October 25, 2013
Present: Phil Bisesi, Brita Clark, Dr. Terry Clark, Beth Gilman, Steve Gilman, Mary Olson, Dr. Lew Patrie, Bob Howarth, Dr. Don Richardson
Lunch and refreshments began at 12 noon, and the business meeting followed at 12:30pm.
KEY BUSINESS:
1. The minutes for the WNC/PSR September 2013 meeting were posted on our website before this meeting. There was consensus to move forward to other business without further comment.
2. Terry reported that our chapter received a $750 grant from PSR National.
3. Terry reported his recent call with Catherine Thomasson (PSR National CEO). They exchanged ideas on the benefits of PSR national providing our chapter with their NC contacts, and Terry offered to look into having our WNCPSR chapter contacts provided to PSR National. Lew, Steve and Terry agreed to have a follow up meeting to determine what options we can pursue to have a current WNCPSR chapter contact list that can be shared with PSR national.
4. In regard to the Nuclear Power and Nuclear Weapons course that was offered at UNCA to The College for Seniors, Terry indicated that Dot Sulock plans to be at our January 2014 meeting. Dot created this course and can share potential next steps to advertise this course more widely.
5. Those attending a recent event co-sponsored by Veterans for Peace, provided rave reviews of the movie shown regarding JeJu Island, South Korea. We may want to consider this movie for a future event with an anti-nuclear theme.
6. There was discussion regarding the recent postings on our chapter website, and there was special praise for the links Stan provided regarding Fukushima and the peacemaking imperative.
7. Terry has been in touch with Bill Blackley, MD, Elkin, NC. Bill has shown interest in biomass and fracking and plans to attend a WNCPSR meeting in the near future.
8. A special focus for this month’s chapter meeting was spent on the 11/04 NRC public hearing in Charlotte. NC. WNCPSR provided $300 funding to co-sponsor a charter bus from our region to Charlotte, NC, and from all reports, there was significant western NC participation. There will be more on this at our next (November) chapter meeting.
9. Terry and Bob provided information about OREPA regarding the proposed uranium processing facility in Oak Ridge, TN. There was consensus to develop a WNCPSR chapter sub-committee to determine what we can do to help OREPA. The sub-committee has the following participants: Bob, Lew, Terry and Don.
10. Lew provided information regarding upcoming events planned in our area that may interest us.
Next meeting: 12:00 pm Friday, Nov. 15, 2013 at the home of Steve and Beth Gilman (18 Birchwood Lane, Asheville).
Submitted by Steve Gilman, WNC/PSR chapter secretary
