February 2018 Board Notes

Date:

02/13/2018

Attendance:

Board Attended: Andy Tso, Kim Hofer, Megan Stob, Troy MacDonald, Renee Vandervelde, Kevin Ehrler, Joseph Opsahl
Board Absent:
Observers: Heather Bufkin, Kale Ganann, Alli Cassel, Matt Sexton, Michelle Clark, Kat Pepmiller, Rachel Tippett, John Hermanstorfer, Tori Magno, Diana Sneve, Cyn Letterman, John Koniges, Brian "Kurst" Mogged, Matt "Aerak" Hibbard, Tristan Anderson

Notes:

Open Session

 

Time Start 6:31 pm.

Anyone can come before the board with anything they would like to bring up.

Kelby and Ryu: Talk about some miscommunication Regarding the emails that you sent.

  • Would like to open up the lines of communications
  • Kim Hofer to lead the conversation: This is a safe place to be.
  • Afraid to talk about it because there are people in this room that have hurt me.
  • We have received an accounting from yourself, Jayson the chairman, Amy the safety person.
  • Went on retreats to improve myself to work on my social anxiety, received letters about the legitimizes my disabilities.
  • As the governing body we have entrusted the decision to Jayson to make resolutions regarding Anime Detour.
  • We are not here to override Jayson’s decisions tonight. We need to rely that he is doing everything he can to make things fair.
  • I am sure that Jayson would be willing to meet with you to communicate with you, including his vice chair.
  • Appreciate being able to talk to all of you. I appreciate you hearing my voice.

 

Lauren’s request to use the ATC Logo for the Corn Holing Shirts: Email Below

I won't be able to make the meeting tonight, Vi is sick. I was hoping to ask during open session if I could put the Anime Twin Cities logo on a Cornhole League shirt. I'm not sure if I need board approval or approval from Morgan. There are  three options I'm considering.

1. Anime Twin Cities logo with the words corn hole league underneath then the ATC web address 

2. Anime Twin Cities logo with the words corn hole league underneath and  "ATC cornholers do it best" then the ATC web address

3. Anime Twin Cities logo with the words corn hole league underneath and "Get it in the hole" then the ATC web address 

The shirt is intended as a prize give away for the SOS cornhole panel at Detour. We plan on buying 4-6 shirts for prizes and allow Detour staff to also order the shirt to decrease the cost of shirts. Staff  wearing the shirt would be silently promoting  the panel and also draw traffic to the website. I understand that you may not want logo used  due to suggestive language that might not be considered pg13. However I think it's a fun way grab attention at the convention and get our name out there. Let me know if any of these options are acceptable.

Thanks,
Lauren 

Vote on which option we want on these shirts.

Motion to use option #1 for the ATC Corn Hole League, Kim Seconded. All in favor. Unanimous.

Permissions to use the ATC logo still go through Morgan.

Coordinator Updates

 

Anime Detour

  • Busy, busy, busy

Clubs

  • Still awaiting information from Cedar Point for our Roller Coaster Club.
  • No GO Club this month.
  • If you are interested in running a club, or if you have an idea please reach out to clubs@animetwincities.org

Charities

  • Posters Project: we are trying to get posters together to show our charitable giving (the organizations we support, those individuals in our community)
  • AUSM’s Steps of Hope is on Sunday March 4rd, we can include items in the gift bags!
  • If you would like to volunteer please send an email to charities@animetwincities.org; 8:30 am is set up.
  • Nothing yet for charity recommendations from other people.

Media Relations

  • Not here, heading to AMKE this weekend

SOS

  • We have a date penciled in for the Cosplay on Ice event. We are bumping this out to March. Waiting to hear back from Maggie about getting it on the book.
  • Made the reservations for the two staff picnics, as well as the cosplay picnic (In July at Como)
  • June Akihabara is coming up; we will be announcing artist openings soon!

Finance

  • Taxes are done; we are filed and accepted by Federal and State. They are not yet on the ATC website, working on this.
  • Insurance: Originally I had budgeted the insurance cost which changes March 15th at $2,750 for the annual coverage. The Hartford Quote came in at $2,529. Got everything to Anita and State Farm. With the new type of floating insurance (covers things being transported) we come in at $2,188.97. This has a lot more coverage!
  • Would like to give Anita the go ahead

Motion to switch our insurance from Hartford to StateFarm. Andy Motions. Troy Seconded. All in Favor. Unanimous.

  • Currently in the main bank account: $333,095.55
  • We are still collecting money for the education fund: $779.38
  • Leg Fund: have $15,421.42 (Some is still allocated to Chris’ final procedure)
  • Amazon Smile Interest for $57.72 for October-December
  • As of Saturday we crossed the black line! We can cover all of the expenses as we have budgeted! Everything that comes in now goes towards the Seed money for the next convention cycle and for the Charitable giving in May

 

Agenda: Discussion of Switching Banks from Wells Fargo

  • Currently utilizing Merchant Services through Square
  • Stripe had lower transaction rates (2.9% + .30 for each transaction) – For non-profit it’s (2.2% + .30 for each transaction) this is significantly lower than Merchant Services.

