Minutes of the 61st Annual Meeting
President Pat Manners called to order the 61st Annual Business Meeting of the Missouri Court Reporters Association at approximately 12:20 p.m.President Manners called for a moment of silence in remembrance of MCRA member Carl Lavino who passed away this year. Mr. Lavino served as MCRA Vice President in 1966 and 1970. He also served on the Legislative Committee for many years. Julia Bouvia was called upon to give the invocation.
President Manners introduced six past Presidents of MCRA that were in attendance. They were Rhonda Laurentius, Deborah McLaughlin, Diana Taylor, Mary Conway, Carolyn Keeling and Jim Bouck. She thanked each of them for their leadership experience in helping to guide her through the year. President Manners introduced the past recipients of the Distinguished Service Award that were present, Mary Conway, Jim Bouck and Carolyn Keeling.
President Manners called upon Mary Conway, 2005 recipient of the DSA Award, to present the DSA Award to the 2006 recipient. Diana Taylor received the 2006 DSA Award. Diana Taylor addressed the audience with her thanks and graciously accepted the Award.
President Manners welcomed to the convention and introduced to the attendees Tami Smith, NCRA Representative; Jennifer Smith, NVRA President; and Lorraine Buckley, Parliamentarian. President Elect Stewart approached the podium to give her student mentoring report with up-to-date statistics. Thereafter, President Manners invited the student sponsors and first-time convention attendees to rise and greet the audience.
President Manners acknowledged the vendors in attendance and conveyed the gratitude of MCRA for their participation at the convention.
Introductions were made by President Manners of the current and incoming Board of Directors of the MCRA. President Manners announced that Rhonda Laurentius, Immediate Past President; Betsy Gromowsky, Vice President; Kathy Foley, Region II Vice President; and Brenda Wills-Christensen, Region V Vice President, would be stepping down from the Board. She thanked them for their service. President Manners welcomed to the Board Tiffany Hughes, Vice President; Gail Conaway, Region II Vice President; Tracie Brumley, Region IV Vice President; and Elaine Matthews; Region V Vice President. Officers not present were Tiffany Hughes, Vice President Elect; Elaine Matthews, Region V Vice President Elect; and Brenda Wills-Christensen, Region V Vice President.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of MCRA, President Manners acknowledged and recognized the Board of Court Reporter Examiners for their service. There are five members of MCRA that serve on the CCR Board, Barbara Jackson, Paula Hefner, Mary Conway, Deborah McLaughlin and Angie Culler. Five Judges, who serve on the CCR Board, were invited to attend the convention, as well as Maggie Burch, Administrative Assistant to the Supreme Court. Almost all had to send their regrets. Judge Joseph Dandurand will be in attendance for the afternoon sessions. President Manners introduced the MCRA governmental consultant and lobbyist, Betsy Morgan, from the firm of Gamble & Schlemeier. Thereafter, Ms. Morgan delivered her governmental report regarding the legislative year of 2005-2006.
President Manners invited Jennifer Smith, NVRA President, and Tami Smith, NCRA Representative, to deliver their national reports to the membership.
President Manners announced that the minutes of the 2005 Annual Business Meeting of MCRA were published on the MCRA website.
President Manners asked if there were any objections to the minutes. There were none. The minutes were formally approved. Rhonda Laurentius and Jim Bouck were recruited to serve on the committee to approve the minutes of the 2006 Annual Business Meeting of MCRA prior to their publication.
President Manners invited Kathy Foley to approach the podium and deliver her convention registration report to the membership. Convention Chair Foley reported there were 105 regular members and 25 students that registered. The attendees were reminded to fill out the survey forms.
President Manners announced that there was a quorum of 25 members eligible to vote present as is required by the MCRA bylaws.
President Manners called for a motion to approve the agenda for the Missouri Court Reporters Association 2006 Annual Business Meeting.
MOTION/OLLIGES: I’ll make a motion to approve the agenda.
SECONDED/JERRY DAVIS: There being no further discussion, President Manners called for a vote on the motion. Unanimous aye. Motion carried.
President Manners called for a motion to adopt the standing rules of the business meeting as printed in the packet.
MOTION/OLLIGES: I’ll move to adopt the standing rules as published in our convention packet.
SECONDED/MARY CONWAY: There being no further discussion, President Manners called for a vote on the motion. Unanimous aye. Motion carried.
President Manners called Mary Conway forward to deliver her report of the Bylaws Committee. Mary Conway MISSOURI COURT REPORTERS ASSOCIATION announced that the Bylaws Committee has proposed a bylaw change within Article VII, Board of Directors, Section II, Duties, and, further, went on to explain to the membership the rationale for the change in the bylaw.
MOTION/ MARY CONWAY: By direction of the Bylaws Committee, we move to adopt.
President Manners called for debate. Hearing none, President Manners called for a vote on the motion. Unanimous aye. Motion carried.
President Manners informed the attendees that the reports of the officers, standing committees, and special committees are in written form and contained in the convention packets. President Manners invited query from the membership regarding the reports. There was none. The reports stand as submitted.
President Manners announced that Sandy Stewart was elected President Elect in 2005 by progression of order and will be the new President. President Manners called upon Rhonda Laurentius, Nominating Committee Chairperson, to come forward and address the report of the Nominating Committee.
Immediate Past President and Nominating Committee Chairperson Laurentius reported that the 2006-2007 slate of officers was posted to the MCRA website on approximately July 17, 2006. Rhonda Laurentius announced that the Nominating Committee has submitted the following nominees for the 2006- 2007 slate of officers: President, Sandy Stewart; President Elect, Angie Culler; Vice President, Tiffany Hughes; Secretary, Dawn McTeer; and Treasurer, Brett Harrison.
President Manners called for further nominations from the membership for the 2006-2007 slate of officers. There were no further nominations. The nominations were closed, and the officers were elected by acclamation.
Region I Vice President Olliges approached the podium and addressed the membership to announce the tentative venue of the 2007 convention at the St. Charles County Convention Center on September 28th and 29th, 2007. She cordially invited all to attend.
President Manners invited Tami Smith, NCRA Representative, to the podium to conduct the installation of the 2006-2007 slate of officers.
Sandy Stewart, 2006-2007 MCRA President, came forward to deliver her presidential acceptance speech.
Immediate Past President Laurentius came forward to present a presidential plaque to President Manners in commemoration and thanks for her service as MCRA President in 2005- 006.
President Manners delivered her final presidential message to the membership.
President Manners adjourned the 61st Annual Business Meeting at 1:30 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dawn McTeer, MCRA Secretary