NLRA Article - Employee Notice Requirement for Employers – Begins November 15, 2011

Welcome to OSHA’s Campaign to Prevent Heat Illness in Outdoor Workers

HEAT ILLNESS CAN BE DEADLY. Every year, thousands of workers become sick from exposure to heat, and some even die. These illnesses and deaths are preventable.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/index.html

This webpage is part of OSHA’s nationwide outreach campaign to raise awareness among workers and employers about the hazards of working outdoors in hot weather. The educational resources on this website give workers and employers information about heat illnesses and how to prevent them. There are also training tools for employers to use and posters to display at their worksites. Many of the new resources target vulnerable workers with limited reading skills or who do not speak English as a first language. OSHA will continue to add information and tools to this page throughout the summer.

OSHA is also partnering with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on weather service alerts. NOAA’s Heat Watch page now includes worker safety precautions when extreme heat alerts are issued.

We invite you to join in this effort by helping to reach workers and employers in your community with the resources you will find on this site.

Legislative Update from the Nebraska Nursery and Landscape Association

LB 229 received first round approval by the full Legislature on Wednesday.  LB 229 diverts funds from the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund to the fund water management issues.  Diverting funds in the Environmental Trust Fund reduces the availability of funds for the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.
Compromise amendment advances Environmental Trust diversion

By JOE DUGGAN / Lincoln Journal Star JournalStar.com | Posted: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 9:41 am |
A compromise on a controversial bill that would take money from the Nebraska Environmental Trust averted a pitched battle Wednesday and won the proposed legislation first-round approval.

LB229 originally sought to divert $7 million per year for 11 years from the trust to help the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources restore flows in depleted river basins. An amendment reached late Tuesday reduced the withdrawals to $3.3 million per year for three years.

After about 2½ hours of debate Wednesday, senators voted 41-2 to approve the amendment and 41-3 to advance the bill to a second round of debate.

Outside the legislative chambers, the amendment gained approval from an array of hunters, anglers, wildlife conservation groups, environmentalists and farm groups, said Sen. Ken Haar of Malcolm, a supporter of the trust and one of the lawmakers involved in the compromise. Most of them viewed it as better than the alternative.

“For now, the troops are standing down,” Haar said.

The trust receives about $15 million per year from state lottery proceeds, which it distributes for environmental projects through a competitive grants process. Nebraska voters created the trust in 1992 and reaffirmed it by constitutional amendment in 2004.

Voters sent a clear message that they intended the trust to fund the best environmental projects, not earmarks, said Sen. Bill Avery of Lincoln.

Sen. Brenda Council of Omaha said she believes redirecting trust funds is unconstitutional.

“No compromise, in my opinion, can trump or override the will of the people of the state of Nebraska,” she said.

Sen. Chris Langemeier of Schuyler, who wrote the amendment, said the Nebraska attorney general’s office determined the Legislature has the authority to direct how Environmental Trust dollars are spent. Several other senators said that as long as the diverted funds are used on environmental-related projects, they do not violate the spirit of the law.

The amendment requires the Natural Resources Department to follow the same application process others must use when seeking trust grants. But the department can earn bonus points if its applications are matched dollar-for-dollar by general fund money.

The combined trust and state money — up to $6.6 million annually — must go to the Water Resources Cash Fund to be spent on river basins classified as fully or overappropriated.

The state currently budgets $2.7 million annually for the water fund, so senators will have to budget additional general funds to capture the full amount of trust grants.

“If we can increase our spending $600,000 and get an additional $3.3 million, I think that’s a pretty good investment,” Langemeier said.

If the first three years of trust diversions meet certain benchmarks, the diversions could be extended for another three. Those benchmarks will be determined before the bill is debated in the second round.

Closed-door discussions Tuesday led to the compromise amendment. At the table were members of the Legislature’s Natural Resources Committee, Speaker Mike Flood of Norfolk, Valentine Sen. Deb Fischer, who sponsored the bill, and Mark Brohman, the trust’s director. Also involved were representatives of wildlife conservation, environmental and farm groups.

Brohman said members of the trust board found the amended bill preferable to the original one. They like the fact that it protects the integrity of the trust’s application process, instead of simply taking the money.

Many irrigators and farm groups supported the original bill because they said it spread the expense of water management across a broader base of Nebraskans.

Even with the diverted funds, the state will have to find much more money to deal with its water woes. The state’s obligations under the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program, a formal agreement among Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming, will run an estimated $80 million to $100 million.

