RSB Board Meeting Minutes, July 21, 2015
Present: Robert, Robin, Ron, Will, Tatiana, Diana
Absent: Judy, Kathleen – due to vacation and family matters
Candle lit, Verse spoken
1. Minutes from previous board meeting confirmed
2. Treasurer’s report:
- Treasurer will renew the Timberlyne PO Box: $33 by 7/31/15. Robert will check mailbox regularly and send checks to Robin by mail.
- Discussed upcoming expenses including room rental fees for members concerns. Robin volunteered to try and negotiate a reduced rate for the use of room for our meetings at EWS. Our cost of $50/ use is proving to be a significant burden that will affect our ability to hold other events/ meetings.
- Verbal accounting of transactions in last 2 months was given. Some receipts from St John’s Tide are still outstanding. Treasurer will pursue these.
- We discussed the cost of liability insurance at $500/year and Robin will work on trying to find a lower cost provider.
- We discussed budgetary projections for the rest of the year. It is apparent that there will be insufficient funds to operate or cover normal expenses without either increasing dues or number of people paying dues. Robert suggested that board members should consider making donations above and beyond the dues we pay. All board members present agreed to increase their contributions as best they can. Discussed how to encourage other members to make regular or additional contributions to the general fund.
3. Website review:
- Robin as acting webmaster agreed to set up online support for monthly contributions to the Branch to go into the general fund.
- Three members have paid dues online and that is being tracked.
- New member process reviewed. Webmaster will record new member in member list, update website access, update asnc-members listserv.
- We discussed when the members only section and list serve will be updated to reflect the actual current membership, rather than anyone who has paid dues at least once in the past 5 years. It was agreed that we should wait until the next AGM to change this, possibly to dues paid in the last 2 years. It was discussed setting up an Angel fund for dues for members in financial hardship.
4. Members’ Concerns Meetings
- Diana reported on Allen’s expression that the meetings are going too fast to adequately get real resolution and healing on each point. He suggested each point can have up to 10 sub points that also need consideration. There was discussion about what is the end goal for both sides. Concerns expressed about the amount of time and the emotional drain of these meetings on the community. Robert agreed that those who are too distressed or worn out by the proceedings may drop out, but that he will continue until all complaints are resolved.
- Robin reported email discussion with Margaret Heath regarding who else might be available to moderate the discussions. She did not have any options. Diana contacted Carol Kelly for recommendations, but was unable to find anyone who would consider doing this work for free. It’s clear we have no funds to pay a professional moderator. It is the opinion of the board that Robert is capable of carrying this task forward to completion.
- Scheduling the next meeting for discussions is problematic with vacation times and unknown work schedules. No date could be found in the month of August. When we get Allen’s & Will’s schedule, we may be able to negotiate someone to change their schedule in order to hold a meeting in August. Robert is continuing this work.
5. No Committee reports because of Judy and Kathleen’s absence.
6. Request for funds from Scholarship Fund:
Suzanne Mays had sent an email requested financial help to attend a First Class Holder meeting in Spring Valley. Robert was recused from this discussion. Remaining board members discussed the funds available and the policy on disbursing scholarship funds to benefit individuals. It was also discussed that previous board members had used the scholarship fund for up to $500/person and had not made any report of the event for the community. We decided to ask Suzanne to make a report and bring back pictures for the website about the event in exchange for helping to support her work.
Will made the motion to approve the request for help to the maximum authorized amount of $200. Robin seconded the motion. Motion unanimously approved.
7. Sarah Putnam’s biography proposal for the Board:
Sarah has offered a workshop on the Parsifal mystery and the wound of Amfortas that never heals as a metaphor for how we carry our wounds into the world. This is a support for branch healing, which is the stated goal of this board. Dates were suggested dates of either Saturday or Sunday August 15th or 16th. We agreed to Sunday the 16th from 1-5 pm. Donation requested on sliding scale of $10-$40 per person. We need to encourage support for her workshop on August 22!
8. Branch calendar:
- A problem exists with the workshop leaders in this community not using the website to promote their own workshops, talks etc. Robin has created an excel file that is very simple in which workshop leaders can give their information to him for posting. This eliminates the possible errors of him interpreting postings on the ASNC list and will get new events posted more promptly.
- There is a need for someone to coordinate community events to minimize the overlapping of events on the same day. Diana volunteered.
- Policy page and disclaimers regarding the Branch calendar needs to be written. The branch doesn’t necessarily endorse all the events that are posted on the calendar. For instance, the Robert Powell events going on right now are not covered as branch work. This is a liability issue and we can only cover specific branch authorized events.
9. Community Event Proposal from Glen Williamson
Robert received a communication from Maggie Pate Duffey that Glen Williamson has offered to do a presentation of “The Incarnation of the Logos” for our community. The costs would be well over $1,000. perhaps $1,500 and we do not have funds for this. Diana suggested that this would be a tremendous opportunity for the community and is willing to research and spearhead fundraising for this. Robin will help by setting up a Donation option on the website. Other help will be needed. At first, we need to see if there’s a will for this in our community. There is also the hope of finding a way to support another Eurythmy performance here. We will have to get creative in fundraising and getting community support.
Meeting adjourned. Next board meeting scheduled for August 18th, 6-8 pm at the Mays home.
