1. Call to Order
Ops Officer ,Scott Steiskal, called the meeting to order at: 7:06 pm Eastern
2. Roll:
Present: Scott Steiskal, Benjamin Domask-Ruh, Chris Garcia, Matan Presberg, Niels Duinker, Martin Frost, Afton Benson
Absent: Aslynne Howes, Amy Wieliczka
Recorder: Afton Benson
3. Approval of Agenda
Motion: Niels D.
Second by: Benjamin D.
Discussion:
Vote: Passes Unanimously
4. Approval of Last Months Minutes:
Motion: Benjamin D.
Second: Niels D.
Discussion:
Vote: Passes Unanimously
5. Reports
Please keep verbal reports to 5 min or less except for festival discussion.
2022 Festival Report (Afton Benson)
Discussion:
(Unknown) Are we offering half-price Paramount show tickets to locals?
Afton-Yes to Iowa ID holding locals. It’s on everything.
Financial Report (Afton Benson)
Discussion:
Martin: How much was the amount that was declined?
Afton: >$10,000
Scott: Does that affect the 990?
A: No.
Benjamin: What about people we don’t know about and will we write a letter explaining the situation?
A: Doesn’t believe there are any anonymous donors. Yes there will be an explanation.
Future Festival Site Report (Craig Lewis)
Discussion: n/a
eJuggle Report (Scott Seltzer)
Discussion: n/a
Membership (Marilyn Sullivan)
Membership Data
Discussion: Afton: There’s more membership because of the festival.
Benjamin: More than 1k members in over 2 years
Martin: Marilyn Changed how she was counting life members’ family members
Afton: Looks like family members went up and individuals went up
Mike Sullivan Joined the call at 7:25 pm EST
Marketing Report (Matan Presberg)
Discussion: Not a lot to report, moving forward with festival marketing that Sara Noelle has done, has only done 11 in June but moving forward with what they have. Onboarded Fernada and Jorge and they are posting once a week. Also working on Standard Ops procedures (SOPS).
Scott: Would more hands be helpful
Matan: Recrutement can help with some more well known things, more IJA Branding specific posts would be good. Editing videos and sharing folks.
Afton: Has filtered out all of Facebook messages and only the pressing messages are in there.
IRC Report (Erin Stephens)
Discussion:
n/a
YJA Report (Benjamin Domask-Ruh)
Discussion: Not much to update!
OpsO Report (Scott Steiskal)
Discussion: Started researching alternatives to T-spring. Going to start getting information together to post for the OpsO position.
Afton/Martin: Ideally it’d be a board member
Scott: Won’t just leave the position. I’m also going to talk to folks about if they’re looking to stay in their positions etc. Will also onboard folks into the position.
6. Motions for Consideration
- Motion to approve the 2021 IRS 990
Author: Afton Benson
Motion: Benjamin Domask-Ruh
Second: Matan P.
Discussion:
Approval: Passes Unanimously
- Motion to approve an increase in travel budget for eJuggle to $800
Author: Aslynne Howes
Motion: Benjamin D-R.
Second: Matan P.
Discussion: Afton: Concerns on the effectiveness of eJuggle traveling to these festivals and concerns about the lack of reports from eJuggle at meetings and the lack of content being gathered at these events.
Matan: Forwarded an email to Afton that was sent to the board. Torn between Afton’s concerns and Scott’s valuation of his work on eJuggle. Curious about stipulations on the budget increase to receive more from the budget increase.
A: Reading the email feels that there is no effective outcome to Scott traveling and views it as a waste of money. Afton relates her travels and effectiveness in increasing visibility about the IJA when she travels to festivals by setting up booths. Concerned by Scott saying nothing works and then asking for a budget increase. Agrees he is one of the hardest working volunteers. Cautions him to view a budget increase as compensation as the IJA is a volunteer-led organization. Confused by what actions WERE taken when traveling (workshops led or handing out business cards or having discussions… etc.)
Benjamin: Agreed, it does take a conversation to see what they know about the IJA and then inform them about what is updated about the IJA. If anything, just hearing the info about what’s going on when Someone goes to a festival so we can hear where folks stand as nonmembers and what they thing about the org.
