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January 16, 2018

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Mateel Community Center – Board of Directors Meeting Minutes – January 16, 2018

Present: Garth, Anna, Eryn, Megan, Dusty, Charlotte, Marcus (late), Bruce (very late)

Absent: Cynthia, Pleasure

Staff/Other: Steven Heliwell, Charity Greene, Prophet Mark, Jama Chaplain

Start: 5:48pm

Last-minute additions:

Transparency measures.

Review & approval of minutes: add “redwood logs”, and edited wording of possession of sound drives/concert recordings. Megan motions. Dusty seconds. All in favor.

Public comment:

Jama Chaplain: Any chance of comments after we talk about transparency measures? Yes, since there’s so few members of the public present – less chance for the meeting to devolve into chaos.

Hall & Office Report – Dusty & Charity:

Took out back wall in back offices. Removed a bunch of desks. Cleaned extensively. Cha did an amazing job arranging her desk. Eric’s been cleaning up, looks relatively good around the grounds. Redwood stumps are not yet moved. Stage is back in. Sound equipment is back in. Equipment not yet hooked up. Rob said he’s coming in to do it before the Feb 3 show. But there’s a rental on Jan 21. Do they need a PA? Have checked in with Rob about whether they need something hooked up.

Charity: Wondering what we should charge SF Drama for use of the hall. In the past, have gotten it for free. Two weeks now instead of one. Had talked about getting a sponsorship. What if we asked students and parents to become members as a fee? Maybe just pay for heat? $100/day? Or $20/hr? Ask them to keep track of their hours? Normally would be $200/day for a rental. $1000 for the two weeks? $50/day? – final decision.

Also looking for sponsorship which would cover more than heat and rental – things like props and snacks.

$4200 for Mime Troupe. Can’t afford it this year. Low attendance and ticket prices have already increased. 2 out of the last 3 years it has lost money. Offer them a door split? Would more publicity help? Cost us about $1500 this year. Could be up to $2500 to make it break even. Sonia is okay with that.

Dusty motions: cancel the Mime Troupe this year unless they’re willing to do a door split. Motion dropped – Sonia has offered to make up the difference of what we lose. July 14 this year. Is the stage removal staff time an obstacle?

Eryn motions to go forward with the Mime Troupe this year and Sonia Bauer will make up any difference in the loss for the production as relates directly to the cost of the act – not including the stage removal or ancillary costs. Anna seconds. Dusty abstains. Motion passes.

Kid’s group: gonna come in on rainy Thursday afternoons for two hours. $15 fee each day. Southern Humboldt Home School Group.

Motion: Dusty. Eryn seconds. All in favor.

Has the Winter Shelter group approached us? Once, but didn’t want to bump aikido. Did they sign an MOU? Charity did not know.

Need to unplug fridges and freezers. We can only leave one of each plugged in. Can’t authorize hours for that, but food has to be moved out. Thursday Babette can come in and transfer/consolidate food so this can be done. Two newest, most efficient units can be left plugged in. That’s it.

Everything unnecessary needs to be cut.

Words from outgoing board members: (Moved up so Charlotte can depart early.

This has been an incredible, magnificent experience for me, especially to have gotten to know everyone better and to serve the Mateel. I’m sorry I got sick in the middle of it. I feel awful this this has happened on my co-watch, but I feel that you’re all wise people and you’ll make the wise, right, tough decisions. This is a business whether you like it or not. It’s also a community center. If it runs you 10-15K per month, how are you going to earn that money? Can Ineffable do two gigs here a month? Can we get someone like that who does non-reggae shows? Hot Tuna/Santana/rock and roll world. Love for it to get a little more diverse than just reggae and hip hop. Two big names a month to make the but you need each month is really important. That’s my synopsis of three years of sitting on the board. I wish you all the best and the highest for the beloved Mateel. I was here the first gig they ever had, it was african dance thing and the roof wasn’t even on.

