June Executive Committee Meeting Minutes

Keith McShea called the meeting to order at 5:34 p.m, June 9, 2010 at One News Plaza, second-floor meeting room.

Two Editorial Department vacancies and one District Manager vacancy were filled on the Executive Committee.

Motion/Second/Carried Tan/Meyer to nominate Denise Gee of editorial.

M/S/C Fairbanks/Besecker to nominate Geoff Nason of editorial.

M/S/C Gormley/McShea to nominate Brian Long of district managers.

Discussion of purchasing tickets to AFL-CIO annual picnic; McShea believed we bought two last year. There are possible plans of the Council of Newspaper Unions to all attend.

M/S/C Meyer/Fairbanks to buy two tickets.

Fairbanks presented copies of the job share agreement reached by the Guild and The News regarding Maki Becker and Gene Warner in editiorial. In essence, the full-time job is preserved for Becker, who has been out on maternity leave and will come back on a part-time basis; the job share will last anywhere from 18 months to two years before it reverts to a full-time job for Becker.

M/S/C Fairbanks/Tan to approve the job share between Becker and Warner.

Bob DiCesare, chairman of the Tom Borrelli Memorial Award and Scholarship Fund, explained the the scholarship committee was seeking to have the Guild act as an intermediary for the distribution of 2011 scholarship monies. The scholarship fund is based with the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. However, the foundation’s rules regarding the dates when the check can be issued do not match up with the committee’s schedule of naming a winner of the award. The foundation requires scholarship amounts and recipients be declared by May 1 — but that is in the middle of the high school lacrosse season and far too early for a Borrelli Award winner to be determined. The winner is selected in June, after the season.

DiCesare said the community foundation can cut a check for the funds by May 1, and was inquiring that the Guild hold the money until a winner is selected. An added benefit for the Guild would be an added involvement in the award and scholarship fund.

DiCesare’s understanding after talking with Bob Snyder and Tammy Turnbull is that this should not be a problem, barring a review by the Guild’s lawyer.

M/S/C Gormley/Snyder that the Guild act as an intermediary in the awarding of scholarship monies for the Tom Borrelli Memorial Award and Scholarship Fund, pending approval of counsel.

* The Guild received Bob Redden’s retainer agreement and payment schedule; Redden has been Guild counsel for at least 15 years; a discussion included the benefits of having local counsel available for various needs.

M/S/C Fairbanks/Leiser to continue using Redden’s services.

* Phil relayed management’s schedule for the July 4 holiday — July 4 is on a Sunday; the holiday work day will be Monday, July 5.

* The committee discussed the request of classified employee Ann Marie Rycki that the Guild ask The News that Rycki be offered the buyout; Rycki was not eligible for the buyout after spots from her department were filled.

* Sandy Tan’s Mobilization report included the desire to enhance the routine of welcoming new members, including interns; she said there is money in the mobilization committee budget to fund Guild members taking the new members out to lunch.

Tan said the Web site needed to be updated with the new officers.

Tan asked all committee members that when they sign up new members that they get their email addresses.

M/S/C Leiser/Gormley adjourn to adjourn at 5:54 p.m.

Present: Pat Gormley, Sandy Tan, Bob Snyder, Keith McShea, Henry Davis, Bob DiCesare, Brian Meyer, Kim Leiser, Denise Gee, Geoff Nason, Phil Fairbanks, Aaron Besecker.

Excused: Beverly Gniewecki, Tammy Turnbull, Sue Kelley.