Meeting Minutes
Torch Club of the Fox Valley
11 December 2014
Atlas Coffee Mill & Café
Notes taken by: Jude Kuenn, secretary
Attendees: Janet Wullner-Faiss Cloak, Dave Debbink, Marcia Debbink, Mary Flanagan, Paul Freiburg, Jean Jepson, Barbara Kelly, Bill Kelly, Jude Kuenn, Amy Oberg, Richard Schoenbohm, Webb Shaw, Jan Smith, Bob Swain
Guests: Walt Hedges, Cam Maurice
BUSINESS MEETING
Meeting called to order at 6:40pm
- Guests: Cam Maurice was accepted as a new member. Walt Hedges was introduced and welcomed to the evening.
- Minutes from 11/13/14 meeting were accepted, motioned and approved.
- Treasurer’s report: 12/10/14 balance at $2,230.04. First half of the IATC annual dues has been remitted. The balance is due Q1 2015.
- Old Business:
a. Budget policies from September meeting: Reviewing past five-year financials (2009-2014), following current delegate reimburse policy, expenses are greater than income. Major change proposed: $250 IATC reimbursement for attending delegates would be split between representatives. We would discontinue current policy paying Convention delegate registration of $330 each.
Targeting between 22-25 members, Richard proposed building our resources:
150% of minimum of annual expense = $2,182.50
150% of maximum of annual expense = $2,527.50
Goal: to set aside $900-$1,250 over 3-5 years to achieve 150% reserve. Once reserve has been met, we would revisit delegate reimbursement. Important to continue is treating guests and potential new members to their first meeting’s evening meal. Motion was made to accept proposal and it was approved.
b. Website location to move: With Focol dissolving 3/31/15, Barb proposed the best alternative as GoDaddy at ~$50 per year. Site would look the same as today. Motion was made and approved to move site. New members, please email Barb a photo and short bio to add to the Club Members page. - New Business:
a. IATC interim Lt. Governor Frances Moul met sixfolks (Barb, Bill, Jean, Paul, Mary and Richard) for lunch 12/08/14 at the Atlas Coffee Mill & Café. A 15th Anniversary Certificate (dated 6/27/15) was presented to our colleagues recognizing the Torch Club of the Fox Valley’s charter on 4/15/99.
IATC’s 100th anniversary will be in 2024 (started 1924), their goal is to build membership between now and the centennial. At lunch with Moul, club members reiterated 11/13/14 meeting comments that we are not in a position to sponsor a new WI Chapter. We would rather spend energy on solidifying our own growth and strength. Richard to email three short documents for review and discussion at January meeting. IATC has clubs where universities are located, encouraging student membership, which potentially provides new interest in that chapter. (Student member rate was added at the June 2014 Convention.) Moul is also reaching out to business management, proposing the business sponsor younger membership with soft benefits as well as staff growth for employer. - Announcements: none.
- Business segment adjourned at 7:10pm for dinner.
Paul presented: A Perspective on Packaging
1970 Child Safety Act helped launch the packaging industry after former President Johnson’s son swallowed a bottle of aspirin.
Since its inception, there continues to be tension between the good and bad components of packaging:
* good in terms of sanitation, cleanliness, life extension/preservation of packaged product, and easy-to-open packages (some resealable);
* bad because of its ‘negative footprint’ – consumption of raw materials, gaseous byproducts emitted into the air, empty containers found in the oceans affecting sea birds and animals, and landfills containing non-biodegradable packaging waste.
Germany and Sweden have banned plastic bags. In 2015, CA will join these countries in prohibiting their use. The zest for packaging is the convenience it offers: at home, in public sectors, and for personal and hospital healthcare. Grab-and-go and single-serve trends are increasing, creating more packaging demand.
75% of our purchasing decisions are made at the shelf, strategy closed managed and manipulated by Corporate marketing schemes.
Iconic packages in our lives include Andy Warhol’s Campbell soup cans, the unique shape of the Coke bottle, Hershey’s Kisses, Barbie (in a box), Tonka Trucks and Girl Scout cookie boxes.
As consumers, awareness is key to the choices we make when purchasing goods. Can we reduce, refill and recycle? Is it better to pitch the packaging than the product it contains?
Walmart is demanding their vendors supply products with less packaging.
The evening adjourned at 8:55pm.
Next meeting is 01/08/15.