Langemeier, chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, said he will appoint a task force to devise ways to generate more funding for water management.

LB 229
We are writing to request that NNLA members contact their senator and the senators on the Appropriation Committee to ask them to not assume the passage of LB 229 when they develop their budget package.  LB 229 transfers $7 million from the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund to the Water Resources Cash Fund for the next ten years.  The transfers authorized in LB 229 would reduce the amount of new funding available for expenditure by the Nebraska Environmental Trust by approximately 50%.  The Nebraska Environmental Trust is the primary source of funding for the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.  If the funding shift is included in the Appropriations package, it is very difficult to remove it.  The Nebraska Environmental Trust was established by the vote of the people and the distribution should reflect that vote.  Our senators need to know the importance of the Nebraska Environmental Trust.  Your voice does count and will make a difference.

Appropriation Committee Members:
Senator Lavon Heidemann  lheidemann@leg.ne.gov
Senator Danielle Conrad  dconrad@leg.ne.gov
Senator Tony Fulton  tfulton@leg.ne.gov
Senator Thomas Hansen  thansen@leg.ne.gov
Senator John Harms  jharms@leg.ne.gov
Senator Heath Mello  hmello@leg.ne.gov
Senator Jeremy Nordquist jnordquist@leg.ne.gov
Senator John Wightman   jwightman@leg.ne.gov

Also consider contacting the members of the Natural Resources committee that voted to advance LB 229 from the committee to let them know that you are disappointed in their vote and hope they will reconsider their support of LB 229:

Senator Tom Carlson  tcarlson@leg.ne.gov
Senator Mark Christensen  mchristensen@leg.ne.gov
Senator Annette Dubas  adubas@leg.ne.gov
Senator Chris Langemeier  clangemeier@leg.ne.gov
Senator Beau McCoy  bmccoy@leg.ne.gov
Senator Ken Schilz  kschilz@leg.ne.gov

Send a “Thank You” to Senator Ken Haar   khaar@leg.ne.gov for being the only Natural Resources Committee member to vote against advancing LB 229 out of the Natural Resources Committee.

LB 560
On Thursday March 10th, the Revenue Committee heard testimony on LB 560, which broadens the state sales tax base to many services, including ” landscaping, yard maintenance, seed planting, and snow removal”. Opponents testifying included; NE Car and Truck Dealers Assn., Comm. Property Owners, Funeral Directors, and the Catholic Bishops Conference. Sen. Cornett, who is the sponsor of LB 560, has stated that she wouldn’t pursue passage, unless the additional $60-84,000,000 revenue is needed to balance the state’s budget, later in the legislative session. If we get to that point, we will need NNLA members to make our case on maintaining the current sales tax exemption.

Contact information for senators can be found on the below website.
http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/

Not sure who your senator is, follow the link below:
http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/senators/senator_find.php

Thank you for taking the time to make your position on LB 229 be heard

Kathleen Dolezal
Executive Director
Nebraska Nursery and Landscape Association

 

Below are some educational opportunities offered by UNL that you may be interested in:

Attention:  Horticulture Producers

UNL Extension eShip Webinar: http://breeze.unl.edu/extension/eship

March 15 – 10:00 A.M. Central Standard Time, 9:00 A.M. Mountain Standard Time

Title: Crop/Horticulture Enterprise and Application Programs
Taught by Roger Wilson
University of Nebraska Educator with Rural Initiative

How can a farmer or horticulture producer get the records they need to be sustainable and profitable.  Those that go to Farmer’s Markets may find a new application developed by Roger very useful in keeping track of inventory and pricing.  What computer applications are available that can help keeping sales and production records easier?  Learn and see how some of these new tools can also help in making decisions.

This webinar should be viewed by anyone who is a small crop or horticulture producer, sales or service.

Each webinar is scheduled for the 3rd Tuesday of the month beginning at 10:00 A.M. CT/ 9:00 A.M. MT.  They can all be viewed at http://breeze.unl.edu/extension/eship

These University of Nebraska Extension Entrepreneurship webinars are free and use Adobe Connect Pro to view and hear the audio.  Questions may be typed into the Chat area for the presenter to respond to.   Anyone can view the webinars and we really encourage small business people, extension staff, economic development and chamber directors and organizational leaders take a look at the topics and help pass on the information.

