Minutes of the 29th Annual Business Meeting of the Board of Trustees
December 8, 2007
Delatour Room of the Fort Collins Main Public Library
201 Peterson St., Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
Present at the Board Meeting:
- Phillip Porter, President, Regular member
- Robin Sims, Vice President, Guest, ICR
- Bruce Peret, Secretary, Lifetime member, ICR
- Rainer Huck, Treasurer, Lifetime member, ICR
- Ronald Satz, Chairman of the Board, Lifetime member, ICR
- Douglas Bundy, Regular member, ICR
- Dee Sowell, Guest
- Maurice Gilroy, Regular member, ICR
Note: All times listed are in US/Mountain time zone.
10:32am: President Porter called the Board of Trustees meeting to order, for the purpose of the election of officers and to initiate any motions which can then be completed by the Board on the forum website.
Ron Satz: "Mr. Chair, I move that all current officers be re-nominated.
Secretary Bruce Peret objects; Section 5.8.1 of the Bylaws states that two members must be physically present at the Board meeting in order to conduct business. Only one is present (Phil Porter; others present at the library conference room are not members of ISUS).
Bylaws Section 5.1.8 reads:
5.8.1. Votes at meetings. A majority of the members of the Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum. However, for the purposes only of aiding the Board in achieving a quorum, a Trustee who is unable to attend a meeting may give his written proxy to any other Trustee. The Trustee holding the written proxy of the absent Trustee may also cast a vote in behalf of the absent Trustee, provided that such proxy voting shall not be permitted on matters other than agenda items furnished to all Trustees by mail in advance of the meeting. In no event shall the number of Trustees physically or electronically present via a communication service (phone or Internet) at a Board meeting where a quorum is partially achieved by means of written proxies be less than five (5), and a minimum of two need to be physically present together.
President Porter proposed that we create the motions, but not vote on them, and leave the official vote to email voting.
Parliamentarian Ron Satz indicates that Mr. Peret is close enough to the meeting place to count as a "physically present together", and that it is the decision of the President. After some discussion, President Porter rules that Mr. Peret is close enough, satisfying the physical presence requirement.
President calls for a second to the motion stated by Ron Satz. Rainer Huck seconds. No further discussion; discussion closed.
10:38am: Vote called, to be followed up by email voting of Trustees not present.
- Phillip Porter -- Aye
- Robin Sims -- Abstains, stating not proper to vote since he is not a member
- Bruce Peret -- Aye
- Rainer Huck -- Aye
- Ronald Satz -- Aye
10:40am: Robin Sims indicates he does not wish to be Vice President anymore. Other Trustees ask that he reconsider. Mr. Satz indicates that out of the 6 billion people on this planet, only 6 are here today... making ISUS membership "one in a billion." Mr. Sims indicates that there is nothing to do as Vice President, and feels there is no point to his holding the position. After consideration, Robin decides to remain Vice President and will send in his membership renewal.
Rainer votes that, as an incentive, we double Robin's pay. (As a volunteer, his salary is 0.00).
10:47am: President Porter makes the motion (after a short break, where he was asked to post it to the whiteboard):
I move that the Board ratify the Membership motion that held that Ronald Blackburn, David Faust, David Halprin, William Mitchell and Hoyt Stearns Trustee positions are declared to be vacant. These people were not members in good standing when they were elected which is required by Bylaws Section 5.2. Thus they are not valid Trustees. The remaining validly elected Trustees are empowered by Bylaws Section 5.4 to fill those vacant positions.
The President is instructed to contact these people and encourage them to pay their dues and then submit their names to the Board for appointment.
11:04am: Vote called:
- Phillip Porter -- Aye
- Robin Sims -- Aye
- Bruce Peret -- Aye
- Rainer Huck -- Aye
- Ronald Satz -- Aye
11:05am: Maurice Gilroy is attempting to connect to the ICR, but having problems. Rainer Huck is assisting via phone. Phil Porter suggest Mr. Gilroy, as a current member, might be interested in being on the Board. Ron Satz says he resigned from the Board for personal reasons previously.
Short break to allow Mr. Gilroy to get connected, and determine if he wishes to be on the Board of Trustees.
Ron Satz states that he will give a short presentation after the Board meeting, entitled, "Progress Report on the Matter Properties Database."
Mr. Huck indicates that Mr. Gilroy is not interested in being on the Board.
11:13am: President Porter closes Board meeting.