Feb 15 2016 board meeting minutes

Board meeting minutes

Society of Professional Journalists, Central Ohio Pro Chapter

February 15, 2016 Board of Directors Meeting

Submitted by Julanne Hohbach

Attendance:  Sarah Mills Bacha, Doug Buchanan, Bruce Cadwallader, Beth Gianforcaro, Julanne Hohbach, Karen Kasler (via phone), Joe Meyer, Kevin Smith. Meeting held at La Chatelaine Worthington, 627 High St.

Call to order:  The meeting was called to order at 12:15 p.m. by President Joe Meyer with a quorum present.

Minutes:  The minutes of the January 18, 2016, meeting were approved unanimously. Motion was made by Kevin Smith with a second by Doug Buchanan.

Financial Report: Treasurer Doug Buchanan presented the financial report with current account balances.  Bruce Cadwallader made a motion to approve the financial report, with a second by Smith. Motion was approved unanimously.

Membership: No report

 

Programming: Sarah Mills Bacha researched a Founders Day venue and found many facilities are cost-prohibitive. After some discussion, the board opted to hold the event either April 20 or 21 (depending on availability) at the Amelita Mirolo Barn in Sunny 95 Park, 4395 Carriage Hill Lane, in Upper Arlington.

Cadwallader made a motion to place a $200 deposit ($50 fee and $150 to serve alcohol) to book the venue, with a caterer to be determined, with a second by Meyer. The motion passed unanimously.

Meyer asked board members to consider serving as officers next year. Buchanan has indicated a willingness to jump on the officer track. Mills Bacha said she would be willing to keep programming.

Hohbach will send out the call for scholarship nominations within the next week so the board can vote at the March meeting.

Hohbach also told the board of a change in the funding status for The Martys high school journalism contest. Roy Biondi, vice president and group publisher of ThisWeek Community News, and Ray Paprocki, publisher/general manager of Dispatch Magazines, collaborated to fund the $1,000 in prize money. Board members expressed their appreciation of that financial commitment.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Smith has begun to incorporate our chapter bylaws, with revisions from the committee, into the bylaws model from SPJ National. He will send a final draft to members before the March meeting.

OLD BUSINESS

Mills Bacha reported the call for entries has gone out for the Ohio’s Best Journalism contest (formerly known as the Ohio SPJ Awards). One change this year is that the student categories have been retained but there will no longer be scholarships awarded to the winners. Mills Bacha still needs to have a contract finalized for her role coordinating the contest.

The Feb. 3 screening of Spotlight at AMC Lennox was a success. Nearly 20 people attended, and almost half went to Bravo afterward for conversation and drinks.

NEW BUSINESS

SPJ Regions 4 and 5 will hold a combined Regional in Cincinnati April 1-2.

Next meeting: The next board meeting is noon March 21, location TBD.

 

Adjournment: At 1:29 p.m., Smith made a motion to adjourn, with a second from Mills Bacha. The motion passed unanimously.

ADDENDUM

February 17, 2015

Sarah Mills Bacha requested an online vote regarding a deposit for the Amelita Mirolo Barn in Sunny 95 Park, 4395 Carriage Hill Lane, in Upper Arlington. At the February 15, 2016, meeting, the board authorized a $200 deposit ($50 fee and $150 to serve alcohol). We actually need to put down $450: $150 for the alcohol fee and $300 for a four-hour reservation window ($75/hour).

Bruce Cadwallader and Julanne Hohbach concurred with the need for an online vote. Cadwallader made a motion to pay a total of $450 for the rental and to reimburse Mills Bacha for the expense, with a second by Kevin Smith. The motion passed with affirmative votes from Cadwallader, Smith, Hohbach, Meyer, Beth Gianforcaro, Mary Ann Edwards and Karen Kasler.

March 8, 2016

President Joe Meyer asked for an online vote to authorize a representative to attend the SPJ Region 4-5 conference on the board’s behalf. Kevin Smith and Julanne Hohbach concurred with the need for an online vote.

Bruce Cadwallader made a motion to authorize Sarah Mills Bacha to attend the SPJ Region 4-5 conference on the board’s behalf and to reimburse her expenses, with a second by Hohbach. The motion passed with affirmative votes from Cadwallader, Meyer, Smith, Mary Ann Edwards, Hohbach, Nicole Kraft and Thomas Bradley.

March 17, 2016

President Joe Meyer asked for an online vote to consider making a $500 donation to the Region 4-5 conference, at the request of Director Patti Newbury. Bruce Cadwallader and Kevin Smith concurred with the need for an online vote.

Smith made a motion that the chapter commit $500 to the SPJ Region 4-5 conference, with a second from Julanne Hohbach. The motion passed with affirmative votes from Hohbach, Nicole Kraft, Cadwallader, Mary Ann Edwards, Sarah Mills Bacha, Meyer and Chelsea Castle.