On October 8 and 9 International Directors Zaki Mustafa, Ken Ackeret and Dalene J. Whitlock attended the International Board of Direction meeting held at the new Headquarters in Washington, D.C.  Executive Director Tom Brahms reported on the status of the 80^th Anniversary Fund, noting that some improvements to the facilities will be deferred until the necessary funding is received.  Members are encouraged to contribute so that the facilities to allow better telephone conferencing and production of webinars can be purchased.

The Board was briefed on the state of transportation financing by a panel that included C. Kenneth Orski, Public Policy Consultant and Editor of Innovation Briefs, Emil H. Frankel, Director of Transportation Policy, Bipartisan Policy Center, John Horsley, Executive Director, AASHTO and Stephen C. Lockwood, Sr. Vice President, Parsons Brinkerhoff.  A presentation was also made on the International Roadway Safety Actions Toward Zero Fatalities by T. Bella Dinh-Zarr, Road Safety Director, FIA Foundation and North American Director, MAKE ROADS SAFE and Anthony R. Kane, Director of Engineering and Technical Services, AASHTO.  Starting in 2011 there will be a push for a “Decade of Change” to improve roadway safety; May 11, 2011 will be the first worldwide celebration of “Road Safety Day” to bring attention to the number of vehicle-associated deaths world wide.  More information is available at www.fiafoundation.org.

An overview was provided of the 2010 budget and projected income and expenses through the end of the year.  Both income and expenses are projected to be lower than budgeted, and it is anticipated that the Institute will need to move about $61,000 from reserves to cover expenses for 2010; this is $111,000 less than was anticipated and these savings are due to cost-containment efforts of Headquarters staff.  The 2011 budget was adopted based on assumptions that membership levels will remain fairly constant and that costs can continue to be contained.

The Board discussed the need to re-brand ITE, or perhaps change the name to better represent all of its members, including planners and educators.  Focus groups will be established to study adding to our tag-line or the way we present it on the website and printed materials, but there was little support for a name change at this time.

John Davis reported on the success of the first annual Collegiate Traffic Bowl in Vancouver and showed a video highlighting the event.  The Western District was ably represented by Portland State University.

Executive Director Tom Brahms noted that more entries are still needed for the First Edition of the Learned Journal.  Papers should be longer than an article, able to withstand the rigors of peer review, and are an opportunity for academicians who are working towards tenure to get published.

Staff member Zach Pleasant made a presentation on the work currently being done to improve the Institute’s website and make it more interactive.

The Board adopted Policies supporting legislation that prohibits reading, writing and texting while driving together with further education and research on other distracted behavior and supporting enabling various government entities to employ a variety of public and private finance mechanisms for funding transportation programs and projects.  The Board also expressed support for continuing efforts to make more of ITE’s products available in electronic format.