U.S./Mexico Sister Cities Association, Inc.

                                       National Board of Directors Workshop Minutes

                                Cesar Chavez Community Center, Riverside, California

                                                    Saturday, March 7, 2009.

 

Connie called the workshop meeting to order at 9:20 a.m.

 

Roll Call:  Executive Board Present:  Connie Goertz, Robert Perez, Frances Madrigal, Don Goertz, Directors present: Rebecca Amezcua, George Barks, Esther Caldwell, Amparito Doolittle, Ralph Mundia, Juan Nuñez and Alice Vazquez.

Excused: Jeff Failing, Ana Flores, Gil Garcia, Georgiana McLeod, Chuck Medicus, Delia Nevarez, and Al Contreras 

Out of State Excused: Michael Curd, Gustavo Guevara Aida Lerma, and Steve Perez

Non-excused: Director Hank August, Directors at Large: Carlos Tejada and Gilberto Venegas. 

Directors at-large present Annie Mundia; Ernesto Villegas,    Unexcused Dolores Covarrubias,

Guests Present:  Richard Caldwell, Richard Madrigal, Joe Vazquez, President Salvador Portugal and 6 representatives from the Club de Oriundos: “Hijos Ausentes de Zacapu, Michoacan, Mexico”.

 

Pledge of Allegiance:  Bob led the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

President’s Welcome:  Connie welcomed everyone and expressed gratitude to the Riverside Club for the refreshments and lunches, and the City of Riverside for use of the Cesar Chavez Community Center.  She recounted the Laredo Conference in January with Artesanias, the Roberto Rivera Art Exhibit in Celaya, that Stelle Feuers of SCI had chaired an economic forum and she read a letter from the South El Monte Sister City requesting the airfare to the SCI Conference in Belfast, Ireland for a member. 

 

Bob read a letter from the Mayor Ronald Loveridge of Riverside welcoming our group and revealing that Riverside has seven sister cities with two of them in Mexico.  We were invited to a reception at the Riverside Community Arts Association at 6:30 p.m. Connie mentioned Vinnie Fazzino of Ensenada and the Gabriel House, an orphanage for handicapped children.

She noted that we have contracted with Netscorp for our USMSCA website. Gustavo will be our webmaster with Gilberto as a backup.

 

Salvador Portugal, President of Hijos Ausentes de Zacápu, introduced his committee and spoke of their goals which included building a school in Zacápu and collecting wheelchairs for the needy.  He had videos and original music from Michoacan to share with us.

 

Finances:  Don presented a proposal for the 2009 budget saying it included $2700 for committees.

 

Youth Activities & Involvement:  Frances states that she will reveal the topic for the essay contest by June.  Connie has appointed Delia to reenergize the youth/young adults involvement..

 

Newsletter:  Discussion regarding the cost of printing and mailing the newsletter ensued.  It was noted by Alice that the minimum was 210 copies to use the permit.

 

Brochure:  In revising the brochure, it was suggested using bright colors that reflect the U.S./ Mexico relationship.  Bob will research having it done as a project by a University student and recommended getting ads to reduce the costs.

 

Committee Assignments: Discussion ensued assigning board members to committees for 2009.

 

Directors’ and Assigned Areas: The 2008 list was adjusted as requested by Directors.

 

Bylaws/Standing Rules:  Esther will study the contract used for conferences and make suggestions to have it ready for the next hosting city.  Frances felt that the place and date for the 2010 Retreat should be confirmed by at least June, 2009 and the meeting dates and places shortly thereafter.

 

Officers and Board Member Duties: Information is in the by-laws.

 

Directors’/Directors’ at Large:  Connie announced the appointments of Steve Perez and Delia Nevarez as Directors and Dolores Covarrubias as a Director at Large.  Esther felt that we should keep the number of board members to 18.

 

Board Contact Information/Post Office Box:  Board Contact Information has been posted on the website.  A member of South El Monte will monitor our mailbox along with their own.

 

Conference:  The Laredo Conference did not show a profit for us.  Attendance was low and the City of Laredo picked up the tab for one half of the costs.  (See the report by Gustavo.)    

 

The SOCAL meeting was in Long Beach, CA on February 7 and the SCI conference will be in Belfast, Ireland in June with Albuquerque, NM next year and then Washington, D.C.  The Mexico.National Conference is in Saltillo, Mexico on April 23 – 26.

Suggestions for the next U.S. National conference included Cathedral City (Don), San Diego and possibly San Antonio, TX (Connie). It was felt that Green Bay, WI would fit better as an International Conference in August with Cathedral City for the National one in January.   Don suggested another retreat in Riverside. Riverside invited us to have a conference here.

 

Inventory:  A few board members still had crystals.  Connie felt that we need something for gifts and it was agreed that an engraved tray would be nice and easy to transport.

 

Future Board Meeting Dates:  Due to the Barbeque being on June 7th, a meeting on May 17th was needed.  Bob suggested Monterey Park and will make the arrangements.  The September meeting was moved to the 20th, due to the International Conference in Austin on August 5 – 9.  Ralph and Annie will host it at their home.  George will secure the Hermosa Beach Community Center for a meeting on December 13th.

 

Meeting was adjourned at 3 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted by Frances Madrigal, Secretary