If you can’t attend, you will  be able to find archived copies of each webinar at our UNL Extension Entrepreneurship Team’s website:  http://etraining.unl.edu

Mark these dates on your calendar now and feel free to share with others who may be interested in the webinars.
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April 19

Title: SARE Program Putting the workshop into action, working with a producer
Taught by Gary Lesoing
Nebraska SARE Director and UNL Extension Educator

Observe how a producer goes through the process of putting together a plan and goals to implement his SARE grant or project.  See how you can assist producers in finding resources that can help them research feasibility and potential sustainability of their project.
SARE - Funded by the USDA, the national Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program supports and promotes sustainable farming and ranching.  We offer competitive grants and educational opportunities for producers, scientists, educators, institutions, organizations and others exploring sustainable agriculture.

May 17

Title: Emerging opportunity in energy – biomass
Taught by John Hay
UNL Extension Educator – Biomass Energy

Wind, solar, biomass, ethanol and other new and potential energy sources are continually being observed, researched and developed.  Listen as John Hay talks about some of the emerging opportunities for Nebraska entrepreneurial minded people to develop off shoot businesses from new energy opportunities.

====================
Dennis Kahl, Extension Educator
University of Nebraska Extension
216 S 9th St
Seward NE  68434
Ph:  402-643-2981
Fax: 402-643-6574

Know How. Know Now.
dkahl1@unl.edu

 

Update on LB 229
March 11, 2011
Information Links
Please see these links:

Omaha World Herald Editorial

Lincoln Journal Star

Nebraska Legislature Appropriations Committee Member email Addresses & Websites

NSA members, supporters and friends,

I want to provide you with an update on LB 229. The Unicameral’s Natural Resources Committee forwarded the bill to the floor on March 3rd. Senator Tyson Larson from District 40 declared LB229 as his priority bill on March 9th, ensuring that it will be considered by the entire legislature during this year’s session.

Here’s what I am asking everyone who receives this email to do – Call, Email or Write your State Senator telling her or him that you oppose LB229 for the following reasons:

A.    63% of Nebraskans voted to have 44.5% of the lottery proceeds go to the Nebraska Environmental Trust. This is the Will of the People.
B.    There are constitutional issues with creating this earmark. Passing this bill will result in a lengthy and expensive court battle.
C.   The water-related programs that would receive this earmark money can apply to the Trust’s grants program and compete for funds based upon their merits. The Trust has funded numerous similar water projects through its existing grant program.
D.   The Unicameral does have a responsibility to determine how to resolve financial issues related to Nebraska’s water problems. $50 to $100 million is needed for the Platte River alone and additional funds are needed for the Republican, Niobrara and other Nebraska rivers. Taking money from the Trust will not solve the bigger issue that our elected officials must address. Encourage your Senator to support an interim study or other method that will allow the Public to have input on how this is accomplished. NSA leaders are willing to sit at the table to find a solution.

NSA, Inc. leaders have been meeting weekly with our conservation allies. We have offered to participate in a statewide committee to study how to best fund the costs related to over-use of water in all of Nebraska’s river basins. A solution needs to be found by 2018, not by July 1st of this year, so there is no need to rush into a poorly conceived partial solution. We need to define a course of action that serves the needs of rural and urban citizens alike. LB229′s solution of earmarking $77 million of Trust money AGAINST THE WILL OF OUR CITIZENS is simply wrong. Both the Lincoln and Omaha newspapers agree – see the attached editorials.

Your efforts earlier in the Session got the attention of the Senators on the Natural Resource Committee, as well as  other Senators. I am asking you to please contact your State Senator today. Also please contact members of the Appropriations Committee and request that they not include the transfer of Trust funds in their Appropriations Bill.  Please let me know when you’ve done this so we can track our efforts.

Thanks for your support of NSA, Inc. The Trust has been an important source of funding for NSA’s programs. NSA is happy to compete to receive those funds through the Trust’s competitive grants program, just as Nebraska’s citizens intended.

John Royster
Board President – Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, Inc.

PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ON TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED. URGE THEM TO CALL THEIR SENATOR!!

Article 1

Name, Organization and Location

Section 1.  Name.  The name of the association is the NEBRASKA NURSERY & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION.

Section 2.  Organization.  The corporation is organized under the Nebraska Nonprofit Corporation Act.

Section 3.  Location.  The association may have one (1) or more offices within or without the State of Nebraska as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine.

