June 2013 Board Notes

Date:

06/10/2013

Attendance:

Board Attended: Kale, Kim, John, Damarra, Michael, Anton, Andy, Brian, Rin, Lauren
Board Absent: Jo
Observers: Heather, Jeff Fahland, JayColette Herald-Gordon, Dave Vetrovec, Ted Berquam, Micah Snead, Joshua Snead, Charles Piehl, Kevin Erhler, Marilyn Hostetler (Micah's guest), Andy Murphy, Danielle McKay

Notes:

open discussion: sending a student to Japan [Marilyn, regional Field Director for foreign exchange student program, Youth For Understanding USA]

brought packet to promote idea of ATC-sponsored scholarship (in part or in full)
academic logistics would be determined by the respective schools
lack of previous knowledge of Japanese not a barrier, but candidates are screened for suitability
ages 14-18, but would prefer older students
scholarship deadlines are usually in January/February with fall applications to allow for paperwork to be completed
Charles vouches for YFU program, and advises a long lead time with regard to announcing any ATC involvement
promote exchange/hosting programs with panel/room party at Detour? [Micah]
can restrict scholarship by residence, Detour attendance
would like to fund a scholarship in full every X years, to allow time for saving and promotion [Kale]
should announce that there are criteria to be met with regard to appearance, to account for the conservative nature of Japanese society
can promote possibility of exchange program on ATC/Detour websites [Kale]
also looking for hosting possibilities


open discussion: GPS proposal for facilities agreement [Andy, outgoing Communication Directors of GPS]

facilities agreement is being renewed for another three years; pretty much identical to the one that just concluded
idea of geek community center has inspired models in other cities and other countries
significant investment in Project Lighthouse; visit to a school at least once a month
rental fees are kept to a minimum where possible, depending on hosting organization and usage
rent is just shy of $4,000 a month, before utilities
proposed pledge of $20,000 would allow steady growth, with an eye on another large room available in 2014
setting up direct membership program akin to PBS
sponsored a public school student to study in Costa Rica instead of Space Camp
rent insurance is covered
member organizations provide oversight via Site Committee representatives (Damarra and Josh Spotts, for ATC)
this is different from Partnership Agreement, which involves no money and is perpetual
checked out almost-finished room 107


Social Outreach Services [Heather]

Tabletop Potluck on 6/11
Drive-In on 6/15
waiting for ATC room party request from Geek Kon

Pride Weekend (last weekend of June) - activities organized by Damarra, will obtain funds request
â–º allocate $100 for Pride Weekend supplies
vote passes with no objections
use triangle banner, as that would be more suitable for a tent
solicit volunteers from Detour e-mail list
prefer to drive people toward online presence instead of flooding with rack cards (although those would still be brought)

room party at CONvergence should be good to go


equipment requests from other conventions

Wausabi Con [Dave Chamberlain via Kim] - Kraig Finney will be accompanying the equipment
â–º approve request
vote passes with no objections

Sogen Con [Christopher Picotte via Kim] - people associated with Detour will be accompanying the equipment
â–º approve request
vote passes with no objections


Lauren is selling Macy's discount Shop for Cause passes for the LEG Memorial Fund


financials [Kim]

Detour will probably come in $18-$20K under budget ($173K total spent)
Carrie's fund drive is just under $5,200
ATC is a bit overbudget, partly due to increase in insurance from additional storage
currently, just a bit under $219K in account
hotel bill came in at a bit over $67K
bank fees at $10K
pre-registration income over $12K so far
about $128K available balance currently
awaiting Pepsi refund of $1,100
details available in handout

community fund presently at $14K, after distributing to Kim Pridemore, but without distributing to Richard Townsend


feedback on GPS proposal for facilities agreement [Kale]

give the full $20K for the first year, then a graduated reduction of funds over the remainder [Anton]
less was delivered in previous agreement than was promised [Kim]
$9,600 should be the bare minimum offered, vs. an equal proportion of $16,000 among the three member organizations [Brian]
take up GPS's offer of matching donations if full $20K is not given; e.g. guarantee $18K, match the rest [John]
can negotiate exact specifics of how much is to be matched
no drop-dead date exists yet; will table discussion for incoming board


charity allocations [Kim]

$25K made available
can do fundraising drives to match for specific charities [Lauren]

$4,500 - Friends of the St. Paul Library
$4,500 - Library Foundation of Hennepin County
$    0 - Cheerful Givers (no proposal received this year)
$  500 - Como Friends/Japanese Gardens
$  500 - Normandale Japanese Garden
$  250 - MN Bonsai Society
$  500 - Bloomington Sister City Org
$  500 - St. Paul Nagasaki Sister City Org
$1,500 - Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
$1,000 - Gordon R. Dickson Scholarship Fund
$1,000 - Organization for Transformative Works
$1,000 - ECFE
$  500 - MN Center for Book Arts
$    0 - Food Shelf Network, Second Harvest Heartland (can always organize separate fundraising events)
$1,000 - Japan America Society of Minnesota

can use $5K of remainder to fund YFU scholarship, summer or full-year (if enough is raised in separate fundraising events)

â–º approve charity allocations
vote passes with no objections


Dave notes possible conflicts of interest in any future discussions concerning GPS, since he is GPS Treasurer


direction of future board meetings [Lauren]

meetings will be more agenda-based, with more follow-through of topics
aiming for agenda distributed two weeks before each meeting, to accomodate non-board watchers
would like to discuss possibility of raising the attendance cap for Detour in August meeting


Kale thanks Anton and Jo for their years of service to the ATC board