SFBAPG Board meeting Jan 18, 2010

2:30 at Nelson residence , attending: Conrad Bishop, Lee Armstrong, Randel Metz, Barbara Grillo, Valerie and Michael Nelson

Absent: Sharon Clay, Talib Huff, and Mary Decker

Treasurer’s Report: Balance at last statement: 8064.48 as of 12/31/09

Balance as of 12/31/08 7023.13

A comparison chart of income/expenses for the periods from Aug 25, 2009 to Jan 17, 2010 and the same period a year before shows we have higher income (from dues) and lower costs.

The current sum of 8064.48 includes $1492. Set aside for scholarships, and $6574.27 in general funds.

A motion was made to make Lee Armstrong a second signer on the checking account. Passed unanimously.

Membership Report: Report January 17, 2010

Michael Nelson, Membership Officer

Guild memberships continue to trickle in, both renewals and new memberships.

In December I removed all non-renewed names from the Yahoo Group list and sent an email to each of them informing them that they were being removed because they had not renewed. I pointed out all the great guild benefits, offering them the chance to renew again. Two or three took me up on that and renewed, and the rest are now purged from the email list for, I think, the first time in some years.

Currently there are 97 members, including life members and extra names included in family memberships.

The roster is basically ready to print in the format that we have used in the past couple of years. If the board agrees, it will be ready for the January meeting, along with membership cards. The plan is to hand out rosters and cards and the DVDs from Bruce Sedley to all who come to the meeting, then mail the rest.

Member Benefits: There is a very good sounding Sicilian marionette troupe coming to the Marin Civic Center on Friday, April 16, 8 p.m. Tickets are $30, $12 Students 18 & Under. They have offered the guild a group discount price of $5.00 off with a group of 15 or more. I am not certain if the discount also applies to the student rate. Should the board decide to pursue this, the adult ticket price would be $25.00. We would have to commit to buying 15 for a total of $375.00. We would then offer the discounted tickets to the guild for a period and then open it to our friends, email lists or who ever we could find to buy the tickets. Should we pursue this?

I would like to continue to identify and organize benefits like this for the membership. If anyone hears about something like this that would be of interest to the membership, let me know, the more in advance the better.

Other Reports: a Sicilian troupe will be performing April 16, 2010 in Marin. Mike Nelson moved we pursue buying 15 tickets for a group rate, providing his research shows the group is good. Barbara Grillo seconded. Passed unanimously.

The need for membership cards was discussed. We agreed to offer them to anyone who wants, but to announce in the newsletter that we would no longer issue them. Events which require membership proof will have a current list of members at the door.

Library Report: We have most things catalogued, a few odds and ends excluded. Tim Giugni has donated a box of books. They need to be catalogued.

Lee will do this.

Sharon Clay needs to write thank yous to tim Giugni and one other (ask Lee) for donations

Lee wants more dvds for the library. She has $150 discretionary spending.

Conrad and Barbara will email ideas of which dvds.

Website: Matt Baume has been doing a great job. Some options we hoped for are not possible given that he is using existing matrices to reformat the website. We can list the service officers in alphabetical order but not offer a search for, say, all birthday party shows. We discussed how to thank him.

We will ask matt if he wants to put a link to his website on the guild website.

Valerie moved that we send him a thank you gift. Mike seconded, all passed.

Valerie will send him a book or mug, a check for $100, and a thank you note.

Randel Metz will write a guild history update for the website

Jan 30, 2010 meeting plans: Randal McGee wants a separate space where he can film interviews. Elisheva confirmed there was one by phone. Barbara Grillo will help hand out name tags. Table decorations: Nina Dees, Sharon Brixton and Padmini have agreed to decorate a table each. If no others volunteer, Lee and Valerie will bring décor for 2 more tables. The order of events was discussed. We agreed to put Art Gruenberger first, at 7, when the public is invited. Others will follow.

Lee will ask Randal McGee to MC. Mike will send out a request to use the yahoo group to organize rides.

Lee will ask for volunteers to help set up and clean up.

Plans for the Mar/April 2010 meeting: Barbara Grillo will plan a meeting to be combined with a teacher continuing education day at the Contra Costa College. March 13 is probable date. She envisions several workshops and performances. She has no budget. Various funding possibilities were discussed. She will check with the childcare council. She will put an article in the next newsletter asking mambership for workshops and performances.

Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia: have sent us a letter asking us to consider sponsoring a part of their tour next year. Lee will ask Mary Decker her thoughts and report back.

Pacific Southwest Regional Director: Conrad wants to explore just what his new title means and what he can do to help the region’s guilds communicate and share resources. There is a scholarship fund, but no one knows how to get to it.

Meeting ended at 4:30.