 

ARTICLE II

Membership

Section 1. Classes of Membership. There shall be five (5) classes of Members

The qualification requirements of each class are as follow:
(a)   Active Members. A business, located in Nebraska, that is actively engaged in the wholesale or retail nursery business which derives a majority of its revenues from the sale of agricultural and horticultural products and materials related thereto or has a separate division or department actively engaged in the wholesale or retail nursery business in Nebraska which division or department derives a majority of its revenues from the sale of agricultural and horticultural products and materials related thereto.
(b)   Associate Members. A wholesale or retail nursery business not located in Nebraska and persons or entities engaged in allied trades, such as horticultural printers, publishers of the trade papers, dealers in nursery supplies, manufacturers of agricultural implements and landscape architects and employees of private and/or governmental institutions whose duties are of a horticultural nature.

(c)   Honorary Members. Persons who, having done some outstanding service in the field of horticulture or in the interest of the Nurserymen of the country, are deemed worthy of this honor.

(d) Individual Members. Any individual who does not fit in any of the other classes of membership.
(e)   Student Members. A full time student in the horticulture field in any of the Nebraska colleges.

The term “nursery business,” as used in this Article, refers to the production, distribution, or planting of or landscaping with plant materials, including but not limited to, trees, shrubs, vines and other plants having a persistent woody stem or stems, and all herbaceous annuals, biennials, or perennials, generally used for outdoor or indoor planting.  Each Active and Associate Member shall designate one of its employees to represent such Member.

Section 2.  Voting.  Only Active and Associate Members shall have voting rights and each such Active or Associate Member shall be entitled to one (1) vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the Members.

Section 3.  Application for Membership.  Application for any class of Membership shall be made in writing on a form approved by the Board of Directors or by nomination by an Active Member.  If the Board of Directors determines that the applicant is eligible (or deserving in the case of Honorary Members) for the class of Membership applied for,  the applicant shall become a Member of the association upon the receipt by the association of the initial dues and other assessments established by the Board of Directors (or immediately in the case of Honorary Members.)

Section 4.  Dues.  The amount of Member dues and other assessments and rules governing the payment of dues and other assessments shall be established by the Board of Directors, and the Board of Directors may from time to time amend the dues and other assessments amounts and payment rules; provided that Honorary Members shall not be required to pay dues.

Section 5.  Termination of Membership.  The Board of Directors, in its discretion, has the right and power to terminate a Member where the Member no longer qualifies under these Bylaws or for failure to pay dues.  Before a Member may be terminated, other than for failure to pay dues, written notice must be given to the Member and that Member must be given the opportunity to be heard before the Board of Directors at the Board of Directors’ next regular meeting following such notice

ARTICLE III

Meetings of the Members

Section 1.  Time and Place.  An annual meeting of the Members shall be held at such place, within or without the State of Nebraska, and on such date as may be determined by the Board of Directors.  Failure to hold the annual meeting at the designated time shall not work a forfeiture or dissolution of the association.  Special Meetings of the Members may be called by the Board of Directors.  Members holding ten percent (10%) of the votes entitled to be case or ten (10) Active or Associate Members, whichever is less, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Members.  Except as otherwise required by these Bylaws, the vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the Members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be necessary for the adoption of any matter voted upon by the Members.

Section 2.  Notice.  Written or printed notice stating the place, day and hour of the meeting and, in case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called shall be delivered not less than ten (10) , nor more than fifty (50), days before the date of the meeting, personally, by mail, e-mail or fax, by or at the direction of the President or the officer or person calling the meeting, to each Member entitled to vote at such meeting.  If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the Member at his address as it appears on the records of the association, with postage thereupon prepaid.

Section 3.  Proxies.  A voting Member may vote either in person or by proxy executed in writing by the Member or by his authorized attorney-in-fact.  No proxy shall be valid after eleven (11) months from the date of its execution unless otherwise provided in the proxy.

Section 4.  Ballots.  In all matters to be brought before the Membership for a vote, the vote may be taken by mail, e-mail or fax ballots.  The Executive Secretary shall file a tabulation of the results of the ballots with the minutes of the meetings of the Membership.

ARTICLE IV

Directors

Section 1.  Management Number.  The property, business and affairs of the association shall be controlled and managed by a Board of Directors, each member of which must be an Active or Associate Member of the association.  The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, Vice President, Immediate Past President and six (6) other at-large directors elected by the Members.  Only two members of the Board of Directors may be Associate Members at any given time.

