DCRA Annual Meeting

April 12, 2005

7:00 p.m.

MOT Senior Center

In attendance: 

Adam Miller, president; Pat Miller, executive director; Jeanne Cahill, secretary; Neith Ecker, Ellie Corbett Hannum, Debra Donnelly, Tysha Phipps, Gloria D’Amore, Patricia Ganci, Michele Honaker, Terry Burke, Lisa Feissner, PCRA representative.

The meeting was called to order by Adam Miller, president. 

Roll call of officers and members.

Review of membership for active/inactive status.

Motion to approve minutes of Executive Meeting held February 24, 2005 was made by Neith Ecker and seconded by Ellie Corbett Hannum; so moved and accepted.

Motion to dispense with the reading of the minutes of the Annual Meeting held November 12, 2003, was made by Ellie Corbett Hannum and seconded by Patty Ganci; so moved and accepted.

Announcement of DCRA website:  www.dcra.net 

E-mail addresses are as follows:

Adam Miller, President:  dcra_pt@yahoo.com

Patty Ganci, Vice President:  dcra_vp@yahoo.com

Jeanne Cahill, Secretary:  dcra_secretary@yahoo.com

Neith Ecker, Treasurer:  dcra_treasurer@yahoo.com

Pat Miller, Executive Director:  dcra_ed@yahoo.com

Website has a newspaper article on realtime training grants.  Website will have downloadable forms for membership.

Affiliation agreement with PCRA was reviewed by Lisa Feissner.  Membership is $95 per year in addition to $30 DCRA dues.  PCRA will have two seminars yearly at no charge for members with CEU credits as follows:

Annual meeting in the spring - 1.0 credits
Regional meeting in the fall - .5 credits 

Website is www.pcra.com.

Presentation of Secretary’s Report:  No new business.

Presentation of Treasurer’s Report:  Balance of $5,553.96.

Board of Director’s Report:  No new business.

Discussion was held regarding whether the Association needed to buy Officers’ Liability Insurance for $300 per $500,000 coverage.  It was agreed that it is necessary to protect the officers/board members in the event of a lawsuit.

Motion was made by Ellie Corbett Hannum to purchase the policy and was seconded by Neith Ecker; all members present in favor; so moved and accepted.

Reports of Committees: 

Legislative:  Pat Miller reported on Legislative Boot Camp which she and Adam Miller attended.

Education:  Pat Miller reported on S.268, Training for Realtime Writers Act.  Discussion was held about Delaware possibly being an NCRA testing site.  Jeanne Cahill and Patty Ganci volunteered to be on the Education Committee with Pat Miller.  Jeanne agreed to ask about using the New Castle County Courthouse as a testing facility.

Discussion was held regarding proposed revision of Bylaws.

Motion was made by Jeanne Cahill to approve the Bylaws revision and was seconded by Ellie Corbett Hannum; all members present in favor; so moved and accepted.

Motion was made by Ellie Corbett Hannum to amend Bylaws to change due date for membership dues to January 1 to coincide with PCRA, and was seconded by Debi Armstrong; all members present in favor; so moved and accepted.

Ellie Corbett Hannum made a presentation regarding the National Court Reporters Foundation and proposed sponsoring a hole in NCRF’s Golf Tournament. 

Motion was made by Ellie Corbett Hannum and was seconded by Adam Miller; all members present in favor; so moved and accepted.

Lisa Feissner made a presentation regarding NCRA’s Political Action Committee, which has task forces that lobby on behalf of reporters and issues that benefit reporters.

Motion was made by Ellie Corbett Hannum to donate $250 to NCRA’s PAC and was seconded by Adam Miller; all members present in favor; so moved and accepted.

Nomination and election of officers:

Motion was made by Ellie Corbett Hannum to approve Adam Miller as president of DCRA and was seconded by Neith Ecker; all members present in favor; so moved and accepted.

Motion was made by Debi Donnelly to approve Jeanne Cahill as secretary of DCRA and was seconded by Ellie Corbett Hannum; all members present in favor; so moved and accepted.

Motion was made by Ellie Corbett Hannum to nominate Neith Ecker as treasurer of DCRA and was seconded by Adam Miller; Neith accepted; all members present in favor; so moved and accepted. Motion was made by Jeanne Cahill to nominate Patricia Ganci as vice-president of DCRA and was seconded by Ellie Corbett Hannum; Patty accepted; all members present in favor; so moved and accepted.

Discussion was held regarding swearing in witnesses over the telephone by reporters.  Adam will investigate and propose a policy.

There being no further business, Ellie Corbett Hannum moved that the meeting adjourn and Debi Armstrong seconded: all members present in favor: so moved and accepted.

Meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeanne Cahill, DCRA secretary