Location: IRC server pnwx.com, channel #asfar
Time: 8:30 pm central time

Board members present: Eric Anderson, Joshua Freeman, Matthew Havens, Justin Mallone, Larissa Price, David Schneider-Joseph, Susan Wishnetsky
Members present: Sam A, David C, Daniel M, Ben P-S, Emily R, Oliver T, Matt W
Visitors present: one

The meeting was called to order at 8:33 pm central time.

Approval of Minutes

A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of the November 29 meeting. The motion passed 6-0.

Reports of Officers

The President, Eric Anderson, gave no report, but said that he would have business later in the meeting.

The Vice-President, Justin Mallone, gave no report.

The Secretary, Susan Wishnetsky, reported that she had managed to keep up with new members and had been stapling and folding 400 copies of Youth Truth back-issues since the last meeting; she was still out of leaflets, and planned to create and submit a new design using only black ink that could be printed up in quantity at a print shop.

The Treasurer, Eric Anderson, gave no report, but said that he would have business later in the meeting.

Reports of Committees.

The 'zine committee requested submissions. Several people asked about the kinds of submissions that would be acceptable. Susan Wishnetsky specified that any piece used as a cover story would have to cite reliable sources for any fact stated, although submissions which did not do this might be considered for other sections.

Old Business.

The approval of the bookstore page on ASFAR's web site was raised; Eric Anderson suggested placing that item under new business. There was discussion of a fundraising idea for a chapter being formed; the discussion then broadened to include chapter-formation in general.

Regarding the revision of the join form and the membership survey, Eric Anderson suggested that both be discussed under new business. Eric reported that he had not completed coding the membership survey for placement on the web site.

New Business

Eric Anderson moved to elect David Schneider-Joseph as Vice President, effective at the adjournment of the meeting; there was no second. Justin Mallone moved to elect Larissa Price; the motion was seconded. Eric Anderson moved to table the motion; there was no second. After discussion, David Schneider-Joseph moved to elect Joshua Freeman. Eric Anderson moved to have an "open ballot election for VP". The motion was seconded; Justin Mallone then withdrew his motion to elect Larissa Price alone. Eric Anderson then seconded the nomination of Joshua Freeman. After clarifying that the candidates for VP would be David, Joshua, and Larissa, Eric called the vote to proceed with this method; it failed 3-3. After discussion, Susan Wishnetsky moved to elect Larissa Price as Vice President; there was no second. Eric Anderson again moved for the board to vote for one of the three candidates; the motion was seconded. After brief discussion, Eric proceeded to call this vote, asking that each board member vote by stating the name of the candidate. The board proceeded with this method, and the result was 2 votes for Larissa Price, 2 votes for David Schneider-Joseph, and 2 abstentions. After further discussion, David Schneider-Joseph announced that he was withdrawing his name. Eric Anderson then called another vote on only the remaining two candidates, which resulted in 1 vote for Joshua Freeman, 3 for Larissa Price, and 2 abstentions.

For the vacant board position, Eric Anderson nominated David Chudzicki, Susan Wishnetsky nominated Oliver Traldi, and David Schneider-Joseph nominated Daniel McGuire; all nominations were seconded. After discussion (in which the worthiness of all three candidates was acknowledged), Eric Anderson called a vote by the same method as previously used, with the new board member to be seated after the adjournment of the meeting; the result was 4 votes for Oliver Traldi, 2 votes for David Chudzicki, and 1 for Daniel McGuire.

Eric Anderson moved to transfer the contents of ASFAR's bank account to ASFAR's paypal account, since it would be easier to transfer the contents to the new treasurer, when one was appointed. The motion was seconded and passed 6-1.

Eric Anderson moved to authorize corporate dissolution of ASFAR and authorize the outgoing treasurer to pay the dissolution fee from ASFAR funds. Eric clarified that he was resigning as ASFAR's registered agent in Missouri; therefore the incorporation would be administratively dissolved, probably at a higher fee, if he did not file the papers to dissolve the incorporation. After discussion, the motion was seconded; it passed 3-1 with 1 abstention. Susan Wishnetsky and Matthew Havens agreed to find out about reincorporating in Illinois.

Regarding the vacancy in the office of treasurer, Susan Wishnetsky said that she would be willing to take on that post if someone else would take on the secretarial job, or part of it. After discussion, Justin Mallone moved to appoint David Schneider-Joseph as Secretary and Susan Wishnetsky as Treasurer. The motion was seconded. After further discussion, the vote was called and the motion passed 4-0 with 2 abstentions.

Eric Anderson moved to approve the ASFAR bookstore page; the motion was seconded. After discussion, the vote was called and the motion passed 3-2. (After the vote, it was revealed that one of the two board members who voted nay had misunderstood the motion being voted on, and would have voted differently.)

There was discussion of the headings and sections of ASFAR's Declaration of Principles. David Schneider-Joseph moved to combine economics and gambling into one section entitled "economics". The motion was seconded and passed 4-1.

David Schneider-Joseph raised the issue of ASFAR's join process, and proposed several revisions to make the process clearer and less confusing to prospective members. Since Justin, as Webmaster, had authorized David to help improve the site, and no member of the board objected to the changes he proposed, no vote was deemed necessary.

The discussion of goals and objectives for the coming year was postponed, since several board members were no longer present.

Other Business

The next board meeting was scheduled for January 3, 2001, at 8:30 pm central time.

The meeting adjourned at 11:22 pm central time.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan Wishnetsky
Secretary, ASFAR