CONRAD ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
P.O. BOX 3398
NEWPORT, DE 19804

MEETING MINUTES - SEPTEMBER 21, 2009 – CONRAD LIBRARY

Attendees: Mary Castelli, John “Ozzie Cheban, Kris Fletcher, Jim Hudson,
Susan (Nicolson) Laushey, Tim Laushey, Buck Simpers,
Brenda (Parrish) Saulsbury, Mary Ellen (Dailey) Vitsorek, Paul Stratton,
Connie (Nichols) Marro, Susan (Grimes) Strawbridge, Tom Skelly,
Jean (Phillips) Skelly, Geri (Renai) Money, Gail Pollinger, Barry Scott,
Dan Bargelski (PTO), Mark Pruitt, Principal CSS

The meeting was called to order at 6:10 p.m. by Buck Simpers.

Motion made to accept August 17 meeting minutes. Approved.

Buck requested that we suspend order to allow Jim Hudson to report on PTO Beef and Beer details. Request approved.

• 220 tickets available for October 23rd Beef and Beer Fundraiser
  
• 100 tickets set aside for Alumni purchase
  
• Tickets available from Jim Hudson at $35 per person, $60 per couple
  
• Profit from 2008 even $9200 of which 50% went to fund library
  
• Suggestion from Tim Laushey that profit from this year’s event be directed to band equipment.
  
• Copies of Parent flyers, B&B flyers and PTO event schedule made available to board members.
  
• Request from Boosters for donation of resin tables and chairs for concession stand use during games. Suggestion by Susan Strawbridge that Alumni Committee look into prices or equipment and consider donating one or more sets of tables and chairs to Boosters. Brenda Saulsbury volunteered to research prices, styles, etc. and send report to Jim Hudson, Kim Greer, Susan Strawbridge and Buck Simpers for further discussion.
  
• Concession stand – Awning functional, no cooking except by outside grill or crockpot due to fire standards, soffits finished, steel door donated by Elmer Grier from Union Park Pontiac group. Jim and son building steel frame for door.
  
• Group requesting volunteers for PTO events. Can we put this info on our website? Event committee will look into our participation as “helpers”.

Treasurer’s Report – Brenda Saulsbury reported

• Five bricks were purchased in August and September for a total of $390 bringing the number of bricks purchased to 39.
  
• Contributions to the Malin Scholarship Fund totaled $525 to date.
  
• Expenses totaled $100 to the Conrad Athletic Boosters for full page ad in Football program.
  
• Current bank balance is $3,728.68.
  Motion to accept report from Mary Ellen Vitsorek, seconded by Connie Marro. Report accepted.

Unfinished Business

Motion made by Paul Stratton to approve Strategic Planning Guidelines. Seconded by Jean Skelly with added note of thanks to all who worked on the project, especially Buck Simpers, Kris Fletcher and Susan Strawbridge for their diligence. Approved.

By-Laws

• Buck Simpers requested motion to approve and accept By-laws as presented and written.
  
• Kristen Fletcher wished to withhold voting until Board presented questions and revisions
  
• Brenda Saulsbury requested addition of Harry Rogerson’s motion to add revision to approve original members of Board as “Charter Members”. Kris approved revision, all members approved.
  
• Discussion proceeded concerning payment of dues language in By-laws.
  o Does payment of dues guarantee a vote on issues?
  o Amount of dues?
  o How to handle web members who have signed up but not paid dues?
  
• Motion by Brenda Saulsbury that following be added to By-laws:
  o Monetary dues fee structure be accepted as part of By-laws with details to be decided by Membership Committee. Their conclusion to be put to vote by Steering Committee at a later date.
  Motion seconded by Gail Pollinger and accepted by all.
  
• Discussion concerning terms of Board Officers.
  o Duration of terms
  o Consecutive terms allowed if no one runs for seat of current serving officer
  o Terms of Trustees
  o Election procedures – Odd/even terms for Officers following
  State and Federal election procedures
  
• Motion by Mary Ellen Vitsorek for amendment to By-laws as follows:
  Officer terms of service will be two years for President and Vice President, three years for Secretary and Treasurer, to be elected on odd and even years. This will assure that the institutional learning acquired by the outgoing officers will be retained for incoming officers. Trustee terms will be three years. Motion seconded by Ozzie Cheban and approved.

Fund Development

Questions raised by Ozzie Cheban concerning Fund Development and Events Committees and their function. Susan Strawbridge noted that the two should be separate:
Fund Development by definition should be for raising funds for a specific purpose and Events should be activities primarily for entertainment and possible member retention.
Motion by Brenda Saulsbury to defer discussion of purpose and procedures for Events and Fund Development to Chairs of said committees. Committee Chairs will target areas of need and report to Board for approval of findings. Motion seconded and approved.

Committee Chairs
The following members volunteered to be Committee Co-Chairs:

• Fund Development – Mary Ellen Dailey Vitsorek and Connie Nichols Marro
  
• Liaison/Mentor – Gail Pollinger
  At this time, all Committees have Chairs/Co-Chairs in place.

Secretary’s Report – Faith Carter Simpers (in absentia)

• Notification of Tax Exempt status received from Dept of Treasury
  
• Alumni Organization exempt from Federal Income Tax
  
• Declared a “public entity”
  
• Jim Hudson (’61) was quoted in News Journal High School Sports Article regarding the 9/12/09 football game, first for Conrad High School in 32 years. (See Ozzie Cheban for copy of article)

Alumni Website - Harry Rogerson

• As of 9/20/09, we have 420 registered members. Our web site has had over 7100 hits.

New Business

• Geri (Renai) Money reported that the New Castle County Library on Kirkwood Highway has a room available for use as an alternative meeting place for Alumni Committee when the school building is unavailable on holidays and during summer months. There is no fee for this usage. Geri made the motion that we make use of this room for our meetings when needed and post the information on the website. Motion seconded and approved.

Motion made by Kristen to adjourn meeting. Seconded by Geri Money. Approved
Meeting adjourned at 7:30pm.

Next meeting - Monday October 19, 2009 – 6:00 pm in Conrad Library

Brenda Parrish Saulsbury – Class of ‘65
Pending Approval