Subject: ADS Board Meeting Minutes from April 21, 2013
From: [email-masked]
To: [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 14:10:51 -0400 (EDT)

Greetings!

Here's another sending of the minutes from the last ADS Board Meeting.  Have fun on Saturday.  I will be in Iowa at a high-school class reunion,

JR

AUGUST DERLETH SOCIETY BOARD MEETING, APRIL 21, 2013
SAUK CITY LIBRARY                                  1:00 P.M.

PRESENT:  Char Olson, James Roberts, Mary & David Schweitzer, Tracy Heron, Mark Wardecker, Kay Price, Karen Nelson, Ken Grant, Perry Huntoon, Jim Kirchstein, Fred & Julie Roelke.

ABSENT:  Pat Russell.

Meeting began at 1:00 p.m.

Ken Grant moved to approve the minutes from the January 13, 2013 Board Meeting.  Kay Price seconded.  Approved.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT:  Tracy Heron welcomed new board member Mark Wardecker to ADS and gave a brief outline of the meeting agenda, emphasizing the need to stay on track -- with gavel!

ADS MEMBERSHIP:  JR reported that while he was cross-checking the ADS membership list with a list from the Sauk Prairie Chamber of Commerce at the behest of Char Olson, he made an inventory of actual dues-paying members apart from Honorary Members, those who haven't paid dues since 2011 and recently deceased members and came up with 137 current dues-paying members of the 188 total membership.  This generated much discussion.

Kay:  "A lot of people in S. P. don't know who August Derleth is."

Mary: "It's up to us to address this."

Should we increase our dues?   Char gave examples from other organizations and suggested $25/individual, $40/family, $50/business.

Ken:  We should figure out how much money we have coming in each year from dues as opposed to expenses.

Kay:  "Several people have dropped because of limited income."

Perry:  "Also figure in other income, we have occasional donations."

Ken:  "Could offer option to carry some people at lesser rate."

Some discussion on upcoming mass-mailing:

Mary:  "Put extra copies of ADS Newsletter in places (Cedarberry, ETC.)"

JR:  "Henry gives me about 20 extra copies of each issue for ADS archives."

Jim K:  "I recently donated $200 worth of CD's to Tripp Museum and they sold every copy."

Char:  "The Chamber of Commerce has a website we could use for advertising."

Kay:  "A brochure would make more sense.  But what is it for?"

Mary: "A brochure has multiple uses.  Newsletter is primarily for members."

Mark: "Who's handling the website?  Might be able to figure out where we can focus our energies."

Jim K:  "The blog gets more use than the website."

Tracy:  "Don't know what brochure will do.  Possibly just another expenditure at this time."

Fred:  "I see no problem in raising dues."

(Mark may be able to help with website.)

Karen:  What are the benefits for joining the Chamber?"

Char:  "Advertising. It's our fault that people don't know Derleth."

Ken:  "Figure out cost of joining Chamber ($125) as related to our goals.  Just 10 new members would pay for the cost.  If we make good, renew each year."

Tracy:  "Mass mailing means mass postage."

Char:  "I thought non-profits were exempt."

Kay:  "We get discount through Giegerich's."

Tracy:  "Send newsletter to Chamber of Commerce list."

[Ken volunteered to be on committee to meet with Chamber of Commerce.  Suggested Char as well.]

Tracy:  "Joining Chamber of Commerce was not approved by the board.  Need to consult board in the future."

Ken moved to include Chamber list in next ADS Newsletter mailing.  Julie Roelke seconded.  Approved.

Ken:  "Each board member should sponsor a new member."

ADS NEWSLETTER:  Kay Price reported that Newsletter won't be going out until Russells get back. Likely first week of May.  Another issue will follow in July.  What needs to be in Newsletter?
1) Brief history of ADS.
2) Who Was AD?
3) Members sponsor new members.
4) AD Dinner.
5) Insert ad sheet.
6) Letter from President.

PUBLICATIONS/E-PUBLICATIONS:  Tracy reported that we are at an absolute standstill.  Need to move on.  Dan has been incommunicative.

Mark:  "If books have been already scanned, converting to OCR fairly easy. Can do it myself."

Tracy:  "Letter to Dan Boulden.  Ask for files, see where we stand in order to move forward."

Many questions for Mark about e-publishing.  JR gave report on books low in inventory.  Mark can do a test book beforehand.

TREASURER'S REPORT:  Perry Huntoon reported.  $1600 went out in 1st Quarter through card.  Down $300.00.  A total of $56,000 to date in bank.  1 CD left.  Matures in August.  Check book stolen.  22 checks written, all money has been returned.  Old account still in place, Perry will meet bank on Monday to work on closing old account.  Assets have been transferred to new account.  Need to have new checks with new address, use Ken's address. Perry announced his resignation as ADS Treasurer.

JR moved to appoint Ken Grant as interim ADS Treasurer.  Kay Price seconded.  Approved.

Fred:  "Do we buy a protection plan?"

JR:  "Perhaps Ken can look into the costs of a protection plan."

Mary made motion to table approval of 1st Quarter report.  David S. seconded.  Some discussion followed.  Approved.

Tracy:  "Jim K. sent me 2-page list of items he has purchased since 2012."  Tracy to follow up further with Jim K. on expenditures.

WWF13 PLANNING:  Char Olson reported.  May 1st is target date.  Newspaper shows Circus World has events up to November 1st.  Has 50 tickets sold already for Derleth Dinner.  5 or 6 people want to sell items.  250 people possible.  No need to panic yet.  Derleth Dinner date may have to be changed. A lot of people are interested.  Use Chamber of Commerce and Circus World websites and blogs to promote.  Jim K. and Char have been talking to people about Augie.

BUSINESS PLAN:  Tracy showed copy of One-Page Business Book.  Proposal: create one-page business plan for ADS.  Much discussion about Vision Plan.

David:  "Return To Walden West" Derleth said some passages he called his "mission statement".

ADS Mission Statement:  (from November 14, 2010 minutes) "The mission of the August Derleth Society is to preserve and promote the life, work and literary reputation of August Derleth."

OTHER BUSINESS:  Perry received card notifying the ADS of the $250.00 contribution to the Sauk Prairie Scholarship.  Award ceremony is Wednesday, May 8th.  JR will attend.

Mark made the motion to adjourn.  David S. seconded.  Approved.

Meeting adjourned at 3:29 p.m.