March

Draft Minutes

3/12/26

APA UT Board Meeting: Starts 12:06

In attendance: 

Jason Boal

Bruce Parker

Erika Chmielewski

Scott Hill 

Chris Hupp

Meagan Booth

Wilf S (in place of Francis Lilly)

Ted called in

Tippe M

Absent:

Katie W

Vann Clark

Quorum: Yes (6 or more present)

Discussion about the Multipliers Book- Utilizing people's individual skills and talents. Find talents and then assign. 

Talent Magnets vs Empire Builders

The board discussed the concepts of talent magnets versus empire builders, with Scott explaining that talent magnets focus on building sustainable teams by leveraging individual strengths, while empire builders prioritize role-focused growth that isn't sustainable. Chris added that talent magnets create lasting structures that can continue functioning even after their departure, unlike empire builders whose organizations tend to collapse. The board agreed to continue discussions about the book that introduced these concepts, and Jason encouraged everyone to read it. The conversation ended with a request for committee updates, particularly regarding vice chairs and meeting schedules, with Wilf attending in Francis' place for the Legislative committee.

Other Discussion:

Discussion: Each committee should appoint a Vice Chair who can step in to lead meetings or attend board meetings if the Chair is unavailable.

Committees should also plan to hold consistent monthly check-in meetings, even if they are brief touchpoints. Regular meetings help keep members engaged and provide a helpful reminder to follow up on assignments.

Please add the Vice Chair and all committee members to the document. :https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Jdj8nKQlAnVmwstKD2SkQNbHvtFswxIYzC8hkvBKe50/edit?usp=sharing

Treasurer report- Scott H

Use the reimbursement form when funds are coming in or out: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc285-HRURaIPbJrSZcNtmzyPUccOcFjDbOOSsUnGdhfuLPxw/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=106469501336302417673

APA Utah Financial Updates

Scott provided updates on the financial and administrative aspects of APA Utah. He mentioned that two new members have joined the committee and that meetings will begin monthly in April. Scott and Jason, along with Nicole, met with their bookkeeper, Melissa, and confirmed her continued role, ensuring she is compensated fairly. They also updated their banking relationship with Mountain America and discussed financial processes, including the use of a Google form for tracking all financial transactions. Scott emphasized the importance of documenting all financial activities for transparency and accountability.

Financial and Communications Strategy Meeting

The meeting covered several topics, including financial reporting, communications strategy, and upcoming events. Jason and Scott discussed the process for submitting and tracking expenses through a Google form and spreadsheet, with Scott confirming that the system would remain in place for communication with the bookkeeper.

Communication Committee- Erika

Erika presented the communications plan, outlining a schedule for social media posts, newsletters, and e-blasts for the year. The team discussed plans for a WhatsApp channel to facilitate less formal communications, with Erika suggesting the possibility of creating sub-channels for specific groups or events.

WhatsApp discussion.

Sub groups- Citizen planners, beyond city limits, book club, transportation group, and early career planners. 

Spring & Fall conference volunteers and attendees 

Training Materials for Commissioners

The group discussed plans for creating training materials for planning commissioners through the Land Use Academy, with Chris mentioning they would present these materials to the body for review before involving Rob. Erika and Utah suggested using existing engagement groups as a testing ground, including spring and fall conference volunteers. Bruce raised concerns about potentially diluting the forum's value, prompting Jason to clarify that these new initiatives would complement the forum rather than replace it. In the membership segment, Ted and Mike outlined the committee's structure, which includes engagement groups focused on different planning communities, and discussed their near-term goals of building templates and databases for outreach and recruitment.

Membership- Ted and Mike

The meeting focused on membership committee updates, with Mike discussing the need for representatives in various roles including citizen planner and early career planner positions, with Chris suggesting Eli Staggs for the latter. Scott agreed to recommend a candidate for the membership committee. 

The group discussed creating templates for tabling materials, with Erika agreeing to work on this with the communications committee. rs role, while Chris also mentioned Laniece Davenport as a potential candidate.

Legislative- Wilf S

Wilford provided a legislative update, noting that while many bills were tracked, only about half passed, with significant changes including the creation of a new Division of Housing and Community Development and a state infrastructure loan program. Wilford expressed concern that the Land Use Task Force's intended role of resolving local government and developer issues was fading, as many significant bills still emerge at the legislative level.

