Business Board Meeting May 18, 2014
5:30pm Pacific Time
Call In Information:
Toll-Free Dial-In Number: 1.800.977.8002
Participant Conference Code: 189209#
Start the Recording
1. Call to Order
Chair, Erin Stephens, called the meeting to order at 5:35 PM PST.
2. Roll
Present: Erin Stephens (chair), Lloyd Timberlake, Nathan Wakefield, Scott Krause, Mike Sullivan (future fest coordinator), Louie Skaradek, Martin Frost
Absent: Jared Davis, Noel Yee, Kyle Johnson, Cody Fiereck (2014 festival director),
3. Approval of Agenda
Motion: Lloyd Timberlake
Second by: Scott Krause
Discussion: 4 is quorum, so we can review and approve/deny the motions. Reviewed the motion for change in IJA championships policy, which will be reviewed during the Motions. Vote: Motion passes unanimously.
4. Approval of Minutes:
Motion: Lloyd Timberlake
Second: Scott Krause
Discussion: None
Vote: Motion passes unanimously.
Motion: Lloyd Timberlake
Second: Nathan Wakefield
Discussion: None
Vote: Motion passes unanimously.
4. Reports (Please keep verbal reports to 5 min or less except for future festival discussion)
2014 IJA Festival (Cody Fiereck)
Discussion: Main concern is housing, which is not done. We need to change information on our website to reflect accurate information. Call on Tuesday. Updated within next week. No information on when registration will be ready after the fact. Notification was provided to Cody in April, and changes weren’t made. Their site discloses all this information, but we don’t have a link for that. No answer on renegade venue. Then we’ll talk about room rates being raised contrary to contract.
Visitors bureau discussion surprised to hear about Renegade stage situation. Some other options suggested for other Renegade sites. Packet to be provided to attendees with information about local area, and will do some promotions.
There were only 3 teams that entered prelims. Viveca said they all qualified. Number of teams varies year to year. Lots of people applied for individuals.
2015 IJA Festival (Veronique Provencer)
Discussion: The no-alcohol policy will apply to the camping area. It will not apply to the renegade location, which will be in the circus school. She’s figuring out contract for the Imperial Theater.
Need to have a new primary contact on the BOD for Veronique after Erin leaves the board. This is an item for future boards.
Future Festival Planning (Mike Sullivan)
Doubletree
Holiday Inn Express
Discussion: Preliminary contract drafted. 6 minor items to negotiate. Contract as recommended to sign for next board meeting. Hotel blocks are plentiful. Thinking of how to reserve a block that is appropriately sized. Hotel blocks information recently uploaded. Recommending accepting revised rates/blocks. There is a mix of values (Holiday Inn, Double-tree, Camino-Royal). Camino-Royal gives commission per room-night to the IJA.
2017 site possibilities – Dubuque, IA. Many benefits, but big downside – nearest is O’hare airport. Athens, GA. Home of U of Georgia. Adjacent to downtown and campus. Good downtown. Selection of lodging. Good venues. Worried about heat in mid-July. No great air access – nearest is Hartsfield airport. 6-9 months is timeline for deciding 2017 fest.
Questions:
1). El-Paso will need $5,000 deposit to hold. Questions about cash flow. Will likely run into this a lot more often in the future. Need to determine if this is something we can do in the future. 2014 and 2015 festival expenses and YEP coming up. Mike will work with Scott/new bookkeeper to ensure this type of funding is continuing to be available.
2). Mexico-TX will require a border-crossing card, ~1200 pesos. We can plan to help mexican nationals. Major air carriers do not require visa or border crossing card. Carriers have a visa waiver policy. (Mike) Mike will verify for next board meeting. Will work with tourism director of El Paso. Mexican IJA members are excited about coming, if they can afford it. May have similar problems with US people going to Canada. El Paso wants to put out a press release as soon as we sign the contract to help with promotion.
YJA Report (Ellen Winters)
Discussion: Will have a bigger report for next month.
Marketing (Kyle Johnson)
Discussion: No report. FB marketing is going well. 200 new FB page likes in the last week (biggest increase ever). Push for WJD. Lots of really popular posts for videos. Many posts get 100+ likes. Good international presence. Tricks of the Months are good, too.
IRC (Erin Stephens)
Discussion: Deadline was yesterday for Mexico prelim. 15 entries, largest yet. Super high skill level. High interest and knowledge of the competition. MalabaristaTV is doing live-feed videos from the festival, interviewing competitors, possible live feed of whole competition. Will make a large banner of partnership to help with promotion.
WJD (Erin Stephens)
Discussion: T-shirts are a hit, and they’re going on sale in a few days. Confident they will sell well. Will promote on FB and website over the next week or two .
