1. Call to Order
Chair, Aslynne Howes, called the meeting to order at 12:22 pm ET
2. Roll:
Present: Aslynne Howes, Afton Benson, Ross Berenson, Niels Duinker, Noel Yee, Sofia Noethe, Bill Barr, Mike Sullivan, Luther Bangert
Absent: Benjamin Domask-Ruh,
Recorder: Afton Benson
3. Approval of Agenda
Motion: Sofia N
Second by: Noel Y
Discussion: Aslynne: Added some context
Niels: Can we add the motions to approve the next festivals
Vote: Passes Unanimously
4. Approval of Minutes:
Business Board Meeting (June Business meeting LINK)
Motion: Ross B
Second: Niels D
Discussion:
Vote: Passes Unanimously
5. Reports
Please keep verbal reports to 5 min or less except for festival discussion.
2023 Festival Report (Exuro)
Discussion:
Noel: We have 750 packages for next year’s festival promotion
Afton: Contact me for more info
Financial Report (Afton Benson)
Discussion: N/A
Future Festival Site Report (Mike Sullivan)
Mike reiterates to the new board the urgency needed to move to a decision on Fort Wayne 2026 and Cedar Rapids 2027. These offers are very perishable and without a deal in place soon for these destinations, we are at extreme risk of not having any offers for those years.
Discussion: Mike: Glad we have motions to vote for 26/27 see AGM mins
Two people are interested in helping!
Membership (Marilyn Sullivan)
Membership Data
Discussion: N/A
Marketing Report (Matan Presberg)
Discussion: N/A
IRC Report (Erin Stephens)
Discussion: N/A
YJA Report (Benjamin Domask-Ruh)
Discussion: N/A
OpsO Report (Ross Berenson)
Discussion: N/A
6. Motions for Consideration
A: Motion to approve Ross Berenson as Chair for 2023-2024
Author : Aslynne Howes
Motion : Ross B
Second : Niels D
Discussion :
Aslynne: Does anyone know what the chair does? Runs the board/oversees the board. Mike Moore made the Ops coordinator to avoid small tasks being put to the chair. Check signer, organize board meetings, send out meeting agendas/mins, notifications reminders for folks, acting as the figure head. Is anyone interested in being the Chair for 2023/2024. You do have to have been on the board for 12 months prior.
Ross: Interested in running; cares about the org and wants to bring business mindset into the org and many folks don’t realize a nonprofit is a business we need to equalize the expenses/income.
Aslynne: Interested in running; cares the org and wants to stay on top of things as well as we can. As the figure head a lot of people are comfortable approaching them for their problems. Afton: also is/was the chair.
Noel: Thank you both for being willing to step up into that position. Afton: how comfortable are you with steering the ship.
Aslynne: Want to make the org safe/comfortable for folks, people have addressed things with them to bring things to their attention.
Ross: Similar, want to restructure the org a bit, there’s a big disconnect between board members and officers. Many officers just do their own things we get no feedback and keeps us from being efficient. To grow the team vibe, making it stronger.
Noel: with Opso role currently and show direction do you feel the load is doable and sustainable. Ross: Feeling confident in organizing we could get rid of the role. Aslynne: no need the opso role can be done by the chair. Ross: working on setting up a new backend system for folks. Feeling good about the workload.
Aslynne: withdrawing from the position. So that leaves Ross.
Discussion on amended motion: to approve Ross Berenson as Board Chair for 2023/2024
Motion: Noel Y
Second: Luther B
Discussion: Bill B: Appreciate Aslynnes service to the org.
Vote :
In favour:
Oppose :
Abstain :
Result : Passes Unanimously
MOTION AMENDED ABOVE
Vote :
In favour:
Oppose :
Abstain : Ross Berenson
Result : All remaining in favor
B: Motion for a pro tem extension on the IJA Officer positions.
Author : Aslynne Howes
Motion : Noel Y
Second : Sofia N
Discussion : Afton: this will keep officers in roles until then.
Mike do we have a role called staff? Afton: No because of past and legal items with having employees
Vote :
In favor:
Oppose :
Abstain :
Result : Passes Unanimously
C: Motion to approve the 2026 IJA Festival for Fort Wayne, IN
Motion: Sofia N
Second: Ross B
Discussion: Afton: haven’t had a chance to look at it. Mike: moved room nights to the hampton otherwise the contract is the same. Luther: was there pros or cons? Ross; Very similar to Fort Wayne. Noel: Better food here.
Noel: If we’re going to go for these next 2 years, we do make movement on changing how we do things to ensure how we’re going to be changing the model.
Aslynne: Would like to consider what folks said during the AGM; before approving this motion. Not fully comfortable voting on this today.
Afton: want to move forward but putting some things in place to support the public etc.
Bill: Listening to Mike it would be important to pass the two sites. We want to have a festival. 2 to support the person who has been out there telling us what’s best. As we look forward we have in addition a plan to research and see where the IJA thinks the IJA is at a transition point. Then we can look forward.
Noel: That time frame is short like in the next year.
Mike: We can take the pressure off to plan and align what the future of the festival is.
Luther: can we add a question for this years survey to ask queer/trans folks.
Aslynne: We’ve got a group going on this front.
Ross: What bills are in place?
Afton: most are on keeping children from getting
Vote: Motion Passes by all other
Abstain: Aslynne Howes
D: Motion to approve the 2027 IJA Festival for Cedar Rapids, IA
Motion: Niels D
Second: Sofia N
Discussion: Noel: only concern not on the venue, the celebration of the 80th anniversary, want to ensure the board really helps structure the anniversary.
Afton: was challenging to do the 75th without that support.
Afton: Repeating above Iowa does have anti trans laws currently for bathrooms and anti abortion laws.
Bill: Repeating above
Vote:
In favor:Noel Yee, Sofia Noethe, Luther Bangert, Niels Duinker
Oppose:Aslynne Howes
Abstain: Passes
7. Varia:
8. Confirm Next Meeting
Next meetings will take place on…
TBD for the next vision meeting
TBD for the next business meeting
EMAILING
9. Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 1:06 PM ET.