March Minutes

Mindbridge minutes, Wednesday, March 1, 2006

• The meeting was called to order by Catherine Schaff-Stump
• Treasures report was read by Jon Maakestad.
  • checking account balance: $9,682.30
  • AnimeIowa account balance: $15,00.00
  • Icon account balance: $1,170.40
  • Gamicon account balance: $5,867.81
• Gamicon report was read by Michele Maakestad
  • the badge count was 197, down from the usual 250
  • because there was no guest of honor, the budget is okay
  • we went a little over on the cost of the program booklets
  • a Mindbridge meeting took place Sunday morning at 10:00 am
  • at the meeting, a bid was given for next year’s Gamicon
• Jon Maakestad notified Mindbridge members that he will retire
  • Jon presented and read a letter of his intention to retire from the treasure position, effective March 1, 2007
  • Jon wants to teach/train a new person
• discussion about board positions
  • Michele Maakestad said the board has discussed redesigning the board to remove “permanent” from the positions
  • Michele also said she has resigned her position from the art committee, so we are looking for a replacement(s)
  • Catherine Schaff-Stump reported on another resignation
    • at the March 11, 2006 meeting, the resignation of Kate Carey from Concom was accepted
    • Kate will continue on the AnimeIowa staff
    • Concom is looking for a new con suite head to be the masquerade director
  • AnimeIowa question
    • James Osvald asked if there was an approved Paramount bid for AnimeIowa, has anyone seen the contract
    • Catherine Schaff-Stump has been in contact with Laura Thomas, Catherine takes it as a good sign and is not concerned
  • AnimeIowa question
    • James Osvald asked if he should look for a Coralville or a Cedar Rapids location for the next years’ convention
    • James also expressed the desire not to be the contact person, preferring the cons make the hotel contacts
  • Icon report
    • Lindsay Jones reported that the pre-preregistration is over
    • there is still a discounted price of $40
    • Dee Cooper mailed her pre-preregistration Monday, would it be accepted; yes it would
    • there will be a meeting in the next few weeks
    • Michele Maakestad requested it be posted on the yahoo group, it will be
    • everything is in place
  • Zazza memorial
    • Catherine Schaff-Stump reported that Mindbridge sent a memorial of $100 to the Zazza Memorial
    • The Zazza family of the Clarion Hotel in Cedar Rapids, have been very helpful to Icon over the years
    • [note from Christine: the Zazza family has established two Kirkwood Community College scholarships, the Zazza Clarion Hotel and Convention Center Scholarship, which awards $500 each to two students from the Culinary Arts program]
  • Preplanning
    • Catherine Schaff-Stump needs a location for the 2007 AnimeIowa and for the 2007 Icon (Icon 32)
    • Gamicon is set for the Iowa Memorial Student Union for the next two years (February 2007 and 2008)
    • the Crown Plaza Hotel in Cedar Rapids would like to keep AnimeIowa, but the concom says it is too small
    • James Osvald will get the numbers from each con, then approach the different places
    • it was mentioned that the Collins Road Marriott Plaza did offer Icon a good rate not long ago, it was a comparable rate for a better hotel
  • Other projects
  • Game library
    • there will be a March meeting at Nigel Ray’s home
    • contact Michele Maakestad if you are interested in attending
  • Ad team
    • Catherine Schaff-Stump asked how to get in touch with Eric Tucker
    • Michele Maakestad said she would
    • Catherine asked to sound him out
    • James Osvald asked for Michele to give Eric his email since SFLIS (Science Fiction League of Iowa Students) can be used for cheap advertising
  • Copyright issue
    • Michele Maakestad reported that the copyright law information is too massive to fit on one page
    • there are three documents, including the pages on how to interpret the laws
    • Catherine Schaff-Stump wants to read it to see how user friendly it is
    • Fred Coverdill said he’d be willing to read them, could Michele post the links on the Yahoo group
    • Catherine reminded us that no law says that fan art can not be displayed, just that it cannot be used to make money
    • Bryan Stump read a document about copyrights that he proposed Mindbridge use
    • Michele says to add unless they have permission
    • Dee Cooper said, written permission to show
    • Catherine pointed out that someone in the Artist Alley at AnimeIowa might say, draw a Batman for me
    • Catherine reminded us of the Full Metal Alchemist issue, online Japanese sales to the U.S. but a U.S. company had exclusive rights and won the case
    • Dee said it is not our job to police
    • Josh Elliott said the cons are not making a profit, the artist is
    • Michele asked about costumes
    • Catherine said making and wearing costumes is not for profit, unless one was sold at auction and could be taxed
    • Catherine wants us to find legal writing to protect us
    • James Osvald said we are providing the space (implying some liability)
    • Michele said something will have to be printed on the forms vendors/people sign so they can be informed
    • Catherine said the board will finish this, there has been enough discussion
    • Following is the updated version of Bryan Stump’s copyright paragraph:
      

