EVFAC Board and all members meeting 5-9-2024 ZOOM

EVFAC Board and all members meeting 5-9-2024 ZOOM 

Attendees:  

Board members:  Dain Daller (President), Leigh Alexander (Treasurer), Mark Bond (Vice President), Maria Jonsson (Secretary), Mary Pahl

Employees:  Debbie Harris (Retail Manager), Kim Zitzow (Director), Amanda Speer (Educ Coordinator)

Members:  Lianne Brown attempted to join meeting by phone but was unsuccessful, (needs to be addressed by board members at next meeting). 

Meeting began 5:15pm.  Dain moved to approve last meeting minutes (3-7-2024), Mark seconded.  Minutes approved.  

ACTION ITEMS:

-Heating and cooling improvements for the building

-Discussion of increased hours and hourly wage increase for Kim our Director

-Hourly wage increase for Debbie our Retail Manager

-Reviving EVFAC Scholarship fund

-Need more volunteers

-UFO group staring up at center

-Need to get more members to renew their membership

-Electrical improvements at center

Jacquard Loom at EVFAC:  Dain and Amanda

Bhakti Ziek contacted Dain and Amanda about acquring a jacquard loom for center.  Write a grant for funding loom.  Bhakti said she knew people who might be willing to give money.  Very expensive at least 10 k.  Not a good fit for EVFAC.  Board tabled the issue indefinately, probably won’t ever happen.

Improving heating system at EVFAC:  

Member Carol Pearsall called and suggested the center look into solar panels for heating and cooling.  Heaters are noisy and distracting during classes and not effective.  Mark suggested heat pumps?  Debbie, existing heaters work well but are loud.  Dain, swamp coolers at center need an overhaul.  He has been maintaining them as necessary, climbing onto the roof.  Need someone else to do this to maintain the swamp coolers.  Swamp coolers recently serviced by a plumber, but they are badly rusting.  Debbie, maybe invest in portable swamp coolers?  Dain, better to fix existing roof units.  Kim will make an appointment with the plumber.  Costs?  Debbie wondered about the state of the buildings insulation, maybe improvements, insulation on roof? Costs?  Mark suggested not replacing heaters but keep them as a backup to whatever replacement we do.  Debbie will consult a HVAC professional for advice.  Heaters are left on all the time which keeps building sufficiently warm, but when doors open there is a cool down.  Kim will consult gas and electric companies for advice.

Electrical Issues:  

Kim and Debbie addressed electrical issues at center.  Upgrade for all fixtures to LED.  Outside breaker box has room for outlet for heat lamp for screen printing.  Very reasonable estimate to upgrade electric including back room lights, bathroom and office $2800.  Debbie will pursue this.
    

Directors Report: Kim Zitzow

Starting to advertise the kids summer fiber camp.  Partnering with Northern Youth projects, interns assisting teachers.  United Way is doing the lunches for the kids.  15 students max in each category of the classes with 4 teachers.  Kim hired a new youth education coordinator Francis Cantor, as Leticia can not do it.  

Retail Managers Report:  Debbie

The center needs more volunteers.  The knitting/crocheting group has not started.  Need a commitment from someone, once a month like Glenna’s spinning group.  No date set yet.  Sales are ok at the center now.   

Unidentified Fiber Objects group (UFO):  Mary

The first gathering for this group will be the 23rd of June, Sunday.  

Financial Update:  Leigh

EVFAC membership is low.  Not a lot of members renewing their membership.  Lets talk to Lyndsay about this.  

Raises for Kim and Debbie and increased hours for Kim:

Kim sent board a document to increase her hours and hourly wage.  Kim has taken on more duties as director during the last year than when she was initially hired in 2023.  The board will discuss and come to some kind of agreement on this during the executive session after the all members meeting (although there were no members at this meeting).  Kim and Debbie are hourly wage employees and not on a salary.     

Reviving Student Scholarship Fund:

Had someone call asking about if EVFAC has scholarship fund.   A student who is taking Gasali ‘s class coming from Louisiana, friend is in class.  Need an application form for scholarship to help with cost of class.  Who will manage this, Debbie, Amanda?  Bringing back Scholarship program to EVFAC.  What is criteria?  

End of all members board meeting and beginning of Executive session which began at 6:32pm