1. Call to Order
Chair, Nathan Wakefield, called the meeting to order at: 7:05 pm EDT
2. Roll: Nathan Wakefield, Louie Skaradek, Ian Michael Loughlin, Eric Shibuya, Exuro Piechocki, Josie Marks-McQuade, Scott Cain, Mike Sullivan, Afton Benson, Erin Stephens, Martin Frost, Noel Yee
Present: Nathan, Louie, Ian, Eric, Scott, Mike, Afton, Dan Holzman, Noel, Josie, Exuro
Absent: Erin, Martin
3. Approval of Agenda
Motion: Louie
Second by: Scott
Discussion:
Vote: Approved (unanimous)
4. Approval of Minutes:
Business Board Meeting August 14th, 2017.
Motion: Ian
Second: Louie
Discussion:
Vote: Approved (unanimous)
5. Reports (Please keep verbal reports to 5 min or less except for festival and future festival discussion)
Financial Report (Afton Benson)
Report finalized from festival. Some minor additions (shipping, etc,)
$21,698 in the black.
Discussion:
2017 Festival Report (Dan Holzman)
Discussion: Separate diabolo and juggling competitions? 1-2 drops in diabolo should be weighted as 4-5 in a traditional toss juggling routine (Dan H)
Festival advice: getting an earlier site visit, the better. Extra night shows dependent on the acts one gets to perform. Maybe too many in 2017.
Consider an “In Memoriam” during festival to recognize jugglers lost during the year. (Eric: take a look at how the Academy Awards do a short video during the show)
(Dan departs)
2018 Festival Report (Noel Yee)
Discussion: Acts being finalized. Photos of stage/venue, etc, all on G-drive. (Note sensitive information pertaining to specific jugglers will be on the drive. Safeguard accordingly). Check out festival organization checklist.
Wes will be doing a 30 minute show with 15 minute Q&A, two workshops, a Cascade of Stars and one of the paid special shows.
Michael Karas confirmed (MC)
Other acts listed in the drive. Looking for women jugglers
Consider honorees for awards.
David Cain not attending, Historical Museum pieces will not be there. Noel: Consider developing a timeline to display, perhaps around the walls of the venue.
(Noel Departs)
Future Festival Planning (Mike Sullivan)
We have signed contracts on file for our next two festivals (Springfield 2018 and Fort Wayne 2019), and we are ready to sign contracts for a return to El Paso in 2020, which I recommend the Board approve on tonight’s call.
During the Connect Sports Marketplace conference in New Orleans last month, I met with our contacts in Cedar Rapids on returning there for our 2022 (our 75th Annual). They have offered us more rooms at the DoubleTree Hotel (up to 180 total, which would have housed our entire group had they been available this year) at the same $109/night rate as 2016. This is rather remarkable.
We expect a proposal from them this fall, which will also outline the expected additions to downtown by the time of our return (two or possibly three limited-service hotels in downtown, more retail and residential, etc.), as well as confirming their commitment to the $6,000 grant we received in 2016.
Based on the flawless experience we had in Cedar Rapids this year, and the survey results we got back from our attendees, I don’t think there is any way we could do better than a return to Cedar Rapids in 2022 for our once-in-a-lifetime historic 75th Annual festival.
That leaves us with finding a destination for 2021, which was my focus at the Connect Sports Marketplace conference. I came away from the 54 “speed dates” I had with potential host cities with more promising leads than I expected. I hope to follow up with these cities from my “short list” soon to start the qualification and filtering process for our 2021 destination:
Augusta, GA
Louisville, KY
Rosemont, IL
Sacramento, CA
Provo / Utah Valley, UT (already working a proposal)
Tucson, AZ
Tempe, AZ
Ann Arbor, MI
Montgomery, AL (already working a proposal)
Jefferson Parish, LA – suburban New Orleans
Durham, NC
As always, I am happy to talk to anyone, from anywhere, that thinks they have what we need at prices we can afford in a city we can get our jugglers to. If you have any ideas, please pass them along.
Discussion: El Paso: airfare cost was an issue. Bulk discount airfare require 20+ people with the same itinerary. Without grant, El Paso would have been a big financial loss.
eJuggle Report (Scott Seltzer)
Discussion:
Membership (Marilyn Sullivan)
Discussion: Membership over 1000, best numbers in the last 3 years. Connection between members-only videos and membership uptick?
Marketing Report (Erin Stephens)
Discussion:
IRC Report (Erin Stephens)
Discussion: IRC Argentina approved, but cancelled. Local jugglers not in position to support. IRC Oceania a very big hit, Erin notes in marketing report that IRCs make IJA relevant to that part of the world.
