Minutes from February 23, 2011

MEETING MINUTES
SPJ South Florida Pro Chapter

Saturday, Feb. 23 2011, 7 p.m.
Hollywood Beach Marriott, Hollywood

Roll Call
Members present: Michael Koretzky, Dori Zinn, Jason Parsley, Jake Cline, Lucy Reed, Bill Whiting, Arlene Satchell, Michele Boyet, Lisa Lucas, Karla Bowsher

Tour of the Marriott
Manager Monique showed us the meeting space available for the National Writers Workshop.

Introductions
Quick introductions from the new board members.

1. National Writers Workshop
 Discussion of which location is better, the Hollywood or Fort Lauderdale location. Hollywood is more low-key.
 Mostly students and non-journalists will show up.
 Lucy: Once we decide who to target, we can decide where to have it. Need a brainstorming meeting to discuss this. Will set something up.

2. Sunshine State Awards
 One entry free for SPJ members, all other entries are $28. Setup is taking longer than expected, but this is just a one-time setup fee.
 Koretzky: We need to pimp the freebies for members, the price, and that it’s premier awards for Florida journalists. How do we market this?
 Jake: sometimes places like the Sun-Sentinel don’t pay the entry fee.
 Tim: Not sure our current (email) database is up-to-date since so many people move around. Monday (2/28) will have a launch.
 Koretzky: Send all contacts for potential submitters to Koretzky and Lucy.

3. 2011 Budget
 We’ll be out of a deficit of $7,000.
 Checking: $14,867; Savings: $12,159; CD: $33,077; Total: $58,000
 CD matures is March 28. It’s a 12-month CD. Looking into Alli Bank.
 Tax return is due March 15. Last year we’ll have to do a tax return since the IRS raised the threshold from $25,000 to $50,000. Our receipts will be under that amount, where we save – $500 in tax return expenses.
 Projecting $18,000 net profit for Sunshine State Awards.

4. Monthly Meetups
 Request to approve funding for these small, monthly events where media pro’s can hone their skills and learn new ones. Expecting 20-30 attendees at each meetup.

ACTION: Jason motions to approve. Sergy seconds. All in favor. s

5. Chapter App
 (Koretzky): We can offer 50 chapter members a free (iPhone only) app. This will increase to visibility of our brand and create an incentive to be a chapter member. The cost would be $200.

ACTION: Jason makes a motion to go with app. Michele seconds. All in favor.

6. Website revamp
 (Karla): Before a revamp, should we be gutting content? What should be posted?
 Michele: This should be a place where people come to learn about our awards, events, and chapter news. Not “news about the news.”
 Karla: most of the useful stuff is buried.
 Lucy: Do we want to offer members-only content?
 Michele/Dori: What would we offer to members that we don’t offer to everyone? (Question not answered.)
 Koretzky: we just need a simple website that promotes our contest, our meetups, and how to join. Karla will email when revamp is complete.

7. Unethical Press
 During Ethics Week, FAU’s student newspaper will print an entirely unethical issue, breaking every SPJ code in the Code of Ethics.
 The SPJ National ethics chair will be in attendance. His local chapter is paying for him to come down and stay.
 This will happen on April 16 – an entire issue done in one day – for printing during SPJ Ethics Week. Some stuff would be done in advance, and most of it will be written and designed in one day.
 Asking for $200 for food.

ACTION: Motion by Jason to approve, second by Sergy. All in favor.

PROGRAM UPDATES

1. Unethical Press – Jason says Rebekah is in contact with Lynn University and working on concrete dates. Also contacted Journalists in Transition to see if they want to be apart of the event, and they declined.
2. Summer Media Camp – Lisa (no update). Koretzky said to plan on doing something in late Summer. Will revisit this in mid-March.

3. Paper Ball – Old-school newspaper project where we put out a paper with no electricity. Got $500 from SPJ National, may not need any more money. Will have a darkroom set up. Would like to do it at UM. Participants will be college kids and professionals alike.

NEW BUSINESS

– Michele promoting SPJ Regional Convention on April 1 in Birmingham, Ala. If interested in going, contact Michele.

– Koretzky wants to set up a go-to meeting account so people who have a long way to travel can attend meetings virtually.

– Connecticut Chapter Letter. Koretzky: SPJ national voted to “retire” the Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award (at least the name). It made this decision without consulting the membership. An SPJ Conn. chapter wants to lobby the national board about the way it conducts business. Looking for support.

ACTION: Koretzky made a motion to adjurn the meet. Bill seconded. All in favor.