Convention Committee Meeting Notes
Sunday, January 17th, 2016
The schedule for the day will be
12pm-1pm Divisional Meetings
1pm-2:30pm Meet & Greet of the Candidates
2:30pm ConCom/Annual Meeting & Candidate Speeches
Following Meeting: Voting for Candidates/Working Portion
Voting Open from 4PM to 5PM
Board of Director Elections
Total Number Votes 160
Facilities Position Elected Director: Nadim Khalidi
Paul Purdes 46
Nadim Khalidi 110
Decline to Vote 1
Membership Communications Position Elected Director: Jonathan Palmer
Jonathan Palmer 131
Ken Justiniano 22
Decline to Vote 3
Productions Position Elected Director: Amy Mills
Briana Falb-Joslin 39
Amy Mills 111
Decline to Vote 9
Systems Position Elected Director: Thomas Keeley
Thomas Keeley 129
Decline to Vote/No Confidence 24
Future Visioning Committee
The following individuals were appointed to the Future Visioning Committee.
Tim Wick
Heather Zastera
Stephanie Zuercher
M Waterhouse
John Garner
Charmaine Parnell
Cetius d’Raven
Andy Murphy
The scope of this committee is still being drafted.
Meeting location for the February ConCom Meeting
Our next ConCom Meeting will be held on February 21st at the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center.
Hallie Q. Brown Community Center
270 N. Kent Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102
Future meeting dates (subject to change)
Confirmed Meeting Dates:
Sun, February 21st @ Hallie Q. Brown Community Center
To be confirmed
Sat, March 19th
Sun, April 17th
Sat, May 14th
Sun, June 5th
Sat, June 18th
Sat, July 16th (Post Mortem and Volunteer Party)
Alee Ellingsberg had suggested having a person to help the Board with admin and support. The Board thinks this is a great idea and in the interest of transparency and openness felt it would be best to create it as a position of the ConCom that people could nominate themselves for and the Board could appoint. Details will be forthcoming. Alee is going to be working with Jonathan Palmer to develop a brief description/ proposal for the Board to review and approve and then it will be shared with the ConCom.
Member Advocates Update-Jonathan Palmer
The scope of the Member Advocates work was introduced. In brief, they will function as a voluntary path for issue resolution between ConCom and Board when the normal channel has been tried and unsatisfactory results have been achieved. During the CON, they will function as an information resource to listen and connect people to the right department and record issues that can be reported to the Board. We are continuing to develop the processes and will bring updates as the become available.
Department Announcements
Facilities
Resume
All Departments should have electronic copies of last year’s Resume documents (Artist Alley is the exception). If you don’t have these documents or haven’t heard from us, please send an email to res…@convergence-con.org as well as letting us know at the meeting today so we can watch for your incoming transmission. The Resume Deadline remains the April Con-com and the May Con-Com continues to be the Final Sign-off date.
Decor
Decor is looking for donations of used, not collectible, Matchbox or Hot Wheels car with a geek-specific-theme for one of this year’s installations. Examples include Ecto-1, Batmobile, Mystery Machine, Speed Racer, etc.. If you have any items to donate, email decor@ or bring them to the February CON COM.
Hospitality
No announcements
Administration
Registration
No notes submitted
Membership Communications
Creative Services
Mona Montague has been appointed to the position of Co-Head of Creative Services; Lauren Addy has chosen to take a hiatus and will function as a specialist for the foreseeable future.
Social Media
Please submit all Social Media requests to socia…@convergence-con.org even if you have chatted about it with a Social Media department member. We are more than happy to discuss ideas, share how we will implement things or if your idea is possible in a face to face conversation, but once you are ready to share the request, please email. Thank you!
Web Team
Webteam would like to ask everyone to check out the pages on http://www.convergence-con.org that relate to their departments and think about what new information you would like the public to know about for both the lead up to CONvergence 2016 and the convention itself. Please send update requests to web…@convergence-con.org. Thank you!
