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BOARD MEETING MINUTES
March 4, 2014
The March Board Meeting was called to order at 8:05 pm at Mario’s Pizza, Randolph, NJ.
Present: Rachel Streich, Joanne Cronin, Mike Agranoff, Lindsey Meyer, Steve Humphreys, Bob McNally, Dave Sherman, Mark Schaffer, Barrett Wilson, Bill Henderson, Eddie Roffman, Allan Kugel, Lois DeRitter, Grover Kemble, Lori Falco, Elizabeth Lachowicz, Jean Scully, Shari Korenstein, Tom Picard, Scooter Ferguson, Mike Del Vecchio, and Sandie Reilly. Absent: Leigh Walker, Gloria Friedman, Jim Gartner, George Otto, Paul Fisher. Guests: Pat Brangs, Christine Del Vecchio, and John Lamb.
ADMINISTRATION:
February 2014 Minutes were accepted without corrections.
TREASURER’S REPORT:
The Vanguard investment account has been split into two accounts in QuickBooks, one for the Agranoff Endowment funds and one for surplus FP cash; account balances to be updated quarterly in QuickBooks. As of 12/31/13, approximately $15,600 of the Vanguard balance was FP surplus general operating funds, the balance was Agranoff Endowment funds. Bill reported that our current cash balance was approximately $18,000 for the Wells Fargo checking and money market accounts combined. We’re currently running at a loss of about $7,000 year-to-date. Bill is reporting on a cash basis-- prepaid expenses as expenses in the month incurred, and advance income (advance ticket sales for Festival, etc) as revenue in the month received. Mike A. requested that large cash outlays for prepaid Festival rent, prepaid performer fees, etc be highlighted in Bill’s written report.
President Elizabeth reminded us that submissions to the Newsletter are due to George by the 15th of the month.
OLD BUSINESS:
QUICKBOOKS PRESENTATION:
Elizabeth thanked Barrett, Rachel, and Bill for an informative and successful QuickBooks how-to seminar. Anyone who was not at the seminar can request a future presentation from Barrett and he will set it up.
A question arose about the QuickBooks distribution list: Current Board members have read-only access to QuickBooks, or can request access from Bill if they don’t currently have a user ID and password; but what about former Board members? Pat Brangs asked if she could stay on the QB distribution list, even though she is no longer a committee chair? Lori noted that about a year ago, she asked everyone on the distribution list who was no longer on the Board if they wanted to remain on the list, and they all said they wanted to stay. Mike A. commented:”We don’t take anyone off the list.”
INJURED MINSTREL GUEST:
Elizabeth reported that our injured guest is still in physical therapy. There have been no claims filed; no correspondence from lawyers or insurance companies.
COMMTTEE REPORTS:
MEMBERSHIP:
Updated membership roster has been sent to Board members. Renewal notices went out 3/2/14 for former members whose memberships expired in the prior year. New membership dues structure is now in effect but Eddie will accept payments of old rates for March and April. He will put labels with updated dues rates over membership forms in the trifold brochures.
SPECIAL CONCERTS:
The L’il Rev concert went very well, and his daytime workshops were “great”, said Scooter: 22 people attended both workshops. Bob Safranek and Pam Robinson hosted L’il Rev overnight at their house and Pam drove him to the airport the next day; they were “wonderful hosts”, said L’il Rev. He has been booked for Fall Festival (oops – Acoustic Music Getaway). Scooter now has a signed contract from Lucy Kaplansky, and the concert with David Gans’s string band is on the website.
HSNOI:
Sandie reported that their February taping with Brooks Williams was snowed out, Brooks has been rescheduled. They are still looking for more volunteers. Cablevision has made a rule that volunteers must live within their broadcast area in order to be trained to operate the cameras and sound equipment; Sandie says, “See me, I’ll get you in.”
INTERNAL AFFAIRS:
Winter Weekend is this weekend, as is the Home Made Music Party at Steve Humphreys’. This weekend’s HMMP will start at 7 pm and feature a concert set with Spook Handy starting at 9 pm. April’s second Saturday HMMP will be at Allan Kugel and Cecilia Rowedder’s home in Highland Park. Fourth Saturday HMMPs at the Roffman’s will be jamming only; no concert sets. Allan commented that he has been finding it hard to explain the new HMMP format in a short blurb on the FP website: he has been calling the second Saturday event a “Home Made Music Party” with a 7 pm start time and a concert set at 9 pm, and calling the fourth Saturday party an “Evening of Music” with an 8 pm start time and no concert set. He will henceforth refer to them both as HMMPs if we want.
