Official minutes must include what kind of meeting regular or special, where and when the meeting was held, who was in attendance and absent. ALL motions, who made the motion, and whether the motion passed or failed. Discussion of any kind is not required or recommended to be in any posted minutes.Minutes should report all decisions that are made at a meeting.
Southern AEOE Conference Committee Meeting
Camp Hess Kramer, Malibu, CA
28 March 2004, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Meeting called to order at 10:10am by Helen
In attendance: Helen de la Maza, Rebecca Sanchez, George Stratman, Laura Vandezande, Judy Toothaker, Michael Charnofsky, Maggie Wolfe, Debbie Carraway, David Macander, Paul Grafton, & Kris Pamintuan
Motions:
Other decisions:
Meeting adjourned around 2:00pm
Southern AEOE Conference Committee Meeting
Camp Hess Kramer, Malibu, CA
28 March 2004, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Meeting called to order at 10:10am by Helen
In attendance: Helen de la Maza, Rebecca Sanchez, George Stratman, Laura Vandezande, Judy Toothaker, Michael Charnofsky, Maggie Wolfe, Debbie Carraway, David Macander, Paul Grafton, & Kris Pamintuan
Agenda Items:
I. Updates/Issues from Committee Chairs
A. Publicity - Michael1. Michael doesn't feel like he is doing too much, but is sending out a lot of e-mails
2. We have about 42 people registered, including some from Montana & Washington - between website & e-mails, Helen has had a lot of phone calls and e-mails about the conference
3. Comedic relief: e-mails about strange registration questions
B. Volunteer - Jason/Melody
1. Jason knows what we need for volunteers - he sent an e-mail to the OCOSS sites about who is attending the conference so they can volunteer
2. Many people who are helping with conference set-up (securing goods, etc.) - do we give them a discount/free fall conference/etc.?
a. Anyone who we have officially acknowledged as a pre-conference volunteer will get a 50% discount, in this case Tamara, Anita, Rebecca, & Melody - to be determined in advance by Helen & the board
3. Concierge update - Rebecca
a. There are three, possibly a fourth
C. Presenter - Judy
1. There is no one to do yoga at this time - Laura's friend is comfortable being there but not leading it
2. Sarah Lemley and Karen O'Hearn will lead birding
3. The rest of the presenters are all set, 70-80% set with locations for presenters - only 10 of them have registered
D. Entertainment/Keynote/Talent Show - Paul
1. 144 Abram's books were purchased, whatever we don't use we can return within 60 days of purchase (which is April 8, 2004 - so they bumped our timeline back to be 60 days out from the conference date)
2. David Abram is setting up his schedule, is trying to set up his transportation - coming to CHK from LA, then back to New Mexico
3. All is good w/ Cubensis, contract is signed
4. Talent show/skits - 2 people + Rhymin' Reason will do a song so far
5. Transcripts - great idea, some people that are speaking do not want to be recorded, since they do their own tapes - we just have to check in with each of the speakers
a. Kris will transcribe if the speakers are o.k. w/ it, Debbie will help if there is a lot to transcribe
6. We are paying David Abram $3000 - we need to raise more money ($1000, since we were only going to pay $2000) - perhaps extra money raised from paid workshops (that's why we have paid workshops!!)
7. Cubensis can partake of the COSA meal on Fri. night, or we can get a couple of pizza's for the people who arrive early Fri. to set-up, including Cubensis - Kris can pick them up
E. Housing - Laura/Helen
1. Premium housing is hot this year - some people are writing big checks!
a. 1 private room w/ private bath for David Abram, one for Abel Silvas (he's only here Fri.)
b. 2 rustic rooms w/ three beds each (6 beds total), for Casey Neill band - if they are willing, they could have their own cabin - they are 5 guys, don't seem to care much about lodging issues - they'll be fine in their own cabin
c. Many have called about premium housing, many people are bringing spouses, etc.
ASIDE: COSA's dinner is @ 5:30pm on Fri., they ate upstairs, not in the dining hall, so we can use the dining hall for registration
2. The 2 Montana guys need a place to stay on Sunday night since they don't fly out until Mon. morning - can they stay at CHK (camping?) - Michael will ask if they can stay, we can also suggest hostels nearby - anyone with hostel info should mail it to Helen
F. Finances/Merchandise - Zayanne
1. Zayanne is not here but is purchasing our merchandise
2. She is also working on updated form
G. T-shirt update - Maggie
1. Kathleen got the blank stuff, so it will be easy to print them up - approx. 30% of those registered already are purchasing shirts
