May 2013

BOARD MEETING MINUTES

MAY 7, 2013

The FP Board Meeting was called to order at 8:00 pm at Lindsey Meyer’s home in Peapack, NJ.

Present were: Lindsey Meyer, Grover Kemble, Leigh Walker, Jim Gartner, Barrett Wilson, Eddie Roffman, Bill Henderson, Sandie Reilly, Mike Agranoff, Scooter Ferguson, Joanne Cronin, Elizabeth Lachowicz, Lois DeRitter, Lori Falco, Allan Kugel, and Rachel Streich. Absent: Nancy Kelner, Pam Robinson, Joe Graziano, Gloria Friedman, Bob McNally, Mike DelVecchio, Mark Schaffer, Jean Scully, and Bobbie Rosengarten.

ADMINISTRATION:

TREASURER’S REPORT:

We’re looking good right now with deposits from Festival.

ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES:

April minutes were unanimously accepted without corrections.

OLD BUSINESS:

No one has stepped up over the last month to champion the grant-writing process for the ACMA grant. President Elizabeth will put a notice in the next newsletter, seeking someone to take this on. Scooter suggested finding a college student to gather data for the grant application as an internship project. Scooter will reach out to Drew University, where we have a connection. Would Pam Robinson be willing to supervise the intern? Scooter will ask her. Diane Goodheart has expressed willingness to write the grant if the data is gathered. Mike A. suggested asking Roger Dietz to contact Rutgers; Lori suggested feeling out Drew U. first to find out if an internship is even feasible before expanding to other colleges.

Elizabeth noted that Board job descriptions have been coming in; she’s gotten 2 or 3 more but they have not yet been posted to the Wiki.

Re: FP Federal tax returns due 5/15: Former Treasurer Rachel said she would call our CPA, Michelle Ciccini, this week to file an extension of time to file; then the tax return will be due in August.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

MEMBERSHIP: COMMITTEE REPORT

Eddie is working with Constant Contact to automate the sending of renewal notices. Mike A. has volunteered to help him. Eddie asked if a lot of renewals come in around Festival time; Elizabeth said yes. Eddie asked to be included on the Minstrel tallysheet mailing list so he can see who renews at the Minstrel. Barrett suggested that maybe Minstrel door personnel could do more to tell first-timers about membership.

FESTIVAL: COMMITTEE REPORT

Mark and Robin are on a second honeymoon in Hawaii and say “Aloha!” Elizabeth read from their written report: with 2 ½ weeks until Festival, there are 25 full weekend slots available; a limited number of day passes are now available. 1/3 of Festival attendees are doing some kind of volunteer job.

SPECIAL CONCERTS:

Scooter would like to hire a theremin player for a Halloween-themed house concert/party on 11/2/13 but worried that it might conflict with Swingin’ Tern’s first Saturday dance. Leigh Walker didn’t think it would affect the dance much as most dancers probably wouldn’t skip the dance to go this concert. The 7/21/13 Grateful Dead-themed concert with David Ganz will be a house concert at Mark and Robin’s; he will try to get Barry Mitterhoff and members of Rare Earth to play with David. The ukulele festival will take place at MUF on 8/30 and 8/31.

SWINGIN’ TERN: COMMITTEE REPORT

Leigh reported that the 4/6/13 Perpetual E-Motion day/evening dance was heavily promoted and very successful – they made over $1300, with 160 people in attendance at the evening dance at $15/person. The 4/20/13 dance was lightly attended as that was the same weekend as NEFFA, but those who were there enjoyed it. In general, says Leigh, 3rd Saturday dances have more competition from other dances and events than 1st Saturday dances. They’re booked with bands and callers through mid-January 2014. Kudos to Suzanne, Xander and all the other volunteers for their continuing hard work! Their email list has grown from 300 to 600+ recipients in recent years.

PUBLICITY: COMMITTEE REPORT

Nancy absent. No verbal report.

COMMUNITY SERVICE: COMMITTEE REPORT

Joe absent, Elizabeth read from his written report: FP performers Grover Kemble, Laganslove, and the Boogie Band are confirmed for Wayne Day, but Joe is still looking for someone to set up and staff an FP information booth.

NEWSLETTER: COMMITTEE REPORT

Pat absent. Elizabeth noted that 193 newsletters were mailed out.

HSNOI: COMMITTEE REPORT

Sandie reported that 2 shows were taped in April – John Sonntag and Grover Kemble. Upcoming: Joe Jenks and Brother Sun. They are booked through July. CD Baby (administering YouTube) contacted us re: possible copyright infringement. We wrote back and said that songwriters were performing their own material. We have signed releases on file from songwriter/performers or have permission from the original artists.

MERCHANDISING:

Gloria absent, no report.

INTERNAL AFFAIRS: COMMITTEE REPORT

Jean absent. Elizabeth read her written report. The next Evening of Music will be at Steve and Christine Humphreys.

SOUND REINFORCEMENT: COMMITTEE REPORT

Mike D. absent, no report.

E-COMMUNICATIONS: COMMITTEE REPORT

Lori reported that the revised privacy policy is now up on the website .

MINSTREL BOOKING: COMMITTEE REPORT

Average attendance for April was 97.4, said Mike. We made $443 in April. The new laptop computer is now in service; Head Staff now sends Minstrel tally sheets to recipients directly from the Minstrel instead of taking them home on a memory stick and emailing them from home. Mike passed around the JAM Appreciation Award plaque, awarded to the FP for our work in promoting acoustic music in NJ, around the room for us all to admire.

NJ PBS television contacted Mike A. to tape an evening at the Minstrel for broadcast. They had planned to tape Ellis’s show last Friday, but had a scheduling conflict at the last minute. The taping will be rescheduled for later in the year.

Mike said that Dave Rimelis will not be “designated lead guy” at this year’s Birthday Party show, as most performers did not take advantage of his talents last year.

New Bookings: 8/2/13 Rachel Streich opening for Finvarra’s Wren; 8/23/13 David Massengill.

MINSTREL STAFFING: COMMITTEE REPORT

Jean absent. Elizabeth read from Jean’s written report – we’re running short-staffed again.

Meeting adjourned 9:52 pm. Next month’s meeting will be on 6/4/13, at Mark and Robin Schaffer’s home in Rockaway, NJ.