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Mid Atlantic Pond Life
Issue No. 6, Sept. 2016 2016
MID ATLANTIC POND LIFE The MAKC Newsletter Published by The Hudson Valley Koi and Water Garden Club
Jo Mead Tells All! From the level of member participation to financial reporting, MAKC President Jo Mead addresses a wide range of topics in this exclusive interview with Pond Life Pond Life: How do you see your role as MAKC President?
more people coming into the club now that never had fish before and they’re running Jo Mead: Promoting the koi into a lot of problems. The hobby and promoting fish biggest challenge is when health and conservation too. people come to us when it’s Telling people that unwantan absolute emergency, ed fish shouldn’t be where the pond’s crashing dumped in natural waterand fish are dying because ways, that they can destroy the pond was not set up native plants and fish. Eduproperly to begin with cation. Q: Would you say that’s the organization’s role or your role? JM: That’s the organization’s role, what MAKC stands for. My role, I’m really big into fish health. These animals can live up to 50 years. Let people know they’re not disposable pets; a lot of people feel that they are. Q: What are your greatest challenges you face in fulfilling your role?
In This Issue No holds barred interview with MAKC President Jo Mead
Hudson Valley members focus on fish health at August meeting.
MAKC Trailer and Excess Tanks to be Sold Off Soon
I’m really big into fish health. These animals can live up to 50 years.
or they got very bad advice. That’s the hardest part, peoJM: On fish health, right now I wouldn’t say it’s a real ple coming in at the last minute and they’re very upset to challenge. There are a lot
MAKC will sell its trailer and several show tanks during the coming months, announced VP Herb Ehrich at the Aug. 21 meeting of the Hudson Valley chapter. Herb said about 50 4, 6 and 8 ft. show tanks would be sold to members ‘shortly,’ at prices well below their market value.
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Mid Atlantic Pond Life
Issue No. 6, Sept. 2016
Jo Mead (cont.) Learn that their pond was set up wrong. I can totally understand them. Q: What are your goals for MAKC? How do you think the organization should evolve? JM: It’s really hard; MAKC itself, everyone volunteers. The biggest challenge I’m having is there are things I want to do but it’s really hard to do when I’m handling everything administratively, the secretary, the membership. I can’t do everything. That’s the biggest challenge I have right now, the lack of help administratively for me, it’s frustrating at times.
What, if any, decisions are taken? How does the board/executive committee work? JM: We had a full board meeting last year. This year, a month or two ago, we had a meeting regarding hosting the wet lab. I wanted to see whether the VPs would be interested in participating and everybody said yes. That was the last time the board met. We really don’t meet a lot because there’s not much going on. It’s hard to do things when we don’t have a full board. When things come up, we’ll get together to make decisions. We’re really not following the bylaws to the letter. But you can only do what
Q: What’s your evaluation of the interest level and participation in MAKC by the membership? Are you satisfied with it? If not, what can/should be done?
I can’t do everything.
We really don’t meet a lot because there’s not much going on.
JM: When I first became president of MAKC there were only about 40 to 49 members. Now, a couple of years later, we’re almost up to 100 members. There are a lot more people coming in. I see a rise in pond ownership. I was hoping that with more people coming in, we could get more help administratively, help to run the club.
you can do with the participation you have. I’m not slamming anybody. I understand that people have really busy lives but it can get frustrating. You feel as if you’re on your own little island.
The club is slowly coming back. I understand that everyone has busy lives but we could use a little help. I don’t know what to do to encourage people to take the extra step to volunteer.
Q: With growing membership and active participation, there seems to be new energy and enthusiasm within the Hudson Valley chapter. How do the other chapters compare?
Q: The MAKC officers never report back to the membership. Do the officers meet on a regular basis?
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Mid Atlantic Pond Life
Jo Mead (cont.) JM: The Hudson Valley in the past few years has become the most active chapter. The other chapters are also experiencing growth slowly. When I came on board there were 40 to 50 members and now people are coming back to makc. Each chapter is slowly growing. The central chapter is second most growth. Q: Members receive no information on MAKC finances, nothing about the group’s assets, revenue from dues, spending or anything. Do you think this is ok? If not, what can be done about it? JM: Everybody on the board is a volunteer. Some people have full time jobs. I spoke to Anthony about it and he said he really can’t do one every month, reporting on the finances of the club, but we’re going to start doing it, reporting on club finances on a quarterly basis.