Section 2.  Term, Vacancies.  At each annual meeting of the Members, the at-large directors shall be elected for a term of three (3) years.  The term of each member of the Board of Directors shall commence on the day following such member’s election and shall continue until the day following the election and qualification of the director’s successor.  A director may be elected to succeed himself in office.  Whenever any vacancy of the members, of the Board of Directors shall occur due to death, resignation, removal or otherwise, a majority of the remaining directors, even if less than a quorum, may appoint a successor to serve for the unexpired term of the director whose place is vacant.

Section 3.  Quorum.  A majority of the full Board of Directors, but not less than five (5) directors, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.  The vote of the majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors.  In all matters coming before the Board of Directors, each director shall be entitled to cast one (1) vote.

Section 4.  Meeting.  The annual meeting of the Board of Directors, and all other regular or special meetings, shall be held at any place within or without the State of Nebraska, as may be designated by the Board of Directors or by written consent of the member thereof.  Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held as frequently at such time and place as may from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors.  Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time upon call of the President of the association.

Section 5.  Notice.  Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice.  Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held upon two (2) days’ notice.  Neither the business to be transacted nor the purpose of any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors need to be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting.

Section 6.  Attendance.  Attendance of a director at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice, except where a director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting was not lawfully called or convened.

Section 7.  Meetings (Not in Person).  The Board of Directors or any committee designated by the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting of the Board or committee by means of a conference call, e-mail or fax communication whereby all persons participating in the meeting can hear or read all comments from each other and participation in a meeting in this manner shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

Section 8.  Action by Written Consent.  Any action which is required to be or may be taken at a meeting of the directors or any committee of the directors, may be taken without a meeting if consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, are signed by all the members of the Board of Directors or of the committee as the case may be.  The consents shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote at a meeting duly held, and may be stated as such in any certificate or document.  The Executive Secretary shall file the consents with the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors or of the committees as the case may be.

ARTICLE V

Committees

The board of Directors, by resolution, may provide for such special committees of two (2) or more persons as it deems desirable, and discontinue the same at pleasure.  Each such committee shall have such powers and perform such duties, not inconsistent with law, as may be assigned t it by the Board of Directors.  Except as otherwise directed by the Board of Directors, the President shall appoint the chairman of all special committees from among the Members of the association and each such chairman shall choose the members of the chairman’s committee.

ARTICLE VI

Officers

Section 1.  Officers.  The officers of the association shall be a President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer.

Section 2.  Election.  The President and Vice President shall be elected by the Members at the annual meetings.  Except as set forth in Section 3 of this Article VI, such officers shall hold office for a term of two (2) years.  A failure to elect a President, Vice President or other officers or agents shall not dissolve the association.  The Secretary/Treasurer shall be appointed by, and shall serve at the pleasure of, the Board of Directors.

Section 3.  Vacancies.  In case any office shall become vacant by reason of death, resignation, removal or otherwise, the Board of Directors, by vote of the majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present, choose a successor or successors for the unexpired term, except for the office of President, which shall be succeeded to by the Vice President if vacant.  The Vice President shall automatically succeed the President at the end of the President’s two year term.

Section 4.  Bond.  The Board of Directors, by resolution, may require any officer to give bond to the association, with sufficient surety or sureties, conditioned for the faithful performance of duties of his office.

ARTICLE VII

Duties of Officers

Section 1.  President.  The President shall preside at all meetings of the directors and shall have general supervision of the business and finances of the association and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect, subject, however, to the right of the directors to delegate any specific powers to any other officer or officers of the association except such as may be by statute exclusively conferred upon the President.

Section 2. Vice President.  The Vice President shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to him and shall exercise such powers as may be granted to him by the Board of Directors or by the President.  In the absence of the President, the Vice President may perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President with the same force and effect as if performed by the President.

Section 3. Secretary/Treasurer.  The Secretary/Treasurer shall act as clerk at all meetings of the Board of Directors.  The Secretary/Treasurer shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Directors, committees thereof or the President, under whose supervision the Secretary/Treasurer shall be.  The Board of Directors, at any meeting, may designate any of their number to act as an acting secretary in the absence of the Secretary/Treasurer.  The Secretary/Treasurer shall have custody of the association’s funds and shall keep accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books to be maintained by him for such purpose, and shall deposit all monies and other valuable effects of the association in the name and to the credit of the association in depositories designated by the Board of Directors.  The Secretary/Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the association as may be ordered by the Board of Directors and shall render to the President and the Board of Directors at regular or special meetings thereof, an accounting of all the transactions conducted by the Secretary/Treasurer and of the financial condition of the association.

