Minutes of Board of Director s Meeting (delivered via email ) Meeting Date: March 12, 2013 Richard Rosenblatt, Secretary Attendees: Bob Bacon, Steve Berry, Walter Byron, Dick Gellis, Jim Grunst, John Alden Hall, Mary Ann Hall, Doris Harriman, Touie Jackson, Edyie Johnson, Lucille Kelley, George Murray, Scott Osler (via Apple s Facetime app), Bill Rosen, and Eric Thorgerson Absent: Eva Karger, Susan McCusker, Richard Rosenblatt, and Bob Ruckstuhl, 1. CALL TO ORDER: Jim Grunst called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. 2. SECRETARY'S REPORT: Polaroid Retirees Association Walter Byron reported that the Minutes of the December 7, 2011, monthly Board meeting had been taken by Richard Rosenblatt and were published by him via email (with a copy mailed to Lucille). motion was made, seconded and unanimously supported to accept the Minutes as published. A 3. MEMBERSHIP: Walter read a Membership report sent in by Bob Ruckstuhl, as follows: The PRA closed 2012 with a total of 1667 members. On 1/1/2013 we dropped 71 members who chose not to renew their memberships bringing the membership total to 1596. (We have dropped an average of 70 members each year for the past four years for nonpayment of dues.) In the first two months of 2013 we have added a net 9 members bringing the YTD total to 1605, 103 nonpaying and 1502 paying. Dues receipts for 2012 YTD are just slightly ahead of the budget plan (see graph below).
Bob agreed to graph the membership history and provide a long range membership forecast at the May meeting. 4. TREASURER S REPORT: Steve Berry provided a Profit & Loss analysis of 2012 and the Budget for 2013 (see below). mentioned that profit in 2012 was $1563 favorable to budget.. He INCOME 2012 Final Report & Feb 2013 P&L Report 2011 Actual 2012 Budget 2012 Act. 2013 Budget Feb YTD Dues & Rosters $19,413 $15,500 $15,806 $14,000 $5,822 Interest $41 $40 $31 $30 $5 Luncheon Prepayments $1,450 TOTAL INCOME $19,454 $15,540 $15,837 $14,030 $7,277 EXPENSES Newsletter $8,832 $9,000 $8,785 $8,500 $2,091 Administration $2,610 $2,500 $2,216 $2,250 $218 Membership $1,368 $1,550 $1,316 $1,300 Lunch Sub May $2,665 $1,248 $622 $1,508 Prog Sub May $957 $550 $369 $300 Lunch Sub Oct $1,371 $998 $682 $1,233 Prog Sub Oct $696 $300 $285 $300 TOTAL EXPENSES $18,501 $16,146 $14,273 $15,391 $2,310 Cash Increase (Decrease) $953 $(606) $1,563 $4,967
TSFR SUTT FUND $3,000 $(1,361) NET after transfer $3,953 $(606) $1,563 $(1,361) $4,967 May Reservations 342 attendees 350 Res. 312 paid 325 Paid Oct Reservations 291 attendees 320 Res. 230 paid 300 Paid Life Members 79 100 107 130 112 Balance Sheet Notes: Total Assets $22,998 $22,392 $24,561 $23,200 $29,528 Restricted Sutton Fund $7,750 $7,750 $7,750 $7,750 $7,750 Lifetime Member Obligations $6,910 $8,010 $8,640 $9,610 Prepaid Dues Obligations $5,940 $5,000 $5,410 $5,000 Available Assets: $2,398 $1,632 $2,761 $840 Steve reported that he will not be at the May meeting nor the May luncheon and that Scott Osler has agreed to cover the Treasurer s duties for those events. Scott has also agreed to stand for election to Treasurer by the Board at the June Board meeting. An informal poll of the Board unanimously applauded these moves. 5. NEWSLETTER: Walter Byron presented a Newsletter Process Flow Diagram based on inputs he received from Bill Rosen and Bob Ruckstuhl (see enclosed). The process covers Drafting, Printing, Fulfillment, and Mailing, including the responsible parties for each step as well as the time required for the steps. Bill also provided further details of the printing, fulfillment and mailing processes that he had captured in two emails It would appear that if Bill is able to stick to the quarterly target dates for release to the printer, there should be sufficient lead time to allow the remaining steps to occur and still deliver the Newsletter to our members in time for them to send in their ticket orders and checks for our two annual luncheons.. There was a great deal of praise for the two short articles on the current status construction of the Main Street site in Waltham, and the 640 Memorial Drive Building. Other articles on buildings we worked in were committed to be written as follows: Waltham Main Street buildings incl W4: Eric; New Bedford: Edyie; Norwood buildings N-1 & N-4: Walter. Bill Rosen has released the April - June issue of the Newsletter to the printer yesterday, March 11, which should be adequate to have the copies reach our members mailboxes in early April, in time for them to send in their spring Luncheon reservations to Doris. Jim Grunst reminded the Board members that they again agreed to send an email to Bill the day they receive their copy of the Newsletter in the mail so that Bill can gather data on how long it takes from his release to the printer date for the Newsletter to reach our mailboxes. The release to the printer target date for the next issue is June 21.
