Grinnell Family Association of America Official Website

2008 Grinnell Family Association of America Virtual Board of Directors Meeting

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6/26/2008: From President F. Hugh Grinnell

We will start our comments on July 5th. We all need to receive the following ASAP:

Minutes from last year's email meeting
Treasurer's report after June 30
Editor's plans
Genealogy report
Reunion report (Marge, Little Compton HS is waiting to host us in 2010

President's Items:
Be prepared to discuss and vote on 5-yr term for President
New Treasurer - who will it be?
New Genealogy Committee chair - who will it be?

I feel our President should serve for 5 years. 5 years will allow for a President to grow and be effective. A longer term would be too much, unless a President wishes to continue for another 5 years.

The term would begin during our 5-year reunion in Rhode Island. The final duty of the President would be to arrange, with the Reunion Committee Chair, the 5-year reunion. (This year I have received a commitment from the Little Compton Historical Society to speak to us on Friday evening and to host us in Little Compton for a tour.) Each President could come up with his/her own special focus topic. Details and logistics for the 2010 reunion still have to be finalized.

Formalizing a 5-year term will help a candidate whether or not to accept the position of President.

We will vote on this and other items during our July email annual meeting.

Membership retention issues still abound. For whatever reasons, we still have 25 members (out of 275 active members) who have not renewed.

Dues are sent very late in some cases. I received 2 dues in May and 1 dues in June. Many are received in March. The real issue: some are still not received.

Last year we offered reduced dues for multiple-year payment. This strategy resulted in many members accepting our offer. This year, we have not received late dues from these people, and we haven't lost any of these folks because their dues are already paid. Last year we had no need for $3250 in total dues, opting for $2500 for 2008 based upon the discount.

QUESTION: What else can we do to improve membership retention? Currently we do not have a reduced dues structure being offered. Are there other options?

Directors, please provide your opinion by "Replying to all" using your toolbar so all of us receive your comments.

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6/30/2008: Treasurer's Report from Chuck Ketchum

Annual Reports

Treasurer's Report Attached.
Balance as of June 30, 2008 -- $ 27,843.14

Genealogy Report
All Genealogy Data turned over to Larry for upcoming Book.

Chuck Ketchum
GFA Genealogy Committee Chairman & Data Manager
GFA Treasurer

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Full treasurer's report

Grinnell Family Association of America, Inc.
Annual Treasurer’s Report

June 30, 2008
RECEIPTS

Amount Balance
07/16/2007 Balance from Last Annual Report $ 17,690.90 $ 17,690.90
08/06/2007 Deposit - Cleveland Reunion 970.00 18,660.90
09/04/2007 Deposit - Transfer from E-Trade 10,000.00 28,660.90
09/04/2007 Deposit - Interest from E-Trade 592.91 29,253.81
12/27/2007 Deposit - Dues received to date 400.00 29,653.81
01/24/2008 Deposit - Dues received to date 555.00 30,208.81
04/30/2008 Deposits - Amount received for DVD - Video’s to date 30.00 30,238.81
04/30/2008 Deposit - Donations received to date 5.00 30,243.81
05/23/2008 Deposit - Dues received to date 465.00 30,708.81

EXPENSES

Cleveland Reunion Expenses 1,451.82 29,256.99
Newsletter Publication 274.54 28,982.45
Newsletters Articles 200.00 28,782.45
Mailing, Supplies & Postage 238.06 28,544.39
Genealogy Subscriptions 634.30 27,910.09
Annual Corporate Registration - 2 years plus $25.00 fine 65.00 27,845.09
Fees for Canadian checks not in US funds 1.95 27,843.14
Bank Checks 0.00 27,843.14

Checking Account Balance as of June 30, 2008 $ 27,843.14

Chuck Ketchum
GFA Treasurer

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7/4/2008: From President F. Hugh Grinnell

Directors,

We now all have received the minutes from 2007 and the 2008 Treasurer's Report. I am asking for a vote from each of you: "Yea" or "Nay" on each of these items before progressing to the next items on our agenda.

If you have comments, please send comments to all directors (email addresses above) so we can all consider the comments which might influence our votes.

Let's do this email meeting right away so the "meeting" doesn't take two months like it did last year.

