FICRA & FICRA BUILDING TRUST BOARDS MEETING MINUTES 02-11-2021

JOINT MEETING OF FICRA & THE FICRA BUILDING TRUST BOARDS
VIDEO/TELECONFERENCE MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, February 11, 2021, 6:30PM

Trust Board Attendees:  Naomi Grant, Howard Stapleton, Karen Kretschmer, Hal Goodell, and Gina Olson in attendance.

FICRA Board Attendees: Miguel Martinez, Candy Wawro, Hal Goodell and Howard Stapleton.  Pia Beetham absent and excused (resigned).

Other attendees: Jim Braden, Joan Broughton and Ray Kittelberger.

The meeting was posted and advertised to the residents of Fox Island on the FICRA website with a minimum of 10 days’ notice.

Miguel Martinez called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM. 

Presidents’ Reports:  Howard reports that he is disappointed that the activities have not increased yet due to world events, but it would seem that the recommendations have not changed much yet. Miguel also apologizes for his absence at budget meeting due to work demands. There is a need to finalize the FICRA budget, which will be done soon. He has ideas for summer if the return to normal activities returns, and he has a few ideas he is really excited about.

Meeting Minutes:  Jim Braden requested that the Minutes for the January 14, 2021 be amended to reflect that the Cascadia Rising II exercise was tentatively scheduled for June 2022, not June 2023.  The amended Minutes were approved and the corrected version will be posted on ficra.org.

Treasurer’s Report:  Hal shared the financial reports as of January 31, 2021 online with attendees.  The following information was provided:

Trust Checking account: Jan 1 Balance: $ 26,156.06   Jan 31 Balance: $ 27,790.54

Trust Savings: Jan 1 Balance: $ 336.50   Jan 31 Balance $ 336.51

Trust PayPal: Jan 1 Balance: $ 121.08   Jan 31 Balance $ 242.46

Trust Capital Checking: Jan 1 Balance: $ 3,697.08   Jan 31 Balance: $ 3,697.08

Trust Reserve Checking: Jan 1 Balance: $ 326.98   Jan 31 Balance: $ 326.98

Trust Money Market:  Jan 1 Balance: $ 168,047.51   Jan 31 Balance: $ 248,105.90

Trust Money Market Detail:

            General:  Jan 1 Balance: $ 72,659.96   Jan 31 Balance: $ 108,933.96

            Capital:  Jan 1 Balance: $ 56,527.42   Jan 31 Balance: $ 56,527.42

            Reserve:  Jan 1 Balance: $ 38,860.13   Jan 31 Balance: $ 38,860.13

            EP Restricted:  Jan 1 Balance: $ 0   Jan 31 Balance: $ 21,591.59

            CP Restricted:  Jan 1 Balance: $ 0   Jan 31 Balance: $ 22,192.80

FICRA Checking: Jan 1: $ 16,891.79   Jan 31: Cleared Balance: $ 16,916.79

FICRA Money Market: Jan 1: $ 31,039.22   Jan 31: Cleared Balance: $ 31,044.49

FICRA PayPal: Jan 1: $ 434.21   Jan 31: Balance: $ 554.67

Hal noted that there was a donation of $80,000 to the Building Trust in the month of January.  FICRA membership is currently at 328.  Normal activities of FICRA will not likely happen up through August.  Hal hopes that we can pick up with Halloween Trunk or Treat and the Christmas Tree Lighting.

Standing Committees:

Citizens’ Patrol – Jim reports that the report from CP will be posted on the website. Crime continues to be low. CP members have also been volunteering in FIEP emergency exercise.

Emergency Preparedness – An emergency preparation operations communication exercise was held last Wed Feb 10, 2021 which went very well, and a report on this is yet to be finalized.  A preliminary report on this is included in the attached Project Manager’s report.

Trust Building and Grounds – Jim reports that the windows have arrived and are being painted and will be installed the week of February 15th.  The MRC trailer has been temporarily parked at the NCC because video surveillance will keep it better secured.  Video monitoring signs have been placed, as well.  An AC unit is being considered partially funded by Men’s Coffee group.  These donated funds, with the donation from Julie Sorenson, may be the right amount to make this installation a possibility. It will dramatically improve the comfort of the building auditorium during summer events. There is discussion about changing name of NCC to “Fox Island School”. Please refer to the attached Project Manager’s report for details on these items.

