Minutes
Western History Association
Annual Business Meeting

18 October 2002

The Western History Association business meeting was called to order by President Elliott West. The minutes of the 2001 Western History Association business meeting held in San Diego, California, were approved.	1
Paul Andrew Hutton, Executive Director, reported on the staff changes at the WHA office. These changes should provide stability to the office. Linda Kay Quintana is the new Office Manager and is doing a fine job. Patricia Campbell has been re-hired as the Convention Manager for this year's conference planning. This has resulted in a smooth-running conference. Lincoln Bramwell is back as the Graduate Assistant. Janine Dorsey came down from Alaska to work at the conference, and there are also the usual contingent of students from the University of New Mexico. Hutton reported that the checking-account balance stands at $51,189, the endowment account at $32,713, and the investment account at $265,025. The WHA is currently being audited by the IRS for 2001. The IRS is mostly concerned with student contract employees. This seems to have been partially triggered by our 9/11 refunds and our work with the National Park Service. Publication and legislation has already resulted from the NPS Military Trails project; they will establish The Long Walk as the first of the military trails. It has been a most successful project except that one branch of the United States government is auditing us, while another branch, the NPS, is currently unable to pay WHA the $27,000 it owes us.	2
The Council established two new committees. John Wunder will chair a committee on teaching, which should give WHA a higher profile in schools and connect us with government grant programs. We will also reestablish a Membership Committee; their only agenda will be to increase membership. Hutton suggested that each member, as an individual, can have a great impact on the membership numbers by encouraging others to join.	3
The Nominating Committee report was given by Bruce Dinges. The Committee -- consisting of Dinges as Chair, Ann Regan, Quintard Taylor, Katherine Morrissey and Paul Fees--met in Albuquerque in April. Iris Engstrand is the President-Elect of the WHA. Newly elected Council members are Nancy Tystad Koupal in Position A and Roger L. Nichols in Position B. L. G. Moses was elected to Nominating Committee Position A, Ferenc M. Szasz was elected to Nominating Committee Position B, and Nancy Scott Jackson was elected to Nominating Committee Position C.	4
Hutton reported that membership as of 11 October 2002 stood at 1,636: 1,018 Regular, 45 Sustaining, 5 Donors, 133 Emeritus, 64 Joint, 17 Patrons, 41 Sponsors, 225 Students, and 88 Life Members. This shows a loss of 17 members from last year's total of 1,653. The 2000 membership total was 1,700. The WHA is doing much better than many historical organizations who have lost membership over the years. Ideas from members are welcomed.	. . .