Budget and Allocations Committee Meeting Minutes
October 6, 2014
Senate Chambers 6:30 PM
Chairman: Blake Kennedy
I.
Call To Order
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Meeting is called to order at 6:35PM
II.
Pledge of Allegiance—Sen. Kishek
III.
Roll Call—Sen. Tally
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IV.
Quorum is established with 8 voting members
Approval of the minutes
A) 09/22/2014
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V.
Senator Cepoi: Motion to approve last meetings minutes. Second. All in favor. Moved.
Approval of Agenda
A) 10/06/2014
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VI.
Chairman Report and Remarks
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VII.
I approved a transfer from the business manager. It was to further educate the staff
members. In the next 4 weeks we will be receiving the budget requests from the clubs.
Guest Speakers
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IX.
Last week Treasurer Wolf and I sent out the budget requests and we will be receiving those
back from those clubs in November.
There was a workshop today at 6:00, only 2 senators came. I would’ve appreciated an email
saying why you wouldn’t be there.
Treasurer’s Report and Remarks
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VIII.
Senator Talley: I move to move Senate President from guest speakers to announcements.
Second. All in favor.
Senator Gagliardi: Motion to approve the agenda as amended. Second All in favor. Moved.
none
Account Totals
2014-2015 Fiscal Year
Special Requests
Travel Requests
Salary Reserves
Now
$331,020.00
$23,679.00
$57,978.08
After
$309,751.20
$21,154.96
$57,978.08
X.
Unfinished Business -none
XI.
New Business
A) Travel Requests
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a) Pre-Law Student Organization Alliance—Sen. Kishek: I have talked in depth
with Ben and I think this should happen.
Ben Jaeger (Phi Alpha Delta Vice President): We are going to be going to the annual national
pre- law conference. We help students that are prelaw; we put on various programming to
really help them with the law school application process. Last year the costs were $1,370.74
and the year before $1,900. There are schools from all across the country attending. We
bring back pamphlets from this conference. We also get the opportunity to network with
other chapters. We bring back programming, and also information. We share that
information with students at UNF. The total cost is $1,024.04
 Senator Kishek: Motion to approve the travel request for Phi alpha Delta.
Second. Discussion. Roll call vote: Senator Talley-yes, Senator Rotella-yes,
Senator Kishek- yes, Senator Culberson-yes, Senator Gagliardi-yes, Senator
Cepoi-yes, Senator Akers-yes, Senator Brahmbhatt-yes. Passes (8-0-0).
b) Cody Quattlebaum—Sen. Talley: He has this travel request to attend a media
convention in Philadelphia.
Cody Quattlebaum: I am requesting this so I can go to this convention and learn about
college media. There are a couple breakout sessions that I will be going to at this media
convention. A big keynote is “campus journalists can help stop campus rape: a conversation
with survivors” I can express this to my fellow students in my class when I come back. At this
convention we share success stories, and what is new in the media marketplace. This is also
an opportunity to understand media. I can network with people who work in media across
the United States.
o Senator Kishek: Other than the class have you thought of other ways of informing
departments? - My first line is that class, second I work at the spinnaker so I can
bring this back to my staff. Nowadays students are becoming more apathetic about
what is going on around our school. I want to get students involved and to get them
to care.
o Senator Akers: Of the $860 for lodging you’re only requesting $45, given the total
amount you are going to have to spend anyway why should we fund that $40 as
opposed to taking that out of pocket? - I asked Spinnaker to fund this for me, and
they cannot in full. They have agreed to pay the rest.
o
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Senator Talley: Is there any money you are bringing out of pocket? - Just for food.
 Senator Talley: Motion to approve Cody Quattlebaum’s Travel Request.
Second. Discussion. Roll call vote: Senator Talley-yes, Senator Rotella-yes,
Senator Kishek- yes, Senator Culberson-yes, Senator Gagliardi-yes, Senator
Cepoi-yes, Senator Akers-yes, Senator Brahmbhatt-yes. Motion Passes (8-00).
c) Jordan Ferrell—Sen. Gagliardi: He is requesting the sum of $500 to also attend
the national media conference.
