Minutes of NWSSA BOD Meeting 6-3-2017

6/3/17 Board of Directors meeting, Rick Johnson’s house
Present: Carl Nelson, Pat Barton, Ken Barnes, Steve Sandry, Michael Yeaman, Cyra Rick Johnson
On phone/Skype: Ben Mefford, Doug Wiltshire Non-BOD Kirsten Rayhawk,
Non-BOD members present: Arliss Newcomb, Jane Hobson, Renee Roberts,

Action:  Approved minutes of previous meetings.

Ben

King County parks sculpture display discussion.  There may be an opportunity to create a permanent rotating sculpture display at Marymoor Park in Redmond, WA.  Things are going well with the County and the paperwork is on Ben’s desk.  We have an informal plan with key people from both NWSSA and the King County Parks Department.  We have taken steps to satisfy the insurance requirements of the proposed project.  The next stage is creating a detailed formal proposal for the CPG program of KC Parks to review.  Grant funds may be available for materials only (the concrete plinths), amount to be negotiated, but we expect this cost to be under $10,000.  NWSSA would cover insurance, labor and other costs.  Some discussion about what engineering might be required to pre-engineer these concrete plinths. KC will be leasing us the space for free and will provide funds for the improvements. 

4culture.org grant for Sustained Support – Ben Mefford applied for this grant for NWSSA and we were awarded $1,700/year for two years 2017-2018, after which we may reapply.  This grant is specifically to address the day-to-day expenses of operating as a non-profit arts organization in King County, WA.  There is some follow up involved to get the funds, such as demonstrating our continued activities in King County, including inviting 4culture.org chosen guests to attend an event held in King County for an on site evaluation in 2017 or 2018.  Ben and the board of directors will continue to pursue this valuable relationship.

4culture.org grant for Equipment –  We asked for $9,000 covering electrical boxes, cables, carts, projector, etc.  We did not have a decision at the time of the meeting.  The equipment would currently be used primarily at events outside of King County, and we do not have a permanent facility in King County for their storage either, which might preclude us from being awarded the funds.

Ben/Doug

Suttle Lake – has all of the instructors lined up except he hasn’t talked to Lisa Ponder yet. Still working to arrange Michael Binkley’s schedule, but he is committed. They will use the spreadsheet tracking approach from prior years to follow the money. Within a few days the artists details should be finalized so we can put the registration up on the website. Had hoped for a June 1st deadline so we can offer an early-bird special. There will be significant traffic surrounding the eclipse on Monday the 21st so we’ll need to adjust our setup and operations to that event. Lee and Kate will be there co-teaching the beginners tent.

Michael

Continue to be in the black and have good participation. Came out of the great recession well.
Financial processes need improvement.
Have to track our finances as a non-profit. Payments as well as income receipts.
Treasurer – manages the resources and pays our bills.
Event managers – budget/manage the costs/revenue of the events
Admin – Renee. Manages remote payment system, retrieves checks/invoices from mailbox
Accountant/bookkeeper – Ellie Gittelman. She doesn’t have the ability to pay anyone due to firewalls but does see all the transactions so she can create the forms that we need to file.
Must track who is coming to an event, who has paid, what bills are coming and have been paid. We have been using a spreadsheet program to do this. Communication is key between these people to make sure we can get our work done.

We’ll check into getting a debit card so that the President or Treasurer can make phone or online payments. The practice would be that only the President or Treasurer would use this. Michael will check on this as well as changing our type of account at US Bank so that we can have more tracking capability

We need to make sure that we aren’t granting tuition breaks to people in exchange for work.

Kirsten, Carl, Renee should talk about how to get better software or process tools in order to consolidate all of the invoice amounts so that a person can check out at any time from the event. Specialized software for auctions cost about $600 and are complex. Research potential tools to solve this.

Michael asks that we get all the financials wrapped up within one month of the end of camp.

EventbookingPro is what we use for event signups and event money collection. There is quite a bit of capacity within this program.

Rick

Governor’s Arts Heritage Award – the commission visitors last year were impressed and suggested that we apply as an educational organization. Due June 26th. We should apply. Carl, Ben, Ken, Michael and Rick
Michael Content suggestion – WA state related – reach into archive and pull out Pac NW granite and sandstone presentation.
Content- 30th anniversary, Vision Connections guests, diversity of gender

Creative Forces – military people with traumatic brain injuries (Madigan Army Hospital). Stone carving is very visceral and it seems to have appeal. Rick wants to see if a couple people will come from JBLM. Tamara and others will be ready to assist them in the handcarving tent. Doug and Kate/Lee have done a bunch of art therapy in their town. Carl asked Doug to see if he could coordinate a trip up for Doug, Kate and Lee to Pilgrim Firs during that time if possible. Doug will do it.

CA stone sculptors event – our exchange they wanted us to send someone who would be new blood. We need to focus on doing this better next year.

Fort Worden – Rob, the camp director has been following up and would like us to do something there. The PDA (Public Development Authority) got in contact with Carl to do something 3D there. They are also interested in a maker space. Many entities to deal with so it is somewhat challenging. Arliss likes the idea of an artist in residence. Big empty buildings that maybe we could do a winter symposium.

King County will authorize a cultural access tax. Cities or Counties can increase sales or property tax to fund arts/cultural organizations.

Doug

Started the director exchange with Ben to improve exchanges of ideas. He thinks this would be good with CA also.

Cyra

Electrical pole installed with enough capacity to supply our needs in lieu of a generator. Cost $650 and will save generator usage/rental in the future.

60-65 are registered so far. Not as much room as we have had at CB, but there will be enough room for our gang. Sculpture show can go on the drainfield. Canopies elsewhere. Logistics are looking good. Every cabin has its own deck so the social mixing will be different than in years past.

Deborah – Jade. Starts on Monday, shows up on Sunday
Joanne Duby – restoration, etc.
James Horn, Ireland – social commentary sculpture in marble
Steven xxx from New Zealand to work in the jade tent

Going to do a Google Group for all registrants this year so that emails don’t get lost.
Can start promoting sculpture walk now. Tear down is Sunday. Brochure said the event was Sat to Sat.

July 4th a Tuesday, set up on Friday. We need to move everything on Wayne’s property to PF. Likely want to move out of Wayne’s on Wednesday. Will put out a call for pickup trucks for that Wednesday to help move stuff. Arliss donate $100 toward truck rental if needed. Use Wayne’s trailer to haul some stuff and then keep it there for the week in case we need to haul stuff back?
Carl will pick up James at the airport beforehand and show him around.
Hold harmless letters will go out with confirmation.

Pat

Need a work party to paint the container at Wayne’s place.

Rick

One nice thing the do at Cambria is a swap meet. Do it on the last day, Saturday morning.

Steve
Racial equity – how do we do this?

Adjourn