by Mike Duke
President Chris Gray held a conference call meeting of the ACB board of directors Wednesday, January 14, 2004. The meeting began at 9:10 p.m.
The agenda included discussions of fundraising, extension of the contract for Laura Oftedahl, election to fill the board position vacated by Dawn Christensen, and mid-year meetings for 2004 and 2005. A discussion of the current status of the budget process was added. President Gray announced that the meeting would also include an executive session for the purpose of discussing matters of personnel.
A motion to adopt the agenda as outlined above carried on a voice vote.
Donna Seliger took the roll call. Those present in addition to the board were Jim Olsen, Laura Oftedahl and Charlie Hodge. Board member Jerry Annunzio was absent at the beginning of the meeting, but joined later along with acting executive director Melanie Brunson.
Oftedahl reported that several grant proposals are in the works. Some support grants have been secured for the legislative seminar and for the 2004 national convention. She suggested that ACB fund-raising efforts concentrate on grants, planned giving and individual donations.
A motion to extend Oftedahl’s contract at the same rate and hours beginning Feb. 3, 2004 passed on a roll call vote of 10 to 3. Those voting in the affirmative were: Bazyn, Beatty, Bradley, Keith, Miller, Pomerantz, Ruschival, Schmitt, Seliger and Sheehan. Those opposed were Charlson, Edwards and Speicher.
The board decided by consensus that the vacancy created by Dawn Christensen’s resignation will remain until the 2004 convention.
Gray reported that the mid-year meeting agenda was nearly complete. He mentioned that Carl Augusto had approached him about a presentation at mid-year concerning state agencies and involvement by ACB. Pomerantz suggested working on the rehab task force paper and getting it disseminated during mid-year.
Charlson reported that due to a number of circumstances, the draft budget has been delayed until the first week in February. The budget committee consists of Bazyn, Sheehan and Charlson, along with Gray, Brunson and Olsen.
A motion to move into executive session to discuss personnel items carried on a voice vote.
Following the executive session, the open meeting continued. Gray reported that the executive session pertained to personnel matters, and that the board took no action. A motion to adjourn carried and the meeting ended at 12:05 a.m. Eastern time on January 15, 2004.