Citizens For Equity Meeting Minutes
January 18, 2007

Meeting Started @ 6:00 pm Horizon Books, Traverse City

Members Present

Matt Cary               Dan Rice
Kirt Kilborne           Megan Lewis
Barb Mort               Becky Travis
Mike Murray            Jim Feil

Reports from Committees

Website

  • Unique Hits – original entries to the website were up, Dan provided bar graph showing hits.  May have been in response to letters that went out recently.
  • Contact made online from Chris Dobler, Concord Academy, regarding our position on support for charter schools.
  • Contact made online from the Brighton Education Association, interested starting a CFE: Livingston County Chapter
  • Dan shared an excellent letter from K. Elsenheimer to the Governor, from Angela Elsenheimer in support of equity.  Discussion of website publication.

Fundraising

  • Pay Pal link was added to website.
  • Donations are slowly coming in from Trustees.

By Laws

  • By Laws were reviewed and complete. Roman will send to Keena and or Kirt.

Trustees

  • Meeting in Howell – K. Kilborne, Paul Soma and Jim Feil
  • 25 people there even in ice storm!  Excellent response.
  • Consulted interested parties on most valuable techniques to further the cause at this point such as: getting people writing to the governor, congresspersons, and senators about the equity payments.  (Especially at this time when there will be shortfall is the promised earmarked funds), direct people to the website, keep people focused on the issue that all can rally around, keep message clear “bring up the base”, stay focused on inequity in funding is discrimination, keep up to date about upcoming School Aid Appropriations hearings that will be announced soon and to gather people who are willing to go to hearings to testify. 

“Unless the public makes noise about it, the legislators never catch any grief about the cuts they make.”

  • Jim Feil reported that contact with administrators in the UP is good; keep the focus on “bringing up the bottom.”

Publicity

  • Publicity committee will meet two weeks from today, here @ 6:00 to generate more plans for publicity events.
  • Megan will request powerpoint from Kirt.
  • Would like to have a group prepared to do presentations on request, possible powerpoint to express simple message, “its not fair”, how to move forward.

_________________________________________________________________

New Business

  • A need is seen to place a “Why Donate” section on the website.  We would like people to understand what their donation will be spent on things such as: publications for awareness, postage, letters to school districts, an upgrade to a website with more functions, basic ways to “get the word out.” 
  • Perhaps send an email and/or paper request for a donation from members already on our master contacts list. Make people aware of the option to use our new pay pal link on the website or send a check.  Roman indicated suggesting an amount such at $25 is helpful in generating funds.
  • Discussed popularity for a possible one time Fundraiser, perhaps Mongolian Barbeque Guest Grilling or Coldstone Creamery.  Megan will get more information.
  • Discussion of need for follow up phone calls after funding requests are sent out.  We need to get the original list of phone numbers from Keena
  • Organizational Status

          - May need to amend by laws to allow for lobbying

- Discussion of technicalities regarding the incorporation of new affiliate

  groups, which is now included in bylaws

- Trustees will meet up to 15 per year, meet monthly and trustees will  elect the board.

-         Edit to keep the group “regional.”  Possibly change “TCAPS” to TBA ISD? And adjunct communities?

  • We may need to register as a statewide PAC.  Reporting requirements, we need to register with Feds as a local, non federal PAC.  Roman will look into it further.
  • Port Huron may be a good group to get in contact with for the future.  Interim superintendent at this point.
  • Possible focus on NE lower peninsula Alpena or MidMich, Rockford?
  • Keep the membership focus on parents, community members, grassroots involvement non-profit, non-partisan.

Next Meeting :  3rd Thursday in February @ Horizon Books, TC 6:00 p.m.

Meeting Adjourned  7:30

M. Lewis

January, 07