FICRA Publicity – Miguel reports that he would like to add another person who has volunteered to help with FICRA via internet. Miguel feels the organization can be more interactive, and he would like to have a person who is more dedicated to being interactive on the site. Candy who has been doing a great job, will still be doing event promotion.

FICRA Social Activities – Miguel would like to see a summer BBQ cook off. He would let anyone on FI enter, there would be judging, and food made could be sold in plates, and funds could be designated toward a charity, for example towards Cancer Research, in honor of Julie Sorenson. We are looking for an event to sponsor, publicity, permits, FICRA could be the sponsor and set the fees.  Another idea of Miguel’s is to purchase media, sound equipment for continuation of movies in the field/park. He would also like to see the NCC to create a stage that could be moved with large wheels. The mobile stage might double in the summer as a platform for the Fair operations chair. Miguel has had many requests for a sport program for kids in the field, K‑8 activities, to help get the kids active outdoors.

Unfinished Business: 

2021 FICRA Budget – The 2021 FICRA Budget is on hold for further review.

2021 FICRA Building Trust Budget – A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to adopt the 2021 FICRA Building Trust Budget as included in the Meeting Agenda distribution.

Ray Kittelberger noted that the budget was published /posted on the web and that the FICRA Fair was not included for this year.  Miguel asked if it could be added back in for now, but Hal noted that the planning process would have already needed to start and this would not be possible with all of the uncertainty right now.  He will put some version of the Fair back in the budget in August or another date if August is not possible in the event the State COVID-19 guidelines are changed to allow it soon.  Jim suggests we may want to include a line or two on the website regarding the budget to explain the circumstances this year.

Status on NCC Building Name & Dedications – There has been a proposal by Jill Christ to change the name of the NCC back to the Fox Island School. Karen reported on the history of efforts to change the name of the NCC. She gave a short history of the old school house. The first school was built in 1884. The museum has a small exhibit on the school house, which has a personal connection for those that attended. The school was closed due to low attendance. Nichols Community Center gets its name after Colonel Fredrick Nichols, who was tremendously influential on the Island and active with FIMWA.  In 1972, FICRA was formed.  The 1981 Fox Island Times reported in the June edition that a plaque was dedicated to the Jefferson Feagin Reading Room (men’s room). The FICRA Board discussed a name change in 1981 when the school district made plans to open up a Fox Island Elementary School located on 10 acres they had purchased on Fox Island.  The Board changed the old school house name to the Nichols Community Center to avoid confusion with the new school, with plans to dedicate it at the Annual Fair.  The new school was never built. Karen also discussed how street names on Fox Island were justified in the past, and that noted that historical names are significant for many people.

New Business:

Color Scheme for Schoolhouse (NCC) Renovation Work – Colors consistent with the historical building appearance have been chosen for painting the window frames. Jim has been working with Carolyn Braden and other artists who have identified colors that are era appropriate, and the Board has approved. The painting is in progress.

Nominating Committee for Elections – Hal suggests we reach out to recent volunteers. Howard would like to see something posted, and would like to see more folks join the board who have kids. Candy would like to include recent information about the history of the NCC in a message regarding the need for volunteers to join the board.  She will also include emergency prep drill information.  Candy would like to send out another written FICRA Flash. The FICRA election is in March; the Trust in April.  Gina will work with Miguel as the Nominating Committee to find candidates for the open Board positions.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:14 PM.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the FICRA Trust Board is Thursday, March 11^th.  The Annual Meeting of FICRA to hold elections is also scheduled for this date and the new FICRA Board may optionally chose to hold their first Board Meeting after the Election.  The March 11, 2021 meetings will be via video/teleconference starting with the FICRA Annual Meeting (Election) at 6:30PM.

Respectfully submitted by Gina Olson, Jim Braden and Howard Stapleton

Per Washington RCW 24.03.120, except as may be otherwise restricted by the articles of incorporation or bylaws, members of the board of directors or any committee designated by the board of directors may participate in a meeting of such board or committee by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time and participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting.