2023 Agenda & Minutes

PPA Business Meeting 06.23.23

[Minutes by Jacque Benitez standing in for PPA Secretary]

Attendees:

Andy Kryeche, Jim Todd, Jeremy Amarant, John Erickson, Benjamin Mendelson, Toshi Komatsu, Karl Von Ahnen, Robert Pippen, Allen Tompson, Karrie Berglund, Katie Iadanza, Andy Kerr, Nick Strobal, Alan Gould, Ryan Wyatt, Ryan Morre, Ken Miller, Tina Ratterman, Kate McCallum, Lieme Forbes, Becky Lindsey, Jacque Benitez

Call to Order 

Additions to the agenda? 

Old Business 

Approval of last meeting's minutes - Approved

Treasurer's Report

• Good shape - money in the account

• Income ~$4,200

• Expenses ~$4,800

  • Great western observer ad distributions to RMPA, SWAP, GPPA

  • State of Nevada nonprofit corporation annual fee

  • Mini-Grants (4)

  • Postage (for copies of Panorama)

  • Paypal fees

  • PPA Zoom account

Any member who would like more detailed accounting, please contact PPA Treasurer, Alan Gould

IPS Representative report 

Committee reports: 

            IDEA Committee 

• Indigenous Collaborations in Planetarium

  • No guide but working with local communities

• Number of states represented in the committee

• Ryan Wyatt - COSMO Visions brought together indigenous and non-indigenous knowledge holders. Report coming out soon about collaborations.

• Email Andy Kreyche to join the committee.

            History Non-Committee 

• More information is being added to the website

  • PPA newsletters & panoramas

  • Past presidents

            Mini-Grant Committee 

• 3 mini-grants from last year

• Details are on the website for projects

• This year, help have someone attend the US Regionals conference

• Issue: When should we make an announcement?

  • Needs more time for applications

  • Historically $500. Want to be sustainable and not give too many out or the amount.

    • With inflation, maybe try a larger amount. 

      • Some might not apply because it was too little. Was affirmed by Ryan Moore

    • Still needs to be in line with incoming. Fewer for more money.

    • We could say we have X amount. Have applicants submit how much they need. Similar to GLPA. 

    • Could ask vendors to donate to Mini-grant to increase the pool of money?

    • 
      

Question: Can donations come from anyone or just planetarians? 

Answer: YES

New Business 

IPS Questionnaire (See below) 

• Have any new planetariums opened in your area?

  • Madison Sphere Garden in Nevada. 16K x 16K 

    • Concerns

  • Cosmn Park in Los Angeles

  • Contra Consta College, San Pablo CA (closed and reopened)

• What kind of resources can IPS provide?

  • Always Content - Free

    • Anything we can use to put on the dome to share with the general public

    • Assist with admin to prove the planetarium are important

    • Clarifying what content is will help.

    • More imagery and content outside astronomy. Short clips are helpful!

  • Eclipse - resources would be great

    • AAS is creating this resource page.

• What are some of the major challenges?

  • The Sphere in Nevada

  • Budgets everywhere

  • Getting to know we exist - Marketing

    • Setting aside some money to help with marketing

    • How to spend money? Best Practices for Marketing

• Is there anything else?

  • Use federal migration funds for a portable dome. Older students teach younger students. Prosser, Washington. 

  • Need a subcommittee, to help support hosts for conferences. Take one the administrative tasks and let the host think about the local aspect.

• Would like more time to think about these questions? Could assign PPA secretary to gather ideas. 

Mini-Grants discussion (For the committee to take under advisement) 

            When?

How much?

How many?

Ideas for funding? 

            See notes above. 

Other discussions? 

Election 

President, Treasurer, Secretary

            Nominations? Seconds? 

Mary Holt  for Secretary

Alan Gould for Treasurer

            [In agenda: Ayes and Nays for any running unopposed 

            Form elections committee to send out ballots if needed. ]

Motion to approve by acclimation

Unanimous vote YES!

Alan - This may be his last term

Karl - Six years have been well. Ready to move on.

Jeremy Amarant  for President

            [Close nominations and seconds]          

Motion to approve by acclimation

Unanimously vote Yes!

Form new committee 

            Out Reach/ In Reach Committee - Visit Planetarium and report to the newsletter. Karl was planning on doing it already, making it official.

                        Sub-Committee to seek conference locations 

• Have a hard time for some places to host.

• Jim Todd for a potential 2026 conference

  • IPS year, maybe have it in October

  • Still need to do some research and analyze some things before committing. 

• Might want to put feelers out for the conference. Nice to have a physical as well as a Zoom conference.

• How often and at what time of year for PPA conferences?

  • Up to host for when try to do every year.

  • Western Alliance - coordinate with other groups

  • Many considerations for when.

    • School year

    • Other conferences

    • Religious holiday

  • Not everyone can go to IPS, still a need for regionals on IPS years

• Next year, we have been invited GLPA conference in Peoria, IL. Oct 22 - 26, 2024. If we need to vote on it, special Zoom meeting.

• It may be time to make it easier for someone to host. GLPA has a significant conference hosting guide. PPA does have a guide. 

• Need a subcommittee to help support hosts for conferences. Take one of the administrative tasks and let the host think about the local aspect. 

  • Could have next host shadow and be part of the organizing of the current conferences.

  • Similar to post and current presidents

• Bay area conference. Hosted at one site but could be supported by other institutions. 

How many members? 50-100 members, but not all in the region, and some are inactive planetariums. 

Is there an active list of domes? IPS has a list of active physical and portable domes. ~4,000 active planetariums in the world.  The best list of planetariums is the Worldwide Planetariums Database at

https://planetariums-database.org

Discussion/ form a committee to resolve issues concerning "Board of Trustees" 

Announcements? 

            2026 IPS Conference 

Decide on next year's business meeting place/time 

            Possible WAC in PPA area? 

            Asked to join GLPA (read emails)  

Adjourn