Membership (Marilyn Sullivan)
Discussion: Membership numbers are down. Many renew at the festival, and we hope to see people renew for WJD.
Financial Report (Scott Krause):
Discussion: New bookkeeper, to be discussed during motions. Q3 and Q4 P&L, and 2013 fest P&L to be motioned and approved. No material changes since last month. Form 990 submitted.
Website Report (Mike Sullivan)
Discussion: Anonymous donor has agreed to fund best AMS system evaluated for the next 3 years, with possibility to continue in the future . Funds expected within the next few days. Agreement ready to be signed. Motion made to bring this to the attention of the board, membership, and show that there is a possibility of an ongoing expense to the IJA. Will work on this in the final quarter of the year, so we can have a team to work on it, new board, and ready to kick-off the subscription on Oct. 15 2014. New logo possibility with Louie. Please jot down ideas to be used over the next few months.
5. Motions for Consideration
A. Motion to approve Dennis Morrison as the new IJA Bookkeeper, with a $10,000 maximum annual payment for services.
Motion: Scott Krause
Second: Lloyd Timberlake
Discussion: Worry with the amount is that he has talked with Holly about money. May be awkward on amount. Can Lloyd ask: Do you have any expectations regarding amount? Advertisement for $8-10k. Other than that, we haven’t said anything to him. But he may have talked to Holly. Hesitation on his end to do the work? No. Lloyd doesn’t feel he should be an incredibly hard bargainer on this. If he doesn’t need the money (which he may not as a retired person), that’s fine.
Vote: Motion Passes.
B. Motion to approve the 2013 Q3 Balance Sheet and P&L Statement.
Motion: Lloyd Timberlake
Second: Scott Krause
Discussion: None
Vote: Motion Passes
C. Motion to approve the 2013 Q4 Balance Sheet and P&L Statement.
Motion: Lloyd Timberlake
Second: Scott Krause
Discussion: None
Vote: Motion Passes
D. Motion to approve the 2013 Festival P&L Statement.
Motion: Scott Krause
Second: Lloyd Timberlake
Discussion: None
Vote: Motions Passes
E. Motion to change the IJA Championships music policy to require that all music used be Royalty Free Music starting in 2015. All music must be free to use for the IJA in video, starting in 2015.
Motion: Nathan Wakefield
Second: Lloyd Timberlake
Discussion: Current policy. Our performers can perform to most music, but need to have the music dubbed for video. Has been criticism of changing the act by dubbing. Would be able to preserve the video in its original state. Music policy has been a headache this year. E.g. WJF has currently royalty-free only. Erin heard our current policy was a move toward royalty-free only. Need to define what Royalty-free music. Nathan would be interested in drafting this. Suggestion: “Royalty-free means that it is free to use for the IJA in performance and video.” Hoping this would remove the need to have BMI and ASCAP licenses for live performances – but we’d still need it for non-competitors such as Cascade of Stars. May not need BMI and ASCAP. Idea could be to have the chair renew licenses every year.
Amendment: Nathan Wakefield
Second: Lloyd Timberlake
Further Discussion: None
Vote: Motion passes.
F. Motion to accept the anonymous donation ($19,485.00) to fund the adoption and operation of the YourMembership Association Management System for a term of three years, beginning October 15, 2014, as described in this month’s AMS Project Report.
Motion: Lloyd Timberlake
Second: Scott Krause
Discussion:
Mike suggested going through lawyer, but it is too big of a financial commitment. Communication agreement is a good idea. Possibility of various communications (email, etc.). Regular communications to donor. Mike can work out. There are no stipulations from the donor. Suggestion: Regular report and thank you. Ongoing cost would be $6495 yearly past the 3rd year (3 years would be included in this donation). 3-year donation requested to provide time to assume recurring cost.
Vote: Motion passes.
6. Varia:
A. Board Elections.
Announcement about mailing in vote. Members can mail in their ballot, download and send in. Let people know their voting number through email. Will be handled by Martin. Post cards sent to people with no email address in past. Paperless as of last year. Marilyn would mail reminders to people with no email address. Online balloting system may be possible in the future (not this year). May be provided with new AMS system. Ballots can go out now, because nominations are closed. Martin to follow-up on PDF, which may be sent with newsletter.
B. World Juggling Day T-Shirts
Special mail to the members about availability? We can. Maybe can also include the ballot and registering for WJD. WAiting on a picture for the store and exact numbers. WJD is June 14th this year. Will discuss off-line.
7. Set May Meetings
Planning meeting: June 8th, 2014. Topic – preventing board burnout
Board meeting: June 22nd, 2014
8. Adjournment
Motion to adjourn: Lloyd Timberlake
Discuss:
Voting: Motion Passes at 6:59p PST.