May 22, 2020 EXECUTIVE SESSION BOARD MEETING MINUTES
Date: May 22, 2020
Meeting came to order at 1:08 p.m.
ATTENDEES: Sandra Ligget, Caroline Dechert, Leigh Alexander, Joseph Gyovai, Carol Nieukirk, Dain Daller, Vanessa Harris, Mark Bond
STAFF: Denielle Rose, Executive Director (ED)
ABSENT: None
1: CALL MEETING TO ORDER: Sandy calls meeting to order
a. Approval of agenda; Sandy introduces the agenda, Dain seconds the motion and all unanimously agree.
b. Approval of minutes; Vanessa motions to approve, Mark seconds the motion and all unanimously agree.
c. Conflict of interest form; must be signed annually and dollar amounts of consignment sales from board members must be annually reported as well as other board’s that members serve on. All agree to print, fill out and sign and Denielle agrees to receive and file.
d. Mission Statement; Sandy reviews and all agree to adhere to in decisions.
2: REPORTS FROM E.D.: Denielle raises the notion that Leigh asked for the NMA grant to be added to the agenda.
a. COVID report/ when to open; Denielle expresses the need for finances to be able to reopen, and the need for education strategies around COVID.
The board discusses potentials for reopening in the short term such as: hanging art in windows, opening for 1-2 days per week, developing a short term planning, bringing employees back slowly, and opening in stages.
i: Employees are ready to go back to work.
ii: Moth damage; Denielle informs the board of a moth problem at the center, whether insurance covers damages and size of deductible, (needs to be reviewed), the board agrees to get a freezer for fiber storage asap.
iii: Teachers are inquiring about when classes will be resuming.
iiii: Volunteering; The board discusses the challenge of asking employees to volunteer time before coming back onto payroll and potential conflicts. Sandy will follow up with a lawyer who is a friend to determine legality.
b. PPP loan; Loan is in the bank, the board agrees that it will be best to return it unused, but concern is raised over the general lack of funds, Mark makes a motion to return, Vanessa seconds, The board then agrees that Denielle and Leigh will follow up with the bank/terms and review finances and report back to the board asap. Caroline voices her belief that the money should be returned based on the current Treasury and SBA rules, Joseph agrees, then the board then agrees to allow Leigh, Denielle and Sandy to review and report back by the end of the week.
i: Denielle informs the board on current grant applications out; (National Endowment for the Arts, up to $50,000) (National Endowment for the Humanities, $30,000) (NMA $10,000; was written for paying contractors) Grantors should all respond by June 15, grant period begins July 1.
ii: Facebook fundraiser is still out and expected, $2800-$3000
c. Point of sale project; Is ready to go, inventory needs to be scanned in, Debbie is critical to this process and is willing to volunteer to help with inventory process. POS will provide continuity of systems and allow the comprehensive tracking of sales from anywhere. Leigh and Vanessa agree to be involved in inventory and setting up of the system.
d. Form and Concept event; Artists have been selected and are asking what is planned. Denielle raises the questions of whether we should reschedule for later in the year, postpone until next year, or try to move ahead during COVID. Artists have paid fees for the show which need to be returned if cancellation is planned. The board agrees to move ahead if possible.
3: TREASURERS REPORT: Leigh provides her report; Annual budget of approximately $200.000; Grants, 30-40,000. Retail is the largest source of revenue. Membership dues total around 18,000. Average monthly operating cost of 7,900.
a. $500 a day in sales needed to sustain, $24,000 in debt, $1700 in the bank.
b. The board sets a fundraising goal of $50,000, Leigh makes the motion, Dain seconds the motion, and the board unanimously agrees.
c. The board discusses ways to diversify membership donations such as creating different levels with incentives and monthly donation options.
4: COMMITTEES; FORMATION OF WORKING GROUPS: Assignments,
a. Retail/Events working group; Dain, Vanessa, Carol and Leigh
i: online store
ii: COVID protocols
iii: Types of retail inventory (DRAFT)
b. Fundraising working group; Carol, Joseph and Dain
c. Educational program working group; All/ add to retail/events group
d. Strategic planning; Caroline, Leigh, Joseph and Mark
e. Member communications; Mark, Caroline and Joseph
f. New director hiring; Carol
5. COMMUNICATION; BOARD TO MEMBERS: The board agrees that minutes should be made available to members immediately after approval. The board discusses;
a. Immediate letter, the board agrees to draft and complete a letter to all contacts by the coming Monday and send out immediately.
b. Regular updates on website, Facebook and Instagram
c. Creation of board section on the website
6. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
a. Addressing member concerns
i. Name change
ii. Santa fe retail space
b. Member meetings; The board discusses the need to have annual member meetings and possibilities for facilitating virtual meetings for members.
i. Nadina wishes to conduct a mask making program in the sewing room and the board agrees that this would be accepted.
7. Closure: Leigh motions to close the meeting, Dain seconds the motion and all agree,
THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 3:36 p.m.