6. FUTURE LUNCHEON MEETINGS: a) Spring Luncheon Update: Doris Harriman reported that we have 81 signed up as of today, March 12, and that, thus far, only one Board Member has sent in their ticket request and check. Steve Berry reported on his conversation with Sarah Hamilton who will be speaking at the luncheon on the making of the Time Zero movie, about the last year of Polaroid film production. She plans to invite the four ex-polaroid employees who are in the film to attend, and to show clips from the movie. The group that made the movie has sold it and it will be shown in an opening event in New York City by the new owners on May 31 st, to be followed shortly thereafter by a showing in the Boston area. b. Future Speakers: Eric will explore inviting Christopher Bonanos, the author of Instant: The Story of Polaroid. One of our PRA members, Dick Terry, suggested that we contact Dr. Land s daughters as possible speakers. Eric will follow up that idea as well. Scott Osler will explore another ex-polaroid employee, Marty Maffeo, might be a speaker. Jim Grunst had received a request from an ex-polaroid employee, Jim Schmidt, to speak. Jim is now working for a mortgage company and proposed speaking on mortgages, including reverse mortgages. Additionally, he proposed that we assist in setting up a separate meeting for our members where he and his colleagues could talk in detail with interested members. And, the idea of advertising his firm in the Newsletter was also offered. After some discussion, the Board declined on the basis that the PRA is primarily a social organization and it is inappropriate to open it up to commercial entities. Jim Grunst will respond to Jim Schmidt. 7. COMMITTEE REPORTS: a) Condolences Committee: Lucille Kelley and Doris Harriman reported that since our last meeting in December there have been 3 reported deaths of former PRA Members, as well as 25 former Polaroid members who were not PRA Members. Condolence letters had been sent to the families of deceased PRA members. A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to send a $100 donation in the name of the PRA to the White Mountain Memorial Hospital in memory of our recently deceased PRA president, Roger Clapp.
8. OLD BUSINESS: a) Osborne Street Land Plaque Update: Eric Thorgerson provided a briefing on the effort he is leading to develop a plaque commemorating Dr. Land s life which is to be installed on the Main Street front of the Osborne Street building. There have been meetings with the Cambridge Historical Commission, and with MIT, who owns the building to discuss the details of plaque composition and placement as well as size (20 X 30 has been agreed to). Eric discussed including a photo of Dr. Land within in the plaque and provided a collage of pictures from which he selected one as a proposal. The Board agreed with his photo selection. He reported that a graphic design firm has been selected to create the plaque layout and, later, the plaque itself. Material options were discussed, including bronze, aluminum and glass-enamel on steel, as well as possible hybrid combinations of these. Early thoughts on costs and ideas for fund raising were discussed. It was suggested that an article about the plaque be prepared for the next Newsletter and that the effort be mentioned at the May luncheon. Eric will report on further progress at the April meeting. b) Land Stamp: Bob Bacon has been in discussion with the Post Office about the creation of a stamp honoring Dr. Land. Bob picked a photo of Dr. Land from the group Eric provided for the plaque and will use that as his proposed image for the stamp. He will report back at the April meeting. 10. FUTURE MEETINGS: a) Dates for Board Meetings in 2013: April 9, May 14, June 11, Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Nov. 12, Dec. 3 b) 2013 Luncheon Meetings: May 22, Oct. 16 c) Our Next Monthly Board Meeting: Our next monthly Board Meeting will be on Tuesday, April 9, at the Norwood Chateau. at 9:30 and the meeting will be called to order at 10:00. Doors open 11. ADJOURNMENT: A motion was made, seconded, and approved unanimously to adjourn, and the meeting was adjourned at 11:55 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Walter Byron (for Richard Rosenblatt), Secretary