UCityUnited

UCU Board meeting March 6, 2007
Mark Siegel, Lisa Greening, Dave Olander, Margaret Johnson, Stella Hughes, Anne Marie Kiddon, Jesse Swanigan, Shelley Welsch, Acme Price, Bronwen Zwirner
(Absent: Miriam Wilhelm, Michael Donovan)

1.) Evaluation of Town Hall meeting
(Secretary arrived late to meeting and missed beginning of discussion)

General consensus:
-Turn out was encouraging
-Moderator did a great job
-It will always be difficult to avoid scheduling at the same time as other meetings
-Presentations were okay, Jeannette Mott Oxford helped a great deal with her honest and revealing presentation
-Inviting manner of opening and facilitating was very positive
-Open mike worked, people were open & honest

Discussion points:
-Much is to be learned and explored about the Asian community and its relationship to the African American community and the white community and the cultural differences
-The fact that the participants were 80-90% white is an issue for UCU; UCU has a big task to build trust and relationships in the African American community

Lessons:
-Must do more massive marketing of Town Hall sessions and other programs
-Need to produce a simple evaluation form for all Town Hall meetings

2.) Treasurer’s report
16 new members from the Town Hall meeting/ brings us to 80
Report accepted.

3.) Fundraising Committee report

Recommendations:
-UCU board needs to develop a budget to present to members as a basis for assessing and developing a fundraising strategy
Lisa will call a budget meeting. Jesse agreed to serve.

-Each Board member will find 3 new members by next board meeting
Discussion: board agrees to try (Lisa moves, Shelley seconds – 8 yes/1 no)

-Board meets in an evening social way that would include getting to know each other a little better and some time to do some brainstorming about long term goals for UCU
Discussion: disagreement about purpose or usefulness of brainstorming AND get-together. Maybe a party for board members and spouses instead. Membership Committee will take this idea on for next Board meeting.
-Board members donate something to UCU above and beyond membership dues (any amount) so that when we ask others to donate we can say 100% of Board already donates.
General agreement but no vote was taken.

-Plan some kind of public fundraiser
Discussion that a public event should be fun and family friendly. No decisions.

4.) Communications & Marketing
Mark suggested that UCU needs new system for recruiting monitors

5.) Issues:
Following a lengthy discussion a format for the March 8 follow up session at Flynn Park was agreed upon. (see separate report below)

6.) Leadership Development
Committee reported schedule for seminars in April & May.
-Child care:
Follow lengthy discussion it was decided that we need to explore further the need for and liability around providing child care. (Lisa moves and Acme seconds that UCU should not provide child care – passed 7 yes/1 no)
It was suggested that we should let parents know that they can bring their children if needed but that we won’t at this time provide anything formal.

The next Board meeting will be 7:30 Wednesday, April 4th at Jesse Swanigan’s 1519 Lyndale Avenue

Submitted March 22, 2007
Bronwen Zwirner, Secretary
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Board meeting notes regarding the March 8 follow up session
Format for follow up discussion meeting:
1. Everyone will be asked to go to the classroom for an introduction
2. Mark or Jesse will welcome them
a.)Outline the list of 7 issues that have come out of the last few town hall forum we’ve held
b.)Outline reason for this follow-up meeting:
In order to ensure that people interested in exploring topics raised at the town hall meetings can find each other and start working together we have provided a time and place for beginning the process of exploring their issues.
It is our NOT intention to be in charge of these small issue groups but rather help pull people together tonight and help find others in the future who want to be involved but couldn’t be here tonight, so…in the small groups we ask that they:
-Pick a facilitator who will lead tonight’s discussion and is willing to be the contact person
-Pick a reporter to write a sentence or two about the key points tonight’s group decided to explore further. If they choose a date, time and place for a second meeting on their own be sure they include that so we can let other interested people know. (the reporter should give a UCU board member a copy of the report)
-Have everyone in the small group sign in with email and phone contact info.

c.) A UCU board member will sit it on the small groups, not as a facilitator but as someone who can answer questions about process within UCU. (Some board members are also interested in the issues and may join in on that level as well)

The small groups will then split up into areas of the classroom and the library and be given until 8:25 to explore their issues. They need to be sure that UCU gets the contact name, list of participants and the reporter’s notes before they leave.