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Rotary Board Meeting
August 21, 2003
Board members present: Miley Palmer, Steve Furrow, Martin Getty,
Marsha Fleming, Jim Finn, Wayne Allen, Stu Ellis, Robin Crowe,
Bob Lloyd, Harold Murphy, Heather Stoa, Tom Brinkoetter.
Also present: Noel Myers, Steve Reid
President Palmer convened the meeting at 12:04 p.m. with a
rousing chorus of lunch orders.
The minutes of the July Board meeting were amended to reflect
the attendance of Jim Finn, and approved on a motion by Furrow,
second by Crowe.
President Palmer invited Rotary members Beth Nolan and Jeff
Byrkit into the room for a presentation and they brought Sam
Johnson of BLDD and Susan Smith of the Decatur Arts Council.
Johnson and Smith outlined their plans for an Arts Center in
Downtown Decatur on North Water Street between Flora Gems and
Raupp's Shoes. The multi-story facility will house Theatre 7,
Barn Colony Artists, the Decatur Municipal Band, an arts education
center, a ticket office for arts events, and a gift shop to
sell the works of local artisans. Ms. Smith said funding for
the $2 million project was about 50% complete asked Rotary to
pledge $25,000 over two years. In return a stairway would be
named for the Decatur Rotary Club, and arts classes would be
open to members and their families with their artworks eligible
for exhibitions.
The group was thanked for its presentation and no action was
taken on the request.
The Finance Committee of Heather Stoa, Bob Lloyd and Harold
Murphy was introduced for a report on club finances. Harold
reported assets of $51,015.63, liabilities of $31,469.57, and
$19, 546.06 in total assets, for the fiscal year ending June
30, 2003. Contributions for the last fiscal year totaled $15,
615. There are also $10, 377.45 in outstanding bills due from
club members.
The discussion on the report noted that no payment was made
on the pledge to the Decatur Park District for Rotary Park and
only $45,000 has been contributed toward the $100,000 pledge.
A motion was made by Lloyd, second by Allen to make a $15,000
payment to the Decatur Park District in the near future. An
amendment offered by Fleming, second by Allen, was made to develop
a payment schedule of $15,000 in September or October, with
future payments in the fall of 2004 and 2005. The amendment
passed. The original motion passed. The next payment will be
made when Park District officials can attend a Rotary meeting.
President Palmer offered accolades to Bob Lloyd and Harold
Murphy for development of a complete financial report which
allowed Board members to have complete knowledge of club finances.
President Palmer also offered his appreciation to Tom Brinkoetter
for his work in development of the club website and his work
to get an upgraded version of Clubmate software, which was purchased
by Rotary International and will now be available without Tom
having to frequently call Australia for the software.
President Palmer said three members had requested, that because
of illness and inability to attend meetings, they be billed
for only the meals they consume when they can attend. Bob Lloyd
said that "senior active" status had been granted
several decades ago to 23 members, and currently 15 members
enjoy that status. The most recent requests came from Vi Eggers,
Bob Smith, and Art Wells, who is already on senior active status.
It was noted that Vi is a regular attendee of club meetings,
and usually makes up at other clubs when she cannot attend.
The ensuing debate involved numerous issues, including: whether
approval should be given on a case by case basis, whether there
was a need for an overall policy, whether such relief should
be reserved for members who are retired from business, the ease
of make-ups including the use of the Internet for e-meetings,
and whether the seriousness of the illness should be considered.
President Palmer said make ups actually help the club attendance
record, but that any overall policy will have to be reconciled
with the club's financial position. Without an immediate resolution,
the matter was referred to the Finance Committee for a recommendation
at a future Board meeting.
President Palmer reported that a new Penny Fund schedule be
developed, to determine which charities should receive Penny
Fund contributions. By consensus, the matter was referred to
the Grants committee for a recommendation. It was moved by Ellis,
second by Fleming, that for September, the Penny Fund designee
be the United Way. The motion passed.
President Palmer had previously distributed a comprehensive
list of club officers and committee chairs and referred board
members to that list in their packet.
President Palmer reported that several White Cards had been
received to accept new members:
Tina Nolan, Executive Director of the Downtown Decatur Council,
was being sponsored by Paula Finn. A motion to approve by Murphy,
second by Furrow, was passed. Kim Lockhart, account executive
with Nichols Advertising, was being sponsored by Allen Noon.
A motion to approve by Allen, second by Crowe, was passed with
abstentions noted from Fleming and Finn. President Palmer noted
that when the White Card is placed on the table, if any member
files an objection, then the nomination will have to be addressed
again by the Board.
Ellis reported that interest in joining Rotary had been shown
by Ann Vaux, of the Decatur Business Journal, who is in charge
of both advertising and articles, but a formal nomination is
not being made at this time. A motion by Ellis, second by Stoa,
to develop an invitation list including Ann Vaux, Jennifer Duckworth
of StarTek, Doug Zemke of Millikin, and Paul Osborne of the
Decatur Tribune, was approved.
President Palmer distributed new member packets that included,
a certificate suitable for framing, a Rotary ribbon and medallion,
and other items. He said it had been about two years since the
last new member orientation and proposed holding a series of
three such meetings to ensure all new members would have the
benefit of being able to attend one. On a motion by Furrow,
second by Finn, the concept was approved and they were tentatively
scheduled for the last Friday of month for the next three months,
as a lunch meeting at the Decatur Club. The program will include
information about the history of Rotary, Paul Harris Foundation,
and community service activities of Decatur 180.
President Palmer reported on a lack of advertising in the Sparkplug
newsletter and asked that a bulletin board be posted at club
meetings to indicate availabilities. Steve Furrow volunteered
for the task. Finn reported that he had already signed up for
a month.
Brinkoetter asked that he receive a PDF version of the newsletter
so that it can be posted as printed on the website. A motion
by Furrow, second by Fleming, to do that was approved.
President Palmer reported that Ann Vaux of the Decatur Business
Journal had asked Rotary to provide an article in the September
issue, which focused on networking. The article would detail
general information about Decatur 180, its community contributions,
and the networking that is the basis of Rotary. The option for
an article includes an advertising commitment, and a motion
by Ellis, second by Allen, to purchase a one-quarter page ad
for $258 with a color logo for $75 was approved. President Palmer
and Fleming volunteered to write the article immediately because
of the impending deadline.
President Palmer reported that two vacancies existed in the
2005 Class of board members. A motion by Finn, second by Brinkoetter,
to elect Dave Brandon and Steve Reid to the Board was passed.
Finn said some future speakers may generate larger attendances
at club meetings and wondered how the Decatur Club is informed
about potential problems of insufficient food. A brief recap
of the current agreement was offered by Allen, who was involved
in the negotiations, and Finn will alert the Club when the attendance
is expected to swell beyond the average of 74.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:40 p.m., with an aggregate fear
about potential parking tickets.
Stu Ellis, acting Secretary.
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