Penguicon Board Meeting Minutes, Oct 28, 2024

Posted on by Jessica McQuiston Posted in Meeting MinutesTagged ,

Board Members 

Heidi Hawkins – President 
Ron Blanchett – Vice President
Chelle Silas/Lloyd Williams – Treasurer
Gillian Mayman – Secretary
Paul Keys – IT Officer
Jessica McQuiston – Communications Officer
James Hice – Member
James Brown – Member
Meph(Norm Witte) – Member

Attendees

Heidi Hawkins, Ron Blanchett, Chelle Silas, Lloyd Williams, Gillian Mayman, Paul Keys, Jessica McQuiston, James Brown, Ska Green, Ian Sterrett, James Hice, Meph, Sean Stevens, Wayne Garmil

  • Called to order: Heidi

Old Business

  • Mailing List Status:
    • Discussion: A member noted that the setup of the mailing list is pending, as Jessica and Paul have yet to meet and determine the initial steps.
    • Comment: Jessica mentioned that she only needs a starting point and will proceed from there.

New Business

  • Bank Transfer to Citizens:
    • Updates:
      • PO Box created (PO Box 51332, Livonia, MI 48150) with four keys distributed to Heidi, Chelle, Lloyd, and Ron.
      • Additional keys to be available by the end of the month.
    • LARA Documents Status: Reporting to be completed this week (10/28), with Chelle requesting reimbursement for associated expenses.
    • Account Opening: The new account will be opened upon LARA report approval.
    • Letter to Former President: Jessica will draft a formal letter for the President to send, allowing the former president to close the old account.
      • A phone number and an option to chat on Zoom will be included. Target completion by the end of November.
  • Penguicon 2025 Event Feasibility:
    • Venue Quotes:
      • Sheraton’s quote is still pending, but preliminary rates are similar to Eagle Crest’s.
      • Chelle will reach out to both venues for further information and consider adjusting room blocks.
    • Event Planning:
      • A member expressed concerns about the feasibility of a 2025 event due to upcoming holiday schedules.
      • A separate meeting is planned for mid-November to assess event feasibility.
      • Potential alternatives, like a one-day or virtual event, were suggested to maintain community engagement.
      • Interest was noted for a possible masquerade ball as part of the event.
  • Bylaw Review:
    • Proposal: A member suggested a legal review of bylaws, with an attorney potentially offering discounted assistance.
    • Action: James will lead a review group with Paul, Chelle, and Heidi and will share the attorney’s proposal once received.

Officer/Subcommittee Updates

  • Social Media Subcommittee:
    • Facebook Page Rules: A member proposed adding the rules to both Facebook and a Discord channel.
    • Approval Process: Heidi will facilitate online board approval after review.
    • Update: Jessica will revise the guidelines to make them less Facebook-specific.
  • Technology Subcommittee:
    • IT Policy and Nextcloud Migration: The subcommittee will finalize an IT policy by the end of the week and is also evaluating Nextcloud for future implementation.
    • Password Manager: A self-hosted BitWarden instance is in development, providing encrypted access similar to LastPass.
  • Community Events Subcommittee:
    • Confirmation of Officer Role: Ska has accepted the role of Community Events Officer.
    • Community Member Recruitment: Heather, Heidi, Gillian, and Jessica expressed interest in joining the subcommittee.
    • Upcoming Discussion: The subcommittee will discuss potential event ideas at the next meeting.
  • Sponsorship Subcommittee:
    • Confirmation of Officer Role: benny accepted the Sponsorship Officer position.
    • Sponsorship Outreach: The subcommittee will assess the impact of after-dark programming on sponsorships and recruit community members.
    • Communication Setup: Heidi will send an email to approve dedicated emails for subcommittee chairs, with setup completion by week’s end.

Next Steps

  1. Jessica: Coordinate with Paul to establish the mailing list setup.
  2. Chelle: Complete LARA document reporting by 10/28 and request reimbursement.
  3. Jessica: Draft a formal letter to the former president regarding account closure; include contact options.
  4. Chelle: Follow up with Sheraton and Eagle Crest for venue quotes; adjust room block requirements as needed.
  5. James: Lead the bylaw review group and share attorney proposal with the board.
  6. Heidi: Set up online approval process for Facebook group rules.
  7. Jessica: Revise Facebook group rules to be platform-neutral.
  8. Heidi: Approve subcommittee chair emails and complete setup by week’s end.
  9. Jessica: Contact Jer to initiate Facebook account ownership transfer.
  10. Heidi: Send out a Doodle poll to schedule the next meeting on November 12 or 13.

End of Meeting

  • Motion to Adjourn:
    • Proposed by: Heidi
    • Seconded by: Paul
    • Result: Unanimously approved