Meeting Minutes for Septebmer 21, 2010

Society of Professional Journalists
Minnesota Pro Chapter
Board Meeting

Date: September 21, 2010

Location: Internet Broadcasting, St. Paul

Board members present: President Sarah Bauer, Secretary Art Hughes, Sarah McKenzie, Alyssa Ford, Justin Piehowski, Anna Pratt, Chris Newmarker. TaLeiza Calloway

I. Treasurer’s report

Ford motioned, Pratt seconded to accept treasurer’s report. Motion passed 8-0

II.  Email management

Bauer proposed buying an email management tool to keep better contact with members.

It would allow us to keep more up-to-date lists of contacts plus track their destinations, among other things.

The service would cost $5 per use, plus $.01 per address for an estimated total of about $400 a year.

Newmarker moved, Calloway seconded to spend up to $400 a year for email management service.

Motion passed 8-0

III. Committees

a. Programming (Ford)  Ford offered an ambitious list of possible programs for the year. The next is the MnCOGI presentation on digital document access by Dave Cuillier sponsored by MnCOGI. SPJ is a co-sponsor. Following that is Intern Night at KSTP Oct 20th.

b. Membership (Ford) Ford mentioned initiatives to boost membership. One idea is to devise a list of the 50 most wanted journalists we want to be members and work to recruit them. She also says SPJ is developing ‘newsroom ambassadors’ to help communicate SPJ info to staff members. She mentioned there would be a membership meeting at A. Theisen’s house 9/28. Bauer thanked Ford for exemplary work.

c. Student Chapters  (A Theisen) – we continue to hear from student chapters about help going to the national convention.

d. other

IV. National convention

a. Bauer, Ford, A. Theisen and Pratt are going to the convention in Las Vegas. Mn SPJ has three votes.

b. LDF contribution. Hughes motioned, McKenzie seconded to spend up to $500 for the national LDF auction. Motion passed 8-0.

V. Other business

Replacement for boardmember Karen Lundegaard who stepped down.

McKenzie moved and Newmarker seconded to appoint Star Tribune reporter Kelly Smith to the board (Smith was present). The motion passed 8-0.

Next meeting is Oct. 21 at 5:30, before the bowling and book signing event at Memory Lanes, 2520 26th Ave. S., Minneapolis