Board Meeting Minutes — Feb. 13, 2014
Present: Emma Penrod, McKenzie Romero, Chad Curtis, Connie Coyne, Sheryl Worsley, Lisa Carricaburu, Nate Carlisle, Tom Haraldsen and Linda Petersen
1. Minutes of Jan. 9 were approved
2. Tom gave a financial report
The chapter currently has $5,300 in the checking account.
To help with funding the regional conference keynote speaker, Mark Beth Tinker, the chapter has received $750 each from two law firms, Parr Brown & Jones Waldo. We also received a$100 personal check from Jeff Hunt.
Foundations
Nate reported on his research regarding foundations we could approach for funding. They include the
McCormick Foundation, the Scripps Howard Foundation and the Eccles Foundation. He reported that there are also environmental journalism grants available Some environmental organizations have teamed up with journalists in the past, he said.
Nate suggested pitching ideas such as environmental journalists coming in to train journalists on this along with an evening public forum. There is no need to bring in big names he said.
Connie said the biggest issue in Utah is water. If we can get grants, they could fund the travel of rural journalists to SLC for training.
Nate suggested we tentatively plan the event and then apply for a grant.
Connie suggested that we could tape the event and put it on the website so more people can have access to it. Nate, Connie and Chad agreed to be on a subcommittee to study the issue and get back to the board.
Nate will review the requirements of the various foundations and their deadlines for applications and report back to the board next meeting.
Nate reported on the proposed changes to search warrants. The Utah Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on the Rules of Criminal Procedure has some proposed changes to Rule 40 which regulates search warrants. Utah Headliners has already expressed its support.
Nate and Sheryl will meet with them on March 18 and will voice SPJ’s support for the change and discuss a mechanism for public notification of sealed search warrants reaching the three-year mark. The committee makes recommendations to the Utah Supreme Court, which will decide whether to change the rule.
McKenzie will send out a last chance to comment e-mail.
Boot camp
McKenzie gave an overview of the boot camp schedule. No one has been assigned to co-teach with Tom in the print class -might be Brian West.
We reviewed the room assignments at the UVU student center for the boot camp. All the rooms are AV connected.
There’s a $150 food budget. Lisa is in charge of food. Attendees can sign up on FB or email
Linda will connect with the small papers and will print half-sheet schedules for boot camp.
McKenzie will send out maps of where to park and links attendees can go to for download.
She will also make and put signs outside and inside the building.
Board members need to show up at 8:30 to 9 a.m.
The chapter will have a table at the boot camp with membership info.
We will also make sure to take roll and get email addresses. McKenzie has been emailing to the list from last year’s boot camp.
For the networking lunch, McKenzie has been inviting major outlets to attend to give info. about internships.
Tom reported on the contest. Deadline is March 21.
One chapter has reached out to ours about exchanging judging. Tom and Sheryl will reach out to more.
Membership update: McKenzie
We need to encourage our peers to join SPJ when they are entering the contest. Marie Shallaos is teaching in the grad program at the U of U. She and Professor Fergobe have lobbied successfully to start up a student SPJ chapter.
Regional Conference:
Tom Zoellner will be in Miami at that time. He wouldn’t charge a speaking fee but he wants the airfare from Miami to Salt Lake, back to Los Angeles and would also need hotel costs covered. His airfare will be at least $650. Board members are concerned at the costs since our funds are low. Sheryl will look into the issue further.
Some speakers on the schedule are confirmed, some are not.
The session on the NSA Data Center with Nate & Tony Simaran was moved to Friday night. Howard Burkuss, NPR, or Jennifer Toomer-Cook could moderate.
Registration fees were set at $35/$25 member/nonmember. Sheryl will ask Trent to set up a registration page for the regional conference on the website.
We need to have some sponsor recognition. Putting their logos on the program was suggested. So far, they are: Parr Brown & Jones Waldo at $750/each; Colorado Pro & NM pledged $500 each
Paul Murphy, Rocky Mountain Power, has volunteered his company to be a possible sponsor. Several on the board felt uncomfortable with that and felt that it would be too much of a conflict. Ultimately, the board decided not to take Murphy up on the offer.
Tom reported back on what swag he had found: the reporter notebooks are $1.60 each.
Nate suggested contacting national news outlets and seeing what they’d send. It was suggested that outlets that have crews in Sochi that they be asked to bring stuff back for the silent auction.
It was also suggested that we ask other chapters in the region to donate items for the auction.
We need to check with Joel to make sure he has an area appropriate for the area for the silent auction.
There was a discussion of hotel rates. Sheryl will look into the rates available at the Hyatt, Howard Johnson’s and the Radisson.
Saturday
The board decided to eliminate covering police departments (WVPD) as a session.
Mary Beth Tinker will be our keynote speaker. Sheryl will verify her arrangements with Joel.
The medical marijuana session was discussed. Lisa knows Ricardo Baca at the Denver Post who is a pot expert. She will ask him to participate. We’re also going to talk with the representative who is running the medical marijuana bill and also the mother who is campaigning for it to see if they might participate.
A session on cameras in court was considered. Nancy Volmer was suggested as a participant.
Another session suggested as being timely was on same sex marriage. The couple who have filed the lawsuit may not want to talk on panel with an April 9 court date.
Lisa will line up participants. Suggestions included Q magazine staff, George Severson and Brooke Adams.
The photography session was moved to 2 p.m.
The need for sessions that will appeal to students was discussed. Connie, Chad and Emma will work up some ideas.
Historical – McKenzie
McKenzie will be in charge of documenting our activities including pics, stories/articles, web, FB, Twitter, etc.
Next board meeting: March 13, 6:30 p.m. at KSL
Utah SPJ 