Board Minutes 2023-03-22

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][alg_back_button][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]JGSPBC BOARD MEETING MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, March 22, 2023

PRESENT: Beryl Cole, Eric Sharenow, Ina Getzoff, Cindy Potter Taylor, Barbara Nowak, Mark Jacobson, Dennis Rice, Walter Rosenthal, Andy Wakshul, Mark Glickman, Joel Sisitsky, Mona Morris, Glenn Segal, John Cole.

ABSENT: Judy Gelpey, Lori Schindelman, Neil Bass, Larry Schulman, Allan Huss, Marilyn Lane

The meeting was called to order by President Beryl Cole at 1:10 PM on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. A quorum was present to conduct business.

Mark Glickman made a motion to approve the secretary’s minutes as corrected and John seconded. Motion passed.

TREASURER’S REPORT:
Mark presented the February monthly financial report. Dennis moved to accept the financial report and Ina seconded the motion. Mark reviewed his new format, and all agreed it was easier to understand. There was very little activity. Mark presented the budget vs proposed for the fiscal period and reviewed only the differences. He noted this is the last time we transfer from reserves. We may want to consider moving funds to the reserve at another time. He broke out member renewals and we need to get $1000 in new members or about 30 members each year. Dennis stated we need to pursue members who have not renewed.
TASK: Joel, Eric, Walter, and John (and others?) will investigate campaigns for members not renewed.

Mark is avoiding classifying items as miscellaneous. Mark is advocating that we begin fundraising on Facebook. He further explained we have some federal tax id issues to resolve.
TASK: Mark will research and resolve tax id issues and will look into Facebook fundraising.

The transfer from reserves was explained. Barbara advised us WhitePages was not being used and we did not resubscribe. Mark said he uses free Fast People Search (CLICK) instead of WhitePages. The speaker’s bureau as income was reviewed. Dennis asked what we are doing with the bags and the response is these are being given away. Mark explained he set up our chart of accounts based on another organization which enables us to use Quicken or Quick Books. Walter asked about having an Annual Member’s Luncheon and this was added as revenue neutral line item of $2500. All rentals and fees are in one category. Contract service details were reviewed. Mark added Quick Books for $30 per month starting September 1st, 2023. Credit card fees were reviewed. PayPal charges about 3 to 4 percent. We want members to renew using electronic payment services such as Zelle (CLICK) that are free and avoid the $200 annual fee in lost revenue. John advocated if we stay with PayPal to enable the member as an option to absorb the admin fee, so we do not lose revenue.
TASK: John will investigate adapting PayPal to provide members option to absorb admin fee.

We are staying with PayPal which charges our credit card and Zelle charges our bank account. Mona suggested we add a few dollars to our membership dues. Speakers’ fees were about $2000 vs actual. We did not have workshops and the line item was retained. Library line items were reviewed and explained. Barbara will send the user id and password for the five subscriptions to the board.

TASK: Barbara will send userid and password.

Sharenow Fund is also allocated for books. Mark is advocating we obtain sponsors. Many other organizations are using sponsors for their programs. Allan asked what sponsors would get for funding programs. Mark said it was not much, but they would be on our website and emails as being underwritten and include their logo to acknowledge their generosity. The president would acknowledge the sponsor at the beginning of the monthly meeting. The sponsor would be allowed to put their material and flyers on our table at SCCC. The goal is to have sponsors for all 9 programs at $200 per program, but Mark has budgeted for four. SCCC facility rental went from $65 to $105 per month. Many of the website line items are for 3-year licenses. We operate on cash-basis, and we do not amortize. Dennis moved to accept the proposed budget; Joel seconded the motion. (NOTE: this is 2nd motion on same subject) Walter asked about the $10k grant and Mark said it is in the financial report in the reserve accounts. Mark pointed out we have over $12k in reserves. Mark reviewed the remaining reserve accounts which included life members which we are taking out $1700. He further explained how the funds will be transferred for the reserves as expenses are incurred. Beryl asked how we could increase revenue. She offered to make an annual donation. Mark said we have 3 donations this month. Dennis asked to amend his motion to include an annual fee for Quick books not to exceed $360 per year and Joel approved his change. Walter raised the question about the annual luncheon; it can be addressed later. The motion passed. Mark abstained.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:
MEMBERSHIP VP – Joel Sisitsky:
Joel reported that there are currently 217 active members and 104 inactive members. Dennis asked for a breakdown of family, individual and other groups.
TASK: Joel and John to obtain census category breakdown

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES VP – ERIC SHARENOW:
Eric reported the committee details for guests. He pointed out the procedure to manage guests is labor intensive and outdated and we get little payback. He reported the committee wanted a timelier policy and procedure. He explained who guests and non-members are. Walter wanted to be sure we addressed walk-in people. Eric said these may be a subcategory. Barbara asked for clarification on the current policy and procedure and Eric explained. John said we have had 70 guests and only a few have joined with a lot of labor for minimal payback. We agreed that non-members are a revenue source not a new member source. Ina clarified why the committee set the non-member fee at $15 and she said this would motivate guests to show up. Mona said no other organization is using $15 guest fee and we do not need to track people. Barbara said keep the guest fee at $5 and do not track. Mark agreed with Mona and Barbara, that many associations offer free services, advocated eliminating the 2 meeting limits, and keep member and non-member email blast. Eric reviewed what guests / non-members are to us – revenue source or potential new members. He felt if not revenue source, then let it be free. Dennis said we need to follow-up on 100 plus members who did not renew (see above TASK) and supported keeping the guest fee at $5. Beryl pointed out no one knows who the guests are. Eric said money is secondary to our purpose to keep value to our members. Mona said we need to charge for seminars such as $5 for members. Joel said have the committee review given this feedback. Dennis asked how many of 70 people became members and it was 2 members.