Jordan Ferrell: The national media convention is the largest in the country. There are over
350 sessions including keynotes and discussion groups. The conference from October 29thNovember 2nd. I am requesting $90 for registration fees, $163 for lodging and $247 for
airfare. These conventions are important for more than one reason. This convention will
assist me in my chosen career path. It is pivotal for me to stay ahead of the curve. I will be
able to learn from professionals with years of experience. If I am able to attend these
meetings I am able to take notes and bring that knowledge back.
o Senator Rotella: Seeing that you two are going to the same place and same time, are
you and Cody sharing a room? Yes sir.
o Senator Rotella: Have you ever been to this conference before? - No.
o Senator Cepoi: How do you plan on spreading the word? - As the sports journalist
for the spinnaker, I hope to give them an up to date of what the AP style is.
o Senator Kishek: Spinnaker could only provide a certain amount? - They agreed to
match whatever student government funds.
o Senator Akers: Even if they match there is still money left to pay, are you going to
pay that out of pocket? – No, I believe the advisors will be providing that.
o Chairman Kennedy: Is this coming out of the A&S budget we provide to the
Spinnaker? - Not to my knowledge.
o Chairman Kennedy: What they are matching yours with, if approved here, that will
be coming out of their pockets? – There is about $120 that will be left over; I am not
sure where that will be coming from. I just know I am not paying for it.
o Director McGuire: Just to clarify, they do not receive a travel line from the A&S fee
budget, but they do have an Auxiliary so I am assuming that is where it is coming
from.
o Senator Talley: How many students from UNF are attending?-10
o Senator Brahmbhatt : Does the spinnaker have enough to fund the others?-Yes
o Senator Kishek: Is this convention for individual students or what spinnaker is doing
as a group? - It is a national convention for anyone.
 Senator Akers: Motion to approve Jordan Ferrell’s travel request. Second.
Discussion. Roll call vote: Senator Talley-yes, Senator Rotella-yes, Senator
Kishek- yes, Senator Culberson-yes, Senator Gagliardi-yes, Senator Cepoiyes, Senator Akers-yes, Senator Brahmbhatt-yes. Motion Passes (8-0-0).
d) MaryKate Swenarton—Sen. Culberson: She is requesting $500 for the 67th
Annual meeting for the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute.
MaryKate Swenarton- I am a master’s student here at UNF. I am also a teaching assistant
here and I mostly teach general biology labs. I have a lot involvement with local divers. They
are out on the reefs all the time and they see the issue with lion fish all the time. The
purpose of my project is to get accurate information. The conference is called the Annual
meeting for the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute. I also went to the meeting last year.
It is in Barbados. It is on Wednesday November 5th. *shows cost breakdown* I have received
$500 from my department. I am asking $500 towards my flight, which I already booked out
of pocket. I benefitted a lot from the meeting last year. It is a real hot button issues with the
lion fish. This is a lot of exposure for the University. This is going to be a large amount of
people at the conference. I work very closely with outreach groups.
o Senator Talley: I was just wondering, were you invited? - I was invited there are two
scientists that asked me to the conference.
 Senator Rotella: Motion to pass the request for $500. Second. Discussion.
Roll call vote: Senator Talley-yes, Senator Rotella-yes, Senator Kishek- yes,
Senator Culberson-yes, Senator Gagliardi-yes, Senator Cepoi-yes, Senator
Akers-yes, Senator Brahmbhatt-yes. Motion passes (8-0-0).
B) Special Requests
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a) President Joseph Turner—Sen. Cepoi: This is a request for a study for the
outdoor amphitheater.
Joseph Turner: It is funding for a feasibility study, not for the project itself. I ran on this
project when I ran for student body president in the spring. It ranked in the top 4 or 5 from
the survey. Every time Osprey Productions does a concert, we incur a lot of costs because
the current facility inhibits light hanging. We have to bring in additional stage and lighting.
Because of the types of artists and their needs it requires those additional uses. This will
help us save some money long term. This will help our amphitheater and put our campus on
the map for campus tours. Our facilities don’t meet those expectations right now. This will
be more of a service for our students. We have incurred $31,000-$36,000 in productions
costs; we won’t be able to avoid all of those costs. I am asking for $20,000 to be set aside
from our fund balance and put into a separate pot for this feasibility study. This has to go
through the campus planning, and we have to tell them what we would like done. Then
they will tell us how much it will be. They will then ask us where we are getting the money
from. I can’t put down that cost until we have money set aside. So I am asking the senate to
put aside $20,000. This project should take anywhere from $10,000-$20,000. I didn’t
request $10,000 just in case it goes over. Once we get that study back we will know the
costs for what we want out of the project. The amphitheater was designed to hold larger
concerts. Initially when the amphitheater was built, they were low on their budget and they
got the bare minimum done.
o Senator Kishek: We are not approving the request, just to allocate money? - We
would allocate money to look into this project.
o Senator Talley: Why is this more important than the other projects? - The other
initiatives that will require this same process would be the beach front, nature trails,
and baseball deck. The other things that were priorities, we don’t need this process.
