April 2008

MOTIONS THIS MONTH

• • Someone moved that we allocate $1,300 for the replacement of failed sound equipment at Swingin' Tern. This motion passed, with one abstention.

  • A number of people moved that we accept the recommendations of the Ad-Hoc Finance Committe, establishing it as a standing committee under the direction of Andy Koenig, and including other members such as the Treasurer and the Venue chairs. This motion passed with two abstentions.

  • Someone moved that starting with the Spring ’09 Festival, a distribution from the Endowment Account be made to the Festival Committee to augment the performer budget, set at 1.5% per festival of the amount in the Endowment Account until the Board decides otherwise. This motion passed, with 12 in favor and 10 opposed.

OPENING CEREMONIES

The meeting was called to order at 8:01 PM on April 1st at the home of Ed Roffman by President Mark Schaffer.

Mark began the meeting by thanking Andy Koenig for the excellent presentation on principles of investing that he gave in the hour before the meeting.

Roll Call

Present were Lois De Ritter, Scooter Ferguson, Jim Gartner, Jim King, Bobbie Rosengarten, Mark Schaffer, Jim West, Ruth Wolfish (Trustees) Mike Agranoff, Connie Crawford, Lori Falco, Andy Koenig, Elizabeth Lachowicz, Evelyn Maurer, Brad Pryor, Tom Pylant, Sandie Reilly, Chris Riemer, Pam Robinson, Ed Roffman, Pat Rolston, Bob Safranek and Rick Thomas (Other Board Members) and Robin Roffman and Judy Bubar (Guests).

Treasurer’s Report

Chris needs to get receipts from the Valentines Day Show.

Secretary’s Report

The March minutes were accepted.

BUSINESS ITEMS

Grants

Pam is stepping down as Grants Liaison person. The new person will be John Vadinais. The Arts Council of the Morris Area has granted us $1,500 to be used for general operating expenses. If you have recommendations or comments for John, send them to president Mark for the time being.

Andy will be happy to relay reports from John thru the Finance Committee.

REPORTS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEES

Community Affairs

The New Jersey Folk Festival is at the end of April. This is a great opportunity for outreach. Talk to Elizabeth to volunteer to help.

Internal Affairs

The April Evening of Music will be at Rick & Cathy Thomas’ house. The last EoM was good. She liked the idea of occasionally combining an EoM with a workshop before.

Sound

The monitor amp and speakers at S’n’T have died. A motion was made and passed (unanimous, with 1 abstention) to allocate $1,300 for replacement sound equipment for Swing'n'Tern.

Minstrel Booking

Not as bad as last month, but still not good… Booking has not been particularly strong in terms of draw. A member asked why other venues are drawing larger crowds than we are when they book the same acts as we have. Another member answered that the other venues have better publicity than we do.

Minstrel Staffing

Rumors to the contrary notwithstanding, Sandie is not resigning. She still needs volunteers. Call her if you want to help.

Swingin' Tern

The March 1 dance had 6 folks on newcomer passes, meaning that they enjoyed their first experience enough to come back for more! April 5 is the date for the “Rock ‘n’ Reel” dance, with FP bands Blisters and Rockadillies.

Horses Sing None of It

Ralph purchased a new DVD recorder – total expense was under $200. The old one was getting flakey. Their taping in March of the Blind Willies “blew us away”.

Special Concerts

The Spring Workshops have had additional ticket sales. Tickets are still available for all three. They are working on two other events for 2008. See Pam if you want to help.

Festival

Lori needs volunteers to go to each of the Festival workshops and report to the committee on how they went. Mike is looking for a stage manager for the skit.

The new camp has a very strict “No Alcohol” policy. The “hotel-like” accommodations are restricted to 18 years old or older – no children.

REPORTS OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEES

Ad Hoc Finance Committee

Andy distributed a written report (available in The Library, as Folk Project Investment Policy).

A motion was made and passed (20 for, 0 against, and 2 abstentions) to accept the ad-hoc committee’s recommendations for a Folk Project Finance Policy and (1) re-form the ad-hoc into a Standing Committee called the Finance Committee, (2) with Andy as Chair, and (3) others participants, particularly the Treasurer and Venue Chairs.

During the discussion of this motion, Andy emphasized that the investment policy embedded in his recommendation was to take a long-term approach, which would even out the short-term variations. The majority of the Board echoed this, feeling it would also simplify management, though a minority wished for a more hands-on style.

A motion was made and passed that, starting with the Spring ’09 Festival a distribution from the Endowment Account be made to the Festival Committee to augment the performer budget, and that this distribution be set at 1.5% per festival of the amount in the Endowment Account until the Board decides otherwise. During the discussion of this motion, some felt that this decision should be postponed for various reasons. Some wanted to wait until the new Festival Chair was in place (Lori noted that decisions for the next Festival in Spring ’09 are being made now, and she would like surety of her budget), some wanted the decision to be made by the Finance Committee, Some wanted a written proposal, and so on. Eventually the motion was passed as proposed (12 for, 10 against.)

Talk to Andy if you want to be involved in the Finance Committee.

GOOD OF THE ORDER

Pat and Ken attended a Village Harmony Choral Weekend. It was great and intense & exotic. Brad went out on a date to a dinner and a show; first one since the divorce. Elizabeth has a new job and loves it! Tom is going to start playing music again now that his ribs are starting to heal. Sandie’s daughter had a dance recital her son was accepted onto the Junior Varsity ice hockey team, and was voted rookie of the year. Send her email if you want to know about her women’s group. Ed and Robin went on a trip in February and March and visited Amsterdam, Paris, Normandy, Marseilles, Nice, Venice, Vienna, Prague and Frankfort. Whew! It was great! Scooter is happy that baseball season has started! Jim King’s truck turned over 250,000 miles, and he had an exceptional choral experience singing the Rutter Requiem. Andy: (1) Went to his first “warper” party – electronic music open stage – in a bar in Brooklyn. (2) Got a new synthesizer, a “Nord G2”. It’s amazing. (3) Was invited to critique student wind and brass recitals at Governor Livingston High School in Berkeley Heights. (4) Saw “Argonautika” at the McCarter. Liked it so much he saw it twice! Mark’s dog bit his finger and it got infected; his Mom’s birthday is tomorrow. Jim Gartner got the April Fools day prize for the laugh he got for admitting to be 61 years old. It made sense at the time -- you had to be there… Judy went to the Philly Horticultural Show and over one week and three competitions won got 2 second place ribbons, 7 third places, 5 honorable mentions, and 2 commendations. Her giant 40-inch tall poinsettia took one of the 2nd place ribbons.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 10:06 PM

– Rick