May 3 2010 board meeting minutes

May 3, 2010 board meeting minutes

Attendance: Kevin Kemper, Sharon West, Mike Lorz, Phil Rudell, Katy Waters, Jon Peters, Joe Meyer, Jane Beathard, Jennifer Monnin, Chuck Nelson, Sarah Mills Bacha, Beth Gianforcaro, Julanne Hohbach. A quorum was present.

The meeting was called to order by President Kevin Kemper at 12:05 p.m. The minutes from the April 12 meeting were approved.

Financial Report: Robin Hepler provided the financial report. The First Third checking account balance on April 19 was $7,417.50. The chapter received $4,500 on April 9 as proceeds from the 2009 Ohio SPJ contest.

Pending transactions are for the ethics training at the Worthington Inn ($270) and Barb James for Worthington Inn deposit ($150).

Programming
Ethics Training: About 12 people attended the ethics training on April 22 at the Worthington Inn. Kemper reported that it was a good event.

Newsroom Training: Joe Meyer said the newsroom training event at the Dispatch was very successful. Forty-one people registered; 37 paid in advance. The Dispatch used only one of the free seats allocated to the paper. Meyer anticipates good feedback from national for the program. He said the Columbus chapter should jump on other opportunities for programs like this.

Founders Day: Discussion continued regarding Founders Day on May 13 at the Confluence Park restaurant. Kemper said the event must begin at 6:45 in order to allow Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Pfeifer enough time to attend a later speaking event. Pfeifer is slated to speak from 7:15 to 7:50 p.m. at Founder’s Day.

Beth Gianforcaro reported 10 items have come in for the silent auction. Phil Rudell and Sarah Mills Bacha will act as cashiers.

Sharon West reported six people applied for the Faulkner scholarship. Kemper nominated Fallon Forbush and Taylor Mirfendereski for the $2,000 scholarhips. Bacha seconded. The motion passed. Other scholarships will go to OSU’s Krista Henneck (Meckstroth) and OU’s Jamie Ratermann (Dohn).

Kemper asked for nominations for the chapter awards. Kemper nominated Jim Toms for the Appreciation Award. Meyer seconded. The motion passed. West nominated both Jennifer Monnin and Robin Hepler for the Service Award. Gianforcaro seconded. The motion passed.

Kemper and Katy Waters deliberated over the First Amendment Award, with Kemper arguing for the Ohio Supreme Court (based on an April 13 Henry County decision) and Waters arguing for Randy Ludlow of the Dispatch for his “Your Right to Know” blog. Jane Beathard nominated Ludlow for the award. Waters seconded. The motion passed.

Mike Lorz nominated Ohio University for the Brick Wall Award. West seconded. The motion passed. The Ohio Department of Public Safety was also considered for the award.

Membership: Joe Meyer reported the chapter picked up four new members at the newsroom training.

Old Business: New board suggestions for 2010 are Tom Borgerding, OSU radio; Jeff Botti, former board member; Yusef Kalyango, OSU broadcast professor; Eric Lyttle, The Other Paper; Tracy Townsend, WBNS-TV; and Andrew Welsh-Huggins, AP reporter.

Kemper nominated Borgerding, Kalyango and Welsh-Huggins. West seconded. The motion passed. Gianforcaro offered to step aside as a board member in order to bring on a strong candidate. Kemper said that was not necessary. Nelson said he may resign in the fall anyway.

In a paper ballot runoff between Botti, Lyttle and Townsend for the fourth spot on the board, Lyttle won.

Meeting adjourned at 1 p.m.