Meeting Minutes

AZ-AER Board Meeting
(March 21, 2007)

Meeting called to order at 4:25 PM.
Present: Dorinda Rife, Mark Brady, Mike Gordon, Holly Lawson
By phone: Karen Aron, Kerry Duncan
Excused: Venetia Hayden, Rob Schulenburg, Amy Murillo, Jacki Daniels

President's Report: Holly is going to AERlift solo. We still need a second person. Perhaps we can ask Venetia if she wants to go again (follow up on this).

Vice President's Report: No VP report at this time.

Secretary's Report: Mark wrote letter to FBC to thank them for their help with copying and distributing the newsletter. The letter will be sent to Kartar to put with a donation of Braille books for the lending library at FBC ($50 worth). Mark will be meeting with Kartar closer to the summer break to go over details on taking over the newsletter. Kartar helped Mark update his contact information for the student scholarship. Deadline is June 1, 2007.

Treasurer's Report: Karen presented the closed-out budget approved by the Board (see attached, updated budget report. Dorinda questioned how we include NAPVI in the budget. Dorinda’s second question was about increasing the amount we put aside to send two individuals to AERlift (which may be a moot point since Holly is the only individual slated to go).

Past President's Report: No Past President’s Report

Other Business: Holly would like to bring a sample of the jump drive to the AERlift conference as the chapters are bringing out info on what those chapters are doing as an organization, for fundraisers. Kerry and Holly will confirm with one another. Board changes about to occur in April: Rob, Kerry and Amy are all going off the board.
 
Old Business: Kerry has not ordered the Flash Drives as she was not sure if we had the money to do it. We do have the funds to go ahead with this. Karen can put it in the budget as a line item or fundraiser expenses (so you know how much money we put in versus how much we make). Kerry will have jump drives available (Kerry will order 50 and put aside the ones already ordered) at the Workshop.

New Business: Lunches for Spring Workshop: Karen requested assistance to our vegetarians to select a veggie meal. Lunches come as “box lunches” (meat or vegetarian meals can be checked off on the registration). Dorinda will handle coffee, tea, muffins and snacks. We have three confirmed rooms for the sessions at the Mesa building.

Speakers for Spring Workshop: Holly has three confirmed speakers: Kathee Keller-Scoggin (3 sessions – need to make sure what age population(s) she will be covering), Gee Gee Larrington, and Connie Gajewski. Mike suggested Al Zuly who may be a good choice to present on TBI. Kerry suggested somebody from Flagstaff’s Disability Studies at NAU may be a good choice to present on TBI. However, when she checked the website, there was no contact person for TBI. There was also an interest expressed in a “show-and-tell” type presentation with rehabilitation counselors. The group agreed that the general meeting and elections and general session would still take place after lunch. Dorinda will email the workshop agenda and registration to Venetia for the AER listserv and Penny will put on AZ AER website. Need more in the Workshop for O&M.

Topics we need to cover at meeting:
1. Vote for officers
2. AERlift report
3. Scholarships/Grants
4. Treasurer’s Report
5. Themes for 2-day fall conference need to be brainstormed.

Holly discussed updating the AZ AER Website. First we should send a letter of thanks to Penny Rosenblum and acknowledge her in a public forum for her development and maintenance of the website. We can also present her with a gift as a token of our thanks. Holly suggested some software programs to assist in updating the website. We need to research the costs for such software. Holly suggested asking the membership of what they want to see on the website. Release forms for students and adults to post pictures on the website.

Meeting adjourned at 5:30 PM

Respectfully submitted,
Mark Brady
AZ AER Secretary