Membership Services Department
Minutes of the Fourteenth Annual Membership Meeting
20 April 2008, SETI League Headquarters, Little Ferry, NJ
- Call to Order
The meeting was convened at 13:03 hours EDT, in the Library at SETI League Headquarters, Little Ferry NJ, by Executive Director Emeritus Dr. H. Paul Shuch. Three SETI League members in good standing present. Our Bylaws requiring one percent of the current membership to be in attendance for the conduct of SETI League business, the above represents a quorum.
- Minutes of 2007 Membership Meeting
The Minutes of the 2007 Membership Meeting having been previously posted to The SETI League's World Wide Web site, a motion was passed to accept the minutes as published.
- Treasurer's Report
Presented jointly by the Executive Director and the Secretary/Treasurer, covering the calendar year 2007 (as filed).
- Revenues: Dues and Contributions $21,552, Interest Income $167, Total $21,719.
- Expenses: Educational/Scientific Programs $10,828, Management/General $2,621, Fundraising $1,392, Total $14,841.
- Revenues minus Expenses: $6,878 [surplus].
- End of 2007, SETI League account balances equalled $11,332. 2007 beginning net assets $4,453.
- Current balance (cash on hand and owed) is approximately $6,000.
- 2008 Budget: Projected Revenues $18,200, Program Expenses $12,000, Management/General Expenses $3,000, Fundraising Expenses $3,000, Projected surplus $200, Projected Ending Balance $11,532.
- This report was accepted by those present.
- Executive Director's Report
The Executive Director's annual report of Program Service Accomplishments having been previously posted to The SETI League's World Wide Web site, a motion was passed to accept the report as published.
- Committee Reports
EME Committee
Report by station trustee Richard Factor. Moonbounce system was reconfigured last year, and new antennas installed. Richard reports he has further control software to write. Before the station could be reactivated, the new antennas suffered wind damage. Repairs are pending.
- Old Business
- Mid-Year Renewal Letter
Secretary/Treasurer Heather Wood reports that a mid-year letter to approximately 350 lapsed members worldwide. As 174 members remain lapsed, we estimate that the mid-year reminder yielded a 50% return. It was recommended that The SETI League continue issuing such mid-year appeals.
- Annual Report
The SETI League's 2007 Annual Report is available to members via the website, in Portable Document Format (PDF).
- Volunteer Appreciation
Gratis renewal for a period of one year was offered to our lapsed Committee Chairs and Regional Coordinators, conditioned upon their continued volunteer service. Nine volunteers accepted this offer, and six responded to the offer by voluntarily remitting membership dues.
- New Business
- SARA Proceedings
For the past two years, in lieu of sponsoring a SETICon technical meeting, The SETI League assisted the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA), a SETI League affiliated society, in conducting its annual technical conference at NRAO Green Bank WV. The Executive Director Emeritus served as Editor of the Proceedings of those two conferences. Based upon past success, The SETI League will be assisting with this year's SARA Conference, and editing SARA's 2008 Proceedings as well.
- Awards
Awards Committee chairman David Ocame being absent, executive director H. Paul Shuch announced the 2008 Giordano Bruno Memorial Award winner as Dr. Ivan Almar, developer of the Rio and San Marino Scales for quantifying reception and transmission of interstellar messages, respectively. The winner of the 2008 Orville Greene Service Award is SETI League regional coordinator and past SARA president (and present SARA treasurer) Tom Crowley, in recognition of his exemplary volunteer service to The SETI League and SARA, its sister society.
- Next Meeting
The next Annual Meeting will be held at the same venue. The date of Sunday 19 April 2009 has been approved. The meeting will be at 1300 hours EDT, to be followed immediately by the Board of Trustees meeting. The date and time will be announced to the membership via the website and newsletter.
- Good and Welfare
- A moment of silence was observed in memory of SETI League Trustee Marc Arnold, and Advisory Board member Sir Arthur C. Clarke, both of whom passed away recently.
- Adjournment
The Annual Membership Meeting was adjourned by the Executive Director at 13:25 hours EDT on 20 April 2008. A Regular Board of Trustees meeting followed.
Business Transacted by Board of Trustees:
- Quorum Call
Trustees and Officers present: Richard Factor, A. Heather Wood, H. Paul Shuch
Trustees and Officers absent: Martin Schreiber
A quorum is present.
- Election of Officers
The following slate of officers was retained for a one-year term:
President - Richard Factor
Secretary/Treasurer - A. Heather Wood
Executive Director Emeritus - H. Paul Shuch, serving on a volunteer basis.
- Registered Agent
The New Jersey Division of Revenue requires that we designate a Registered Agent to execute certain state documents. Due to the untimely death of Registered Agent Marc Arnold, Richard Factor is appointed to this post. The SETI League states that the address of its new registered office and the address of its new registered agent are identical. Further, the change was authorized by resolution duly adopted by the Board of Trustees of The SETI League, Inc.
- Personnel matters
In executive session, the Board of Trustees voted to continue cost-sharing of Executive Director Emeritus' health insurance premiums, as an administrative expense, pending availability of funds and subject to periodic review. Dr. Shuch abstaining.
- Affiliate Society recognition
A motion was adopted to offer to members in good standing of the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA), a SETI League affiliated society, an extension through the end of 2009 on all new SETI League memberships secured during calender year 2008. In addition, SARA members joining The SETI League at the 2008 SARA Technical Conference will receive a free copy of Project Cyclops, while supplies last.
- Advisory Board
The Trustees appointed two new members to the SETI League Advisory Board. Joining five other distinguished scientists and technologists are science fiction author and longtime SETI League member Greg Bear, whose late father-in-law Poul Anderson previously served on the Advisory Board, and Prof. Paul Davies, a physicist, author, and science popularizer, who fills a vacancy left by the recent passing of senior SETI League advisor Sir Arthur C. Clarke.
Respectfully submitted, A. Heather Wood, Secretary