Hugh

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7/4/2008: From Director Laura Prescott

Minutes: Yea
Treasurer's Report: Yea

Happy Fourth!

Laura

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7/4/2008: From Secretary Larry Grinnell

Minutes: Yea
Treasurer's Report: Yea

Larry

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7/4/2008: From President F. Hugh Grinnell

I also vote "Yea" for the minutes and "Yea" for the Treasurer's Report.

I noted in the minutes that there was a physical annual meeting last year. Why didn't I remember that? Because my flight was cancelled from Phoenix to Chicago due to terrible weather. I simply didn't remember that we had a meeting. Thanks fo Larry for pitching in. My comment about the on-line meeting lasting two months referred to 2006.

I also noted some items in the minutes that we will discuss after the vote is received for the minutes and Treasurer's Report. These will be Old Business items.

Hugh

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7/5/2008: From Chuck Ketchum, Treasurer and Data Manager

Yes to both the Minutes and Treasurer's Reports

Chuck Ketchum
GFA Genealogy Committee Chairman & Data Manager

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7/5/2008: From Director Kathleen Asbury

Treasurer's Report - Yea
2007 Minutes - Yea

Kathleen Asbury

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7/5/2008: From Director Bruce D. Grinnell

Yes & yes.

Bruce D. Grinnell, Esq.
Grinnell Smith LLP
One Bank Street, P.O. Box 576
Williamstown, MA 01267-0576
(413) 458-9601 Fax: (413) 458-9435
grinnell@grinnellsmith.com

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7/6/2008: From Secretary Larry Grinnell

Genealogy Book Report

I don't know if you are talking about the overall genealogy committee work or the new book.

If you are talking about the new book, here's my status report:

I have had some delays due to pressures at work. Had some issues with the lineage unknown GEDCOM file and how to identify the progenitor of each family group--finally came up with a solution over the last two weeks. The main book text file has been generated and imported into the DTP software. As predicted, this will run somewhere around 2,000 pages (the index alone is over 300 pages--with reduced type size and laid out in four columns!). I held off for one last set of GEDCOM files from Chuck, which I received in May. The size of the main GEDCOM file created some challenges in generating the narrative text, but most of those issues have been resolved.

Next, I need to go back and forth between the new book and the old so I can extract biographical information. Also need to review each line of text in the new book to clean up some problems translating some of the comments originally entered in Family Tree Maker which did not make it across into GenBox which doesn't fully understand FTM's unofficial "extensions" to the GEDCOM specifications.

I have entered into discussions with our new printer, The Bureau, of Minneapolis, about this project, and when we get closer to the point when the book will be ready for publication, he will present a number of ideas and rough costs

I have several other personal projects that require my attention before I can give this project my full attention. There may also be interruptions due to work-related issues including projects and travel. At this point, I do not see this project wrapping up until the first or second quarter of 2009.

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7/6/2008: From Director Marj Murray

Yea to both reports.

Marj

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7/6/2008: From Director and Archivist David R. Grinnell

Yea to both minutes and to the treasures report

David

David R. Grinnell
2924 Marshall Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15214

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7/7/2008: From President F. Hugh Grinnell

We have received a quorum of "Yeas" for the Treasurer's Report and Annual Minutes.

Old Business

The first item to discuss is a carryover from last year's minutes. I suggest we set in stone a President's term at five years, beginning and ending with our 5-year Rhode Island meeting.

Q - Is there a problem because of how our State of Rhode Island incorporation papers read? If so, what would be the expense both in time and money to change the papers......assuming the directors agree with the proposed idea.

Action #1 - Bruce, what are the legal ramifications?

Action #2 - Directors, what are your feelings about a 5-year term?

Other items of Old Business will follow later on.

Hugh

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7/8/2008: From President F. Hugh Grinnell

I have received comments from two of you concerning the 5-year president's term. From reading the minutes from last year's meeting, I was unaware of any detailed discussion last year. Apparently there was quite a bit.

I doubt a motion to instigate a 5-year term would receive a majority affirmative vote, so let's consider this item closed with no vote.

I feel a nomination committee is needed to find a new President beginning 2010 in Rhode Island. Who of you would be willing to serve on this committee?