I think I can secure that with outside sources. Last week we met with reps from
recreation, and they are going to get us numbers on what is old and what needs to
be replaced. We are getting quotes on Friday from the baseball decks.
o Senator Culberson: What is the likelihood that this will all go through? - That all
depends on you and it depends on how much it all will be costing. It will be up to
the senate.
o Senator Akers: You mentioned about the veterans memorial, what was the
outcome? - We want to do that project with outside donors. We figured it would
cost $200,000. That development officer is working on finding another location.
Then we have to get funding for it.
o
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Senator Talley: If you do the study, and you have money leftover? - I would direct
the same thing to happen with what happened to the jags shuttle.
o Senator Akers: Do you have a contractor in mind? - We contact campus planning,
and they will look through the list.
o Senator Akers: Is there any reason you can’t reach out to them? – We certainly
could have, but this is how the campus process works.
 Senator Rotella: Motion to pass the request for $20,000. Second.
Discussion. Roll call vote: Senator Talley-yes, Senator Rotella-yes, Senator
Kishek- yes, Senator Culberson-yes, Senator Gagliardi-yes, Senator Cepoiyes, Senator Akers-yes, Senator Brahmbhatt-yes. Motion passes (8-0-0).
b) Chief Justice Daniel Powers—Sen. Rotella: He is requesting for $1,287.19, this
money is to create another position. This will be taking off some of the work
load.
Daniel Powers: When I first became a justice a big comment that I heard was that they have
no idea what the judicial branch does. Ben and I worked very hard to put the policies and
procedures in place. What I would hate to see is that these policies don’t exist anymore
after we leave. We are looking for continuity and consistency. The goal of this position is to
offer advice to recommend to the judicial branch. We have a lot of decisions that a lot of
you might not know about. We would like to have this position to review all of this. You will
be able to go into depth about what judicial does. It will be beneficial to judicial and student
government as a whole.
o Senator Talley: Can you clarify about this position? - This will create a succession
order.
o Senator Akers: Do you have a time frame when this person would start? - I already
have people interested; as soon as it is approved I can start the interview process.
o Senator Cepoi: I see that it is only 10 hours? - It is a good amount of time to get
things done.
o Senator Talley: Have you sought council from the pro staff? - Yes I spoke with
Director McGuire and Business Manager Knipe.
 Senator Rotella. Motion to pass the request for $1,287.19. Second.
Discussion. Roll call vote: Senator Talley-yes, Senator Rotella-yes, Senator
Kishek- yes, Senator Culberson-yes, Senator Gagliardi-yes, Senator Cepoiyes, Senator Akers-yes, Senator Brahmbhatt-yes. Motion passes (8-0-0).
C) General Reserves
D) Transfers
E) Budget Balance
F) Finance Code
XII.
Announcements
A) Next Senate October 13, 6:30 Senate Chambers
B) Thank you all for stepping up and sponsoring bills
C) Attorney General Harris’ Weekly Open Conference , they are really helpful. I would
encourage you all to go to that
D) Please see our business manager after if you received funding in today’s committee
meeting
E) Senate President Ramirez: We are here to cooperate with all branches and promote
transparency. I am going to extend a courtesy that wasn’t extended to us. The student
body president, Joe, filed a noncompliance. As your Senate President I am responsible
for the legislative branch as a whole. I talked to Director McGuire before committees
tonight, to get to the bottom of this. We want to show cooperation. Hopefully a meeting
will be set between Director McGuire, Advisor Shore, Joe, and myself. We don’t want
the branches fighting against each other. The hearing is this Wednesday at 9:30 in the
morning. You are more than welcome to attend. I will forward from the Chief Justice the
email as a reminder.
i. Attorney General Harris: Point of information- I just think it is important for me
to clarify this, especially because President Turner is not here to respond. Just so
you all know, none of you are in trouble. This case deals specifically with the
Senate President and her failure to accomplish certain responsibilities. If you
have any questions, please reach out to me or President Turner. I also
encourage you to attend on Wednesday.
ii. Senate President Ramirez: Point of information: The Attorney General decided
to speak on the issue, it relates to chapter 408 section 4 section A. It’s online
for you to look at. The section states that the Constitution and Statutes Chair
must, upon passage of a bill revising statute, submit an updated version of
statute to the Senate President. The records must be turned into the
Webmaster within 11 business days from the Senate President. There is no such
thing in Student Government right now as a “webmaster”. I highly encourage
you to read over this and attend on Wednesday.
XIII.
Final Roll Call—Sen. Tally
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XIV.
Quorum is reestablished with 8 voting members
Adjournment
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Meeting is adjourned at 7:52PM
Minutes prepared by: Leah Tolisano, Senate Secretary.