by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega
The ACB board of directors met by conference call to handle some decisions growing out of the budget meetings. All members were in attendance except Paul Edwards, who was in transit to Texas. Also in attendance were Melanie Brunson and Don Gardner. Brunson reported that she will be going to a conference regarding changes in the Combined Federal Campaign that will go into effect in 2007. These changes in the rules and regulations are expected to tighten such things as how the overhead is computed.
President Gray reported that Dave Williams is completing his last week as executive director of ACB Radio. He has accepted a job elsewhere. In the interim, the program will be handled by a management team. Gray briefly described how various functions will be distributed among the management team. It isn't known at this time how the streaming of the convention will be handled.
Gray presented the office review committee report. A new, broader job description for the position held by Terry Pacheco has been developed. Among other things, she will now be working with the executive director to assist in the area of fund-raising. He also presented a recommendation to extend the lease at the higher rate for the D.C. office to bring it into synchronization with the Minneapolis office lease. There was much discussion over whether it would be better to move the office in October to less expensive rental property or spend the additional amount of the increase of rent for two years. Don Gardner pointed out that bringing the two leases into alignment would allow the organization to evaluate combining the operations in a building owned by ACB or changing the size of office space leased to accommodate the running of the organization.
Brian Charlson moved that the office lease line item be increased in the 2006 budget to cover the rent increase. The motion passed. Consensus appeared to be that regardless of whether the office remained in the current location, the money would be needed to pay for the rent increase or to cover moving costs.
Carla Ruschival asked lots of questions to clarify the exact costs involved in extending the office lease. Charlson moved the lease be extended for two years. Ruschival asked for a roll call vote. The motion to extend the Washington, D.C. lease for two years passed 10 to 4 with Ruschival, Schmitt, Seliger and Trott casting the "no" votes.
There was some discussion on how to encourage the membership into participating in the Monthly Monetary Support program without browbeating or using the intimidation tactics used in other organizations.
Carla Ruschival requested that board members make their Jacksonville room reservations by May 1. The meeting adjourned with members of the convention program committee being asked to stay on the call to confer for a few minutes.