Did get a call from Bruce Champie and he had a doctor appointment so might make the end of the meeting.

Any other staff reports that need to be brought to our attention?

Babette: Mateel Meal – if there are grants out there to be applied for, that could help cover hall operational costs – can that be done? Have you discussed it?

On the back burner for now, more pressing needs right now.

Other people out there willing to write the grants. Doesn’t necessarily need to happen in the hall. Food for People has expressed interest in helping.

In December, we did say that the Meal Committee needs to schedule a meeting for January.

Members? Dusty, Cynthia, and Babette. Is Cynthia still interested in being on the committee? Anna will reach out and ask.

Finance – Eryn & Garth:

Strongly leaning towards taking out a loan on the building. Makes the most sense with debts occurring and amounts of interest and penalties we’re taking on. Especially with sales tax and payroll taxes. Significant amount of payroll taxes with security crews because of the way those employees are considered Mateel employees. 12K penalty on payroll now. Even if we have to take out a smaller loan to cover these critical things.

Sysco – initially owed 31K. They stopped negotiating with Eryn in late Oct or Nov. Couldn’t afford their payment schedule of 1000K/wk. Have sent us to collections and have retained counsel. Garth has been receiving calls from an unknown number and thought it was a scam. In this case, both the Mateel and Garth are on the hook for the debt. Signed a lease agreement and a promissory note in 2014, forever. (Thought at the time that it was just a lease agreement.) Moving forward with a prejudgment writ of attachment. Going to have the Sheriff serve Garth and the Mateel and it will attach both the property and Garth’s personal property. 40K+. Also attached a UCC Finance Statement – 2014. Says it will stop us getting a loan. Lien on property – accrues interest and legal costs. Mateel could file for bankruptcy, but Garth would still be on the hook. The only thing they say that will stop this is a cashier’s check for 40K+. Seems like they’re just accruing more fees.

Judgment hasn’t been passed yet.

Monies from HAF for financial advisor were just approved today. Sure we’ll be meeting with him soon.

Seems like all income needs to be directed to this debt.

Do we have any other debtors like this? None so corporate or large.

How much is the tax debt? Less than 50, more than 40. With penalties, could become 70K.

Crafted a 2018 budget, but includes some proceeds of Reggae if it happens. Also includes doing SAMF. Unclear if the Reggae partnership will go through at this point. Need to know by next meeting. They say we’re still in. Need to announce – running out of time. If we don’t do the show, we need to pay the Arthur’s the cancellation fee. A fair amount of debt has to be cleared up to do SAMF, but if we do it, we can address some of our debt.

Need 20% of the value of the building, not the whole thing. $300-400K.

Going to be really tough to secure a loan with this balance sheet, however.

Bankruptcy, sale of the building? These things are still on the table.

Possible we could do a restructuring process.

Debt is only growing.

To build a structure like this it would be $2 mil.

When was the last appraisal? May not even have an official one.

A lender would want an appraisal. Only one or two appraisers on the county.

What will we do? A loan? What would you borrow? Unknown.

Did reach out to a local attorney for advice, but the Mateel does not have a lawyer other than ex officio board member Roxanne Olson, who doesn’t specialize in this type of law.

Sent her the contract, she didn’t feel that it was her area of expertise. Is there a pro bono lawyer for non-profits that we could approach?

Does Hum Co have any bankruptcy lawyers? Only 1% of non-profits have ever filed Chap 11, most just fold.

Tanya did bring in some sponsorship money for SAMF, but it’s earmarked. Just instructed Amie to cut a check to hold the State Park.

Charity was hoping that the finance committee could get a list of smaller debtors so she can be in contact with them. Eryn will help get that list together. Tanya could use this list as well.

Amie has been busy with the audit up until now. 2014 is completed. 2015 is in the works. Halfway through paying for 2015. Balance is earmarked already. Owe $5K in two weeks.

