I. Meeting was called to order at 6:05 by Lisa Woodruff

Board members in attendance: Lisa Woodruff, Larry Hinken, Kim Bernstein, Eric Best, Ruth Best, Mark Ladd, Ken Mertens, Ed Griffith, Anne Nicholls, Karin Albright-Coleman, JoBeth Cruz.

II. Opening remarks

In any discussion during this board meeting please remember your right to freedom of speech.

Do not want to squelch conversation or opinion. Over the years have realized can sacrifice effectiveness for efficiency. However, if you have something to say be certain it has not been said.

III. Consent Agenda Approval

A motion was made to accept the submitted reports minus the June minutes. The Marketing Committee Report was amended (see below) The following reports were approved and seconded as amended. Discussion on membership list submitted on the Treasurer's Report. Motion carried to accept these reports:

1. Treasurer's Report
2. Musical Nominations Secretary's Report
3. Development Committee Report
4. Marketing Committee Report - amended to add discussion about the press release on the scholarship at the next meeting.

IV. Non Submitted Reports

1. Play Nominations Secretary's Report - Request made to remove language referencing the word video and replace with the words, by other means". Corrections would be made. Motion to accept the corrected report. Seconded and approved.
2. Outreach Report - Special Achievement and Project CAST letters were submitted. Some minor changes were made along with the typeset to Times New Roman. Both letters would be mailed August 1^st to include summer theaters. Motion made to accept the corrected letters and seconded. Motion carried to accept the letters.
3. Added non-submitted part of Development Report - 2 Membership letters. Initial contact letter and a follow-up letter. The continuing membership letter is still in progress. Date for initial contact letter will be changed to August 1^st. Motion to accept the letters and seconded. Request made to change reference to the website as newly redesigned rather than newly remodeled. Motion carried to accept the amended membership letters.
4. June Minutes - Several parts were unclear and needed to be reworded. Motion was made to accept the minutes and seconded. Discussion on the unclear wording in Old Business, Section D and New Business, Section A and B. Motion carried to accept the accept the amended June Minutes.

V. Old Business

3. LLT - An update was given on the status of their membership. The new president is now Bonnie Quigley. Conversations, emails, and letters were exchanged. An executive proposal was given to LLT. No response has yet been received. Request made to have an open meeting at the start of our next Board Motion and have it hosted by the Civic Center in LaPorte. Addition thinking was offered on the Bylaws and P&P along with a discussion. Description of the purpose of Bylaws and P&P could be added to the website.  Any Resolution in regards to LLT would be copied to all Member Theaters. Motion made to offer the NIETF President our full support in the executive decision made or to be made in regards to the decision with LLT. Motion seconded. The board continued the discussion before the motion was approved. 
   
4. Bylaws and P&P Manual - Motion made to adopt the new P&P form. Moved and seconded. A paragraph would be drafted to go with new form on the website. Motion carried to adopt the new form. The following changes were made to the Bylaws with a motion, then seconded and approved:
1. Article II, Section 3, B. "At the last Board meeting of the calendar year" will replace "In November of each season".
2. Article V, Section 1, - The first line was changed to read as follows " Any individual or organization shall be nominated in a category when they have been nominated by a number of viewers to be determined at the beginning of each season. Please see the Policies and Procedures manual." This sentence is followed by the sentence beginning "Involvement is defined."

The following changes were made to the P&P manual with a motion, then seconded and approved:

3. Article II, Section 1. The Description was changed by adding the following to the end of the existing sentence: "or a person who has paid the membership fee to help support the Foundation. Board members, viewers, and viewed theatre companies are voting members."
4. Article II, Section 2, A2. Now reads: Having experience in more than one theatre in the region.
5. Article II, Section 5, C. The words, "Committee members" was added to the beginning of the sentence.
6. Article III, Section 1, B, an "s" was added to the word meeting.
7. Article III, Section 1, C was deleted.

viii) Article III, section 3, A1a. The spelling of inquiries was corrected.

ix) Article III, Section 3, C3a and b, were removed.

x) Article III, Section 5. Sentence, "They are nonvoting members of the Foundation" was removed.

3. Calendar - Gala calendar reviewed. Status of musicians, follow spot operators, stage decorations and colors as well as the program.
4. Ethics Complaint - Update given in response to letters sent and received. 

8. Towle Response
9. Our Response
4. Board Books - Done and given to each Board Member. Missing bios were requested. Contact information was updated.

VI. New Business

4. AACT - Membership renewal received. Motion made to renew membership. Seconded and approved to renew the membership.
5. Dark - Tabled for a future meeting.
6. FTP - Karin to investigate some FTP free sites.
7. Ethics Complaint/Code of Ethics - Resignation of Jim Jones was accepted by the Board. The complaint will go to an Ad Hoc committee.

      VII. Adjournment

      The meeting was adjourned by the President of the Board, Lisa Woodruff, at 8:45PM.

Next Board meeting 6:00 PM, 7/16/06 at the Civic Center in LaPorte

2006 Board Dates:

August 13th
September 17th 
November 19th

Other important Dates for 2006

Viewer Elections Aug. 13^th 5:30 PM
Viewer Meeting Aug. 27^th 6:30 PM
Initial balloting Sept. 10^th 5:30 PM
Plays Rehearsal Tues Oct 24^th 7 PM to 9:30 PM
Musical Rehearsal Thu Oct. 26^th 7 PM to 10 PM

Gala Sat. Oct. 28^th setup at 11 AM

Board Elections Sun Dec. 3^rd 6:30 at Genesius

Respectfully submitted,

Kim Bernstein
NIETF Recording Secretary 2006

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