Minutes of Dec. 9, 2010

Meeting Minutes
December 2010 Board of Directors Meeting
SPJ South Florida Pro Chapter

Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010, 6:30 p.m.
Southport Raw Bar, Fort Lauderdale

1. Roll Call

Board members present: Lunsford, Cline, Lucas, Reed, Joyner, Zinn. Meeting called to order at 6:48 p.m.

2. Approval of Sept. 22 Minutes

ACTION: Cline made a motion to approve the last meeting’s minutes. Zinn seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously

3. Sunshine State Awards

Online contest discussion.
– Overview by Tim Dodson. We were planning to use the same company that national uses for their contest, but they are still working on the proposal and their price is a bit steep. Option B is to go with a company called Small Town Papers. They have already submitted a proposal.
– Zinn, Koretzky, Cline, and Joyner have used it before to judge a contest and it was easy.
– Dodson said they have given us two options, offering an individual contact or a partnership with two other chapters. It looks like it will be just a good a deal to have our own contract. The cost: $1,128 for 2011 competition plus $1.47 per entry, and a one-time set up fee of $350.
– Koretzky wondered if we can bargain them down and if we should consider any hidden fees.
– Dodson suggested that the board approve going with this company and Koretzky and Darcie negotiate the contract.

ACTION: Reed made a motion to approve the contract in concept and appoint Koretzky as the negotiator, which was seconded by Lucas. Motion carried unanimously

Categories.
– Lucas had some questions about the blog and web categories. Lucas and Reed pointed out that there are no categories that fit their niche careers in journalism.
– Reed recapped the action from the subcommittee meeting. We have added new student categories. They are going to be combined with Florida College Press Association’s annual awards. We will help them market their awards and we’ll get a slice of their entry fee income. It will be a combined award from FCPA and SPJ.

ACTION: Reed made a motion to pass the new student categories and have the subcommittee to hash out what other categories will stay. It was seconded by Lucas. Motion carried unanimously

– The subcommittee will meet at 8:30 a.m. on Monday to discuss. (See notes from that meeting for more info.)

Timeline.
– Dodson gave an overview of the proposed timeline. We are not collecting, sorting, or shipping hard copy entries because everything is going online. This will give us extra time. We will launch the contest in the last two weeks of January and will give people a minimum of one month to submit.
– Lunsford thinks that we need to give them five weeks.
– Reed asked who is in charge of this whole process.
– Because it is online, the judging period can start as soon as the deadline ends.
– Koretzky said we should extend the deadline one week after what we tell entrants to accommodate stragglers.
– Dodson said June is when the event should be, after Memorial Day.

ACTION: Joyner made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Cline seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 7:17 p.m.