GPUS SC Conference Call Minutes
Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012 – 8:00 p.m. ET
I. CALL SETUP & BACKGROUND
a. Facilitator – Jody Grage
b. Roll call – Susan Chunco, Budd Dickinson, Charles Ostdiek, Jeff Turner, Steve Welzer, Darryl! Moch, Karen Young
Absent: Farheen Hakeem, AJ Segneri
II. STAFF REPORTS
Darryl! prefers monthly staff report update rather than biweekly with narrative rather than just numbers so questions can be asked.
Jeff – follow bi-weekly payroll cycle with report after payroll report signed.
Darryl! – reports needed on time and also need to know what will be doing.
Jeff – add what planning to do.
Darryl! – wants monthly summary with forecast.
Budd – some narrative reporting from Brian, also need to talk about staff supervision.
Charles – agrees with streamlining, monthly, move lower in the agenda.
Budd – staff members used to be on the calls, perhaps not need to be on the agenda.
Jeff – has been a dearth of report; will discuss with Tamar, Brian, and David about timing, etc.
Darryl – consider what SC needs rather than what staff want to provide.
Charles – agrees with Darryl’s proposal.
Budd – very detailed proposal; some parts may not still apply.
Jeff – can’t wait to pay employees until reports are completed.
Blocking concerns – Jeff
Will be reworked and brought up on next call.
a. Office Manager – Brian Bittner – report received
b. Fundraiser – David Sacks – report received
III. TREASURER’S REPORT & FINANCE ITEMS – Jeff
a. Cash report to date – sent; $6300 in general accounts, about what we owe to RedSun though no invoice received. Income from last week is not known because Brian was out two days.
b. 2013 Budget discussion – v.10-3
Column F – fundraising narrative figures – $289.7k total
Budd – 2012 actual – clarify that is projected to year end; fundraising report very helpful.
Darryl! – % increase for 2013 over 2012; 2011 totals may be inaccurate since sustainers redefined which should be noted in narrative.
Jeff – 2012 projected actual will be on next budget iteration.
Expenses –
Fundraising costs – Budd – 2012 budget proposal cost of merchandise sold was $10.5k not $8k, Jeff will look at that.
Electoral – CCC asked for 15k minus expect to earn; Karen asks about seeing narrative request from committees – Jeff will send.
Organizing and Outreach – additional requests to cover media office utilities and facebook ads – ask MediaCom to explain need for ads
Governance – Steve questioned the need for all the SC funding. ANM funding was discussed.
Support & Services – balance for website redesign, rent and utilities increases, need to replace printer.
Debts – BAC loan paid evenly with other debts; also Internal Debt Reduction Schedule so those who forgave 2008 state sharing get paid first for 2009; and talk about special arrangements for CA maybe at reduced rate; could recognize that not all debts will be paid including 2010 and 2011 state sharing which would reduce negative bottom line.
SC budget not FinCom budget when presented to GNC.
Suggestions: Budd – cut in half facebook ads, western media office utilities, web manager raise, IT development.
c. The IC has requested funds. They have $1615 in the reserve account in their name. The 2012 budget amount for the IC is $1000.
Do we want to authorize disbursement of the $1000 in the 2012 budget?
Do we want to authorize an additional $485 over and above the 2012 budget amount as requested?
$1615 from reserved + $1000 from budget + 485 for 3 people to go to FVPA in Guatemala in Nov/Dec.
Consensus to send $1615 from reserve funds plus $500 from the 2012 budget, half the budget line item.
IV. VOTING QUEUE
In the queue: None
Received for the queue: None
V. LIAISON REPORTS – tabled
Brainstorm about committees: how we might help recruit for and strengthen them. (Karen) – tabled
VI. STRATEGIC PLANNING – Karen 20 min. – tabled
VII. PERSONNEL MANUAL – Karen
Finished and waiting for Jeff to type in the changes. Job descriptions next.
VIII. POTENTIAL FACE-TO-FACE MEETING – Darryl! – tabled
IX. Proposal from Free & Equal – discussion/announcement – AJ – tabled
X. Executive Session – personnel – 20 min. – tabled
XI. Next call – Budget discussion call 14 October