Board Meeting, Minutes - September 14th, 2008

Chippewa Valley Civil Liberties Union

Board Meeting Minutes for 9.14.2008

David Rice office, Eau Claire

Present: Ann Heywood, Corey Hilber, Mildred Larson, Bob Nowlan, Nicholas Passell, David Rice Absent: Geri Segal

1. David called the meeting to order at 6.40 p.m.

2. About five topics were added to the agenda.

3. The minutes were approved as previously distributed.

4. Ann reported that she got back to the person whose concerns about alleged election irregularities and public servant misdeeds we discussed last time. That person was pleased with the many suggestions and promised to get back to Ann after some follow through on his part. Since he has not reported, Ann will send an email request.

5. Nick distributed the treasurer’s report. We have no changes since last time: a balance of $338.82 in the checking account, and $5.01 in the savings account.

6. Ann reported her discussion with Bess Arneson at the library about the lack of a Banned Books celebration this year. Changes in personnel at the library and layoff at Borders made the program unworkable this year. We will resume next year; and we should initiate contact in the spring.

7. We discussed plans for the annual meeting and program. The program title is changed to “Are U.S. Elections Fair? Local, State, and National Concerns and What You Can Do” We will keep all six panelists previously contacted, but Bob and Corey’s remarks will be kept to five minutes or less. Mildred will check into getting a petition or sign up sheet (about 60) for support of legislation to re-enfranchise ex-felons. We will have ACLU membership forms and see about getting other action items available. Corey took the program poster draft for a friend to develop further. He will do the publicity on campus. Corey will get the poster back to Ann for the newsletter. Mildred will do the mailing. Bob will test the speaker system in the hall before the program. Mildred will contact Volume I and other print media outlets. David will lead the annual meeting and moderate the panel presentation. Lacking minutes from last year’s meeting, we will omit minutes from the annual meeting agenda. Ann will prepare ballots.

8. Our slate of candidates is almost complete. Tom Ahrens, Shu Cheng, and Ann Heywood have agreed to run. Ann will talk with a fourth potential candidate on Monday. The CVCLU website is functioning well; no updates.

9. On Thursday, October 9, Eric Guenther will be our NWEA Convention speaker. Myron will do the introduction. Later in the afternoon Eric will do a presentation at the university; Corey will make the final arrangements for that. Mildred invited all board members to her home for a chance to meet Eric after his presentation.

10. Corey reported that the Student Alliance will have its first meeting this Wednesday. They will be planning the setting up for our annual program and for Eric’s presentation, and discussing voting procedures on campus.

11. Mildred and Corey reported a challenge from Anita Johnson of Citizen Action to the Student Alliance and CVCLU to be poll workers and do voter registration on campus. Mildred said voting in this year’s primary went much better than during last year’s election. We pass this challenge to the Student Alliance.

12. Bob reported on his research into policies on political activity on UW-EC campus. (Earlier this month he got an interpretation of the relevant statute from ACLU-WI attorney Larry Dupuis.) Bob is concerned about the slippery slope of tighter and tighter restrictions. He has already talked to one administrator who, he felt, was leaning toward a too strict interpretation of the policy.

13. Mildred reported a situation of interest: a teacher at DeLong Middle School has students in health class sign a pledge of abstinence. We await more information.

14. The next board meeting was set for November 16 at 6:30 at the Herrick and Hart law office.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann Heywood, secretary