We would like to remind you that the next Mindbridge Monthly Meeting is coming up this week.

Date: Wednesday April 1, 2006
Time: 7:00PM – 8:00PM CST (GMT-06:00)

Monthly Mindbridge Meeting at The Lynch Casa, 68 36th Ave. SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404-4056 Phone: 319-365-5857

NOTE: Please note that the April meeting will be held an hour later than usual and will be at Denny Lynch’s house rather than the Mill!

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.

We would like to remind you that the next Mindbridge Monthly Meeting is coming up this week.

Date: Wednesday March 1, 2006
Time: 6:00PM – 7:00PM CST (GMT-06:00)

Monthly Mindbridge Meeting at The Mill Restaurant 120 E.
Burlington St.,Iowa City, IA 52240 Phone: 319-351-9529.

Below are the minutes from the Mindbridge meeting held on 1 February 2006.

  • The meeting was called to order by Christine Cromwell.
  • Brian Womachka was elected to fill the supercom vacancy left by Tina Fiscus. Shawn Ervin voted for Brian. Christine forgot to read the proxy note that Catherine Schaff-Stump also voted for Brian.
  • The topics of the Minutes from January 4, 2006 were read.
  • Treasures report was read by Jon Maakestad.
    • checking account balance: $1,930.05
    • AnimeIowa account balance: $24,381.05
    • Icon account balance: $1,701.87
    • Gamicon account balance: $1,533.26
  • Gamicon report was read by Shawn Ervin.
    • the guest of honor, Mark MacKinnon will not be able to attend due to last minute government commitments. Blame Canada.
    • there will be an attendee appreciation pizza dinner in place of Mark MacKinnon
    • there were registration forms available for anyone needing to register
    • Gamicon is looking for more people to run board games, there are plenty of role playing events, please sign up on the website
  • AnimeIowa report was read by Jon Maakestad.
    • Jon reported that someone had allegedly embezzled money from the Minnesota group, Misfits, who runs Convergence; there will be some changes to Mindbridge; no money is missing from any Mindbridge fund
    • the next meeting for AnimeIowa will be February 11, 2006, at 2:00 pm at the Crown Plaza in Cedar Rapids
    • AnimeIowa will be held August 4-6, 2006
  • Icon report was read by Lindsay Jones
    • Early Bird Pre-registration is open now; it is $30; Early Bird Pre-registration ends February 28, 2006
    • the at the door entrance fee will be $50; there will be a pre-registration discount after February 28, 2006
    • Icon will be held at the Clarion in Cedar Rapids; a hotel room will cost $90 per night for one to four people
    • Early Bird Pre-registration will be available at Gamicon
  • Preplanning report was read by Michelle McKibben.
    • Michelle has been unable to contact Fantasy Flight about a guest of honor; Brian Womachka will assist her
    • Lindsay Jones made the suggestion to look into a hotel booking for Icon32, soon. The group agreed that one and a half years in advance was not too soon.
  • Game Library
    • Brian Womachka reported on the game library meeting
    • the game library meeting was held last month and they had a great time playing games
    • there will be a game library for Gamicon
  • Ad committee
    • no one was present for the ad committee
    • Eric Tucker is willing to help, Shawn Ervin help him get in touch with Richard Hill
  • Meeting location(s)
    • Lindsay Jones expressed a concern about transportation if the Mindbridge meetings were held outside of Iowa City
    • Marty Milder suggested that if the alternative locations do not draw more than two to four new people, we should either drop or revisit the idea
    • Henry Olsen suggested having the April 2006 Mindbridge meeting at Denny Lynch’s home in Cedar Rapids
    • John Frick made the motion no one opposed
    • 5 Joshes
    • it was requested that directions with maps be placed on the website
    • Christine Cromwell will find out if Denny Lynch is willing to host the meeting April 5th meeting, and find out what is kosher (food, drink, kids, alcohol)
    • Lindsay Jones made the motion to move the meeting to 7:00 pm
    • John Frick seconded
    • it passed with four Joshes
    • Jon Maakestad will be in charge of transportation for those who need it, he can transport six
    • Christine Cromwell can transport three more
    • Jon Maakestad will send an email reminder of the different meeting location
  • Social Activities
    • There will be a Paranoia game tonight in the Michigan State Room at the UI Student Union
  • Volunteer Points
    • Michelle Weinard- McKibben will bring forms to the March meeting for people to turn in volunteer points for 2005
    • This is the last time to turn them in
    • Examples of ways to earn volunteer points are run a convention, physical labor, run and event if not a staff member
  • AnimeIowa Website
    • Jon Maakestad reported there is a new webhost, the previous new server did not have enough bandwidth for the site
    • Dreamhost is the new webhost
    • It does cost a little more
    • New business
      • Shawn Ervin moved to double Jon Maakestad’s salary
      • Peter Wezeman asked what his current salary was
      • since the current salary is zero, it was generally agreed to double it