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Business Meeting Minutes

4/16/12

TRIBES HILL MEETING MINUTES 4/16/12

ATTENDANCE
OFFICERS PRESENT
Fredrick Rock, Executive Director
Iris Cohen, Assistant Director
Matt Turk, President
Pete Tamburrini, Vice President
Susan Kane, Treasurer
Janice Rost, Secretary
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
Phil Dollard
Mary Beth Kean
Carl Knobloch
Mike Morris
Steve Scholle
Bill Wisnowski
Cindy Cromwell
Fred Gillen Jr
GUESTS
Julia Levin
Ira Levin  

OFFICERS NOT PRESENT
None
BOARD MEMBERS NOT PRESENT
Eric Puente
Barb Prisament
Joe Cromwell
Steve Kirkman
Mike Kornfeld
Bob Kresse


MINUTES (4/16/12)
Call to Order: by President at 7:50 pm
Previous Minutes: Jan. 2012 Minutes were reviewed. Fred motions to accept, Pete seconds; minutes accepted.
President Matt presided as follows:

WEBSITE: Eric sent his website report to Matt…”’Upgrade is complete.  Comments and suggests should be gathered for next round of enhancements 2012/2013.  One person is needed ==>  volunteer to take on the Facebook page, and limit public posts, and this person would post *links* to events that are posted on the TH web site.    There are too many people posting on FB today, so removing this to only allow a primary person to post these links will keep it cleaner, and drive traffic to TH web site.  One person is needed ==> to be Content Manager. This person would change the home page each month....today this is Rick.  If he is OK to continue doing it, then we designate him as content Manager. This person would also monitor and clean-up content on other pages, as needed.  Slab Media contact information needs to be shared with everyone on the web committee…Given my time right now, my role will need to be limited to "consultative", and not be the committee head, but a member.   I am committed to continue to help on this indefinitely.”
Discussion on Eric’s Website report included: needing new active committee head or one administrator and contributors (admin head -physicality, newsletters) contributors for newsletter like Mike Kornfield; an organized document describing explicitly what we need - an outline of job descriptions (daily tasks, weekly tasks, monthly tasks, etc). Then it will be easy to assign tasks to other people; will use Facebook post. We need to have Jim fix so members can post on calendar; committee needs to figure out how to do outreach; all committee members need be aware of what is on site and on f/b.

URBAN H2O: No report received from Committee Head; Matt will communicate with Honor to see if continue or step down. Matt reads member Jay’s report … “My committee work for URBAN H2O was mostly complete at the last booking round and I volunteer whenever can. (Merch and/or sound cleanup) Sometimes The YaYas have a gig on the same night and I can't make it, but I'm still pretty active here.” Matt recapped how it works overall. Mark, music director of Beczak is no longer on committee and may not be involved with H20 next year. There were suggestions about how to make it work better so we can continue to stay involved. Steve S. wants to join committee.

DIRECTIONS/DISCOVERY: is leaderless and Madhumita has moved out of state and resigned. Joe C sent his comments… “I don’t think there should be a “Directional Committee.  Direction should be set by the Board Of Directors, not a committee.”  (From my December 2010 email to the Board).” Detailed explanation followed, ending with… ”If no one wants to be a project manager or the project manager is unable to get the volunteers or resources required to complete the project, the project is not implemented. The above is basically what I recommended in 2010.  We don’t have a Directional problem in TH, we have a staffing and resource problem that can best be addressed by using a “Project Model” for getting things done.”
Discussion follows… emphasis on staffing and project model; agreement that Directions and president set direction; keep committee and make it work by taking ideas from board meeting/brainstorm, take inventory. Matt determines a discussion with Directions is needed; followed by committee submitting report.

SONGBOOK: Matt reports that Songbook has morphed - tunes, mp3s and lyrics, chords. It is on TH site under ‘Music’ tab as “coming soon.” It needs more lyrics, etc submitted by artists for inclusion with their song. Fred talked with Carter Smith re his September show at Unitarian Fellowship suggesting it be include/feature several TH artists playing other artists songs. Fred likes idea of “Cover your Friends” on member’s sites.

GATHERINGS: Matt reads Jay reports. “…For the monthly gatherings, we currently have the following…on the TH Calendar. It's been working pretty well. Sometimes someone steps up and offers. If not, we ask via Facebook or at an actual gathering. Steve Chizmadia is still up for hosting again in the future and Catherine & I are happy to do another - possibly August.”
Janice will edit “talking notes/About TH” to be read by host; if new member to TH then TH member speaks; cc notes to Rick and Iris.

