2019-minutes
PPA Meeting Minutes -Aug 2019 -Omaha
Meeting called to order 10:50
Do we have a Quorum? Present: Karl von Ahnen, Alan Gould, Karla Harrington, Bob Pippen, Vince Tobin, Nick Juliano, Rachel Cole, Mark Webb, Tony Smith, Benjamin Mendelsohn, Toshi Komatsu, Mike Mcconville, Katie Sullivan, Heather Fairweather. Joining by zoom: Jeff Nee, John Erickson, Nick Strobel, Andy Kreyche.
Benjamin: Motion to delay approval of minutes of last meeting
Addition to the agenda?
Benjamin moved, Toshi seconded to accept minutes of last meeting. Motion passed.
Additions to agenda?
Treasurer's report
Income: $3,934.26 ($3211.10 Dues & GWO ads + $723.16 “Profit” from Pleiades Conference)
Expenses: $2,600
$2160 GWO Ad Distributions
$50 State of Nevada Nonprofit Organization fee
$150 Zoom Videoconference PPA Account
Income less Expenses: $1,334.26
$9,455.08 Mechanics Bank Business Checking Acct Balance
$3,008.93 PayPal Balance
Total Assets: $12,464.01
See full report.
IPS Rep's report (Benjamin)
Change in IPS Board structure. Reducing the number of voting representatives was recommended in the IPS Vision 2020 regarding governance structure. North America is going to get 2 representatives on the new board. Nominations are in progress. 2022 meeting is in St Petersburg Russia. Benjamin cast PPA vote based on input from recent poll of PPA members. There was concern about issues of LGBTQ for both host bids (Russia and Texas). IPS Committee for Diversity is now Standing Committee (previously Ad Hoc Committee).
Announcements
Zoominar updates - Karl: They've been very good. Average attendance 10-12, and they're recorded. 3:30 on the last Friday of each month. Jeff: thanks to Alan for starting it. Alan: We may start inviting any PPA member to share material at a zoominar. From Andy Kreyche: I would be wiling to set up a webinar about light pollution and dark sky advocacy, either by myself, by an IDA person, or together.
PPA nominated Benjamin for IPS Board.
Bob: Will board reps get paid and if so, how? PPA Bylaws may have to change.
Discussion:
Ideas for committees? Could have Web committee. Currently Alan Gould, Nick Juliano, and John Erickson work on it.
Ideas to attract new members? Bob: reaching out is difficult. Benjamin: especially for portables. Some members in the region are IPS members but not PPA members. Karl: visiting planetariums, he is encouraging membership. Nick: can an organization join independent of individuals? Karl: just individuals. Nick: since we have so much money being used, pay Karl to make trips to encourage membership. Jeff: have we ever spent money on printing, like for printed items to hand out at the end of shows. Like NASA stickers. Andy: I think that's a good idea. Jeff: or offering a group run of print materials. Karl: a handout could be monthly star events--celestial events, like Abrams Sky Calendar.
Other Old Business?
New Business
David Goldwater was the corporate resident of record (living in Nevada where PPA incorporation is). He needs to relinquish that position. Nick Juliano is willing to be PPA agent of record for PPA nonprofit corporation in Nevada. Bylaws list our lawyer as an agent. Change in bylaws must be voted on by membership. IPS rep wording also needs to be revised. Karl proposes there be a committee to make recommendations on bylaws revisions. Karl von Ahnen, Alan Gould, Nick Juliano, Rachel Cole volunteer to be on Bylaws revision committee.
Karl: Election of Board of Directors is in bylaws. Benjamin read aloud that section of the bylaws and it sounds pretty unclear. This can be another item for revision under consideration for by-laws committee. From nickstrobel to Everyone: (09:48 AM) By laws say: “The Board of Directors shall consist of a minimum of three. The term of office shall be three (3) years. A past president shall be selected to replace a retiring Board member by vote of the Board in the year of the retiring Board member's retirement from the Board. Alternatively, the election of a Director may be conducted by a vote of members at a membership meeting, or by mail, e-mail, and/or web page ballot. Every General Member of the Pacific Planetarium Association, Inc. shall be eligible to be elected a Director.”
Benjamin: someone who feels they're being harassed or discriminated against needs a mechanism for being heard without undue adverse consequences for parties involved. We need a statement on harassment, policy of no discrimination or harassment. Recommend setting up a committee to draft harassment/discrimiation policy.
Karl: Committee for that is a good idea. Benjamin, Mark Webb, Rachel Cole, Heather Fairweather volunteered to be on that committee. (invite Ryan Wyatt too)
[Proposed 2021 WAC w/SEPA at Bays Mountain not discussed]
Nominations for officers Election of officers
Benjamin nominated, Bob seconded Alan Gould for Secretary/Treasurer
Toshi nominated, Bob seconded Karl von Ahnen for president
Benjamin moved meeting adjourn. Rachel seconded.
Adjourn: 11am
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Notes from Zoom chat:
[There were issues with sound]
From Jeff Nee to Everyone: (08:55 AM)
To reduce echos, just mute your SPEAKERS, (not microphone), for all but one computer/phone in the room
From Jeff Nee to Everyone: (08:57 AM)
for the 551 number calling in, just lower your in-call volume Actually, maybe it's just okay to mute the speakers for ALL the computers in the room. We remote people can communicate through chat.
[We need to buy a good speaker to connect to a laptop or device so that zoom participants can be heard in the room. We should probably also get a good conference microphone or 2 or 3 to get good sound for zoom participants to hear everyone in the face-to-face room.]
From Andy Kreyche to Everyone: (09:14 AM)
Yes, the webinars have been a great new resource.
From nickstrobel to Everyone: (09:17 AM)
Yes I heard Like Antarctica Move the phone to whoever is speaking, so it’s clearer
From Andy Kreyche to Everyone: (09:23 AM)
Agree with Nick. If the phone could be used as a talking stick, we could follow much easier online.
From nickstrobel to Everyone: (09:25 AM)
The phone needs to be within 5 feet of whoever is speaking, so it comes in clear. Karl is very clear audio whoever is speaking now across the room, I get every third word or so
From nickstrobel to Everyone: (09:51 AM)
Yea!
From Andy Kreyche to Everyone: (09:55 AM)
Thanks everyone. Sorry to leave early but I have a 10 am appointment.
From nickstrobel to Everyone: (09:58 AM)
Aye
From Jeff Nee to Everyone: (09:59 AM)
FYI, about the harassment and discrimination, the NASA Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity has a wealth of resources and wording to copy: https://www.nasa.gov/offices/odeo/home
From nickstrobel to Everyone: (09:59 AM)
four more years for Karl