MCPP Board of Directors Meeting Minutes September 18, 2022

Virtual Meeting via Zoom Conferencing

September 18, 2022,

9-1030am

Present:  Jerry Brandell, David Freiband, Eve Avrin, Miriam Goldstein, Liam Faulkner, Karen Weber, Marybeth Atwell, Elizabeth Waiess, Linda Young, Shil Sengupta, Tamra Frei

Past President: Jerry Brandell

Brandell expressed his wish to discuss potential changes to our Access program for our next meeting.

Treasurer: Eve Avrin

• Our current net worth: $84, 887
• our net value is down approximately $20,000
• factors in recent change: (1) downturn in the stock market, (2) Expenses: (a) Zoom fee is $2000, (b) website fee is $1000, (c) liability insurance $1200, (d) presenters cashed checks
• prognosis: net value will increase when membership dues get paid by early 2023

Vice President of Programs: Miriam Goldstein

  No updates

Membership Coordinator: Marybeth Atwell

Atwell requested input on letter content in context of sending out letter for renewal of dues: i.e., benefits of membership given our changing status as organization.

Committee Reports: Liam Faulkner and Elizabeth Waiess

No updates

Website: Karen Weber

Elections:  Marybeth Atwell

• Updated that organization gathers nominations during the month of November, positions needing to be filled
• Freiband confirmed willingness to continue in his role year as president for another.
• Goldstein confirmed willingness to remain in her position as VP of Programming as long as she continues to get support from Freiband
•  Faulkner will continue to work with Waiess to create agendas for the meetings to free up time for Freiband to recruit speakers.
• Young confirmed her willingness to continue overseeing membership
• Weber confirmed her willingness to stay on in her role in charge of the website.
• Members at Large are all set through next year
• Position of Treasurer remains open. Members mentioned different options including the possibility of hiring an accountant part time.
• Avrin discussed all her responsibilities as treasurer so that members are more informed in what to share with others.
•  Suggestion brought up for Avrin to produce written description of her job responsibilities. Avrin agreed to produce description for the next prospective treasurer.

Psychology CEs: Miriam Goldstein

No updates

President: David Freiband

Issue of Contributing to Peter Wood’s retirement

•  Topic introduced: possibility of contributing to Wood’s retirement banquet, given his contributions to MCPP
• Issues and concerns were raised including: (1) distinguishing between honoring service to MCPP vs. retirement itself, (2) concerns about setting precedence, (3) metrics to distinguish honorees to be consistent and just

Planning the Next MCPP Banquet

•  Freiband brought up issue of planning the banquet and the need for someone to take the lead on this.
• Atwell volunteered to take the lead, will consult with Sonya Freiband to locate an appropriate venue for this and subsequent events.
• The date discussed by members was for the first weekend in June: Atwell will clarify this at next meeting

Promotion of Events for Non-MCPP Individuals or Groups

•  Faulkner brought up issue of how to manage requests for promotion from outside organization.
• Issues were brought up including (1) members’ inboxes not becoming overloaded, (2) how to define metrics for external promotions, (3) having a listserv moderator, etc.
•  Freiband suggested that we might announce other organizations’ events when those organizations agree to do the same for us; he referenced Alan Levy’s metrics from CCP (Chicago Center)
•  Board will continue to discuss this topic in subsequent meetings

Miscellaneous Issues

•  Freiband suggested to have Weber authorize Goldstein to use MCPP’s official email address for organization business, since she is the one who most needs to do so, per Goldstein’s request
• Faulkner verbalized his wish to talk about how to bring in new members via social media at our next meeting.
• November 6, 2022 was decided upon as the next time for our board meeting, in lieu of February: Waiess will produce an agenda for that meeting.

Key Email Discussions in the Aftermath of the September Meeting

 Group deliberated whether to participate in MPI fundraiser. The conclusion was that we would not, with the final vote was: 9 ‘no’s, 1 abstention, 0 ‘yes’s’

Minutes respectfully submitted by Shil Sengupta