Dec 21 2015 board meeting minutes

Board meeting minutes

Society of Professional Journalists, Central Ohio Pro Chapter

December 21, 2015 Board of Directors Meeting

Submitted by Julanne Hohbach

Attendance:  Sarah Mills Bacha, Doug Buchanan, Bruce Cadwallader, Mary Ann Edwards, Julanne Hohbach, Joe Meyer, Kevin Smith

Call to order:  The meeting was called to order at 12:13 p.m. by President Joe Meyer with a quorum present.

Minutes:  The minutes of the November 16, 2015, meeting were approved unanimously. Motion was made by Kevin Smith with a second by Bruce Cadwallader.

Financial Report: Treasurer Doug Buchanan presented the financial report with current account balances.  Joe Meyer submitted expenses totaling $1,389.71 for attending the SPJ National Convention. Cadwallader moved to amend the board’s previously passed approval of convention expenses, authorizing an expenditure of $1,389.71. Mills Bacha seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Buchanan also reported receiving a check from National for $113.75 for quarterly membership dues. Mills Bacha made a motion to approve the financial report, with a second by Julanne Hohbach. Motion was approved unanimously.

Membership: Mary Ann Edwards said she will follow up with attendees from the OSU professional development event Nov. 14 to invite them to become chapter members and attend future events.

 

Programming: Meyer reported the Regional will be held April 1-2 in Cincinnati. It will be a combined event for Regions 4 and 5.

 

Edwards has begun researching possible Founders Day venues, including J Liu in Worthington, which has meeting rooms and ample free parking. There is a minimum charge of $1,500 for the ballroom, which will accommodate 40 people. Cadwallader suggested the board should reach out to GateHouse Media about sponsoring the event, as The Dispatch Printing Company has done in the past. He also suggested the Mirolo Party Barn in Upper Arlington as a possible venue. It has plenty of parking and offers a reduced rate for UA residents, though there is a $150 fee for a liquor license. Suggestions for possible speakers were Alan Miller, the new editor at The Columbus Dispatch, perhaps in combination with new Publisher Brad Harmon, or someone from NBC4 to talk about the station’s ownership change.

Meyer reported he will contact Nikhil Hunshikatti at GateHouse about the $1,000 in annual funding for The Martys high school journalism contest. Nikhil is now the contact for such funding requests.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

None

OLD BUSINESS

The presidents of the Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland chapters co-authored a letter to Mike Lorz to accompany his final payment for coordinating the statewide SPJ contest. Cadwallader reiterated the need to draw up a contract with Mills Bacha as she takes over coordinating that contest, which will be overseen by a committee made up of the sitting presidents from each of the three Ohio Pro chapters and one other representative from each of those chapters. She said she will draft such an agreement. Hohbach said she would like the board to vote to approve the representatives to the committee as well as the contract.

Smith made a motion, with a second from Hohbach, to designate the sitting president as the first Central Ohio representative to the Ohio SPJ awards committee, with another member of the board’s choosing. At this time, the second member will be Doug Buchanan. The motion passed unanimously.

Our chapter is once again in the national judging swap for contests, Mills Bacha reported.

Smith reported the Region 4 director post will come open as Patti Newbury departs the position.

NEW BUSINESS

None

Next meeting:   The next board meeting is noon December 21, at the Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill.

 

Adjournment: At 1:21 p.m., Buchanan made a motion to adjourn, with a second from Cadwallader. The motion passed unanimously.