City Club of Eugene Board Meeting Minutes May 22, 2025 | 5:00–6:30 PM | KIDSPORTS & via Zoom
Present: Sandy Smalley, Marty Ravits, Andrew Kalloch, Alyssa Gilbert, Joey Bruckner, Kelly Johnson Present via phone: Thomas Hiura Absent: Ralph Pledger, Catherine Adair
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 PM.
Approval of Prior Minutes
The minutes from the April 24, 2025 meeting were approved with one small correction: a note in the previous minutes referenced Alyssa potentially taking over monitoring City Club emails pending Mary taking over as Program Committee Secretary, but this transition did not take place.
Board Elections
Thomas Hiura was elected as President. Discussion followed regarding whether Thomas’ recent election to the Lane Education District board would disqualify him from serving as City Club President. The Board noted that while the bylaws contain language about board members not being elected officials in state and county offices, Thomas’ position was not considered to fall under this restriction.
It was suggested that the incoming board might undertake a review of the bylaws to clarify this rule—potentially specifying partisan offices or revisiting the original intent of the language.
Additionally, it was clarified that only the President-Elect position requires a full membership vote; other officer roles (Secretary and Treasurer) do not.
New board members Betsy Pownall, Eric Dziura, and Meggie Wright will join at the June meeting.
Annual Report
Andrew presented a draft of the Annual Report, created by Josh, and invited board members to suggest edits before it is finalized.
Website Proposal
The board reviewed a proposal to migrate the City Club website to Squarespace. The estimated cost for the migration ranged from $2,000–$3,500, with ongoing hosting costs at approximately $10 per month compared to the current $60/month with Alpha IT. Marti suggested seeking additional bids before moving forward.
Summer Development Campaign
The board agreed to conduct a summer campaign similar to last year’s, focusing on August. It may feature a letter or video from Thomas as the new President and will highlight details from the Annual Report. The fundraising goal is approximately $2,000.
There was also a brief discussion about hosting a City Club fundraiser, possibly involving a performance by Calvin Orlando Smith. Kelly expressed concerns about the board’s capacity to take on such an event.
Committee & Financial Reports
· Equipment Update: Ralph purchased the approved recording equipment and will test the new system once additional cables are acquired.
· Upcoming Programs: Forums are scheduled through July, with a planned August break. September programming ideas include a forum with the Mayor. Venue options under consideration include the library and City Hall.
· Finance Report: The board reviewed financials. A $5,000 sponsorship was questioned, with board members seeking clarification on whether it was a grant. Kathryn has graciously offered to help with financials for a while.
Additional Discussion
The board reaffirmed that former board members are eligible to serve as President again. Kelly reminded the group that while new board members start in June, the fiscal year does not begin until October.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 6:30 PM.
Next Meeting: Thursday, June 26, 2025, 5:00–6:30 PM at KIDSPORTS & via Zoom
Respectfully submitted Kelly Johnson Secretary
