00:03:39 Bill Nevins: I can hear you okay but my voice mic is not working just how. Will fix it if I can or else just talk here in Chat. 00:03:52 Terri Klein: okay 00:04:09 Terri Klein: Bill can you turn on video? 00:05:17 Bill Nevins: My connection is unstable up here in mountains, alas. 00:05:27 Bill Nevins: Doing fine. You? 00:09:19 Bill Nevins: Yes, I can hear but can’t seem to get my mike to work 00:10:49 Bill Nevins: Sorry, if I can unmute I will 00:11:03 Bill Nevins: Can talk in chat here 00:15:29 Bill Nevins: The Poet Laureate of Taos requests payment . 00:15:41 Bill Nevins: Other poets are working poets who normally are paid. 00:16:10 Bill Nevins: Each of the poets I know of are doing long presentations of 15 to 20 minutes 00:16:28 Bill Nevins: Some of these poets are coming from India, NYC and normally get paid to perform 00:16:49 Bill Nevins: $100 is a reasonable honorarium. 00:18:30 Bill Nevins: The NYC poet Bob Holman asked us to pay him $500, which is low for his fee. He is willing to accept $200. He is world famous and his reputation requires payment and he will prepare a performance. Similar for Amit D from India. 00:20:07 Bill Nevins: Each of the poets whom I referred were contacted on the understanding that a fee or honorarium would be paid. Two poets have quit over this issue—the Poet Laureate Emeritus of San Francisco Jack Hirschman and Adrian Rice from Belfast Ireland 00:21:00 Bill Nevins: Why charge people when we have NO rental or food expenses? Why take a profit from the work of poets whom we do not pay? This looks exploitative 00:25:26 Bill Nevins: Then dr 00:25:52 Basia Miller: Let’s divide off the non-member question from the presenters. 00:26:16 Bill Nevins: It looks bad for the NMSPS to collect an admission fee and not pay the performers 00:26:17 Basia Miller: let’s divide the presenters between the reading poets, and the keynote speaker 00:27:16 Bill Nevins: You dont need to tell me where the money is or where it is being spent. But all members should know this. 00:33:06 Bill Nevins: The convention with the famous poets from NM and the world in the program COULD attract many new members to join. Consider the honorarium expenses to be an investment in bringing in new members. But charging $20 discourages new folks from sampling what we do and thus loses them as members 00:35:04 Bill Nevins: Our Multi Media chapter has grown rapidly and will keep growing. But we could draw more members in with the performances by FAMED poets on April 24. So lets pay honorariums and welcome everybody to the April 24 event at no charge and expect a big boost in membership! That is all I am saying . It is a plan to help NMSPS GROW! 00:36:39 Bill Nevins: Terri has shown us that our expenses are very limited, and that we can afford to invest in a GREAT public show on April 24 which will draw in more paying members. I guarantee that will happen IF we don’t charge admission to anyone! 00:38:17 Bill Nevins: Thank you Terri for clarifying the membership and finances. This shows we can afford to both pay honorariums for April 24 and let everyone in free for this world class convention program. It is a great opportunity. 00:39:12 Bill Nevins: BUT you will get MORE members who will join after they attend this GREAT online show by FAMED poets. 00:40:53 Bill Nevins: But if you MUST charge admission, could you make it lower, say $5 or $10? People are in pain financially in this pandemic. Even $20 membership dues excludes too many good poets and poetry lovers who are adults and can’t afford it. You should charge dues but this is too much for many folks. 00:42:52 Bill Nevins: Sandra Yannone is host of Cultivating Voices online the big weekly event and open mic She is famed internationally 00:43:32 Bill Nevins: $100 each would work 00:44:21 Bill Nevins: Top Tier $100. Others $50. That is a good plan 00:44:41 Bill Nevins: I agree with Basia. 