NACDEP Transition Team Conference Call
December 10, 2004
Present:
Walt Whitmer - Chair
Cindy Bigger
John Burton
Bob Coppedge
Steve Daniels
Stephan Goetz
Rod Howe
Ernie Hughes
Sally Maggard
Emily Shaw (representing Bo Beaulieu)
Chris Sieverdes
Julie Stewart
Greg Taylor
Bonnie Teater
Deborah Tootle
Kathy Tweeten
Welcome & Introductions - Walt Whitmer, Chair
http://srdc.msstate.edu/nacdep/leadership/
Review of Minutes
November minutes are posted at http://srdc.msstate.edu/nacdep/leadership/nov04mins.htm.
Minutes approved as presented.
Elections
Walt Whitmer thanked Greg Taylor and the elections committee
for their work on the election of new officers. Officers elected are as follows:
- Kathy Tweeten, President
- Rick Maurer, President Elect.
- Deborah Tootle, Secretary
- Hank Cothran, Treasurer
- Ernie Hughes, 1890 Region
- Cindy Bigger, North Central Region
- Chris Sieverdes, Southern Region
- Walt Whitmer, Northeast Region
Committee Reports
- 2005 Conference Committee - John Burton and Jeri Marxman
John provided a written report and reviewed with the Transition Team as follows:- There are currently 285 individuals registered online, and a few more off line still to be processed. Also a number of individuals accepted for presentations have not registered. Therefore, we are working on 300 paid registrations. It may be more. Right now, we will go to 325 but probably no higher than 350. Otherwise, managing space becomes an issue.
- We will be checking hotel reservations and encourage everyone to make them as soon as possible. We need to fill the hotel rooms so that we don't pay for meeting or other facilities. (Should not be a problem.) We will be crosschecking registrations with hotel reservations to make sure those who don't stay at the conference hotel are charged the additional $100.
- Most of the agenda, including track presentations, is now online. I expect that Julie and others will have most of it up by next week. (Changes will probably be ongoing until the conference!) There are also plans to make copies of presentations available - probably on the web - immediately after conference.
- Attached is a working draft budget for the conference for your information. As you can see, the budget is close and would have been too close without the help from CSREES. (THANKS!) Unfortunately, some expenses went up and others were added in after the registration fee was set. Also, we are trying to make it a class event. (No excuses but some lessons learned we will share with the next conference committee.) Right now, we think this budget is pretty close and we are working to stay within it.
- The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD) is providing EXCELLENT support which I'm sure is costly to the NCRCRD. Julie Stewart is worth her weight in gold, and I know that Pam Cooper and Kristi Hetland (probably others I don't know) have both been and continue to be an enormous help. Without them, nothing would be happening as well as it is! THANKS to them and to Neal for her support!
- Committee members are working on plans to do a follow up evaluation to participants through an online survey. We will also be collecting some information at the conference about ideas and locations for future conferences.
- This has been a bigger undertaking than I imagined! As a committee, we will
be putting together some "lessons learned" to share with the next committee.
Right now, suggestion:
- The next conference committee should be finalized and appointed no later than the Las Vegas meeting so they will have two years to plan and prepare. (We had a little less than one year as a committee to work on the conference at the same time NACDEP was being organized.)
- Starting planning early will make deadlines more realistic and manageable given the work involved for the committee and track chairs.
- John suggested the following door prizes for the NACDEP meeting and the list
was approved by consensus.
- Registration for next year's conference
- Two or three paid membership
- The group discussed possible special invitations that should be sent to those at USDA. Sally agreed to send a list to Kathy and Walt who would send a joint letter the special individuals. Sally's list included the following: Colien Hefferan, Administrator; Gary Cunningham, Associate Administrator; Maurice Dorsey, Acting Deputy Administrator; Dan Kugler, Deputy Administrator; Mary McPhail Gray, Deputy Administrator; and Sherry Teachout Glenn, NACo Fellow.
- The group decided that John would moderate the first General Session and Walt would provide the welcome.
- Database Committee - Julie Stewart
- Julie reported that state breakouts are now available for the Southern region. She also reported that she is still double checking all entries to the database and continually updating. There was discussion regarding use of the national listserv. It was decided that a policy should be developed on use of the listserv and Walt agreed to draft a policy. The group agreed to have job descriptions and educational opportunities on the website. Emily agreed to do develop a page on the NACDEP website whereby job descriptions and conferences would be added to the website. It was determined that a NACDEP committee would be charged with making sure all a re Community Development related.
- Julie indicated that there had been some non-NACDEP members who wanted to attend the conference in Las Vegas. After discussion, the group also agreed to let non-NACDEP members attend the Annual Conference.
- Julie indicated that if individuals send a message to the national membership listserv, she needs a two-day lead time to have it used.
- Marketing and Outreach Committee - Rod Howe
Rod reported that he had sent out a call for photographs for use on a NACDEP display. He received many submissions and the Committee will take those photographs and begin the process of developing the display for the February conference.
- Membership Committee - John Amrhein and Jeri Marxman
Nothing new to report.
- Nominating Committee - Greg Taylor
Greg reported that the vote was completed by December 1. Results were certified and the committee is done. He reported that there was a tie in the Western Region for a regional representative, and according to the NACDEP constitution, a random drawing by the president should be taken to break the tie. The group agreed to Walt breaking the tie and a process to break the tie resulted in Al Kowitz being selected as the Western Region representative. Walt will contact Al and invite him to the next conference call.
Also, Walt agreed to send a thank you for all nominated and not elected.
New Business
- The group discussed items that should be included in the NACDEP business meeting in
Las Vegas. Those items listed are as follows:
- Rotation of Conference (from region to region)
- JCEP and vote
- Awards
- Committee Reports - Critical at this business meeting
Report on last year's activities and a request for '05 input. There should possibly be a questionnaire in the conference packet for input. Next year will be important year; particularly if go for JCEP affiliation. - Organizational Evaluation
Kathy and Jeri will work on this.
- Discussion regarding the General Session at NACDEP resulted in Walt introducing Transition Team and Kathy introducing new officers.
- Chris Sieverdes requested that all presenters for the NACDEP meeting be included in the program and not just the lead presenter. Many presenters need to be included to justify travel support. Julie indicated that the group would review all and assure that this happens.
- Kathy encouraged all transition team members who could come early, should participate in the Board Meeting. More details for specific times will be included in the next conference call.
- The group decided that the Regional Board Meetings should be co-facilitated by the RRDC's and the regional Board Member from those particular regions. Walt agreed to write a letter to the RRDC directors to inform them of the meeting and the need to coordinate with regional member representatives.
Next Conference Call
January 14, 2005 - 10 a.m. central time, (662) 325-8448