FICRA BUILDING TRUST BOARD MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Board Attendees: Howard Stapleton, President; Naomi Grant, Vice-President; Gina Olson, Secretary; Hal Goodell, Treasurer; Jim Braden, Director.
Meeting called to order at: 8:24 PM
Minutes from the October, 2019 Trust Board Meeting were approved.
President’s Report: Howard requests that all volunteers sign in to properly document volunteer hours. He also thanks everyone for their continued contributions to the NCC. No other report at this time.
Consent Calendar Items: None
Treasurer’s Report: Hal Goodell
Trust Checking account: Oct 1 Balance: $114,905.67, Oct 31 Balance: $111,654.74
Trust Capital Checking: Oct 1 Balance: $4,083.69, Oct 31 Balance: $4,083.69
Trust Reserve Checking: Oct 1 Balance: $1,541.00, Oct 31 Balance: $1,541.00
Trust Money Market: Oct 1 Balance: $33,764.64, Oct 31 Balance: $33,788.99
Trust Savings: Oct 1 Balance: $193.98, Oct 31 Balance $193.99
Trust PayPal: Oct 1 Balance: $2,522.44, Oct 31 Balance $2,692.37
More deposits are to be made tomorrow. Significant expenses: Insurance and Property Tax was paid at end of October. He will be moving money into new additional Money Market accounts for Trust Reserve to secure higher interest rate. No large donations this year for CP therefore expenses are exceeding available funds by $800 (no CP presence at Fair or Garage Sale participation this year). Jim also notes rental income is down this year.
Standing Committee Reports:
- Nature Center: Ed Burrough, excused. No new report. Hard work continues.
- Finance Committee: Rental issues are being evaluated. We need a strategy for the future on how to be fair with rental costs, guidelines. Howard has been collecting and compiling information on various rental requests. Copies of this information has been shared with the Board and is available on the shared drive under NCC -> NCC Usage Policy & Guidelines. Board discussions will continue on NCC usage and guidelines.
- Audit Committee: Tony Moore reports that the 2018 Audit has been completed. The bank only keeps records for 18 months (ie, copies of signed checks are not kept on-line after this), so he feels the Audit committee should assemble earlier so that there is more time before old records are deleted. With current Board elections in April, records may not be available by the time the committee meets. There is a suggestion to make Audit committee appointments so that the Audit can be started earlier, and have more time and information. The Audits are done as a matter of transparency, to demonstrate responsibility, and are potentially needed to secure large donations. In the future, assets will be looked at (for example, the Scouting supplies). Tony will look at best strategy and schedule for Audit meetings going forward to maximize time as financials become available for previous year. Tony will get back to the Board with recommendations.
- Emergency Preparedness (EP), Citizens’ Patrol (CP), and the radio club (FIARC): Jim reports that the EP Leadership met last Monday for 2 hrs. There are 3 new members. Ray is transitioning to working with Abby. Michele Hancock will now work together with Jim in leading EP. Katie Dobszinsky is a structural/civil engineer with 10 years of experience and her primary responsibility will be post‑earthquake structure inspection. Citizen Patrol lead, Denise Arnold, has retired and CP has appointed Bill Mitchell to fill this role. They are working on badges for all those volunteering with EP for better identification of roles. Katie will be hosting a class to the leadership and open to the island on what things to inspect in your own home after an earthquake. We have money set aside or spent for medical supplies, and next communication supplies.
- Building & Grounds Committee: Jim reports a person recently hired to provide janitorial services for the Alliance Church may also be available to clean the NCC on an on-call basis. There is an ongoing discussion to potentially find someone who might be hired jointly to clean the NCC, Chapel, and Churches. There is a new garden and a dirt walkway on the south side of the NCC. The tiles for the sport field will be pre-engraved and set in concrete.
Unfinished Business: NCC facility use discussions continue. Howard discussed FICRA sponsoring the yoga classes with Miguel, but does not want to disrupt anything that is currently working well. Aubrey Preston, who taught the FICRA dance lessons last March to May, has proposed using the NCC for “Music Together with Aubrey”, a music class for children. She currently has arrangements with PenMet Parks to use their facility with a 20/80 revenue split and teaches at other locations that charge her a flat rate of $10/hour. Her classes would not be economically feasible at the NCC based on our current rates and she wants to know if we would consider other options. The Board supports a trial arrangement to explore the potential. Howard will discuss with Miguel and Aubrey. Dave McHugh feels that the building should be open to any FICRA member for use free of charge.
New Business: Jim spoke with Derek Young and John Jolibois about when and how the next FI Bridge meeting will take place.
The meeting adjourned at 9:28pm. The next meeting is scheduled for December 12, 2019. (Note: This meeting was subsequently cancelled for December)
Respectfully submitted by Gina Olson, Secretary.