Local 1000’s Office Computers are old and tired and need to retire and collect their pensions!

We are looking for the donation of 2 desktop computers that can efficiently access the internet and do book-keeping and word-processing functions.  Check around your office and see if you have just what we need!

Contact Amanda in the office at (212)-843-8726.

The Local 1000 Executive Board passed the first balanced budget in recent history at its February meeting in Memphis!

In other actions, the board received a membership report (450 members), thanked retiring board member Dave Hawkins for his service, affirmed the website transition and updates, received the Member calling report, set forth on plans for an event in May 2011 at the Highlander Center in Tennessee, and affirmed plans for fun-and-fund-raising events this spring to support the Local 1000 Emergency Relief Fund and our work on behalf of musicians.

The Board noted the value of the regular Skype meetings over the past year to keep in contact and on top of our jobs and responsibilities.

The board is also preparing a resolution to take to the AFM Triennial Convention this June in Las Vegas (President John McCutcheon, Secretary John O’Connor and elected representative, Tret Fure will attended to represent the local.)

The date for the Fall Board Retreat was set for Nov 11th, 2010 in the New York City area.

Amanda Gookin, is serving as the Interim Office Manager during Amy Fix’s maternity leave through March 15, 2010.
Amanda, a life-long cellist, is a member of Local 802.

Local 1000 is teaming up with Sound Health Care to provide an additional option for health care for our membership.

Find out more here: http://ahcpsales.com/SoundHealthcare/AFM1000.html

The health insurance plan offered by Local 802 in New York is still available for people in the New York area.

The Local 1000 Executive Board will meet in conjunction with the Folk Alliance at the Downtown Marriott in Memphis, TN Fri-Sat, Feb 19-20.

The Spring annual Membership Meeting will be held at 4 pm on Saturday, Feb 20, at the Downtown Marriott in Memphis.

Local 1000 will also host a Showcase Free Zone with Song Circles on Friday and Saturday nights. The schedule will be posted here.

Local 1000 members can get a significant discount on registration. Contact Membership Committee Chair, Steve Eulberg (seulberg at steveeulberg.com) for details. The deadline to get your name in the program book has been extended through Tuesday, January 19th, 2010.

Office manager Amy Fix and Tim and Roxy welcome Zachary Blue, born Dec 30, 2009, 8lbs 6oz.

Amy will be home with him on maternity leave until March 15, 2010. Congratulations!

(Amanda is our Interim Office Manager and is availabe during regular office hours.)

John O’Connor, Local 1000’s Secretary-Treasurer and New Deal editor, was elected to the Vice Presidency of the AFM’s largest local, 802 in their December 2009 election.

“You should have seen the looks on the faces of the musicians who realized that they had regained control of their union!” O’Connor noted, remembering the evening when the vote tallies were announced. “This marks a new era.”

O’Connor will continue to serve as Secretary-Treasurer of Local 1000 through the rest of his term.

In the Fall, Local 1000 was represented by Executive Board members at OCFF (Ken Whiteley), FARM (Sandy Andina, Deb Cowan), FARWEST (Steve Eulberg) regional gatherings of the Folk Alliance.

John McCutcheon and Dave Hawkins were also present at IBMA (International Bluegrass Musicians Assoc.).

The Executive Board met for its Fall Retreat at NERFA in Kerhonkson, NY and re-elected Steve Eulberg as Western Regional Board Rep, and Deb Cowan as Eastern Regional Board Rep.

We bid a grateful farewell to Dave Hawkins as the final At-Large Board position to end with the expiration of his term. (This was a decision was made by the Fall 2009 Membership Meeting as a cost-cutting strategy.)

The Board agreed to accept a proposal to offer an additional Health Insurance Plan to our members through Sound Health in Nashville. Look for more details.

The Board also decided to contact and check in with all of our membership before the Folk Alliance Gathering in February.

The Board also agreed that our Skype Board Check-ins every 6 weeks have helped us have a very productive year and agreed to continue them.

Once again, Local 1000 organized a visit to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis while at the Folk Alliance. Don Shorock was able to capture some video of the sing-a-long in the atrium of the festival hotel, led by Guy and Candie Carawan of the Highlander Center in Tennessee, Lifetime Achievement honorees of the Folk Alliance for 2009.

A distant and diverse population are we, and we continue to utilize current technology and opportunities to get connected with each other in our non-geographical local.

Thanks to Debra Cowan, our new Eastern Regional Board Representative and Communications chairperson, we have a facebook group. To join go here.

Debra has also set up a myspace page for us, so cruise on by and become friends with your local.