September 30, 2018 Minutes of OPA Board Post-Conference Meeting
Present: Jennifer Rood, Charles Castle, Bruce Parker, Diane Corson, Dale Champlin, Lynn Otto, Shirley Marc, Erik Muller, Stella Guillory.
Welcome and introductions: Shirley Marc, Vice-President, presented the agenda and presided over the meeting. The Board welcomed new member Jennifer Rood, and all members introduced themselves. Review of SKYPE use and officer/member assignments to date. Shirley requested new or updated bios to distribute among Board members.
The Board approved Eleanor Berry’s request for Mid-Valley Poetry Society to apply for a Marion Cultural Development Corporation grant for their 2019 Poetry in Performance programs, with OPA listed as the 501(c)(3) organization applying. OPA will hold granted funds as a designated fund and reimburse Mid-Valley’s PiP series expenses as receipts are submitted.
Fall 2019 Conference: Shirley organized this year’s conference. She and Tiel had organized last year’s. Shirley wants to train a lead for the 2019 conference, to be supported by two others in a conference planning committee, one focused on venue and one on program. The 2019 date was not determined. Among places mentioned: Portland, Salem, Hood River, Newport.
Website, Content & Technical: Tiel Ansari presently is the lead in both content and technical matters. Shirley is training to work on website content. More people are needed to help on both the content and technical sides. Charles will examine the member volunteer list as well as the volunteer forms from the conference to see if there are people interested in the website.
Lynn will tabulate the conference evaluation forms.
Erik will focus on outreach efforts: OPA units, underrepresented areas, and youth.
Discussion about who other than members might receive the OPA newsletter. An aid to poets in remote areas? Start a Facebook page for poet exchange?
National Federation of State Poetry Societies: Diane and Bruce expressed interest in attending this year’s NFSPS conference, June 23-26, Santa Fe. Board members pay their own way.
Elections: The Board elected Shirley as President, Charles as Vice-President, Lynn as Treasurer, Erik as Secretary, Bruce as Historian. Lynn is serving as treasurer one more year and seeks a trainee.
Bank Account: The Board voted to add Shirley Marc, the new OPA President, as a signer to our OPA business account with Bank of America and to remove Lisa Baldwin, retired president, from the account.
Order forms for Verseweavers need to reflect the current pricing: $15 current issue, $10 back issues
Next Meeting/SKYPE: Monday, October 15, 5:30.
Minutes submitted by Erik Muller _______________________________________.