We’re going to start reporting on the finances of the club on a quarterly basis. Q: When will that start? JM: I’m not sure if it’s September or October but we’ll definitely start doing it on a quarterly basis. It’s easier for him to do it quarterly because he runs a full time business. He volunteers all his time. For us to pay for a cpa would cost us several hundred dollars a year. Q: You and Herb Ehrich are regularly pictured at events sponsored by Tri-state ZNA Koi Club and MAKC contributes support to ZNA shows. The ZNA
Issue No. 6, Sept. 2016
website asks that Tri-state ZNA membership fees Events and donations be sentUpcoming to you Jo Mead, at, respectively, a PO Box and your home address in Ulster, NY. You were also listed as the depository for vendor registration fees for the annual ZNA show in July and for ZNA banquet tickets. What exactly is your role at Tri-state ZNA? JM: Not this past show, but the show last year, we were helping. Herb was talking about doing koi shows and the ZNA show came up and they wanted to rent our equipment. I Long Island said let’s help them out. In talking to the [ZNA] board, they’re a very young organiI don’t see us melding into zation, only five one club. years old. They weren’t set up the right way with IRS and government. My background is in not-for-profit accounting. I was the senior accountant for 17 ½ years at Marist college. So I guided them; I showed them how to get on the right track so they don’t get into trouble with the IRS and government. They never had anybody who knew the accounting side. I’m a trustee of ZNA, which is really separate from MAKC…. I’ve one more year on their board to help them out and then I’ll send them on their way. They asked me if I could do their accounting for them. It’s one koi club helping another koi club. We’re all in the same hobby. Q: How do you see this relationship evolving over time? Do you expect a merger of some kind? JM: No, I don’t see us melding into one club at all, no. It’s me helping them out.
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Mid Atlantic Pond Life
Jo Mead (cont.) Q: A recent survey of members of the Hudson Valley chapter showed little interest in the kind of koi shows and competitions sponsored by Tri-state ZNA. What’s your reading of overall MAKC membership interest in such events? JM: I get a mixture from the members. Now we’re up to 90 members. Lots of people that we’re having now are really new to fish and ponds. The big push now is fish health, maintenance of your pond. I think maybe in another five years, I can see us starting to do
Issue No. 6, Sept. 2016
I want to know how to do a koi show if it comes Upcoming Events up. I’m taking the experience for a future date, if we have a koi show in the next five or ten years. MAKC used to put on some of the best koi shows in the US back in the 80s, but as the members got older, they took their ponds down. Shows are a lot of work; there’s a lot involved. Q: Is there something you’d like the MAKC members to know?
JM: Yes, I’d like them to remember about the wet lab we’re doing next year in New Jersey. It’s part of fish Long Island health, the next step for fish care. shows. But right We’re going to start reporting on the finances of the club You have an opportunity to hear one of now our core is reon a quarterly basis. the top vets in the ally helping people United States to give out. ZNA is a totally a lecture on fish. If you have a sick fish, you can different ball of wax. The majority of people in bring the fish for the vet to look at, which would ZNA show their fish all over the United States. normally cost over a thousand dollars. Our members like their ponds and the camaraderie and that kind of thing and I think it’s great.
Upcoming Hudson Valley Chapter Events Sept. 18: -3-5 pm - Betsy Moore and Jim Pellicone home, Kingston Oct. 16: - Henry and Cherie Rua home, Saugerties - Lecture on Japanese Tea Gardens and Landscaping Nov. 2016: Possible saki tasting event in early Nov. at
Kingston Wine & Liquor.
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Tell Us What You Think This is YOUR newsletter, a forum for everyone in the MAKC community to express themselves. Let us know what you think about our articles or any issue concerning MAKC. We want to publish your comments, letters or suggestions. Send them to Ken Dreyfack or Paul Tomasko at pondlifenewsletter@gmail.com.
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Mid Atlantic Pond Life
Issue No. 6, Sept. 2016
Hudson Valley Chapter Examines Fish Health Issues & Practices By Ken Dreyfack What started as a cloudy Sunday afternoon ended as a rainy one at Jan and John Remington’s home for the regular August meeting of the Hudson Valley chapter. But the weather did not discourage the 20 participants from attending the Aug. 21 gathering. The main event was a stimulating and fairly comprehensive review of fish health issues and remedies by the very knowledgeable Jennifer Hauer, a recent addition to the chapter. In her presentation, Jennifer underlined the importance of checking water quality and of ob-
serving fish, to understand their behavior and aspect and to be able to spot anomalies. She reviewed various infections and diseases and
described remedies for each, as well as prophylactic measures to prevent health issues from surfacing. Brian Norman explained that he uses potassium permanganate at least once a year. He also stressed the value of adding salt, especially in the fall, to help fish build a healthy slime coat for the winter. Quarantine Tank for Members Herb Ehrich announced that MAKC has a fully equipped quarantine tank that will be available for use by members before the end of summer. He also noted that the club is considering preparing a medicine cabinet that would be available to all MAKC members. Several members recommended Erik L. Johnson’s book, Koi Health and Disease, as the best reference guide. Before breaking into informal groups around a splendid buffet prepared by the hosts, Betsy Moore reported on behalf of the social committee that preparations for the year-end party were advancing but that no venue had been selected yet. Betsy also filled in as secretary in the absence of Cheryl Benken, who could not attend.
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