Board Meeting, Minutes - July 11th, 2010

Chippewa Valley Civil Liberties Union

Board Meeting Minutes for July 11, 2010

David Rice office, Eau Claire

Present: Myron Buchholz, Ann Heywood, Mildred Larson, Nicholas Passell, David Rice.

Absent: Shu Cheng, Dan Perkins, Stephanie Turner, Eleanor Wolf.

1. David called the meeting to order at 6:45 p.m.

2. The minutes were accepted as previously emailed.

3. Nick distributed the treasurer’s report with a balance of $955.67 at RCU, the same balance as reported in March and May.

4. The state board report was added to the agenda.

5. Myron reported that our NWEA Convention program on Friday, October 15, at 9:45 a.m., is arranged as follows: The topic is “Facing Challenges to Classroom and Course Material.” Speakers are Myron Buchholz, Memorial H.S. social studies teacher; Pam Gardow, Memorial H.S. librarian; Rob Kuchta, Chippewa Falls H.S. science teacher; Rebecca Neville, Memorial H.S. English teacher; and Rich Johnson, Memorial H. S. science teacher. Myron will moderate the panel.

6. David reported that the L. E. Phillips Memorial Public Library will be celebrating Banned Books Week on October 1 and 2 by showing five films with a “banning” theme. The three on Friday areGoodnight and Good Luck, Inherit the Wind, and 1984. Saturday’s screenings are Footloose and The Insider. There will be about a 15 minute break between the films on each day. Mildred, Dan, and Eleanor have agreed to provide commentary or lead discussion (to be determined with Bess Arenson from the library) during the breaks.

7. Chris Ahmuty has agreed to be the main speaker at our annual fall presentation on Wednesday, October 20. He will discuss a number of ACLU issues, especially some that are related to elections. David will check with the library or Unitarian Church for a meeting site. Nick will check into options for a CVCLU members’ dinner/fundraiser to be held preferably at Houligan’s prior to the event.

8. Mildred said that the state is still seeking a development director. She reported on theWisconsin Supreme Court’s decision affirming the lower court’s ruling that the marriage amendment adopted by Wisconsin’s voters in 2006 did not violate the separate amendment rule of the Wisconsin Constitution. Chris Ahmuty issued a press release which included the opinion that “The Court wisely limited its analysis of the marriage amendment’s two clauses, without trying to decide ‘what legal statuses identical or substantially similar to marriage are prohibited by this [the second] clause…’” She also reported about a case involving students wearing offensive t-shirts, including KKK messages.

9. David distributed copies of the CVCLU membership list sent from state. We began work on the project of adding email addresses in order to have a chapter elist so that we can occasionally contact many of our members when we have upcoming programs or alerts. Board members selected names of those they know or for whom they can easily find email addresses and then added enough to make roughly 20 people each to contact. David will assign names to board members who are absent from this meeting. We will call the people on our lists and ask for their email address and explain our purpose. We will mention that state may also send newsletters and action alerts. Nick suggested that he will send an email to people whose email he knows or can easily find in the university directory and ask them only for an “opt out” if they wish. Other board members will do the same if they have access to email addresses. If necessary, it is OK to leave a message to have the member return the call and leave his or her email on the caller’s answering machine. We intend to make a personal contact with as many of our members as we can. Board members should send an email to Ann with the collected information (name, emails, any relevant notes, such as “deceased” or “not interested” or ‘no answer”) as soon as possible, preferably by the end of July.

10. The next meeting was set for September 12, 6:30, at David’s office.

11. The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann Heywood, secretary

To Do:

All members:

Contact assigned CVCLU members to collect email addresses and email the information to Ann by the end of July.

David:

Check availability of a meeting site at the Unitarian church and/or the public library.

Assign names for board members to contact.

Ann:

Compile membership email information and forward to state.

Nick:

Investigate arrangements for a dinner/fundraiser at Houligan’s on October 20.

Stephanie:

(continuing) Meet with Collin Hawkins to facilitate the activity of the ACLU Student Alliance next year under new leadership