AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION

of Champaign County

Steering Committee

May 5, 2005

Present: Bill Brown, Rachael Dietkus, Ward Henson, Brian Issleb, Allan Levy, Esther Patt, Gary Peters, Richard Schnuer, Carol Spindel, Shirley Stillinger, Marsha Woodbury

Student Chapter: Maeve Anderson, Colin Bishop, Vinay Tota, Nellie Waddell,

Absent with notice: Roger Clark, Harry Hilton, Steve Shoemaker, Kristin Solberg,

The meeting was called to order at 7:35 by the chair, Rachael Dietkus. The minutes of the April meeting were approved as distributed.

Financial Report

Ward Henson presented the treasurer's report. He reported that 160 people attended the annual meeting. There was $2,680 income from the brunch, $2,920 expenses. Plaques for the awardees and student subsidies accounted for the $240 deficit. Total assets as of today: $2,480.65.

Student Chapter

Maeve reported that this was her last meeting. The chapter has written and ratified a new constitution and has new officers. Rachael thanked Maeve and Vinay for their work.

Illinois Division

Stan reported that there has been membership increase across the state; numbers are the highest ever. Ed. Johnka will be speaking here at an A.W.A.R.E forum on the Patriot Act on June 15. Stan has learned that ACLU does not have an official position on civilian police review boards; positions are left up to local chapters.

Annual Meeting

Everyone agreed that the annual meeting at the Great Impasta was a big success. The food was excellent. There was consensus that brunch was a better time than dinner. Stan pointed out that we need to begin work on securing a speaker for next April now; discussion of possible speakers followed.

Statewide Emergency Summit

Bill distributed a summary of the discussion at the Champaign County workshop; Colin reported on the student workshop.

Reproductive Rights

Esther reported that there is a big push now on sex education (more than abstinence only). She is going to a meeting Saturday of the Campaign for Responsible Sex Education; she will continue to follow this issue and report to us.

Police Review Boards

Bill Brown attended a meeting of the Coalition for a Police Review Board; four people were present. The coalition plans to meet with Urbana's new mayor, Laurel Prussing, asking that she appoint a task force to study the issue.

Stan is on a sub-committee of the Champaign Community Relations Commission which will look at the idea of a civilian police review board. The organizational meeting of the committee was last week; it will be meeting monthly. The meetings will not be open to the public.

The steering committee agreed to invite the sheriff to our June meeting.

The steering committee agreed to be a co-sponsor of the A.W.A.R.E. forum at which Ed Johnka will be speaking at the Urbana Free Library on June 15.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:55.

Respectfully submitted,

Shirley Stillinger

Next meeting: Thursday, June 2