Action: All directors to respond (possibly volunteer)

Next item under Old Business: Membership as discussed during the meeting last year. There was an item in the minutes that Larry would draft an ad for release in one or more of the Genealogy Society newsletters. Larry, are you still able and willing to do so? Also, are there other methods/outlets for such an ad to expand our reach to Grinnells?

Hugh

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7/8/2008: From Director Marj Murray

I am wondering if the nominating committee MUST be comprised of board members only. Certainly WE would know what qualities to look for when approaching someone to fill the president's shoes. But the committee could be rounded out with GFA members who have the future of the organization in mind. How many people are we talking about on the committee? Three to five? I just talked to Kay and she would be willing to be on the nominating committee with me and we already have two people in mind to ask about running for the prez in 2010.

Marj

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7/8/2008: From Director Laura Prescott

In another of the family associations I “associate” with, there is no requirement for nominating committee members to be from the board. In fact, it’s encouraged that they not be.

Laura

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7/8/2008: From President F. Hugh Grinnell

The idea of having non-board members on the nominating committee is a good one. I am not geographically located to many of our members, so I didn't think about members at large. Marj, if you have suggestions of people for the committee, please feel free to ask them to volunteer to me via email. 3 to 5 members on the committee sounds about right. No specific number is needed. Let's have a cutoff date of August 31 for all volunteers to contact me.

Hugh

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7/28/2008: From President F. Hugh Grinnell

We have received a quorum of "Yeas" for the Treasurer's Report and Annual Minutes.

Old Business

The first item to discuss is a carryover from last year's minutes. I suggest we set in stone a President's term at five years, beginning and ending with our 5-year Rhode Island meeting.

Q - Is there a problem because of how our State of Rhode Island incorporation papers read? If so, what would be the expense both in time and money to change the papers......assuming the directors agree with the proposed idea.

Action #1 - Bruce, what are the legal ramifications?

Action #2 - Directors, what are your feelings about a 5-year term?

Other items of Old Business will follow later on.

Hugh

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8/7/2008: From President F. Hugh Grinnell

Directors,

I have not received any response to my last email, e.g. are there any other items needing to be addressed?, so with the following status I declare our annual meeting completed.

Larry will formulate an ad for our Association to be run in the newsletters, etc. for several genealogy associations.

David hasn't accepted the task, which I am still asking him to do, for placing the finalized ad in the genealogy associations for which he might have contact information.

I will prepare the October newsletter, as Alice is recovering from surgery. Larry will do the layout prior to submittal for production and mailing.

I have not received any contact information for Cathy Franczek (will this be a continuing problem?), so I cannot ask her to join the Board.

The nominating committee to recommend a new president in 2010 will be selected when I receive specific names to consider.

We have 1 new member (via website) this week.

Hugh

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8/14/2009: From President F. Hugh Grinnell

Cathy, if you have the time and can be actively involved with the Grinnell Family Association, I would like to invite you to become a Director effective immediately. We have a vacancy on the Board, and you have been selected after a discussion by the Board members to be offered the position of Director.

I hope you accept. At this time, duties involve only participating in email discussions about issues that arise at times. You will receive all emails which pertain to Association business. There is no specific duty other than Director-At-Large, which title is applied to three of our Directors. Possibly you could help Larry with the production of the newsletter, not the editor but the production.....if you think this is an area you would like.

Hugh Grinnell, President

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8/15/2009: From President F. Hugh Grinnell

Directors, Cathy has accepted the position of Director. Larry, note her comments about helping with the newsletter.

My heartfelt thanks to Laura Prescott who, with this email, has stepped down from her position. Perhaps in a couple of years, she can rejoin us when the alligators at her feet have been dispatched!

Hugh

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8/15/2008: From newly-appointed Director, Cathy Franczek

Hugh,

I accept the position of Director for the Grinnell Gamily Association.

My company used to print the newsletters for many years. Unfortunately we sold that business last year. I still have contacts in the printing industry (actually my background is in printing). I may be able to assist Larry with the production.

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This is a transcript of all annual meeting-related emails as received in my own email account. If any director sent mail directly to the President (not reply all), I do not have them.

Respectfully Submitted,

Lawrence J. Grinnell, GFA Secretary and Webmaster

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