00:45:14 Bill Nevins: The Taos PL is preparing a long speech, not just a reading 00:46:11 Bill Nevins: Yes, I am sure they will accept those amounts. 00:46:59 Bill Nevins: I would pay the Taos PL a $100 honorarium, if we can afford it. 00:47:51 Basia Miller: 6 x 100 00:47:57 Basia Miller: 8 x 50 00:48:02 Bill Nevins: Yes, some may turn the money back to NMSPS as a donation, but as a matter of professionalism and pride they need to be OFFERED the honorarium. 00:48:03 Basia Miller: 1000 00:49:02 Bill Nevins: Very often at the Taos Poetry Circus in past years, the famous poets returned the money as a donation. But they needed the honor of the honorarium 00:49:44 Bill Nevins: But Scott, some of these poets including Amit D in India and Bob Holman actually earn their living via poetry perfromances. 00:50:09 Bill Nevins: Yes, I agree with what Basia says here 00:50:17 Bill Nevins: Allen Ginsberg for example. 00:50:57 Bill Nevins: Well the only out of USA poet is Amit D. He has friends here that could receive a check for him. 00:51:07 Bill Nevins: Bob H is in NYC 00:51:27 Bill Nevins: He is known on East Coast. 00:52:05 Bill Nevins: I am good with this. I would prefer that we not charge $20 admission. Could we make it $10 admission for non member adults? 00:52:40 Bill Nevins: I agree with Dino’s suggestion on the keynoter 00:53:03 Bill Nevins: Sorry my voice won’t unmute! 00:53:25 Bill Nevins: $150 for Keynote is fine 00:53:50 Bill Nevins: Could we charge non members only $10? 00:55:14 Bill Nevins: Then there would be an incentive to join and get all those benefits. But we would not be excluding anyone. I am very open minded on letting poor folks into things. Voices of the Barrio never charges anything to attend but pays feature readers $50 or more to read. 00:55:50 Bill Nevins: That is reasonable, Basia. But problem is admin. 00:57:19 Bill Nevins: I think we would get more paid registrations if we lower the cost. But I don’t feel so strongly on this that I need to keep arguing the point. Admin is the issue, as Terri and Dino point out. 01:06:50 Bill Nevins: I second 01:10:16 Bill Nevins: I am optimistic. 01:10:26 Bill Nevins: Thanks for good discussion here. 01:10:46 Basia Miller: This has been an excellent meeting! 01:11:04 Bill Nevins: Okay, here you Dino. 01:11:04 Bill Nevins: hear 01:11:17 Bill Nevins: Agree, Basia 01:11:44 Bill Nevins: Anarchist are always tough to work with in groups 01:11:58 Bill Nevins: Yes, I am fine with all we have decided Dino. 01:12:28 Bill Nevins: Do we have a Secretary candidate or will Cyvil remain in the job? 01:13:14 Bill Nevins: That sounds fine to send to this group. Perhaps to all Chapter Chairs? 01:13:16 Bill Nevins: Yes, Cyvil can take notes if he is willing. 01:13:35 Bill Nevins: Is there a Secretary candidate now running? Tanaya Winder? 01:13:47 Terri Klein: This group, with Cyvil and Elise—includes all chapter chairs 01:14:02 Bill Nevins: Bill is asking 01:14:58 Bill Nevins: OK, thanks for answer on Sec. Sounds fine 01:15:31 Bill Nevins: Thanks for saying that, Bernadette. That is most generous, and wise. 01:17:03 Bill Nevins: Thanks for that explanation Scott 01:17:04 Bill Nevins: What benefits do we get back from Fed? 01:17:58 Bill Nevins: Steve Sanders will record convention? Great. If he can’t I can find a professional to record. Just ask 01:18:32 Terri Klein: We fund 3 contests through National. 01:18:37 Terri Klein: National runs them 01:18:42 Bill Nevins: OK, thanks for answer on the Fed benefits. 01:19:05 Bill Nevins: OK, prizes are nice. 01:19:30 Bill Nevins: Southwest Writers also offers cash prizes for contests in poetry. We should let members know this. 01:20:02 Bill Nevins: SWriters contests are open only to their members. But professional writers should consider joining.