Full Board Meeting Minutes November 2010

Minutes - November 11, 2010

Members Present – Debby Koch, Kim McClamrock, Liza Zenni, Barry Holt, Betsy Reid, Marie Murphy, Justine Gregory, Bo Spessard, Jane Alvis,  Susan Robinson,  Bob Kucher.

Others Present – Rich Boyd, Molly Pratt, Dereama Sherrill

• President Bob Kucher called the meeting to order.

• Bo Spessard moved and Betsy Reid seconded approval of minutes from the September 23 meeting. Motion passed unanimously.

• Bob Kucher reported on the success of the new website.  Since becoming operational we have had a 22% increase in Facebook Fans and a 9% increase in users. He encouraged increasing Facebook Fans and looking for new ways to engage more users.

• Dereama Sherrill reported that PayPal is up and working along with a new automatic renewal system.  Since the last Board of Directors meeting there has been $3,000 generated from new memberships.  We are at approximately 2,000 members current and lapsed.  Bob added the new system will help us better track membership making goal setting much easier.  The Board discussed the need for a full membership report each meeting.

• Dereama Sherrill gave an abbreviated financial report in the absence of Treasurer Jonah Rabinowitz.  Bo Spessard asked that going forward that someone have the full report for the board even when the Treasurer is absent.

• Debby Koch gave a report on progress toward a new arts license plate design.  The Tennessee Arts Commission approved the creation and gave TFTA the responsibility to create and market. Five hundred plates will have to be pre-sold before production.  Plans are for an electronic survey of stake holders to determine what should guide the general design. This would be followed by a call for art/design in early 2011. Members will then be invited to give input on the selection at a party at the Renaissance Center. The top picks would go to the TAC for approval at its June meeting.  Selling of the plates would then begin in earnest with the leadership of “circuit riders” Justine Gregory, Whitney Jo, and Liza Zenni.

• Group discussion about asking Travis Bright to join TFTA as new board member. It was decided that he would make an excellent addition to the TFTA Board and Bob Kucher will approach him to confirm his willingness.

• Public awareness materials are being distributed to TAC Grantees to help promote license plates and will be mailed by end of the month. 

• Molly Pratt gave an update on the recent state-wide election and discussed the new members who were elected.  Materials to help new legislators understand the importance of the arts are being developed with NASAA based on our recent survey. 

• Liza Zenni reported on early plans for Arts Advocacy Day 2011.  The day will be modeled after this year’s successful luncheon on the Polk Theater Stage at TPAC.  This year lunch will be in the War Memorial Auditorium and will be on April 6.

• Molly Pratt reported on election status of Arts Caucus members.  It was hoped that Doug Overbey would continue as Chair of the Arts Caucus.

• Rich Boyd led a discussion about the recent AFTA designation/creation of a “Dirty Dozen” list and shared his response to Bob Lynch. 

• Rich Boyd gave an update of TAC activities underway.  A timeline for the Governor’s Awards in the Arts was discussed and an update on specialty license plate sales was given--last month the sales figures were up.   

• Bob Kucher reminded everyone that the next meeting date was February 3, 2011.

• Following that announcement the meeting was adjourned.