Executive Board Meeting Minutes – April 6, 2024

Board of Directors Minutes & Agendas

April 6, 2024 10:00 a.m.

Executive Board Meeting

Zoom

 

Table of Contents

Board Agenda

Announcements & Future Meeting Dates

Board Meeting Agenda

  1. Call to Order- Tony Pieper, President
    10:20–
  2. Roll call
    Guest: Adam Bolander, Cedar Falls  Convention & Visitors Bureau
    Executive Board Members: Julie Anderson, Megan Benson, Monaliza Chian, Tony Piper, Jill Swanson, Dani Wagaman, Nancy Wright
    With regrets: Soh Meacham
  3. Approval and/or additions to the agenda
    1. Move “Old Business, Item A” to before “Minutes” and “Officer Reports”
      Julie moved- Jill seconded
      All in favor–all raised their hands
  4. Minutes
    1. Executive board minutes (November 11, 2023) – approved by Megan Benson and Jill Swanson
    2. Full board minutes (January 13,  2024) – approved by Diane Bean and Jill Swanson
  5. Appointment of committee to approve minutes
    Committee–Jill  Swanson and Julie Anderson
  6. Officer Reports–questions about reports
    1. President – Tony Pieper
    2. Past President Report – Tony Pieper
    3. Pres Elect Report – Megan Benson
    4. Vice President Report – Soh Meacham
    5. State Coordinator – Dani Wagaman
      Dani was looking for ideas for next year. Questions about where to move forward.
    6. Director of Membership – Julie Anderson
      Julie received 130 members. She will separate for sustaining members, currently at 34
    7. Treasurer – Jill Swanson
    8. Secretary/ Publications/ Correspondence Report – Monaliza Chian
    9. Executive Director – Nancy Wright
  2. Old Business
    1. 2025 Iowa Reading Association/Iowa Association of School Librarians conference
      1. New city of Cedar Falls proposal- Adam Bolander, Cedar Falls  Convention & Visitors Bureau
        1. Introduction of Adam–worked with Julie Neil 2021-2022, currently working with Nancy Wright and Soh Meacham to bring IRA to Cedar Falls
        2. Presented the proposal for the benefits of holding IRA at Cedar Falls along with the following:
          1. Write a letter to show support (mayor)
          2. President Nook wrote a letter
          3. Grant and sponsorship –event rental supports the event
      2. Definitely need to consider the proposal
        1. Tony sees that they are working very hard to get us there and coming up with lots of incentives. The help with the transportation of keynote speakers from and to the airport is a tremendous help. IRA has a good relationship with the Scheman and has lately been hustling to give us extra perks. He also feels that ISU -worked really hard to get their students and UNI get their students.  Soh and Mona are faculty members of UNI. We will present this proposal and discuss our final decision at the full board meeting in May 4, 2024.
        2. Nancy had sent the proposal to all board members to review. She will correspond with Adam with potential long-term plans and incentives to sustain the IRA conference at Cedar Falls
        3. Jill suggested asking Adam about long-term plans and incentives should we decide to hold the IRA Annual Conference in Cedar Falls in the Summer 2025.
    2. Social marketing support-Dani
      1. Shift in an external consultant
        1. Emily Voss- is not able to continue with us
        2. Emily, from Harlan, IA, Iowa, has extensive experience in social marketing. Among her first suggestions are:
          1. Have a better emailing system–$12/month
          2. Facebook–simple easy way –1$5/post
      2. Webcast— should we continue to do so?
        1. Tony commented that the speakers were awesome and would like to have the webcast to be continued if possible
    3.  No board retreat on Sunday, June 23
      1. Conference preparations needed on Sunday afternoon, June 23, or Monday morning, June 24
        1. Asking whether we need help on Sunday afternoon evening or Monday morning
        2. Megan– we may need about two to three hours for last-minute preparations
        3. Official Board Meeting at 9 am, Monday
    4. 2024 leadership workshop
      1. 12 pm-1 pm Check-in
      2. 1 pm -5 pm Leadership Training in the public library; it has been received for the full day
    5. 2024 Iowa Reading Association/Iowa Association of School Librarians conference
      1. Keynotes– they are all set; Megan  just needs to reach out to confirm and finalize details
      2. Concurrent sessions
        Discussion regarding one speaker’s request to waive his registration fee, given his willingness to pay for his cost. Perhaps, he can also engage with our participants and members in other ways.
      3. Exhibitors
        We have 24 exhibitors, according to Nancy, and last year, we had about 36, but we had a lot of book vendors
      4. Registrations–currently, we have 32 registered participants
        Concurrent session presenters need to register as well
      5. Schedule
        Double-check times and finalize
        Do we need to have local councils for help
      6. Conference help– to be determined and discussed as we get closer to the date
      7. Conference promotion– social media with one page Canva promoting the keynote speakers and topics of breakout sessions
      8. Graduate/renewal credit
        Confirm that the graduate credit is the same
      9. Program book
        Connect with AEA to program book
        Tony will do a concurrent write-up
        Need to ask the librarians whether their board members’ photos and goals  need to be something in the program book
      10. Awards ceremony and reception
        What and How:

        1. Only 1 Reading Teacher of the Year award was presented, and a letter that will go out to the council
        2. Ceremony –Tuesday keynote
        3. Reception after –with food
        4. Recognize Merits and Council
        5. Board— Exit plaques
      11. Ames Convention & Visitors Bureau coordination
        1. Do we need to connect with Ames-They have reached out and plan to support us; Nancy will reach out and ask for additional services
      12.  Miscellaneous
        Room signs–Scheman did them last year, and we just need to give them ahead of time
    6.  Dissolution of local councils
      Matters of dissolution of local councils, AILA suggestions from AILA the following:

      1. Create language to address local council dissolution in state bylaws
        Suggested by AILA to get the language in the by-laws
      2. Dissolved council bank accounts under the state’s EIN – need to have a language
      3. Documenting council dissolutions
        1. Effective dates
        2. Permanent dissolution vs. short-term inactive period
    7. Iowa Reading Association newsletter
      1. Keep three volumes: Fall, Spring, and Summer
      2. Create a one-page Canva to promote the IRA conference
    8. Miscellaneous-Potential Keynote Speakers for IRA Conference 2-25
      1. Good group of potential speakers
      2. We may have to rethink the cost of one speaker; perhaps this speaker can do more for the cost or be one of the webcast speakers
    9.  New Business
      1. Selective Insurance Renewal Policy riders-due 04/06/24
        1. Iowa School of the Deaf (Midlands of Iowa Reading Council)
          It can potentially drop, given the expense
        2. West-Delaware County (Eastern Iowa Reading Council)
        3. St. Mary Parish (Hardy Reading Council)
      2. Employee Dishonesty Crime bond #RPS 0592976 with AssuredPartners in Ames- renewal 04/02/2024
        1. Protect when there is a misuse of funds, and it is something that we need to have
      3. Miscellaneous

Adjournment: Megan moved to adjourn; Jill seconded; and adjourned at 12:25 PM.

Announcements & Future Meeting Dates

Iowa Reading Association 2023-2024 Meeting Schedule

(all meetings via Zoom)

  • May 4 2024: 10:00 a.m.- Full Board
  • June 24, 2024: 10:00 a.m. Exec Board Only and Leadership Workshop- Time 12:00 P.M.-5:00 P.M. Location: Ames Public Library
  • June 25-26, 2024: “ One World, Many Stories” Joint State Literacy Conference with Iowa Association of School Librarians — Scheman Building, Ames, Iowa
  • June 26, 2024: Full Board immediately after closing of the conference
All Resources