E-COMMUNICATION: SEE COMMITTEE REPORT
Lori noted that there were many weather-related emails sent out last month. They also sent out a notice announcing the opening of registration for Spring Acoustic Getaway, and a Special Concert notice as well.
MERCHANDISING:
Gloria absent, no report. The original mandala T-shirt design is apparently not available; the artist who originally found the instrument images online and created the design is gone, said Elizabeth. Tom, Bob and Scooter have volunteered to re-create it.
ZED MUSIC:
Tom reported that the series is doing fine. Folk/rock violinist Denny Bonet will be the featured performer on the 1st Saturday in April. The Mike Herz/Emily Barnes show last Saturday was “amazing’. Mike A. requested attendance figures; Shari estimated about 25-30 per show.
COMMUNITY SERVICES:
“Nothing to report”, said Shari. Elizabeth asked if Shari had seen the email about the passing of Andy Goessling’s mother? Shari said no, she was away. Elizabeth said she would re-send the email to Shari.
MINSTREL BOOKING: SEE COMMITTEE REPORT
Mike A. reported that attendance is “not great”, averaging about 84.7 per month -- but better than numbers might suggest, as Mike only reports paid attendees. He estimated that at any performance, approximately 25% of the people in the room are there for free: volunteers, redeemed "ticks”, guests of performers, 2nd timers on 1st-timer passes, etc. So average actual attendance is about 113, not 84. Between 1 to 5 second-timer passes are being redeemed every month. There was no Open Stage in February due to the Valentines Day show, there will be no Open Stage in March, and the April Open Stage has been moved to the 3rd Friday to accommodate an appearance by the Bucky Pizzarelli/Ed Laub Duo on the 2nd Friday. Bill Staines has been booked for January 2015. Erik Frandsen will be opening for Cliff Eberhardt in July. Mike is working to book better performers to increase attendance. Mark opined that the performers booked in upcoming months are “significantly” better than they have been. Elizabeth suggested that if we see a performer elsewhere that we think would draw a good crowd at MUF, to please let Mike know, or Scooter for a Special Concert. Bob pointed out the importance of establishing a level of consistency in the quality of performers, so that people will come to Minstrel even when they don’t know who’s playing because they know the show is always great. Steve let us know that MUF will be breaking ground on a new parking lot and new landscaping outside the building some time next year. He expects the new parking will ultimately have a positive impact on attendance. Scooter asked Steve to please let us know when the parking lot project will begin and end; Elizabeth and Mike A, as representatives of the FP, will discuss with MUF.
FESTIVAL:
Mark went recently to an acoustic music Meetup at Mannion’s Pub in Somerville and handed out Spring Acoustic Getaway flyers to about 25 people there; a lot of people were interested, says Mark. This particular Meetup group has about 900 people on their mailing list on Meetup.com, and they get together every week to play acoustic music.
Lindsey asked if we could create a Meetup group for FP? Steve offered to create an acoustic music Meetup group to meet at his house, have FP members come to the Meetup and talk up the FP.
Mark also noted that 3,300 people received Festival emails sent via Constant Contact, and about 1,000 of them were opened and read – which is about twice the usual open rate.
MINSTREL STAFFING:
Jean reported that she’s been getting some very enthusiastic new volunteers lately. New people almost every week! She added an additional baker, and a “floater” to help out where needed. Some days we have 15 volunteers, she said.
PUBLICITY: SEE COMMITTEE REPORT
Paul absent. See written report. John Lamb (webmaster) noted that they’ve “been really busy lately. We’re getting to things ASAP.”
NEWSLETTER:
George absent, no report. Pat reported that 10 copies of the newsletter were delivered to Swingin’ Tern last Saturday.
SWINGIN’ TERN: SEE COMMITTEE REPORT
Leigh absent, see written report.
AD-HOC SAFETY:
Steve: “Nothing to report till next meeting.”
SOUND REINFORCEMENT: SEE WRITTEN REPORT
Mike D.: “Nothing much to add to the written report.” He added that NERFA will allow the public after 4 pm for the performer showcases; if people come before 4 pm they will be charged for the full conference.
Meeting adjourned 10:00 pm. Next meeting will be on April 1, 2014, at Allan Kugel and Cecilia Rowedder’s home in Highland Park.
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