GPUS Steering Committee Meeting
Sunday, November 22, 2015 – 8:00 p.m. ET
I. CALL SETUP & BACKGROUND
a) Facilitator: David Doonan
b) Call reference # 147
c) Present: Audrey Clement, Sanda Everett, Jan Martell, Andrea Merida, Charles Ostdiek, Jeff Turner (had to leave after introduction of budget review), Tamar Yager, Karen Young, Bahram Zandi. Observing: Starlene Rankin.
d) Agenda revisions: Sanda requested to report back on FPVA meeting if time. Executive Session moved forward, also finance items because Jeff will have to leave early.
I. EXECUTIVE SESSION
Begin 8:09 p.m.; end: 8:53 p.m. Present: Audrey, Sanda, Jan, Andrea, Charles, Jeff, Tamar, Karen, Bahram. Approved an increase in budget line for Media Director salary to $1250/month.
IV. STANDING BUSINESS
a) Treasurer’s Report – Jeff – Sent out cash balance report, about $4500 in general fund, $9900 in accounts payable. Brian expects deposits to run strong for another week. (Tamar – 2/3 of receipts from direct mail appeal is earmarked for CCC and BAC, 1/3 to general funds; Karen – Fundraising uses targeted appeals to stimulate donation, with a percentage of those funds earmarked; Charles – earmarks are part of our Fiscal Policy, along with priorities for getting bills paid, so reserve funds can be delayed.)
b) Finance items for decision: 1) Merchandise committee requests up to $1500 for restocking of tee shirts, which will eventually bring in revenue, under advisement by Finance Committee as to when purchase can be made. Andrea offered friendly amendment to $750 limit; Jeff declined as this would drive per piece cost beyond our profit margin. Roll call vote: Voting yes – Sanda, Jan, Charles, Jeff; No – Audrey, Andrea, Karen; Abstain – Tamar, Bahram. Request approved. 2) approval of $75 for Facebook ads for merchandise sales – approved by consensus.
c) Fundraising Report – Karen. We need to withdraw the budget from the queue, revenue projections are too high. Donor numbers have been declining steadily and mailings are bringing in less and less. We need to move quickly to bring in more donors.
d) Budget review – Decision to withdraw the 2016 draft budget from the voting queue, hold a special budget meeting Sunday Dec. 6 and repost it by the 13th of December – passed by consensus.
VOTING QUEUE
In the queue:
a) 801: Amendment to Platcom Mission Statement
b) 802 – Approval of Josh Pritchett for Finance Committee
c) 803 – 2016 Annual Budget (to be withdrawn)
Received for the queue: None
II. OLD BUSINESS
a) Report on Election of 2016 Credentials Committee and Call for a Second Election – Audrey. We accepted the re-tabulation of the first election, which leaves 8 seats open. According to our rules, we need a second election to fill seats. So what we are approving is the schedule. Approved by consensus.
b) Update on Apportionment Tabulation Committee – Tamar. Proposal to use current formula is being prepared to present to the committee, full report at next meeting.
V. NEW BUSINESS
a) Proposal to amend SC Internal Procedures – Charles. Approved by consensus.
b) Endorsement of Global Climate March on November 29, 2015 – Audrey. Approved by consensus. Audrey will notify Media Committee.
c) Green Pages problem regarding demand for fees for photographic use. David Doonan led the discussion. Photo used in online Green Pages of St Louis arch – David acquired it from an unknown source, checked it for copyright info (none), watermark (none) or attribution (none) and so felt free to use it on our site according to Fair Use. Legal group contacted Green Pages by email demanding user fees for copyrighted material and threatening lawsuit. Normal usage fees are about $10-20 from stock companies, they are demanding $350. Webmaster removed the image immediately, but this group continues to contact demanding fees. Other online sources confirm that this same group has gone after many other websites. They are unlikely to bring it to court for such a small amount. SC will continue discussion of this later.
d) Report on discrepancies of reported amounts of dues for international representation – Charles. Discussion of the history of dues demands and payments over the last few years shed some light on the seemingly varying dues amounts. Some were in Euros, some in dollars, and the exchange rate changes. We have negotiated a lower rate from Global Greens, and now Sanda will be Financial Secretary, we will have clearer accounting.
e) Steering Committee Endorsements Contact Position – Karen. Tabled till next meeting.
TOTAL TIME: 133 minutes