Land Use Code Consolidation Discussion

The group discussed challenges with land use provisions being scattered across different sections of state code rather than being consolidated in LUDMA, leading to a proposal to create a directory or index to help identify relevant provisions. They reviewed upcoming legislative updates, including sessions with Urban Land Institute, League and APA, and discussed concerns about the declining influence of the Land Use Task Force, which Bruce attributed to legislative turnover and reduced engagement from county governments. Chris mentioned ongoing efforts to create comprehensive legislative and planning resources, including a Planners 101 initiative.

Partners:

Updating contact list

NPC event 

U of U Event for poster tours

Past Presidents

Nominations Committee 

Tippe discussed setting up meetings for past presidents, potentially quarterly or three to four times a year, depending on FAICP timelines. Jason suggested identifying opportunities for project areas and mentioned the need for a nominations committee champion to recruit people for board positions. Tippe inquired about consolidated elections, and Mike confirmed they are happening this year. The group discussed the nominations committee's role and timeline, with Jason and Mike providing details on the election process. Tippe expressed interest in leading the nominations committee but noted her busy schedule, suggesting collaboration with Ted, who is chair of membership. The group agreed to explore options for the nominations committee's structure and responsibilities.

Nomination timeline: where should the nominations committee discuss? Membership or past president. Sounds like PP is the best fit. 

The anticipated 2026 Election schedule is as follows: 

March 19:  Intention to Participate form due to APA 

April 10:  Nominations Site opens 

May 8: Nominations Site closes 

June 5:  Final Slates due to APA 

August 5: Election Opens 

September 4: Election Closes 

Programs

Briefly discussed that we are getting good traction in AICP test prep. Programs has events planned for each month and recently help a mentorship event. 

Leadership Roles and Event Planning

The board discussed leadership positions, with Meagan confirming she cannot run for vice president due to term limits. Jason proposed a musical chairs competition at the spring conference to determine leadership roles, and the board agreed to review Nikki's report comparing event software options Cvent and SurfWorks, with an email vote to follow. Utah announced a national reception on April 27th and a poster tour with the University of Utah on April 22nd, requesting board support. The board also discussed transitioning to Cvent while reducing SurfWorks costs, and Jason committed to putting forth a nomination for the partner and affiliates chair position.

Next steps

• Jason: Review and complete the 2025 annual report and request board members to review and provide additional information/suggestions.

• All committee chairs: Update the Google spreadsheet with vice chair, committee members, and meeting dates; add meeting dates to the shared calendar.

• Scott: Enter Administration and Finance Committee meeting schedule and vice chair information into the Google spreadsheet.

• Erika/Communications Committee: Create templates for tabling materials, flyers, and other outreach documents for events (e.g., for use at BYU, UVU, U of U, conferences).

• Erika/Communications Committee: Have a member attend other committee meetings to gather information for communications and coordinate on messaging.

• Tippe: Coordinate with Ted to propose a nominations committee process/timeline for the 2023 consolidated elections; reach out to past presidents and other non-running members as needed.

• Tippe: Set up and schedule meetings for the Past Presidents Committee (quarterly or 3-4 times per year), and identify potential work projects/areas of support for the board.

• All board members: Review Nikki's report comparing Cvent and SurfWorks event software and provide feedback/vote via email.

• Jason: Put forth nomination for Mike to take over Partners and Affiliates chair position and send out for email vote.

• Bruce: Draft and send a cease-and-desist letter (co-signed by Jason) to the individual misrepresenting APA Utah membership; send details to Jason for review.

• Nikki: Send Bruce details of the latest incident regarding the individual misrepresenting membership for context in drafting the letter.

• Utah/Nikki: Update event invitations and engagement group participation to require APA Utah membership and cease inviting non-members as appropriate.

• All: Move/build all forms on the shared drive and migrate existing forms to shared drive as possible.

• All: Review the consolidated elections timeline and be prepared for upcoming nominations and elections process.

• All: Update committee info (including meeting times) in the shared spreadsheet as new information becomes available.

Adjourn: 1:40 PM