June 2009

• Meeting called to order around 10:30 a.m.
• Pam Oberg brought up upcoming events, including Anime Banzai and the CONduit summer picnic. Picnic voted for August 22.
• Pam started the CONduit XIX wrap-up session.
• Richard Luke stated that the Radisson had been great to work with in general.
• Cheers for committee, staff, volunteers, and members too numerous to list (a good thing).
• Gripes:
  • Missing programming blurbs in program book.
  • No maps in program book or hallways.
  • Alternate room names confusing.
  • MIA panelists.
  • Some panelist badges missing panel lists.
  • Problems contacting guest liaison reported by some guests.
  • Consuite congested near door.
  • Filking crowded in consuite.
  • Need checklists for ConCom position requirements.
  • Need to review membership rates for volunteers, etc.
  • Gofer coordinator needed.
  • Security staff not prepared to answer attendee questions. Volunteer coordinator could manage?
  • Need to be conscious of convention newbies. Kai Hintze volunteered to put together a CONduit FAQ.
  • Programming schedule needs to be ready earlier. March?
  • Booksellers need to have books from as many attending authors as possible.
  • Publicity in local stores weak.
  • Losing teen attendees.
  • Attendance still light.
• Brad Hawks discussed finances. CONduit XIX is expected to make a small profit, although the books have not been closed yet. Eric Flint's unused airline ticket still needs to be handled, which Charlie Harmon agreed to do.
• Chris Primeau summarized the at-con questionnaires. Only a small number were returned, but comments were generally positive. A common complaint not yet mentioned is the lack of media programming at CONduit.
• CONduit XX was officially opened for discussion.
• Pam Oberg was voted in as CONduit XX chair.
• Pam led a discussion on the future of CONduit. The idea of taking a hiatus after CONduit XX was debated, with the following pros and cons raised:
  Pros:
  • Dodge current recession and aftermath.
  • Gain time to rebuild committee and volunteer pool.
  • Need to find younger ConCom members.
  • Current ConCom burned out and needs break.
  • Need deep discussion of recent membership drop.
  • Current budget very limited.
  Cons:
  • Momentum will be lost.
  • Loss of credibility (multiyear deals, etc.).
  • Broken track record.
  • Recession ending?
  • Membership accustomed to CONduit weekend.
• General agreement was reached that fundraising and sponsorship need to be taken more seriously. Brad brought up the drop in membership, which Pam said may be due to a failure to protect CONduit's base, however limited it may be. The convention may need to be scaled back to projected attendance in the future.
• Chris stated that the primary issue seemed to be whether CONduit wanted to be a "big tent" or a literary con only.
• Pam brought up the move to Memorial Day weekend, restating that the cheaper convention space is the prime motivation. The committee agreed that we do not use all of our current space.
• The committee discussed whether new ConCom and volunteers are being driven away by ConCom meetings. Micromanagement and overconsolidation of positions was discussed, with agreement that introductory jobs are needed. It was also acknowledged that the committee may be quashing new ideas and that this needs to change. Solutions discussed included assigning mentors and assistants, as well as inviting new blood to ConCom meetings.
• Chris suggested that a fan club liaison is needed to attempt to reconnect with the local fan clubs.
• The committee agreed that CONduit XXI may be downsized, and that a real effort will be made to avoid overloading committee members.
• Kai Hintze volunteered to overhaul the ConCom position descriptions available on the website.
• The hiatus idea was voted against, with CONduit XXI scheduled for 2011.
• Meeting adjourned very late.

July 2009

• Meeting called to order around 10:25 a.m.
• Upcoming meetings and events:

Organizstion	Date(s)	Location	Notes
Utah Space Association First Step Event	July 20, 2009	The Gateway	Will CONduit be able to have a table at this event?
Annual Concom Picnic	August 22, 2009	Mathis Park, North Salt Lake	A map to this event will be available later.
Anime Banzai	October 16-19, 2009	Sheraton Center
CONduit Program Planning Committee	Remainder of 2009	Day Riverside Library	10:00-12:30: August 15, September 12, October 10, November 14, December 12

• Concom has been handicapped with trying to do future planning while planning the upcoming conference, to the detriment of the organization. Discussion about having a second monthly meeting brought a concensus for a second meeting on the 4th Saturday of each month in the morning. The first meeting will be set for September. The purpose is to improve the quality of planning for CONduit's future beyond the current year and for considering impacts of more complex issues for reporting back to Concom. This group will determine its own name.
• Voting to elect Department Heads and Committee members was the next order of business. The following is a summary of the results.
• Elected positions:

Position - Person	Position - Person
Programming - Eddy Roberts	Hotel tdaison - Richard Luke
Computer Services - Debbie Lords	Art Show - Joe Monson
Gaming - Chris Primeau	Security - Sean "Ogre" Sartori
Registration - Jeneall Plouzek	Fiction Contest - Ruth Hanson
Swap Meet - Martin Calderwood	Masquerade - Ruth Roper
Treasurer - Brad Hawks	Operations/Hall Monitor - Tamara Hawks
Public Relations - Kai Hintze	Anime Music Video - Steven Fox
Chocohotdcs - Kammi Davis	Hall Costume Contest - Martin Calderwood
Contest Coordinator - Ruth Hanson	Pocket Program - Joe Monson
Confirmation Postcard - Pam Oberg	Utah SF tdaison - Dameon Davis
Badges - Debbie Lords

Position	Position
Dealers Room	Guest tdaison (GOH & Special Guests)
Ice Cream Social	Mascot Contest
Film Contest	Screenwriting Contest
Micro-Short Story Contest	Oldest Fan T-Shirt
Anime Room	Media Room
Filk	ConSuite
Miniatures Contest	Media Room

Position	Position
Secretary	Tax Preparation
Progress Report	Program Book
Volunteer Coordinator	Fan Club tdaison (resurrected position)
Kid Con	Poetry Contest

August 2009

September 2009

October 2009

November 2009

December 2009

January 2010

February 2010

March 2010

April 2010

May 2010