PRESENT: Steve Gilman, Brad and Stan Dienst, Don Richardson, Lew Patrie, John Joyner, Sasha Hussey, Terry Clark, and visitor Dr. Bert Crain from Hickory, NC (ER physician)
Terry Clark opened the meeting with introductions of members to Bert Crain.
MINUTES of September meeting were approved as written.
TREASURER John Joyner reported no change in our balance ($1,570.31). We are now a non-profit and will need a second person to be able to sign checks: Terry Clark will assume that responsibility.
OLD BUSINESS:
Terry Clark reported on his Chicago trip and suggested we have a presentation on single payer by a colleague he met there, Ali Thebert. See Retreat notes below.
BRC meeting: None of us was able to go for various valid reasons, and Tom and Barbara Coulson were also unable to go, so no report on BRC. Lew and Don emailed comments to be added to BRC's file.
NEW BUSINESS:
We are reminded of LEAH KARPEN'S meeting at her home on October 26th, 5 PM, featuring Linda Gunter of Beyond Nuclear. Snacks provided, no dinner! Linda and husband Paul are leading anti-nuke activists and this event is not to be missed! RSVP at 254-5489, or lrkarpen@bellsouth.net
Discussion of Sasha Hussey's questions re nuclear power/weapons followed:
-Links between power and weapons (they're Siamese twins)
-Why nukes are heavily subsidized in US
-Disjunct between reducing nukes while we are building more
-Why BRC wants to move wastes in absence of permanent location
-Written comments by Mary Olson on the dysfunctional nature of nuclear policy
Steve Gilman reported on the Retreat and sent all steering committee members 6 emails detailing the plan devised, to include some or all of the following:
-Ali Thebert event in Asheville, single payer and networking
-Does WNCPSR need & can fund a paid position?
-Possible change of our name to something more inclusive
-World Free of Nuclear Power/Weapons program (Stan, Dot Sulock?)
-Program on Militarism: Steve will contact St. Louis PSR group
-Alternate Energy program: Mary to contact Arjun Makhijani, author of Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free
-Coal Ash Pollution program (Terry and Brita, Don also interested)
-Fracking program (Terry, Bob, Don)
METHODS to include
-LTEs (Lew, Don, others)
-Don to set up more meetings with offices of Shuler, Burr, Hagan (Don, Lew, Brad, Steve, Bob, Phil)
-Films and speakers co-sponsored with other organizations:
Veterans for Peace, Transition Asheville, UU Church, Interfaith
Power and Light, NIRS, Mountain Protectors. Guest Bert Crain
suggested learning whether a lawyers' group interested in our issues is still viable.
-Proposed event to follow fundraising: "Can We Live Without Nuclear Power?" (Lew, Terry, Bob)
Refer to handouts and Steve's emails for more details, including Corporate
Personhood's Slippery Slope, and Five Organization-wide Goals for 2011 (National PSR):
-Increase the numbers of, and more deeply engage, more health professional advocates
-Further enhance our communications functions
-Better utlilize our internet presence
-Collaborate more effectively with our chapters
-Use the opportunity of PSR's 50th anniversary to re-engage former
members, bring in new members and generate revenue
The meeting was adjourned at 2:10 PM.
The next meeting is November 18, 2011, again at the Gilman residence, noon.
Possible annual holiday potluck party at the Patries, December 8, 6 PM.
Don Richardson, OWS Secretary
