Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Delaware in Lewes
Council Minutes
Frederick Thomas Building
February 24, 2015

In attendance were Council members Jack Boettger, Bob Comeau (chair emeritus), Dolores Fiegel, Mary Folan, Lynn Kroesen, Sabatino Maglione, Rob Morgan, and Bill Sharkey (chair), librarian archivist Ruth Barnett, committee chairs Bernie Fiegel and Joan Sciorra,  program coordinator Anna Moshier, Ed Chamberlain, instructional support for Lewes, and University representative Linda Osoinach.

Chair Bill Sharkey called the meeting to order at 12:21 p.m.

The agenda was approved by consensus.

The minutes of the Council meeting on January 21, 2015, were approved without objection.

Chair:
Bill introduced Dolores Fiegel, whom the Chair appointed to the Council to fill the unexpired portion of Donna Beecher’s term and who has been nominated for election to the Council for a term in her own right, as a former Chair.

Bill mentioned that he plans to schedule a discussion of raising dues for the April meeting, in time for the publication of the catalogue.

Staff:
Anna reported that she would attend an Osher conference in July at the University of Alabama.

Committee reports (*indicates report on file)

Facilities Task Force (Bob Comeau):  Bob Comeau reported that the meeting of the Facilities Task Force on which he sits that was scheduled for the previous evening had not taken place and that the Task Force has made no progress.

Academic Affairs (Mary Folan):  Anna reported that she has 17 course proposals for the summer session in hand and six more coming.  She will have to go out and fetch the rest.  

Communications (Lynn Kroesen):   The deadline for the next Tides is April 25th, just a couple of days after the spring luncheon and a couple of days before some people will be going to New York City.

Travel (Joan Sciorra): The New York trip has 130 people signed up.  The Holocaust trip has been cancelled because not enough people signed up.  The trip to see Juno And The Paycock will be on March 15th.  The trip in May to see Lakmé has been filled.  The trip to see All in the Timing on April 23rd will include an opportunity to have dinner.  On May 7th will be the trip to see The Thirty-Nine Steps.

Mary Folan reported that Gil Kaufman is planning a trip to Air Mobility in Dover on a Saturday as part of his class on Amazing Aircraft.  There will be no bus, but a carpool will be arranged.  

Social* (Bernie Fiegel/Joan Sciorra) Bernie had nothing to add to his report.

Community Relations* (Dolores Fiegel):  Dolores has taken over Community  Relations from Donna Beecher.  Beyond her report, Dolores proposed an ad in the Ocean Wave Quilt Guild 2015 program.  At her suggestion, the Council approved placing a quarter-page ad for $25.

Library (Ruth Barnett):	Ruth reported that all was fine at the library.

Financial* (Jack Boettger):	Jack led a discussion of the financial statements and analysis that he had distributed.  Generally the finances are in good shape.

Nominating (Sabatino Maglione):	Sabatino reported that he had formed a committee and that there had been some uncertainty on the committee about its role, because he had brought to the committee the names of three nominees for the three open seats.  Bob Comeau clarified that those three names had been merely suggestions and that the committee’s role was to consider them and any others in deciding whom to nominate.  There was discussion of the advisability of clarifying the Nominating Committee’s role in the bylaws.  In view of the time constraints on the election process, a slate of three nominees has been posted and are ready to be put on the ballot:  Peter Feeney, Dolores Fiegel, and Phil Fretz.

New Business:   
The Rehoboth Art League Cottage Tour was discussed.   Bill explained that OLLI in Lewes has been getting support from RAL over the years in the form of free studio space.  In return we began to support RAL’s Cottage Tour, a two-day event on Tuesday and Wednesday following July Fourth.  John and Carmela Coleman have been co-ordinating this as co-chairs for some years and have asked to be replaced.  The role requires two people.  The co-chairs will need to go to the organizational meetings, with the first being on March 10th this year.   Meanwhile RAL is lining up houses; when we find out which house has been assigned to OLLI the co-chairs will meet the owner, walk through it, figure out how many docents will be needed for traffic control, recruit and arrange volunteers to fill the time slots, and be there at the house on both days of the tour.  It is work but fun.    Bill asked for volunteer suggestions, and Mary Folan suggested using our list of volunteers who have said they would like to help in some way.

The purchase of a hallway monitor for the hall outside classrooms 101 and 102 was approved, at the cost of $350 plus $100 for the bracket.

Anna raised the question of whether our snow policy, under which we conform to the School District’s closings, should be revised in light of the two late announcements by the School District in February.  It was the consensus of the Council that those were isolated occurrences and that a revision was not required.

Anna reported that we can no longer use the gym, which is not part of our premises but which our members had used for meetings when it was vacant, because the School District will now be using it.

Mary Folan moved to allocate $2,000 for the Instructor Recognition  breakfast, and the motion passed without objection.

Next meeting:  March 23rd at 12:20 p.m.

The meeting was adjourned 1:15 p.m.

Rob Morgan, Secretary