Agenda for MWSA Special Meeting of the Board
Date: Jan 9, 2024
Time: 4:00 pm EST
Zoom Link
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2245629439pwd=Sk92UXVZNzBpK1Z3NWd1TWtPcUM3UT09&omn=89260960609
Invitees: President jim greenwald, Vice President Valerie Ormond, Secretary Ruth Crocker, Treasurer Hugh Simpson, Communications Committee Chair Gary Zelinski, At-Large Board Member and Awards Director John Cathcart, At-Large Board Member and Write Your Story Chair Dane Zeller; other board members welcome
4:00 Call to order, attendance, and purpose of meeting - discuss issues raised by Communications Committee Chair, Gary Zelinski via email of Jan. 6, 2024
4:05 Ormond and Zeller: Write Your Story – purpose, budget, proposals for adjustments
4:15 greenwald: Conference - costs, budget, reimbursements, and what do we get out of it
4:30 Ormond: Scholarship – current state and future vote
4:35 Zelinski: Dispatches – current state, options, and way forward
4:45 Cathcart: Membership – current numbers and programs
4:50 greenwald, Ormond, Crocker, Simpson, Cathcart, Zeller: Purpose of MWSA
5:00 Ormond: Adjourn
Membership & Dues Read-aheads
Notes
New dues structure (1,2,3 years and reduction from $75/year) implemented July 2019
The green membership numbers come from WA’s membership list Jan 18. The other numbers were generated by dividing membership rates by the total dues collected (i.e., perhaps not as accurate).
Dues collection is on a SLIGHT downward trajectory—opposite for membership #s
Good/bad news culprit is the growing popularity of discounted 3-year membership
Note tripling numbers for this year (as of 1/8)
Good/good news is that we appear to be slowing the “one year and gone” problem (the primary driver for the tiered dues system)
Awards
21 books
Budget projection solid
Reviewer base good (71 active, 23 have picked up at least one book)