TREASURERS REPORT: Susan reports as follows:
As of April 15, Tribes Hill had cash of:
-Bank: $1588.11 paypal: $632.64 Total:  $2,220.75
Down $284.20 from $2,504.95 at last meeting
-Income and Expenses  7/1/11 – 4/15/12
$375 Solstice fundraiser
$450 donations (pig)
$24 CD sales

($70)  Falcon Ridge catering (Capt Lawrence)
($179)  Webhosting and domain renewal
($100) solstice rehearsal hall rental
($150) NERFA exhibit hall
($100) Arts Westchester membership
($235) Folk Alliance membership

$15 Net Income

ANNUAL MEETING: Discussed Sunday, 7/8 as date for these reasons…It’s the only date Rick can host and it will tie in with Scott Urgola’s Woody Guthrie 100th anniversary gig Sat. night 7/7. Also because our equipment, at Beczac, is not available to us next day. We’ll give our hootenanny a Woodie theme as this is also aligned with TH’s message. MaryBeth motions to accept; Bill seconds; annual Meeting scheduled for Sunday, 7/8; motion is passed. Although September was suggested, next year we will reclaim our traditional June date. This committee has lots of work to do.  

MEMBERSHIP: Bill committee head readdresses issue of whether we are grassroots or dues. Matt states we are a non-dues group/organization. Bill suggests we put together a direct appeal to members re 'we need... please send check.” The Directions and Membership committees should work together on this. Additionally, our members can fund raise – perhaps a jar for TH at their gigs, Matt will send Bill email for follow-up. Most of us informally talk about TH; additionally we need to cultivate new as well as energize base with an appeal to reinforce our values.. We have 440 members who we can address thru newsletter; Fred volunteers to do newsletter that includes language from membership committee. Jay reports…” As for publicity and membership - I'm not aware of any goings-on other than helping with the membership table at last year's annual meeting.”  

PUBLICITY: Matt heard that nothing going on; the committee needs focus; they’ve really not had anything to promote. Matt will follow-up with committee re Caramoor.

FALCON RIDGE: Rick is not going this year. Mike Kornfield re acoustic music scene said “I'm open to continuing the joint AcousticMusicScene.com-Tribes Hill late night song swaps under the big white tent at Falcon Ridge and to pre-arranging an hour or so of music to kick things off and help draw people each evening (Thursday-Saturday, with Thursday night not starting until after the Lunge Stage ends) -- assuming folks want to do that.” Our participating members need be diplomats ensuring that TH’s message is still carried. Carl will continue to get our spot near the Dome.

NERFA: Michael Kornfield provided a short update: “...we're hosting one-day mini-conferences in MD and MA over the next two months and just launched a new online discussion forum on our website) and would also like to invite a number of Tribes Hill members to attend and participate in the annual Huntington Folk Festival this summer.”  Call Mike if interested in the Festival.

TTMH: Matt reports TTMH is secured for our 6/3 concert, the benefit premier of new work by Rob Mosberger and Crash Test Dummies; it will include a film and string quartet. Matt will speak for TH; TH will play a set to open. This benefit is a nite to support Rob and show our love; it will raise money for Rob and for TH.  Also discussed was getting the word out with pres releases using experienced person, and ticket pricing of $20-65.00. It will be begin in front of MH marquee during Tarrytown’s daytime street fair, with music for families and children.

BOARD MEMBERS: Rick said that with Matt stepping down as president, he did not see people that could fit needs of this position. A show of hands showed not many can/or are willing. Fred suggested that when new board member criteria - must be willing to take on officer's position; that new President must be out there connected with music even if not a musician per se. Ira said our core values of group convey this. We’ll hold off putting this into bylaws; put our request in annual meeting’s invitation. MaryBeth said we should come up with list of Board members to nominate Ira and Julia now; we did. Tom and Di expressed interest in board and volunteering. Janice willing to stay on as secretary for at least another year. Susan and Pete also will stay. James Durst, Madhumita Chakrabartti resigned due to relocation to PA.

VOLUNTEERISM AND RAISING MONEY: There is no formal committee, but Matt is dealing with it overall. A long time supporter of TH musicians, Lisa Wenzell is ill and needs funds. Lisa is OK with a 60's event fundraiser at St Mark’s  Church, Mt Kisco, AKA Golden Apple. Lisa and Nora Guthrie are possible candidates for lifetime honorary members. The Committee formed for this event consists of Susan (head), Phil, Iris, and Pete.

MUSIC TO LIBRARIES: Susan met with librarian; we can use inter-office library system; it will arrange to distribute two CD’s to the 37 Westchester libraries in system.

ADJOURNMENT: MaryBeth motions; Cindy seconds; motion accepted.
CLOSING: Vice President closes meeting at 9:50 pm