      In the interests of protecting the intellectual property rights of all artists, all items must be entirely the work of the individual displaying the piece to be eligible for sale or auction. Items for sale may not included copy protected or trademarked material, unless the artist can produce written permission from the individual or corporate holder of the intellectual property rights. Pieces portraying copy protected or trademarked material are eligible for display only. This rule applies to all art show art as well as art available for sale in the artist’s alley.

  • Storage Locker policy
    • Marty Milder presented a storage locker policy
    • Following is the text of the storage locker policy:
      • All items in the storage locker must be the property of Mindbridge.
      • No food or drink unless it is sealed, tolerant of wide temperature swings (below freezing to 100ËšF) and high humidity. Any items that attract insects or wildlife are not allowed unless protected and sealed.
      • Besides the items listed below, all items that can not be fit into a “standard” 18 gallon tote (16”h x 16”w x 24”d) are not allowed.
      • Office supplies.
      • T-shirts and promotional items.
      • Volunteer prizes.
      • Con suite bowls, utensils, toys and games.
      • The above rules can be superseded only with the content of three or more Mindbridge Board members and the notification of the storage locker manager.
      • The person in charge of the storage locker has the right to, without notice, dispose of any item found in the storage locker that is in violation of the above rules.
      • Anything in the storage locker that has not been used for more than one year, can be disposed of by the storage locker person, usually after consulting with the Mindbridge Board.
      • Anything in the locker as of 4/1/06 is Grandfathered in.
    • Marty said there were two 3x3x3 refrigerators that showed up and have never been used again, he wants to remind people there is limited space
    • There should be no personal property in there that we might be culpable for, or that they might want back in two years
    • There should be no foods, the storage locker is like an unheated garage
    • Michele Maakestad said to add temperature sensitive to the document
    • Catherine Schaff-Stump and Michele will modify the policy
    • Catherine said not bodies are allowed because they would not fit
    • Michele said the heat would not be good for them either
    • James Osvald said we’d need dry ice
    • Fred Coverdill said vacuum seal it
    • Marty said we should change the number of board members needed to change the policy from three to two
    • Catherine said the policy would be given to all the cons
    • Dee Cooper asked if we were going to vote on it
    • Michele made the motion to accept the storage locker policy
    • Dee seconded it
    • there were 14 yes with 3 Joshes
  • Social Activities
    • Christine Cromwell asked if there was any interest in going to the the IMAX to walk on the moon before it left
    • Michele Maakestad suggested Christine ask Jon and Rhianna
    • Catherine Schaff-Stump suggested to post it
  • ICon question
    • Peter Wezeman asked when an ICon program would be put together
    • Lindsay Jones said to go ahead and email the con with programing ideas
  • April 5, 2006 Mindbridge meeting
    • the next meeting will be held at Denny Lynch’s house in Cedar Rapids, at 7:00 pm
    • Catherine Schaff-Stump and Christine Cromwell handed out directions
    • Michele Maakestad pointed out that the exit to Denny’s is the some one as to the Clarion Hotel, except you turn east/right instead of west/left
    • Michele will not be there due to pet allergies, and will send proxies for voting
  • May 3, 2006 Mindbridge meeting
    • Catherine Schaff-Stump said the May meeting will be held at The Mill at 6:00
  • New Member
    • Steve Tait attended his second meeting at Gamicon, requested membership, and was accepted.