affairs; Robert Banner, safety; Betty and Arden Scott, advisory councils and young farmers; John Parker, information; Richard Houk, marketing; Sandee Smith, membership; Susan Montgomery, promotion and education; and Walter and Mary Horodyski, agricultural ecology.
The membership committee boosted the county’s involvement by 34 members to 4,268, which is a 12-member gain of active farm members.
Praise. Ohio Farm Bureau President Terry McClure was present to congratulate the chairmen and was the evening’s featured speaker.
After two years serving as the county’s president, Glenn Smith installed his wife, Sandee Smith, into the presidential office. Sandee has served as the membership chair for five years, and she and her husband have a crop farm in Mecca.
Students shine. Several students were honored with $600 scholarships. Students receiving this distinction include: Michelle Balino who is attending Mount Union College; Christen Clemson, attending Penn State; Lena Dascenzo, attending Youngstown State University; and Brian Lutz, attending the College of Wooster.
Members also voted in the following board members: Paul Aaron, Fowler; Richard Buchwalter, Johnston; Kathleen Ditommaso, Vienna; Warren McClintock, Fowler; Susan Montgomery, Newton Falls; Arden Scott, Salem; George Sharec, Newton Falls; and Margaret Stanhope, Kinsman.
More money. Without discussion, members voted on changing their code and increasing annual dues to $55. This increase is to fight off the overruns that the budget has incurred in the past three years. Last year’s net loss was nearly $6,500.
This was the first dues increase in 15 years.
In addition, members voted to support various local, state and national policy proposals. At the local level, members chose to back stricter local and state enforcement of all-terrain vehicle registration and trespassing laws. They also voted to encourage more aggressiveness in combating animal rights groups.
Members also support the elimination of the national inheritance tax, as well as supporting a reform of the national immigration policy.
Delegates chosen for the state’s annual meeting in 2003 include Banner, Houk, McClintock and Glenn Smith. Susan Montgomery and Scott will serve as alternates.
(You can contact Kristy Alger at 1-800-837-3419, ext. 23, or by e-mail at kalger@farmanddairy.com.)
