DCRA Annual Meeting
April 4, 2006
6:45 p.m.
New Castle County Courthouse
12th Floor Conference Room
In attendance:
Adam Miller,
president; Patty Ganci, vice president:
Pat Miller, executive director; Jeanne Cahill, secretary; Neith Ecker, treasurer:
Diane McGrellis, Bill Dawson, Kathy Feldman, Ellie Corbett Hannum, Gail Verbano, Debi Donnelly, Bob Wilcox, Sr., Elizabeth Saint-Loth, Kathleen White Palmer, Julie Parrack, Patty Shelton, Eleanor Schwandt, Kurt Fetzer
and Kim Hurley.
The meeting
was called to order by Adam Miller, president.
Roll call of
officers and members.
Motion to dispense
with the reading of the minutes of the Annual Meeting held April 12, 2005, was made by Jeanne Cahill and seconded by Adam
Miller; so moved and accepted.
Report of President,
Adam D. Miller:
Adam reviewed
his experience at the annual NCSA meeting held in Arizona, where he was elected to be a board member. He also attended the leadership seminar in November, where he became an "angel," a $1,000 contributor to
the NCRF. Adam encouraged others to become "angels" as well.
Adam also announced
that he is now a member of NCRA's PAC, which lobbies in support of court reporters.
An article
which appeared in the Delaware State News maligning court reporters was discussed. Adam
advised that he consulted with NCRA's government relations department, and it was decided that since the article was not picked
up by any other news agency, it was best to not address it.
Presentation
of Secretary’s Report: No new business.
Presentation
of Treasurer’s Report: Balance of $5,723.96.
Board of Director’s
Report: No new business.
Reports of
Committees:
Legislative: No new business, except as addressed in President's
Report
Education: Pat Miller volunteered her services if any reporters
want training or have reporting questions.
Unfinished
Business:
Pat Miller reported that she looked into sponsoring a test site for NCRA.
At this time, it was felt that it was too big of an undertaking, requiring more personnel and accommodations than we
can currently offer.
The affiliation
agreement with PCRA was reviewed. Membership is $95 per year in addition to $30 DCRA dues. PCRA has two seminars yearly at
no charge for Delaware Affiliated members where you can get CEU credits. We are
committed to pay for 10 members per year. Currently, we have 7 members. Discussion was had regarding whether it was worthwhile to subsidize the remaining
memberships to maintain the relationship.
Adam Miller
moved that we keep the affiliation as it exists. Neith Ecker amended the motion
to add that we revisit the issue every year. Ellie Corbett Hannum seconded the
motion. All members present in favor; so moved and accepted.
New business:
Adam
announced he was attending the NCSA seminar the Thursday morning before the NCRA convention in New York. Gail Verbano agreed to attend with him.
New business from the floor:
Pat Miller
reported on the purpose of NCRA's PAC:
It lobbies for increased salaries for court reporters, helps to get funding to
address reporter shortage to ensure compliance with the ADA. $12 million has been allocated to S.268, the Training for Realtime
Writers Act. It is also trying the get the Small Business Health Care Act approved,
which would make it cheaper and easier for freelance reporters to get insurance coverage.
The PAC is involved in courtroom security legislation and lobbied to have "court reporters" included in the same class
as judges. The PAC also works to protect Federal reporters' copy sales through
the Task Force for Professional Compensation, and makes sure the wording of all legislation is advantageous to court reporters.
Adam conducted
a "reverse auction" to raise contributions for the NCRA PAC, where even losing bids are to be considered pledges for contribution.
In the first
auction, the following pledged to contribute $10 to get out of all further auctions:
Debi Donnelly, Bill Dawson, Gail Verbano, and Liz Saint-Loth. Patty Ganci
then bid $20. Finally, with a contribution of $30, Debi Donnelly won exemption
from further auctions.
During the
auction to win the "honor of being the highest donating freelancer in DCRA," Bill Dawson proposed that we be able to "write
a check and be done with it."
Adam counter-proposed
that if everyone donated $50 and half would promise to contribute $50 quarterly, he would agree.
Bill Dawson,
Patty Ganci, Ellie Corbett Hannum, Kathy White Palmer, Eleanor Schwandt and Kurt Fetzer agreed to contribute $50.
Ellie will
take the quarterly contribution under advisement.
Pat Miller
discussed that while PAC contributions are not tax-deductible, NCRF contributions are.
She then discussed NCRF's purpose and responsibilities.
Ellie Corbett
Hannum moved that DCRA donate $250 to NCRF. The motion was seconded by Patty
Ganci; all members present in favor; so moved and accepted.
Thanks was
given to Neith Ecker for the delicious hors d'oeuvres.
There being
no further business, Kim Hurley moved that the meeting adjourn, Kurt Fetzer seconded; all members present in favor, so moved
and accepted.
Meeting
adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
Respectfully
submitted,
Jeanne Cahill,
DCRA secretary