Activities
No announcements
Productions
Video
No notes submited
Systems
No announcements
Partners Announcements
GPS
Program News
Heads up writers and graphic artists! The GPS Writing Contest submission window now open through 11:59pm May 15. Please help spread the word.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sat Jan 23 | 12pm – 4pm | Make It Sew Saturday Sewing Salon
Space. The final frontier…
Working on cosplay pieces for con? Here’s a chance for the various sewing people and organizations in the Twin Cities to come together and get their sewing groove on. Sponsored by Crafty Geek. Note: We’ll be in 107, this is a great opportunity to spread out your fabric and get some cutting done!
Don’t have something to sew? No problem. Come in to hangout and get your craft on during this extended meetup.
Sat Jan 23 | 4pm – ypm | JoFshop
The Journeyfolk of Fandom believe that we, as con runners, all benefit from sharing knowledge. Everyone, from the top to the bottom of our respective organizations, has something to learn and something to share, and this is the place to do it.
The January Event’s topic is recruiting, developing, and retaining volunteers. We’ll be in rooms 106 and 106A.
Sat Jan 23 | 5:30pm – 9pm | Geek Physique – Geeks Ski
To RSVP go to the original meetup and do so there.
Think of this as a practical application of physics.
Where: Hyland Hills, 8800 Chalet Road, Bloomington, MN 55438
Cost: Rates are $17 for a lift pass, $22 for equipment rental
How will people find Organizer? Organizer Ted will stand on this exact spot (44.843923, -93.363336) wearing a Becker Harold North Star flag as a cape.
Sun Jan 24 | 1pm – 5pm | Photography at Conventions Pt. 2
Photo shoot with convention-related costumes around Anime Detour and CONvergence, and other cons as well. Go to the meetup to RSVP and for more information. Email phot…@geekpartnership.org if you have questions.
Sat Jan 30 | 8am – 11pm | GPS Movie Night – Browncoat Marathon
Shiny… GPS Movie Night invites you to an all-day marathon showing all episodes of a Joss Whedon television series and capping off with the movie based on the series.
The event will include a fundraising pancake breakfast for our partner, Anime Twin Cities (raising money for a scholarship to send students to Japan), a potluck meal, cosplay, and a DIY mystery can crock pot dinner.
GPS Event Horizon. Located at 1121 Jackson St NE in Minneapolis. As always, feel free to bring your own snacks (or dinner!) and a comfy chair. We will have some snacks and soda available for sale. Room 107.
Fri Feb 12 | 7pm – 9pm | Edutainment Video Discussion – Topic TBA, room 107
Mon Feb 15 | 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.| GPS Arts Initiative – Figure Drawing Salon
Tue Feb 16 | 7pm – 9pm | GPS Open Meeting, room 107
We invite our partner members at CVG to come and find out more about what they are helping to support. We’ll be talking about upcoming elections, open director and officer positions, volunteer needs, and overall plans through at least CONvergence 2016..
Fundraising News
Supporting Membership Drive -We provide support and activities throughout the year to our members, our partners, the geek community at large, and the general public. If you like what we are doing and would like to support GPS directly, please consider joining us as a supporting member. Also, please help spread the word about the drive.
June 4, 2016 | 5pm start | Pirate Cruise Fundraiser – St. Croix Boat & Packet Co. Stillwater, MN. http://m.bpt.me/event/2277328. Just a reminder, start saving your doubloons and work on your garb.
Upcoming for GPS
Pride Committee forming, need volunteers from CVG to help plan booth representation and parade participation. Please email volun…@geekpartnership.org if you are willing to do this.
Mark your Calendars
Sat Apr 2 – GPS Team Trivia Challenge
Sat Apr 23 – GPS UGG ReCon – Miniatures Gaming
Sat Apr 30 – International Tabletop Game Day with U.G.G.
Fri May 20 – Sun May 21 – Art-A-Whirl@GPS
Reminders:
Communications for any convention-related business between your department and GPS should go to con…@geekpartnership.org.
Site request link for Event Horizon in the Waterbury is: http://tinyurl.com/sitescheduling