ARTICLE VIII

Indemnification of Officers,

Directors and Others

Section 1.  Definitions.  In this Article VIII:

(a)    “Association” includes any domestic or foreign predecessor entity of the association in a merger or other transaction in which the predecessor’s existence ceased upon consummation of the transaction.

(b)   “Director or Officer” means an individual who is or was a director or officer of the Association or an individual who, while a director or officer of the Association, is or was serving at the Association’s request as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, or agent of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan, or other enterprise.  “Director or Officer” includes, unless the context requires otherwise, the estate or personal representative of the director or officer.

(c)    “Expense” include counsel fees.

(d)   “Liability” means the obligation to pay a judgment, settlement, penalty, fine (including and excise tax assessed with respect to an employee benefit plan), or reasonable expenses incurred with respect to a proceeding.

(e)    “Official capacity” means (1) when used with respect to a director, the office of director in a corporation; and (2) when used with respect to an individual other than a director, the office in a corporation held by the officer or the employment or agency relationship undertaken by the employee or agent on behalf of the corporation.  “Official capacity” does not include service for any other foreign or domestic corporation or any partnership,, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan, or other enterprise.

(f)    “Party” includes an individual who was, is, or is threatened to be made a named defendant or respondent in a proceeding.

(g)   “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative and whether formal or informal.

Section 2. Right to Indemnification.  Except as provided below, the Association shall indemnify an individual made a party to a proceeding because he is or was a Director or Officer against liability incurred in the proceeding if:

(a)     he conducted himself in good faith:

(b)    he reasonably belie4ved that his conduct was in the Association’s best interests or not opposed to its best interests; and

(c)     in the case of any criminal proceeding, he had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.

The termination of a proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent is not, of itself, determinative that the Director of Officer did not meet the standard of conduct described in this section.

The Association may not indemnify a Director or Officer under this section in respect of any claim, issue or matter in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the Association as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duty to the Association.  In addition, indemnification permitted under this section in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the Association is limited to reasonable expenses, including attorney’s fees, incurred in connection with the proceeding.

Section 3.  Mandatory Indemnification.  The Association shall indemnify a Director or Officer who was wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding  to which he was a party because he is or was a Director or Officer of the Association against reasonable expenses incurred by him in connection with the proceeding.

Section 4.  Advance for Expenses.  The Association shall pay for or reimburse the reasonable expenses incurred by a Director or Officer who is a party to a proceeding in advance of final disposition of the proceeding if:

(a)    The Director of Officer furnishes the Association a written affirmation of his good faith belief that he has met the standard of conduct described in Article VIII, Section 2.

(b) The Director of Officer furnishes the Association a written undertaking, executed personally or on his behalf, to repay the advance if it is ultimately determined that he did not meet the standard of conduct; and

( c)  a determination is made that the facts then known to those making the determination would not preclude indemnification under this Article VIII.

The undertaking required by subsection (b) must be an unlimited general obligation of the Director or Officer, but need not be secured and may be accepted without reference to financial ability to make repayments.  Determinations and authorizations of payments under this Section 6 of this Article VIII.

Section 5.  Court-Ordered Indemnification.  A Director or Officer of the Association who is a party to a proceeding may apply for indemnification to the court conducting the proceeding or to another court of competent jurisdiction.   On receipt of an application, the court after giving any notice the court considers necessary may order indemnification if it determines:

(a)    the Director of Officer is entitled to mandatory indemnification under Article VIII, Section 3, in which case the court shall also order the Association to pay the Director’s or Officer’s reasonable expenses incurred to obtain court-ordered indemnification: or

(b)   the Director or Officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification; or nulification in view of all the relevant circumstances, whether or not he met the standard of conduct set forth in Article VIII, Section 2 or was adjudged liable as described in Article VIII, Section 2, but if; he was adjudged so liable his indemnification is limited to reasonable expenses incurred.

