Mohawk Valley Community Grange

Meeting Minutes: January 23, 2012

by | Jan 27, 2012 | Grange Business

Mohawk Valley Community Grange
Meeting Minutes, January 23rd, 2012

Download January Meeting Minutes as Word Doc »
Displayed: Flag, Grange Symbols, and Inspirational Books and Reading
Welcome: (Tom-Chair) “Thanks for being here. We have the opportunity to give the best of our collective talents for the good of our community.”
Bring to Order: (Asst. Chair) “Let’s please bring this meeting to order.”
Reading: (Guide) A chosen passage to inspire.
Assistant Chair: “Our meeting will begin with a moment of silence”
Guest Introductions: (Gr)
Attending: Lance Lindsey, Barry, Jim Maras , Tom Baratta, heather gardner-madras, Theresa hill, Laurie Smart, Bob Russel, Julia Mooney and Joan Baratta
Agenda:

Standing Items:
Roll call of officers, Chair, Asst Steward, Co Chair, Co Treasurer, Lecturer
Approval of minutes for December, 2011 meeting. Approved
Check and approve calendar for February, 2012 – Approved

  • 2/20/12: Grange Business Meeting 6:30-8:30 PM at Grange
  • 2/11/2012 – LEPP Workshop
  • 2/15/12: Sustainability group meeting 7:30 PM at Grange
  • Yoga every Wed PM and Thurs AM at Grange
  • 2/4/12 at Wendy’s – Pre-Grange meeting
  • 2/5/12 – keeping clean up for now –
  • Maybe add 4th for Lion’s to cut wood
  • Saturdays – Texas Hold’Em hosted by the Lions

Announcements /Acknowledgments:

  • Tom: Thanks to all for help with road clean up (7-8 folks) and wood cutting
  • Lance and Hillary’s move ☹
    • Lance and Hillary are moving to Corvallis. They are looking at moving in March. Lance will need to leave his post in the grange soon. Has finished the Vision Committee work and PA work, so he will not be able to do much more between then and now. Wants to help where he can. Tying up loose ends.
    • The grange is very sad to see them go and they have contributed a great deal.
    • Lance acknowledges Linda for a well done vision meeting with treats and so forth

Reports from Committees:
Vision Committee: (Lance) – Meeting scheduled for the 22nd of January

  • Have had 2 meetings so far
  • Originally no one thought a statement existing but found on the current application form along with Mission.
  • 2nd meeting determined to use the original with small modifications.
  • Vision Statement presented is “The Mohawk Valley Community Grange is committed to supporting and connecting our community, promoting sustainable rural living and offering fun activities and events to meet neighbors and make friends.”
  • Suggests next step be publish and get feedback until Feb business meeting where it can be ratified by the
  • Began thinking of Mission Statement – possibly a bulleted list – suggestions and full recap will be posted on the web site.
  • Open need – is to mention the meeting venue/building.
  • Believes mission statement needs to include this because it is the key money maker
  • Mission Committee should go quickly if a committee can be formed and work from what has been done
  • Mission Committee proposed by Barry and seconded by Laurie – voted and approved unanimously.
  • Vision Statement will be posted online, comments accepted and those that feel strongly urged to come to the February meeting.

Arts Committee: (Ellen)-Global Art Project

  • March 10th will be the Work Party to work on the Grange’s contributed.

Community / Elder Care Committee: (Wendy & Julie C) – no report
Membership Committee: (Wendy, Joan, Julia, Bob R., Tom B.) New Membership form-Joan

  • New form – feedback from others about the new version of the form Joan created with the Friends of the Grange Option.
  • Barry suggests lowering the cost of being a “Friend” by $5
  • Revisited at the end of the meeting when more Members Committee members (Joan and Julia) arrived:
  • Joan says that it needs to be the same – Barry restates his thought that since there are less benefits.
  • Membership amount will stay as is. Vision statement will be switched on the form when it is approved

Sustainability: Planning Feb. 11th community preparedness training, contacting other groups, watershed, fire dept. and sign, grange promotional, web-site, Facebook, local tv, papers, neighbors , member listserv

  • Laurie: Has flyers that were originally meant for the EPUD bill which turned out to be $500 unexpectedly. Distributing these to those present
  • She will reach out to EPUD to promote the LEPP online via accounts, newsletter and so forth
  • Would like to schedule a 2nd meeting/workshop for local leaders to learn how to head up their neighborhood efforts. Training with Red Cross and Sherrif’s office for faciiitators.
  • Sign painting this week – Thursday evening 26th – reserving the grange. open call – plywood sign on the old neighborhood watch. Theresa has an additional sign for them to use.
  • Asks Tom to contact other local granges
  • Is there a budget for food and beverages and printing etc. ?
  • Volunteers from pre-grange for food donations.
  • Laurie will create a budget request for the program and send it to the Executive committee.
  • Jim mentions that having membership forms and a set standard way to speak about the new friends option will be important at the workshop.

