Board President Richard Shumway called the executive board meeting of the American Agricultural Economics Association to order on April 26, 1999 at 2:30 p.m.

1. The minutes of the February 26-27 Executive Board meeting held in San Francisco were reviewed and approved as distributed.

2. Richard Shumway presented options for the location of AAEA's Annual Meeting for the year 2000. Nancy Herselius reviewed three cities' facilities and strategic locations. Discussion followed on the locations.
Motion: Walt Armbruster moved Baltimore, Maryland be the site of the AAEA Annual Meeting in 2000. Steve Buccola seconded. Approved.

3. A Bylaws Review Committee proposal to make the bylaws match the action of the board in August 1998, (the change would be to Article VIII Elections, Section 1. Ballots), was discussed by the board.
Motion: John Antle moved the change be made with the modification that "by first class mail" be dropped." Seconded by Steve Buccola. Approved.

The article will read as follows with underscores being additions and strikeouts deletions.

ARTICLE VIII. ELECTIONS

Section 1. Ballots
(a) Not later than April 15 of each year, the business AAEA office shall send by first class mail an official ballot and an official envelope to each member of the association having voting rights. will notify all members of the upcoming election. Voting rights are determined by the payment of dues before April 1. Thus, each member of the association who has paid the dues for that year as of April 1 is eligible to vote. Members may vote by electronic or mail ballot. Each member of the association who has paid dues for the current year as of April 1, is eligible to vote.

3. Walt Armbruster presented recommendations from the Constitution and Bylaws Review Committee for changes to the Constitution and Bylaws (attached). Discussion followed.
Motion: Walt Armbruster moved the recommendation from the Bylaws Review Committee be approved. J.B. Penn seconded.

Motion: Walt Armbruster moved to amend the recommended constitution changes by moving Article XIII into Article V, Section 5, pending legal review. Article XIV will become XIII and all articles after numbered consecutively. John Antle seconded. Approved.

The amended motion was approved.

The board discussed procedures for presenting the proposed constitutional changes to the AAEA membership and providing opportunity for comment and debate before the 1999 AAEA Annual Meeting. Prior to the Annual Meeting the recommendations will be posted on the AAEA web site for Bulletin Board discussion. Changes will be noted along with their reasons for change. Walt Armbruster and Julie Caswell will respond to questions from the membership.

4. Walt Armbruster presented the Choices Editor Selection Committee proposal. The selection committee consisted of J.B Penn, Walt Armbruster, and Bob Taylor. The committee recommended offering the editorship to Paul Barkley beginning with the first quarter issue of 2000 and scheduling a planning session on Choices in conjunction with the AAEA Annual Meeting. The session will address the mission of Choices, editorial style, audience, and outsourcing options.
Motion: Walt Armbruster moved to accept the recommendations that Paul Barkley be appointed editor of Choices with a three year contract, an annual budget of $25,000 plus expenses of $6,000-$7,500 be provided, and planning session be held this summer. J.B. Penn seconded. Approved.

5. AJAE outsourcing progress was reported by John Antle. AAEA has sent a reply to Blackwell
Publishers regarding their proposed contract. The AJAE Outsourcing Committee is waiting for a revision from Blackwell. The second contract will be sent out for legal review.

6. Steve Buccola reported the Essay Committee is progressing and will present a report at the AAEA Annual Meeting in Nashville. Paul Barkley will be involved in the committee's discussions as the new Choices editor.

The meeting was adjourned 4:20 p.m., Monday, April 26.

Respectively submitted by,

Donna F. Dunn