 

Would like to approve us switching to something other than Merchant Services. Trust John to research

Motion to allow John to do the research to change ATC’s merchant service account provided nothing changes from now till the end of the convention cycle. Andy Motions. Troy Seconded. All in Favor. Unanimous.

  • John will report back at the May meeting

Agenda: Future Coordinator Budget Process

  • Over email the board has reached a consensus.
  • Coordinator budgets once created should be reviewed by key members of that coordinators staff and the treasurer before being submitted to the board. The treasurer will then make suggestions to the board for review. Budgets will be determined by order of priority with finance generating teams and essential logistics taking precedence.

Motion to approve option #3. Kim motions. Andy seconded. Renee abstained. 4 yay’s. 1 nay. 1 abstention.

 

 

Agenda: Anti-Harassment Policy Revision

Alli’s Email:

Original:

"If a participant engages in harassing behavior, ATC event organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the event with no refund. If you are being harassed, witness someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the event staff immediately. If the incident occurs at the ATC event Anime Detour, such reports should be brought to the attention of convention security which are identified by safety yellow vests and t-shirts."

 

Descriptive revised version:

"If a participant engages in harassing behavior, ATC event organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the event with no refund. If you are being harassed, witness someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the event staff immediately. If the incident occurs at the ATC event Anime Detour, such reports should be brought to the attention of convention floor staff, who may be identified by safety vests marked with Anime Detour branding, t-shirts identifying them as staff, or red staff badges."

 

Alternate revised version (removing only the word yellow):

"If a participant engages in harassing behavior, ATC event organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the event with no refund. If you are being harassed, witness someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the event staff immediately. If the incident occurs at the ATC event Anime Detour, such reports should be brought to the attention of convention security which are identified by safety vests and t-shirts."  

 

Andy: First Revision allows us the opportunity for changes. Convention floor as worded interpreted as not as specific staff but any staff member.

 

Troy: too specific, opening up to any staff. The staff can guide the individuals to a member of staff that can work through the situation.

 

Recommendation to strike out entire sentence relating to AD specific.

Motion to remove that sentence specific to Anime Detour in the ATC Anti-Harassment Policy. Kim Seconded. All in Favor.

 

The New Policy is as states below:

"If a participant engages in harassing behavior, ATC event organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the event with no refund. If you are being harassed, witness someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the event staff immediately.”

 

Agenda: Contest Rules Run by ATC

 

Email attached from John:

Anime Twin Cities should write rules for all contests run by Anime Twin Cities and its sub-organization such as detour. We should make sure that we have clear guidelines for who is eligible to win (should we exclude ATC staff? Their Families?   If off staff, how long until eligible again?) If there is a physical prize, will we ship it? Do they need to claim somewhere?

 

This isn't related to recent contents, however I was reminded that these are still things we haven't actually clarified. 

 

If we decide on official rules that are generic for all contests, we could create a new page on the website animetwincities.org/contest-rules to link to when we make new contests. 

 

Just food for thought for the board to discuss.

 

Thanks,

John

 

  • Visibility to individuals on the outside; look at excluding our staff.
  • Anyone on the board would be willing to take point to work with Morgan and Shanna. Do you think you would be able to present/have something for the next board meeting. Joe to take point

 

Agenda: Policy Indexing Proposal


Good morning everyone,

 

Below, please find the body of the policy indexing proposal sent to the board 2/14/17.
 

All Anime Twin Cities Policy votes that have passed must be keep in a list that is publicly accessible from a link on the Anime Twin Cities website.

    • A policy is defined as any Anime Twin Cities Board vote that sets rules or long term policies that affect Anime Twin Cities.
    • All policies will be indexed based on the day they were voted on.
    • For example, a policy voted in on Feb 14th 2017 and was the first vote of the day, will be indexed as 2017.02.14.1. A second vote on the same day would be 2017.02.14.2. This is so that any referenced policy can be easily found on the Anime Twin Cities board notes for the date that corresponds to that vote. If a policy is voted in by email, it will be indexed by the board meeting the vote was confirmed on. 

If possible, perhaps we could add this to a future meeting agenda.  Also, if something like this is approved, we could perhaps task someone to work through policies enacted previously, although I understand that's a larger process.

 

  • Any time a decision or rule that is made would be cataloged to know where to look for why the rule was voted on.
  • Very useful to know where all the rules are (Anything that carries weight going forward) – scope of discretion.
  • Number + Policy (Maybe tiny brief description underneath)
    • How to handle revisions. Strike through old Include new policy.

Date policy

date policy

 

Motion to approve the concept of the policy indexing to be maintained by the Secretary. Troy Motions. Renee Seconded. All in Favor.