Probably won’t need to do an audit this year, due to lower income.

Need money for insurance coming up as well.

If we folded, the lien would never go through until the building was sold. Typically, in these cases, the organization would put it off until it was too late and the debt is insurmountable. A judge would deal with paying off the debts, if there are any assets left over they would get allotted to another local non-profit.

Personnel:

Closed session.

Building:

Covered elsewhere.

Low-power mode. No heat, no fridges, no freezers.

 

 

 

 

Fundraising:

 

Plan on emailing everyone else on the committee. Getting rick and darryl back involved. LGL is up and operating. We have one monthly sustaining member. User-friendly. So much nicer than the old system.

 

Sculptures – Umpqua, one going to the bar, Cecil’s, etc. Traveling around. They’ll be at the hall for the Matisyahu show for final bidding. Can view them on our Facebook page. Also on the artist’s Facebook page: Sacco the Warewolf. Can also call Nicole Devine (the organizer of this fundraiser) to place a bid.

 

Should we start a new crowdfunding campaign for the Sysco/Garth debt? Should cancel the Rainmaker Campaign and start a new one – confusing to have too many going on at once.

 

Anna will email Justine and ask her to wrap up that Rainmaker Campaign.

 

Question: who among us has been asking friends for $5K?

 

Not sure if any of us know anyone with that money. Hard times.

 

What happened to Darryl helping with fundraising. Wanted us to sign his letter of Truth & Reconciliation.

 

Megan will talk to Darryl about some ideas that he might be interested in pursuing.

 

Members: Megan, Anna, Bruce, Casandra, Babette, Pleasure

 

Low-budget fundraisers: Dinner and a movie? Sleepover style? No movie theatre in town. Have done movie nights but didn’t see the attendance. Themed movie nights?

 

Collaborate with Center Arts? Wanted to book events here in the past.

 

Election Results:

 

640 ballots printed

630 ballots mailed

10 ballots retained on site

4 of the retained ballots were distributed to members who did not receive ballots

8 ballots were returned by the post office as undeliverable

no ballots were returned blank

1 ballot was ineligible for marking 5 candidates

179 ballots returned for the Mateel office and tallied.

 

Cynthia: 63

Dusty: 85

Andrew Pergens – 38

Bruce Champ: 137

Jameson Hutson: 46

Stephen Helliwell: 94

Yarrow: 38

 

Letter: include new rental rates

 

Lower hourly rate??? Less than 4 hours, hourly rate. Need a very cheap rate for very small groups.

 

New Business:

 

Welcome to new board members Stephen Helliwell and Bruce Champie (absent) and returning board member Dusty Hughston.

 

SAMF update:

 

We can now hold the date since we got that 9K.

 

Need a Justine/media blitz for Summer Arts.

 

Need poster. Can get temporary artwork from Dom tomorrow.

 

What’s the best avenue? Everywhere. Email blast, social media, website, papers. Press launch date: Monday. (Need to make the debtor list and contact them before we launch.) Need to talk to Anne and Goran. Dusty is going to speak to Justine and figure out the media split arrangement.

 

Events & Talent: meeting on the 1st. Agenda includes booking for SAMF: One headliner, local talent, reducing hours of music, more ballet, theatre, dance, etc.

 

Chair needs to be re-elected at their next meeting.

 

Reggae news:

 

Active partner, 3rd rounds of negotiations with an undisclosed person. Hoping to announce within the next 3 weeks the partner and the event.

 

The partner would be the producer.

 

Unfortunately, can’t reveal anything beyond that.

 

Transparency:

 

Confidentiality agreement – supposedly a part of the board packet, no one has signed one.

 

Kelly suggestion: when debt occurs, maybe give a certain amount, and the membership has to be informed.

 

Post our minutes on the website? Megan motions to post summarized minutes on the website. Come to the office for the approved minutes in full. Eryn seconds. All in favor.

 

Entered closed session at 7:51pm.