This is a scan and OCR of minutes done in 2021. I have corrected OCR errors (which in the case of this document, sometimes meant retyping entire lines), but left original errors intact, if any. Everything inside square brackets, (e.g "[sic]") is added by me. Underlining, if any, is represented by surrounding words with underscores. The original minutes were typed, so have a fixed width font, and this copy duplicates the formatting as far as possible. Exception: page breaks are not noted and page headers and/or page numbering is not copied into this version. ================================================================================ [handwritten: "C3 #4"] Minn-STF Board of Directors Meeting--11 Aug 74--at the Bucklins' Present: Margie Lessinger (President), Caryl Bucklin, Ken Fletcher, Blue Petal, Jim Young, plus (non-voting) Chuck Holst (Vice President): Denny Lien [circled] (Secretary), and hangers-on. Board meeting called to order at 6:40 p.m. by M Lessinger, who turned the gavel over to J Young for duration of meeting. OLD BUSINESS: Secretary's report on previous meeting accepted. Treasurer's report by Caryl Bucklin was combined with a discussion on difficulties of keeping separate the Minn-STF and the Minicon finances and the need for formal bills and formal accounts kept on an at least quasi-formal form to aid this. B Petal suggested transferring RUNE to the Minicon account: discussion of problems therein (nonprofit mailing rights, for one): it would be simpler for the Minicon account to donate honey to the Minn-STF account if and as needed. M Lessinger suggested that a certain specified amount be kept in the minicon fund at all times, to serve as "yeast money" for the following con. Treasurer's report: combined Minn-STF and Minicon total bank assets at present are $879.38, with $306.27 in savings and the rest in chocking (outstanding checks have been subtracted foam the total). Everything in savings should be Minn-STF, while most of the money in checking is Minicon's. Some RUNE and Minn-STF Library bookshelf money was taken out of checking, so Minn-STF should repay this to the Minicon account. Minicon account just before the last con (Minicon 8) was $183 before pre-registration moneys (which totalled $576 in all) began to come in in quantity. $500 yeast money suggested. J Young moved and M Lessinger seconded that Ken Fletcher and the respective Minn-STF and Minicon treasurer(s) make up special forms to help keep accounts in order. Passed 5-0. B Petal argued that all Minicon moneys should remain at all times in the Minicon account and be used for future cons: with none of said account ever passed back to Minn-STF. Discussion brought out the suggestion that the Board discuss in the future ways to prevent prospective "looters" getting control of the Board and through it the Minions profits, if this is not done. B Petal phrased his argument as s motions but agreed to table it while Minn-STF and Minicon relationship was discussed, each Board member speaking in turn in regard to hir ((his or her)) conception of said relationship. B Petal stated that Minicon was technically under Minn-STF but that it should be an independent operation, with each con chair- person selecting a successor with the O.K. of a majority of the Board, and with said chairperson selecting hir own committee and running the can as (s)he sees fit, being Ghod in con matters. Caryl Bucklin passed. Margie Lessinger noted that the club (Minn-STF) had been incorporated as a nonprofit organization in part to protect it from Minicon: the absolute power of the Minicon chairperson as argued by Blue Petal was potentially frightening. Ken Fletcher added that to the extent that Minicon is independent of club control, it may not fit under the Minn-STF nonprofit tax shelter. He further pointed out that defending against "looter" or other possible problems was planning for the 5 to 10 years distant future, as no hint of such problems seemed to exist yet. Jim Young agreed with Blue Petal that the Minicon Chairperson must be independents but that the Board, with the approval of the full voting membership of Minn-STF should have the power to depose the Chairperson if so needed. Fred Haskell was recognized from the floor, and noted that Blue was in effect asking only that the present informally accepted policy be officially accepted in writing. Discussion: is this desirable? Board does have the ultimate power of the purse over Minicon (or does it?). Does the Board select the Chairperson, or approve (or reject) the previous Chairperson's nomination for Chairperson, or does it simply recognize the Chairperson? Does it have the right to depose the Chairperson acting on its own, or only to institute such a depostition [sic] with the approval of the Minn-STF voting membership or some segment thereof? Bev Swanson (from the floor) asked for an explanation of the present policy (informal or otherwise). Caryl Bucklin proposed (with wording changes from others) the following resolution: "In the absence of a recommendation from the previous Minicon chairperson(s), or in case of death, disability, or disappearance of the Minicon chairperson(s), the Board of Directors has the right and duty to recognize a replacement or replacements." A second proposed resolution: "The Minicon chaiperson(s) [sic] are invited to attend as non-voting members st all Board of Directors meetings." Resolution proposed by Jim Young: "The Board of Directors can approve and promulgate censure and removal from office of any Minicon chairperson(s) or Minicon committeeperson(s), with the approval of a general meeting, announced in advance, of the Minnesota Science Fiction Society: by simple majority of attending members of that Society who have attended at least one general meeting six months or more preceding said general meeting." Another resolution proposed by Jim Young: "The Minicon chairperson(s) will state at the beginning of each Minicon meeting whether or net the meeting shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order or by an alternative method." Resolution proposed by Jim Young: "An open Minicon committee meeting, previously announced at a general Minnesota Science Fiction Society meeting, and open to all people interested in working on or with the Minicon committee, shall be held at least ten months prior to the convention, when possible, or in other events as soon as possible prior to the convention. The major purpose of this nesting will be to select titled committee members. An official announcement of titled committee membership will be made within two weeks following this meeting. Additions and changes to said committee membership may be subsequently made by the Minicon chairperson(s)." Blue Petal suggested that all of these resolutions be passed and printed as by-laws. Jim Young propsed [sic] another resolution: "The Board of Directors, with and only with the unanimous vote of the full board, shall have the power to dismiss a motion for removal of any Minicon chairperson(s) er of any Minicon committeeperson(s) as spurious if the motion is clearly brought for reasons of personal disagree- ment or personal gain, Abstention in this case shall not be counted as dissent." Jim Young then moved as follows: "That these resolutions be added to the list of by-laws of the Minnesota Science Fiction Society, in their concurrent order, and that approval of these by-laws, pertinent to the convention, be made at the next meeting of the Board of Directors." Seconded and passed 3 to 1, Young not voting. ((Secretary's note: in preparing these by-laws for RUNE publication, the fourth and sixth sore transposed to produce a perhaps more logical order. The Board should rule as to whether or not this satisfies the requirement "in concurrent order" above.)) Discussion followed on the advantages and disadvantages of putting RUNS on a regular schedule. Blue Petal moved and Margin Lessinger seconded that the Board recognize Fred Haskell as new Editor of RUNE. Passed without dissent. It was stated that by-laws regarding the succession or the RUNE editorship will be produced at or before the next Board of Directors meeting, time not permitting this at present. Margie Lessinger suggested that we vote $50 for expenses of the upcoming RUNE, with the understanding that surplus money from this will be applied to the following issue or returned to the club. Receipts should be presented for expenses. Jim Young so moved, Ken Fletcher seconded. Passed 3 to 1. Young not voting. NEW BUSINESS A question has arisen as to previously passed by-laws. Lien volunteered to compile a list thereof. Lien also requested that the by-law regarding voting qualifications based on attendance of meetings other than general Minn-STF meetings be reviewed at the next Board meeting. Jim Young suggested that "$500--an amount subject to regular revision--be kept in escrow in the Minnesota Science Fiction Society savings account as a working fund for the Minicon, and that any moneys in the Minicon paper account in excess thereof be transferred to the paper account of the Minnesota Science Fiction Society." No record of a second or a vote on this suggestion, but general agreement seems to have been indicated. For Minneapolis in '73 party supplies at the upcoming Washington Worldcon, Minn-STF will contribute $60. Bob Schmelzer has volunteered an additional $25 in personal funds and Dennis Lien has volunteered $10 in the same, for a total of $95. The next Board meeting is set for Saturday afternoon, Sept. 21, exact time and place to be set but probably at the Bozo Bus Building if there is no Minn-STF meeting on that date. (Which, it was subsequently decided, there would not be.)) Blue Petal moved adjournment; Margie Lessinger seconded. Carried 4-0, Jim Young not voting Adjourned at 9:20 p.m. Minutes typed 22 August 1974, [signed:] Dennis Lien Dennis Lien Secretary, Minnesota Science Fiction Society ================================================================================