H. Evaluations - George
1. George brought the evals from last year - he passed it around for ideas
2. Do we want to add anything about the diversity strand?
I. Photo/History booth idea - George
1. George thought about having an old-time photo booth
a. People could dress up as naturalists from the 60's, 70's, etc., we could take digital photos to post on website or print for a donation, or they can use their own cameras
b. People who have props/costumes can bring some to put near the history booth
c. Put up a backdrop, even just on butcher paper
d. Find some old photos to bring as examples - even dress up our current staff in old costumes to take sample photos
J. First Aid Kits - Kris
1. Buy a big comprehensive one, this could be used for other activities & conferences
2. This will be a southern kit - northern can get their own to eliminate the transfer back and forth problems
3. Laura or Zayanne will be responsible for it after this conference
4. Kris will contact Zayanne
K. Scholarships - Laura
1. There haven't been too many
2. Some debate over qualifications
a. We really should have some guidelines about who qualifies - it needs to be someone who is unable to afford the conference
b. The goal is to get people to come to the conference who otherwise wouldn't be able to come
c. Concern about getting into credit applications - people who make enough $ - scholarships should go to those truly in need
d. Perhaps we could limit it to interns, temporary folks
e. Another thought is to make part of the scholarship process a letter of recommendation from a program administrator, unemployed would perhaps be on a case-by-case basis
f. We need to come up with a standard scholarship criteria at the state-wide meeting
g. We have 6 applications now, we may have more, but will give precedence to interns 1st - Laura & Helen will review the applications, & if something doesn't work, they will run it by everyone [Update: 39 scholarship apps. total!]
h. Scholarship $ cannot be used for anything else, if unused, will be rolled over for the next year
L. Transportation - Laura
1. Kris & Rebecca can bring more people; Paul may be able to bring someone
2. Laura thinks it's kind of fun to arrange rides (kind of like a dating service!)
3. Laura is also learning about the (scary) LA bus system
M. Prizes - Tamara (in absentia)
1. Tamara is gathering prizes, is getting them for silent auction
2. Acorn Naturalists is getting prizes for the skit thing - talk to Anita about it
3. Hoppy may be getting prizes for the photo contest
4. Costco light bulbs? Buy them to give as prizes
N. Closing Ceremony - Laura
1. Sandi wants to do a raffle having to do with the diversity strand, based on # of items signed off on passport
2. Laura is working on closing ceremony ideas, is interested in songs, etc.
II. Other Conference business
A. Conference Program - Maggie needs the finalized schedule asap!
B. Maggie will be gone, sailing in the Grenadines the week after Spring Break (16th-25th), so she needs everything before that.
C. David Abram's book signing
1. 10 minutes after his workshop, right before dinner, after breakfast on Sunday?
3. We can announce it or he can announce times after
D. Sign-ups for paid workshops are going well so far
E. Radio issues - Kris's husband doesn't want her to use the site radios unless we have permission from Pam - Kris will e-mail Helen for assistance
F. Try to arrive by 3pm to help set-up
G. 50 great things with AEOE -
1. Butcher paper graffiti board for people to write ideas about "teaching outside the lines," "one great thing about AEOE," etc.
2. Add a line on eval. about 50 greatest things of AEOE
3. Have an AEOE compliment board
III. Southern AEOE Board Items
A. Southern summer newsletter - needs to go out before Memorial Day weekend for people who take off for the summer (May 31st)
1. The deadline goal is May 28th (earlier if at all possible) - Howard Bell award, fall conference info, next spring conference location, transcripts from workshop presentations, announcements & summaries about conference, summer training & traveling opportunities - it can be a small newsletter
4. Articles need to get to Jason at the end of the conference or by April 30th; draft needs to be sent out to board for revisions by May 14th, revisions back to Jason by 21st (earlier if possible), newsletter sent out by May 28th (earlier if at all possible)
5. Ask Heather to send Spring Conference article to Jason
B. Fall Conference
1. Blue Sky Meadows wants us (Oct 22-24th) but this may be quite cold, not sure about the price
2. Loch Leven is a possibility, Kris needs to talk to Brad regarding details, price may be too much
4. Starr Ranch is always a possibility, they have new facilities
5. We need to decide within a month about location & date
6. The date is not very flexible (there are other events going on), it is a possibility to do it the same weekend as the northern conference
C. Chair-Elect
1. We still don't have one
D. August 17-18th, statewide executive meeting, somewhere near Santa Cruz/San Jose?
1. Everyone is invited to attend, esp. since we will be doing some visioning
2. Statewide issues, EE certification, etc., will be discussed
3. Jeff Hohensee from TreePeople has volunteered to facilitate Vision Session
4. This is a middle-of-the-week meeting
5. Aaron Rich (who will be co-president) & Rikki Shackleford don't know if they'll be there due summer jobs - not sure where they'll be
6. The idea is that we are meeting on the 17th all day, & again on the 18th all day, so travel is before & after those 2 days
E. Surfing activity
1. May 21-23rd, everyone should come because it will be a lot of fun
a. So far only 2 people are signed up
b. It will be at Camp Surf
c. Boards will be provided - you don't have to bring your own board (experienced surfers can bring their own boards, new surfers will use the Camp Surf boards)
Lunch break
IV. Conference Set-Up
A. Signs
1. Kris (& Debbie/Maggie?) can make signs on the computer
B. Site walk-through
Meeting adjourned around 2:00pm.