Oregon Poetry Association: Minutes of June 14, 2019, Board Meeting

at President Shirley Marc’s House 10-4.

Present: Shirley, Dale, Lynn, Charles, Erik, Bruce, Jennifer, Diane.

Minutes: The minutes of the May 6 Board meeting were approved.

Financial report: Lynn submitted her report, with the conference budget sent to Shirley. We are paying Mailchimp $10 a month for service assistance. Lynn has sent Shirley the procedures for being Treasurer, and Lynn will have new signature forms for the officers at the Board meeting immediately after the conference.

Banta Award: Jennifer will convene the committee to screen nominations and will have a recommendation at the next Board meeting.

Fall Contest: Submissions open July 1. Announcements will appear in the newsletter, as a bulletin, and elsewhere.

Policies and Procedures: The Board reviewed OPA Policies and Procedures and voted to accept the following changes:

            1.10 change to “. . . to the OPA webmaster for posting.”

            1.30 change to “The Treasurer is to e-mail updated financial reports before each Board meeting.”

            2.20 change to “A non-Board conference coordinator may receive a $250 honorarium. Coordinators may share the honorarium.”

            2.30 add “Registration implies acceptance.”

            2.40 change “should” to “must”

            2.50 strike final “s” from CASCADIAS

            3.30 change “OSPA” to “OPA”

            3.16 change “Teachers of Students who win prizes in our Student Contest” to “Winning students and their teachers”

            4.10 drop and replace with 9.10 (see below)

            4.20 add period

            4.60 drop

            4.80 change “Outgoing” to “Incoming”

            5.10 change “similar” to “outreach”; drop “other”

            8.10 add a comma to show “page, limit”

            Add: OPC 6/14/2019 9.10 The OPA website shall post current guidelines for contributing to and using the Oregon Poetry Collection.

            Add: OPCC 6/14/2019 9.20 OPA’s two representatives on the Oregon Poetry Collection Committee must be OPA members and be appointed by and report to the Board. They work with their counterparts at the UO Knight Library as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding, 2017, as well as on the biennial Knight Library Undergraduate Poetry Prize competition.

Note: Procedure 2.10 was discussed and left as is until further discussion. Extra reading opportunities will be available during the Fall Conference in Salem.

           Procedure 4.50 concerning Directories is to be placed on the agenda of General Membership Meeting. Charles, Erik, and possibly Mark Janssen helping with discussion. There are many privacy issues, perhaps avoided by the OPA Face Book Group already set up.

Conference Items: Reflecting Shirley’s update.

            *Shirley will develop the schedule to be reviewed by the Board

            *Conference flier asap

            *Multiple ways of distributing flier

            *A third room available for poetry readings, etc.

            *Board presents yearend report at General Membership Meeting; Lynn develops power-point

            *Multi-page conference brochure with presenter topic and bio, plus insert of conference schedule

            *Registration including some Salem volunteers

            *Bookroom assisted by volunteers; Lynn has developed a bookroom guide

Other Conference discussion: A Square would help at both registration and the bookroom, though accounts need to be set up by an individual, and checks are sent to authors later than the Conference. There will be a Walk-write-about early Sunday led by John Van Dreal.

Recruiting new leaders: Suggested ways:

            *use volunteer sheet

            *contact previous Conference presenters

            *contact Conference attendees

            *contact previous Board members

            *advertise opportunity to serve

Board/staff discussion: Shirley led a discussion about the difference between Board members and staff, much like the difference between policy and procedure, Bruce observed. We noted most Board members currently are both and may risk being overburdened. This indicates a need for more staff. Perhaps a staff/volunteer coordinator could help here, as most current Board/staff have little additional time.

Area/unit discussion: While the by-laws indicate how to form a unit and coordinate with the Board, we agreed that relationships were critical in discovering how OPA can better serve underserved areas and established units. Here, again, staff, not Board, can add to the effort, though currently three Board members have outreach to Hood River, La Grande, and Southern Oregon-Klamath Falls. . Key questions: How can OPA help you? Do you have a poetry group? Do you have a way of finding out what poetry activities are happening in your area?

            Charles spoke to the uses of a unified calendar, perhaps in conjunction with Lane Literary Guild. A member directory can be useful, too. The OPA Facebook group can also be used to connect areas and newcomers

            OPA can use its non-profit EIN number to help separate local groups apply for and receive grant monies.

            Both Diane and Erik reported on outreach to Hood Rive and LaGrande, respectively. Diane and Leah Stenson worked together to produce a one-time program drawing a small audience, yet with contacts to build upon. LaGrande, with some help from $200 from OPA outreach funds, has established a new reading series, with an open mic attracting some college students. Both efforts are in progress, suggesting different approaches.

More conferences, workshops: Not a reality two years ago, OPA has money enough to consider adding program, whether a one-day conference or workshops. The remaining $500 of the Cozart contribution could underwrite an event focused on poet Virginia Corrie-Cozart in or beyond Salem. Charles is discussing a possible partnership with Wordcrafters, an organization that has a performance space in Eugene and brings in top-billed writers for 2-3 day workshops. With the weather so fair, we discussed an OPA picnic or campout, with ample social time as in the Tipi Village Writers Retreat outside of Springfield.

Next Meeting: By Skype, Friday August 9, 1-3.

                            No July meeting scheduled.

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