YJA (Galen Harp)
Discussion: $1000 donation for YJA made at last festival. Looking for people to help with the social media part of the YJA.
6. Motions for Consideration
A. Motion to approve a travel reimbursement of $373.97 to Mike Sullivan for assisting with the 2018 festival site visit.
Motion: Scott
Second: Louie
Discussion:
Outcome: Motion PASSES (unanimous)
B. Motion to El Paso for the site of the 2020 IJA Festival.
Contracts
Motion: Scott
Second: Louie
Discussion: El Paso was a great venue and event for those who went, but travel costs are a real concern. Returning to a city has meant the IJA builds better relationships with the venue and hotels.
Sponsorship: Clarification for sponsorship from Destination El Paso is here
Outcome: Motion PASSES (unanimous)
C. Motion to accept 2017 Festival P & L Statement.
2017 Festival P & L
Motion: Eric
Second: Louie
Discussion: Board very impressed report is done this early post-festival
Outcome: Motion PASSES (unanimous)
D. Motion to appoint the following IJA Officers:
Martin Frost – Communications Director & eNewsletter Editor
Mike Moore – Canadian Representative
Don Lewis – eNewsletter Editor
Nathan Wakefield – Video Coordinator
Heather Marriott – Store Manager
Scott Seltzer – eJuggle Editor in Chief
Mike Sullivan – Future Festivals Site Coordinator
Thom Wall – Video Tutorial Director
Marilyn Sullivan – Membership Director & Chief Teller
David Landowne – Webmaster
Erin Stephens – IRC Director, Marketing Director
Jim Maxwell – Affiliates Director
Afton Benson – Treasurer
Galen Harp – YJA Coordinator
Louie Skaradek – Graphic Designer
David Cain – Archives Director
Josie Marks-McQuade – WJD Coordinator
Motion: Louie
Second: Exuro
Discussion: Mostly the same folks, Alan Howard moving from Archives Director to David Cain. Josie in touch with Erin Stephens for hand over of WJD Coordinator duties
Outcome: Motion PASSES (unanimous)
E. Motion to create the IJA officer position of: Marketing Team Member, and appoint Matan Presberg to this position.
Motion: Exuro
Second: Ian
Discussion: Matan has expressed interest in the position, has large social media presence.
Outcome: Motion PASSES (unanimous)
F. Motion to create the IJA officer position of: International Representative, and appoint Jorge Vilchis and Lucas Adverse to this position.
Motion: Scott
Second: Eric
Discussion: Sorely needed representation. IJA membership not currently listed as desirable/required qualifications (Eric). Consider identifying potential international representatives and gift membership (Exuro).
Outcome: Motion PASSES (unanimous)
(Josie Departs)
G. Motion to renew IJA Bookkeeper Dennis Morrison’s contract.
Contract
Motion: Louie
Second: Scott
Discussion: Would love to see a member take this up pro bono, but the work involved is much more complex than most consider. Payment also brings responsibility on the part of the payee.
Payment has been unchanged in the last 3 years
Outcome: Motion PASSES (unanimous)
(Mike departs)
H. Motion to pay Wes Peden $1,600 to feature his Gumball video as IJA member content.
Motion: Scott
Second: Eric
Discussion: Exuro: would prefer download link and to watch untethered to net connection. Scott: yes, would bring value to membership. Wishes timing was better so that members could get a view before distribution. Eric: prefers download to streaming, would be interested in download discount and perhaps added content for a lower price.
Scott: Notes that Scott Seltzer is getting frustrated, and notes that some of his contributors have lowered their contribution to ejuggle.
Exuro: future videos–perhaps a discount code for download
Would like to see greater metrics for ejuggle, so the Board can see where the views are, what the activity looks like.
(Afton Departs)
For: Scott
Oppose: Exuro, Eric, Nathan
Abstain: Louie, Ian
Outcome: Motion FAILS
7. Varia:
Medals Inventory: Keep inventory on cloud, able to make bulk orders in advance. Medal costs have usually been tagged to the festival, however, so making the order in advance would require a new practice. Medals are at David Lammers’ place in Cedar Rapids, IA.
Dave Finnigan Video content Would consider gifting his video collection to IJA. Members-only content? Advertise, etc. Can we edit “Step by Step” and remove Andrew Allen from the footage? (This would remove a great deal of the balls, numbers, and devil-stick content).
Video Storage: Consider dropbox paid storage. $240/year
8. Set October Meetings
Next Vision Planning Meeting – October 16th, 2017 at 7:00 ET
Next Business Board Meeting – October 30th, 2017 at 7:00 ET.
9. Adjournment
Motion to adjourn: Exuro
Discussion:
Voting: Motion PASSES
Meeting adjourned at 8:52 pm ET.