******************************************************************************** TNNAC Board meeting - Sunday, 22 October, 9.30am At MTSU's Honor's Building Cleata Townsend, 2nd vice chair, Chattanooga chair Wally Leary, Chattanooga alternate tom kunesh, secretary, Chattanooga vice chair Charles Lawson, Member-at-large, Nashville Annette Lawson Sandi Perry, Nashville chair Dale Mitchell, Nashville vice-chair Absent John Smith, chairman, Memphis Vicky Garland, Middle TN, 1st vice chair, Middle TN Major agenda items: 10.30 come to order Officer reports Secretary read minutes of Sunday April 23, 2006 meeting Motion to approve, approved Treasurer Account balance: $116.31 as of 23 apr 2006 [paid annual report due: $20 fee] Sandi - John's report - Doris Tate Trevino's resignation, reviewed state law, TNNAC bylaws re appt., falls to tom kunesh, TNNAC (Vicky) submitted tom's name for appointment John would accept nomination as chair Would accept Wally Leary's nomination tom - Vicky's nomination actions tom - secretary's report - website up, docs added No expenditures - balance remains the same No mail Account balance: $116.31 as of 23 apr 2006 [paid annual report due: $20 fee] Cleata - John's nomination of Wally Leary as an at-large member Charles Lawson - nominates Wally Leary as an at-large member, Dale seconded Approved (unanimous) Other old business 1. Annual election of officers Chairperson, 1st vice chairperson, 2nd vice chairperson, secretary/treasurer Concern that not enough board members present, only Nashville & Chattanooga represented, need better geographic & representative distribution Motion to postpone elections to next mtg (tom), Sandi-2nd Unanimous 2. 2007 Grand Divisions referendum/rules issue TNNAC referendum bill did not pass in legislature Grand Divisions include metro areas Residents of metro areas can run for Grand Division commissioner Proposal: resubmit legislation next year in order to maintain election rules consistent during this year's election cycle. Since referendum was passed to legislature for passage, TNNAC recognizes primacy of state law re. Candidates for division TNNAC > TNCIA > legislature > TNNAC recognizes primacy of state law, nominations open to all persons in a division. - say something to TNCIA or state? - say nothing? Let Convention address the issue. Path least likely to create chaos ... hasn't passed, therefore things remain the same, don't need to put anything out there, don't need to recommend TNNAC board submitted the referendum to the Commission for consideration and action, the Commission accepted it and recommended to the State, the legislature accepted the bill but the bill failed in the legislature. TNNAC board's responsibility was fulfilled. It may be brought up for reconsideration at the next Convention. Approved, unanimous 3. Absentee voting Allowing prior participants to vote in absentee With cause (hospitalization, temporary assignment out of state, etc) Approved in principle, with restrictions, like other elections - Advance voting, no emergency voting, previously registered voters only, narrow guidelines, votes must be in 2 weeks in advance, restricted to past caucus participants, Restricted to caucuses and/or Convention Need Absentee Ballot committee - Vicky & Wally appointed, unanimous 5. Voter registration Create TNNAC voter registration cards? For prior participants Dale: - expense? - need? Could speed registration - How about voter registration list? Current utility bill (within 60 days) + driver's license still the best Don't see a problem, leave as is. Unanimous 6. Voting areas Expand Eastern Division metro voting areas to cover division? Add McMinn, Monroe & Polk counties to Chattanooga Add Cumberland, Morgan, Scott, Campbell, Claiborne counties to Knoxville Approved unanimous The 1991 edition of Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) details the grand divisions of the state of Tennessee. TCA 4-1-201 states that there are three (3) grand divisions of the state: the eastern, middle and western. In the listings, Perry County has been moved from the Western Grand Division to the Middle Grand Division. The counties listed are as follows: Eastern Grand Division (TCA 4-1-202) Anderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Cumberland, Grainger, Greene, Hamilton, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, McMinn, Marion, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Polk, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union and Washington. Middle Grand Division (TCA 4-1-203) Bedford, Cannon, Cheatham, Clay, Coffee, Davidson, DeKalb, Dickson, Fentress, Franklin, Giles, Grundy, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Marshall, Maury, Montgomery, Moore, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Putnam, Robertson, Rutherford, Sequatchie, Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, White, Williamson, and Wilson. Western Grand Division (TCA 4-1-204) Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Lauderdale, McNairy, Madison, Obion, Shelby, Tipton and Weakley Re. moving east TN caucus from Greeneville to Kingsport - ask East TN people to present proposal at next meeting 4. Sub-caucuses Middle Division Dale: dividing the larger Grand Divisions into sub-caucuses Dale - Red & Vicky's plan Referred to committee of Doug Kirby (Clarksville), Vicky Garland (Lawrenceville), Sandi Perry (Nashville), Dale Mitchell (Nashville), and Charles Lawson (at large, Nolensville) New business 7. Question of TNNAC's responsibility to submit nominations to the state Other than those elected by caucus and Convention when there is a vacancy and less than 2 potential nominees A. when no nominees available, TNNAC hold a special election B. during an election year, TNNAC shall submit at least 2 nominees selected by the regular election process C. during off election year, TNNAC shall submit names of other nominees approved by the caucus Sandi - need educational brochure on caucus & convention process - does TNNAC provide 2 names at all times? if there's 1 candidate left, - what to do? if there's 0 candidates left, - what to do? Tabled 8. Nomination of John Anderson and tom kunesh to succeed Doris Tate Trevino Action taken by 1st Vice Chair Vicky Garland affirmed, unanimous. Future: 1. Assure that the entire board is notified of any commissioner's resignation as soon as practical. Copy _all_ correspondence & report _any_ communication to board. Request board comments 2. Contact resignee. Verify resignation status. 3. Contact remaining nominees to determine nomination status. 4. Report to TNNAC board of resignation & nomination statii. 5. Draft letter of nomination. Submit to board for approval. Next meeting, Saturday, 13 January 2007 9.30am MTSU 2007 election schedule ------------------------------------------------------------------- Electing nominees for Commissioner of Indian Affairs From the West, Middle, East Grand Divisions March 1 applications open April 30 applications close June 23 Caucuses (Saturday) September 15 CONVENTION (Saturday) Long Hunter State Park, near Nashville Friday 6pm gathering Saturday 9am presentation of candidates 10am candidate forums 2pm Convention -------------------------------------------------------------------