Present: Charles Hodge, chair, Cindy Burgett, Winifred Downing, Mike Duke, Deanna Noriega, Ex-officio Janelle Edwards and Ralph Sanders.
Staff: Sharon Lovering, Acting Editor and Melanie Brunson, Executive Director.
Chair Charlie Hodge called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. Eastern time. The meeting was called to discuss the much higher than anticipated cost of the braille edition of the Forum.
Sharon and Melanie said that the error in the cost analysis resulted from a misinterpretation of the method of calculating the braille bids for page count. The impact of the bid analysis resulted in an increase cost of roughly $1.42 per braille copy. This is based on a print edition of 48 pages which generally translates into 96 pages in braille, although that page count can vary by several pages either way based on how the print edition formats.
Sharon said that in reviewing the quotes from both Braille International and Associated Services their price for a 48-page print edition produced in braille is roughly the same. Charlie said that he felt we should stay with Braille International because the quality of their performance had been so good. He asked Sharon if she agreed. She said she had been extremely satisfied with their work including their timely production and distribution of the braille edition. There was unanimous consent.
The result of the revision increases the budgeted amount for the braille edition, based on 11 issues to $50,600 instead of the prior projection of approximately $12,457 for an increase of $38,143. This would increase the total budget for the Braille Forum for 11 issues to roughly $159,000 over the prior projection of roughly $121,000. The budget for 2004 for eight issues was roughly $129,000.
Charlie reminded everyone that it is impossible to be precise on the cost of the braille issue because of the variance in page counts. There was an extremely detailed and lengthy discussion of budget alternatives for the BOP to recommend to the Board of Directors.
Reducing page counts was discussed but everyone agreed that we had used the 48-page proposal because of the input of the membership at the convention that a smaller issue would restrict the content too drastically.
The budget impact of reducing the number of issues was analyzed. If we reduce to 10 issues the budget would be roughly $144,500 and at 9 issues it would drop to roughly $130,000, or approximately the same level as the budget for the eight issues in 2004.
Cindy moved that we proposed ten issues at 48 pages to the Board. Winifred seconded the motion, which carried.
Mike moved that the chair be empowered to agree to a nine-issue plan if the budget committee requests us to do so. Cindy seconded the motion, which carried.
Melanie suggested that our contracts with producers be changed to add 9 in addition to 10, 11, or 12 issues in order to avoid potential problems with producers if our issue numbers change.
Winifred moved that Melanie be authorized to work out the changes in the contracts. Mike seconded the motion, which carried.
Sharon said that she was including the announcement of the deadline for nominations for the BOP awards in the February issue. She said that she had tentatively made the deadline April 1. She asked if that was agreeable. It was agreed by unanimous consent.
There was a discussion about the potential to use a conference phone system for the in-person BOP meeting scheduled for February 18, in conjunction with the Presidents' meeting for those who could not attend. Melanie agreed to check out the best way to make that work.
Winifred moved adjournment. Cindy seconded the motion, which carried. The meeting adjourned at 10:45 p.m. Eastern time.