Niels: In Europe it is more difficult to talk to folks cause it’s seen as an American org
Afton: For sure, but they like the ejuggle stuff
Niels: A $200 increase won’t make a huge difference, so he can get to a European festival
Benjamin: What message does this send to Scott?
Matan: Scott is saying cause of increases the same value would cost $800 vs $600 we don’t know if he cannot go without the increase.
Afton: Agrees and understands. Feels similarly about Festival costs.
Matan: Helps us to realize and question ‘is the $600 worth it in the first place?’
Afton: We have already reimbursed a portion of Scott’s cost
Scott: If he can’t go and we already gave him the $600 for his trip then we’re out $600
Afton: It’s the same either way
Chris: What if he set up the table? Afton: It would be likely more money to do that
Benjamin: If we set up a checklist, # of memberships recruited, is it something we would be able to do and want to do? Love to be more proactive to get a director to provide more content? If we make guidelines there’s something to try to achieve.
Afton: We can def put those guidelines/goals in place
Matan: Thinking about how this is compensation vs expenses for IJA we don’t’ have similar compensation for other officers. Maybe we can address both of them but no increase the travel budget but vs compensation towards what he’s provided. SOPS on how Ejuggle is done, and then we can come up with goals for all roles.
Afton: I was under the assumption Scott was supposed to at min be providing reports and he’s done none of that, and we’ve got the same content and same issues but I’m sure we can find a middle ground.
Scott/Matan: agreed but we’d hate to see ejuggle falter
Martin: The travel package was intended to get those items already and he hasn’t’ done those things, the money is to cover travel only not compensation, doesn’t want to see compensation for this mostly all volunteer org.
Chris: Does this cover just travel or his package?
Afton: Both
Martin: If the board does not approve this, do they table the motion or exchange some emails further or decline the motion.
Scott: Generally can see the value in ejuggle overall and do worry not approving this could cause disruptions
Afton: just to say, $200 won’t make or break the IJA
Benjamin: Approve $100 and we show respect to the cost increases and the work but disappointed with the value we’re receiving?
Matan: Value in regards to his trip to the EJC
Benjamin: Yes
Scott: I’d approve it for this year only and not every year going forward
Niels: Agreed
Matan: any increase that we at min get a report of what he’s done at the EJC
Scott: Should we table this motion?
Benjamin: If we vote can we run this motion through again?
Afton: Yes, but there are no more meetings until after the AGM, so it’d have to be a straw poll
Martin: Def would want to let Scott know we want a complete report on the EJC and details about how that all went.
Approval: Passes Unanimously
- Motion to approve performer stipend of $300 and hotel for Amy Wieliczka
Author: Afton Benson
Motion: Niels D.
Second: Scott S.
Discussion:
Afton: This is for the IJA Flow Show, and is being brought to be transparent about board members getting paid.
Martin: Is this fee the same as others?
Afton: It’s the same as everyone else and no more.
Approval: Passes Unanimously
- Motion to approve the return of all funds donated to MMCC to their original donors.
Author: Afton Benson
Motion: Benjamin D.
Second: Matan P.
Discussion: Scott; For it, since there’s no other ways to do this. Martin: Agrees.
Approval: Passes Unanimously
7. Varia:
Martin: Now that nominations are closed, should we send out a special election ballot email now, or just wait till the normal eNewsletter comes out in 3 or 4 days?
Afton: Let folks know now and follow up with the June eNewsletter
Martin: Good, send any eNewsletter info soon! Go for the 29th
Mike Sullivan: Festival Items:
Has anyone heard from Shivella? Afton has shes’ good, There are other messages
Scott: Eric was asking about T-Spring coupons for the raffle
Niels: Got back to Eric about some items to donate.
Martin: Since Amy is going to be at the festival can someone sit down with her and talk about google workspace.
8. Confirm Next Meeting
Next meetings will take place on…
for the next vision meeting
for the next business meeting: July 13, 2022 at 1 pm CST
9. Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 8:42 pm Eastern.