Treasurers Report: (Julie C/Teresa H) Bills and Accounts

  • Theresa gives the report and passes documents to the chair.
  • Insurance policy due by the end of February
  • Has emailed bank balance to Joan and Wendy Kimball
  • Utilities and Christimas program reimbursements
  • $2808.75 ending of December.
  • Has tracked down the owners and property tax information and created copies for our records.
  • Provided another copy of the duty breakdown for the co-treasurers.

Treasurer’s Report accepted unanimously.
Facility: (Lance, Dan M, Bob R., Tom)-

  • Gutters still need to be done – Lance will not be able to spearhead. The gutters are behind the building, downspouts, connectors etc still need purchased
  • Ramp is pretty well secured. They should be double-checked but seem solid – may need tread strips for traction.
  • Will try to find the sign owner – Julia got a hold of neighborhood watch people –they are disbanded and would love to have us use the sign. Property for sale – Lance will contact sales people.
  • PA – will tweak the system to combine items so it doesn’t need to be moved, will do a 30 minute class on how to use.
  • Reader board – is out back of the grange. Dan may be able to weld it together. Just a cross-beam that needs to be welded back together and plexi replaced.
  • This role needs to be filled before Lance leaves

Executive Committee- (Bob R, Dan M, Linda M, Wendy K, Tom B.) – no report

Old Business/Unfinished Business:

  • Resolution on Alcohol Policy – would like to get a rider going to go along with the National Policy so we should motion the state Grange.

New Items:

  • Lions and Grange collaboration-
    • Tom and Joan talked with the Lions this past week and talked about a collaboration between the grange and the lions
    • Amore Dance Feb 12 after LEPP – Grange Provides Facility & Food/Lions Decorations and Entertainment
    • Texas Hold’Em-40 (Saturdays at 7-11, and also a learn once a month on Wednesdays or other night not to conflict with yoga for learning the game.
    • Bingo-Food Concessions – every other Sunday – details to come.
    • Will be charged same as yoga if they also help with wood and maintenance since they are making so little and will help around the Grange
    • Bob suggests a profit sharing arrangement.
    • They made a good point that this will bring community attention to the Grange. And give us the opportunity for community outreach
    • Lance has a question about who has responsibility for the building – Joe from Lion’s will be in charge. Lance raises the issue that he is not empowered by the grange and will need orientation.
    • Will be testing it out and reassess in March to see how it’s working.
    • hgm suggest setting aside $ for marketing of these events in conjunction with outreach by the Lions.
    • Lions will talk amongst themselves if this dance will be a go and let Tom know.
  • Development of Budget
    • Distributed budget review for last year – we are at a deficit of about $800 a year below what we take in.
    • Tom is concerned as part of his Chair responsibilities which is part of the interest in partnering with the Lions and use events as fundraising opportunities.
    • Joan has projected needs and we definitely have to fundraise.
    • Julia offers a joint fundraiser with her auction sales/areas.
    • Tom likes having events as both community and fundraising.
    • Lance & heather suggest we do a mix and focus on a few main fundraisers and some purely community events. Lance also points out that concessions at community events can raise $.
    • Tom believes everything we do should be a fundraiser in some way.
  • Drop Yahoo and use web-site for agenda, minutes-grange business
    • Heather provided Tom with how to instructions and will ship to Wendy.
  • Julia has flagged that the phone lines have water and are crackling with static.
    • – Lance proposes taking a look
  • Pre Grange March 10? Also Art Work Party and 2nd LEPP (9-12) Art Party (12-3)
  • Lance has heard Tomahawk is selling off equipment that we may want to track down to see if we should buy.
  • Insurance is due end of February and there is a $500 deductable – if we raise to $1000 or $2500 which would cover catastrophic. Joan states we are over –insured and no minimum is required of us by the State Grange.
    • Assessed at $139,000 for building and property
    • Bob questions who will receive the benefits – not the state grange ?
    • Theresa has discovered that Jostrums owned the property
    • Julia says Jostrums deeded to the state grange
    • Papers appear to say that Mohawk Grange 992 (us) owns the building.
    • It is decided that the Grange should investigate the ramifications of owning the building and legalities.

New Business Proposed for February:

  • Vote on Vision Committee
  • Green Grange invitation to participate in planning meeting March 10.

For the good of the order:
Closing: The Board meeting is ended. Displayed items are stored.