EDUCATION – Eric Sharenow:
Eric reviewed feedback about the types of education. He has asked the board to send him their ideas. He reviewed what other JGS workshops and education are doing. Dennis said someone is putting together a calendar of all JGS workshops and education and we need to know where to find this calendar. Eric asked what we want to present to our members. Eric will send to the board what ideas they want.

TASK: Eric will poll board on education and workshop ideas

PROGRAMMING – Allan Huss:
No Report.

MEDIA PUBLICITY – Walter Rosenthal:
Walter reported the outreach committee report received several speaker requests as result of promotion for next season. Barbara asked what type of talks were being requested. Walter said they want info and what genealogy is about. He asked senior members as a core group to make presentations for the next season. Secondly, the outreach committee will run out of people, and the committee needs help. This needs to go out in email blast for new people.
TASK: Walter and John will partner to build campaigns to staff outreach committee.

Walter proposed we do an open house as one day event for the entire community as a free event with heavy promotion. We would ask people to register. There would be tables of info and flyers. Barbara asked what we would do at the open house. Walter said one hour after it opens, will have panel discussions and presentations for 15 minutes each. And then direct the audience to go to tables. We would have a membership table (using Zelle said Mark). Mona said this had happened before and we charged, and it had a huge turnout. She said keep it generalized as symposium and explain what we are about. Dennis said Family Tree Maker sponsored this in the past. Walter said details to be determined including a budget. He wanted to have funds put aside to have this happen. Mark liked the idea but cannot be free since there is no budget. Mark further said we need to raise money to cover expenses to be revenue neutral. Walter said this was not on his CPA exam. Barbara pointed out we still have challenges to get people to meetings given COVID. In response to fees, Ina said the last symposium we charged $25 and included lunch and we made money said Mona.

TASK: Walter will investigate and organize a one-day free event to promote membership and our organization and report back to the board.

SPEAKERS BUREAU: Walter Rosenthal
Walter covered this in the above discussion.

INTERNAL PUBLICITY – Marilyn Lane:
No report was given.

LIBRARY – Barbara Nowak & Cindy Potter Taylor:
Barbara said subscription needs to be completed. If there are any books that would be good for our members, send Barbara an email (barbarasnowak@gmail.com)about the book. How-To books are the best. She said there is a steady stream of people going to the library for help every week. Barbara said there is a good book on finding the lost census.

RECEPTION – Glenn Segal:
Glenn reported the March results: 24 in-person, 32 by zoom, total of 56 people, 4 paid guests, only 2 attended, total of 58 at the meeting at SCCC. On zoom 6 people attended that cannot be determined their status since they only had first names. He asked how we can stop this; we need to have full name.
TASK: Glenn, Walter, Joel and John to discuss ways to ensure full names are seen in zoom.

IT TECHNOLOGY – John Cole:
John reviewed the types of lists we use to send emails via constant contact. He got on his soap box about how nimble we were when we changed from April 12th to April 11th and included all touch points to ensure we communicated appropriately. This was a significant team effort by all board members.
TASK: Committee chairs – please send your meeting dates via the form (CLICK) or just email John (wirehead52@gmail.com) to ensure it gets on our events calendar.

OLD BUSINESS:
INDEMNIFICATION INSURANCE: Allan not here to discuss.

NEW BUSINESS:
QUESTION – Given finances, Mona asked if we should investigate using the smaller room at the SCCC. She suggested we investigate Zoom fees and maybe reduce that cost such as the under 100 participant fees. John said our Zoom plan is for up to 100 people and if goes over 100 we pay extra for one month which is $50 and this happened during COVID.
TASK: Beryl will connect with SCCC about room change to save fees.

SNACKS at Meetings: Barbara said this idea was raised in the past and it was a NO-GO.

Beryl wants to make a small $36 personal donation (no budget impact given she will pay for this) to Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness (RAOGK), and she explained her reasons. Joel moved to use donation by Beryl to be sent to RAOGK. Mark will work with Beryl offline to make this donation happen. Beryl wants to make a gift for our last speaker. Mona suggested a plaque. Ina moved to donate to RAOGK on behalf of our last presenter. (NOTE: there was no second and no final vote on the above two motions).

John pointed out the policy and procedure committee definition of guests and non-members. He said once the committee understood this, it helped the committee move to the next level of discussion. Eric said he needs to know how the board sees non-members.
TASK: Eric will poll the board on non-members

John asked if there were any special tasks that needed to be done for our April meeting. The response was all items were covered.
Walter reviewed his work with newsletters and other correspondence.

Ina moved to adjourn; motion carried; adjourned at 2:33 PM.

The next monthly meeting with guest speaker Lara Diamond is on Tuesday April 11th, 2023.

The next Board meeting is on Wednesday, April 26, 2023.

Respectfully submitted,
John Cole, Acting secretary.
Judy Gelpey, Secretary, JGSPBC[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]