Section 6. Determination and Authorization of Indemnification. The Association may not indemnify a Director or Officer under Article VIII, Section 2 unless authorized in the specific case after a determination has been made that indemnification of the Director or Officer is permissible in the circumstances because he has met the stndard of conduct set forth in Article VIII, Section 2.  The determination shall be made:

(a)    by the Board of Directors by majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors not at the time parties to the proceeding;

(b)    if a quorum cannot be obtained under subdivision (1), by majority vote of a committee duly designated by the Board of Directors (in which designation directors who are parties may participate), consisting solely of two or more directors not at the time parties to the proceeding; or

(c)    by the Members with voting rights.

Section 7.  Indemnification of Employees and Agents.  The Association may indemnify and advance expenses under this subchapter to an employee or agent of the Association who is not a director or officer to the same extent as to a director of officer.  The Association may also indemnify and advance expenses to an employee or agent who is not a director or officer to the extent, consistent with public policy, that may be provided by general or specific action of its Board of Directors, or by contract.

Section 8.  Insurance  The Association may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of an individual who is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Association, or who, while a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Association, is or was serving at the request of the Association as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, or agent of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan, or other enterprise, against liability asserted against or incurred by him in that capacity or arising from his status as a director, officer, employee or agent, whether or not the Association would have power to indemnity him against the same liability under Article VIII, Section 2 or 3.

Section 9.  Witness Fees.  This Article VIII does not limit the Association’s power to pay or reimburse expenses incurred by a Director or Officer in connection with his appearance as a witness in a proceeding at a time when he has not been made a named defendant or respondent to the proceeding.

Section 10.  Amendment.  This Article VIII may be hereafter amended or repealed; provided, however, that no amendment or repeal shall reduce, terminate, or otherwise adversely affect the right of a person entitled to obtain indemnification hereunder with respect to acts or omissions of such person occurring prior to the effective date of such amendment or repeal.

Article IX.

Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present at such meeting.

The NNLA’s position on the Emerald Ash Borer

March, 2007

Emerald Ash Borer
NNLA Position Statement

Emerald ash borer is a threat to the ash population in the state of Nebraska. Our members are in the position to recommend varieties of plant material, and install plant material. Because of this, we want to make sure our members are aware of Emerald ash borer (EAB) and NNLA’s position on it.

A clearinghouse for information about EAB is the website, www.emeraldashborer.info. Here is an excerpt from their home page, “Emerald ash borer is an exotic beetle (emerald green in color) that was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of 2002. . . . Emerald ash borer probably arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes originating in its native Asia. Emerald ash borer is also established in Windsor, Ontario, was found in Ohio in 2003, northern Indiana in 2004, and northern Illinois in 2006.”

The insect attacks all varieties of ash. The adult insect can travel only about ½ mile on its own. However, the insect can travel great distances when infested wood is moved. Many things are being done to slow the movement of the insect, including state and federal quarantines on the transportation of ash nursery stock and firewood from quarantined areas, and research is ongoing on ways to kill the insect where it has been established.

Ash is a major part of the Nebraska forest. If EAB were to become established here, the effects could be devastating, not just to the trees planted recently, but to the millions of ash trees growing across the state. Our main focus therefore is to make everyone aware of the pest in hopes everyone will actively help us prevent its spread into Nebraska.

Since the insect can only travel about ½ mile by itself in its lifetime, it will not get to Nebraska by itself. If it does get here, it will be because it was carried in on infested wood. Through discussion we have had with the USDA and the Nebraska Dept. of Agriculture, we are confident in the procedures they have in place to prevent EAB from coming into the state on nursery stock. Today, the transporting of firewood from infested areas seems to pose the greatest threat of spreading EAB to un-infested areas. NNLA is working with local, state and federal regulators to encourage an ad campaign informing campers of the hazards of moving firewood and to develop rules about the movement of firewood. By slowing the progression of EAB, we are hopeful that a control (either chemical or biological) will be developed to stop the insect long before it gets to Nebraska.

The ash remains a wonderful tree for the plains and our members will continue to sell ash trees to customers who want them. But we feel it is essential that customers be told of the potential harm of the EAB so customers can make informed buying decisions.

Whether EAB will become established in Nebraska or not is yet to be known. What is known though is that diverse plantings of varied species are the best hedge against any single pest. Whether we are guarding against a known pest such as pine wilt or EAB or some other potentially harmful organisms affecting plant material, our members will continue to encourage diverse plantings, which always are best, regardless of which pest we are battling.

Sincerely,

The NNLA Board of Directors