Board Meeting, Minutes - August 18th, 2013

Chippewa Valley Civil Liberties Union

Board Meeting Minutes for August 18, 2013

Herrick and Hart Law Office, 116 Grand Ave., Eau Claire

Present: Myron Buchholz, Shu Cheng, Ann Heywood, Anna Lane, Nicholas Passell, David Rice, Stephanie Turner (presiding),

Absent: Chris Jorgenson, Mildred Larson, Alida Markgraf, Paul Wagner

Beverly Wickstrom, Collin Hawkins, and Sara Adams have resigned from the board over the last several months.

Stephanie called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. Introductions followed, including visitor Sarah Thielen.
David distributed the treasurer’s report. There have been no expenses or income since the June report, so our balance remains $1207.04 in checking and $5.01 in savings.
The minutes of the June 9 meeting were approved as emailed. Stephanie reviewed our new process of informal approval of the minutes soon after Ann emails them, and a formal approval at the following meeting. Minutes will be posted on the website after the informal approval.
Stephanie reviewed Ann’s state board report emailed before the meeting. We discussed briefly the ACLU court cases coming up in November concerning voter ID and the abortion clinic legislation requiring doctors in abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles.
David reported on tabling at Pridefest on August 10 at Riverview Park. He and a friend set up the CVCLU banner and materials and worked at the table for about three hours. They obtained names and emails of eight people interested in our work and distributed several membership envelopes. The site was pleasant and had good visibility. He did not have to register or pay to set up a table.
The board discussed developing plans for the annual meeting and program. The sub-committee has worked on a panel exploring health care rights. They have contacted Cheryl Thiede, former president of our local Planned Parenthood; Chris Ahmuty, Executive Director of ACLU-WI; and Kay Kennedy, retired UW-EC professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies. Thiede will discuss reproductive rights. Ahmuty will discuss ACLU cases involving health care rights. Kennedy’s topic is less clear; we want to make sure the topic is about legal rights we have or those we ought to have. The committee will meet again to further the plans and secure at least one more speaker.

We proposed October 24 or 22 for the annual meeting, subject to double-checking for conflicts. David will check for availability at the Unitarian Universalists for those dates. Nick agreed to make arrangements for dinner and annual meeting at Houligans as we did last year. Ann will mail out the annual newsletter by October 7. She will be contact person for candidates for the board. Depending on whether Myron, Nick, and David, agree to run for another term, we will have our required nine board members. Ann suggested we find at least one more candidate and possibly increase the number on the board as we did in the past. We hope to expand our diversity in one or more ways—geographical, ethnic, racial, disability, background, etc. Sarah Thielen will email information about some very economical places for newsletter printing.

Old business. We discussed the drone issue in light of Councilman Werthman’s newly declining to support our ordinance proposal at this time, the coming resignation of Eau Claire Police Chief Matysik, and a citizen’s email to the CVCLU concerning an eye witness report of a drone exercise near Highway 53 involving the Eau Claire police. David will ask Gregg Moore and Stella Pagonis of the Eau Claire County Board if there is any intent for the county to use drones. Stephanie will send a letter to Matysik and Councilwoman Kerry Kincaid with information about the eye witness report and asking for an explanation in light of denials that drones are being considered for city police work in the foreseeable future. [Note: our plans for the drone ordinance were set back following publicity of our petition in support in June. Authorities deem it unimportant at this time since there is no plan or budget for the local use of drones.]

Stephanie still needs to talk to Chris Jorgensen about his intentions to serve on the board.

New business. At the request of state ACLU staff, Stephanie will be setting up a meeting of some of our board members with Congressman Ron Kind about his vote allowing National Security Administration mass spying on Americans.
A meeting will be called on September 15 if there is a need. Otherwise our next meeting will be the annual meeting in October at Houligans.
The meeting adjourned about 8:10 p.m.

To do:

Stephanie: Stephanie, Mildred, Nick: Plan annual meeting program.

Stephanie: Write letter to Matysik about drones. Check on board status of Chris J.

Nick: Make arrangements for annual meeting dinner at Houligans.

David: Check on drone plans at county level. Check on availability of UU for meeting.