07/14/24 Leadership Team Meeting Minutes

*approved: (09/08/24)

Key action items bolded and underlined.

Meeting convened: 6:38 pm

Attendance:Jane Nevins (Funding Group); Samantha Fenner (Executive Director); Janet Mckeena (Chair); Jon Fenner (Communications); Julie Hay (Board); Monte Mann (Treasurer); Fabian Aruquipa (Secretary) 

1. Review and approve minutes from last meeting – Janet: Minutes were approved as shared by secretary. 
2. Finance quarterly update – Monte: balance sheet was presented by treasurer, Monte, showing where BWW was as of March 31^st; total amount take-away for the end of March is 49637; end of December showing 49718; finances change over the first quarter; we changed like a 100 dollars from 2023; we are right on track pretty much with what we had expected.
3. MSR Update – Suzanne: Suzane was unfortunately absent from the meeting; an update on MSR wasn’t received. 
4. Executive Director Report – Sam: CLA book launch update went extremely well; there were 30 attendees in person and 20 online; it was the biggest event since Covid; people were very happy; they expressed gratitude in person and in email; all of the books were sold except for 20 copies; ideas are requested to get rid of the remainders from past issues; the poetry path panels are done; Intervale is closed to public; last year the same happened; we don’t know if the panels are up after the hurricane; as soon as they open Intervale up, we will check them up; we will announce when it is officially open; 

Role documentation update: since most activities are completed year after year, people rotate as well as their tasks and roles; it would be smarter to delineate the committee’s activities and duties instead of people as people change all the time; please look at what Sam uploaded regarding building resources; volunteer tasks and timing is flexible and it is hard to document that in the way it is documented in the strategic plan; 

Calendar of Events update: the board members voted unanimously to have the Annual Meeting in November; the Cold Lake Anthology may also be changed around, but we have to still figure it out;  

5. Operating Plan quarterly update – Sam, Jon, Jane and Monte presented an update on the OP, describing the status of the activities that fall within their area, as presented below. Most of the activities are recurrent and ongoing. Most have been scheduled and report no issues.
   1.  Action Group – Leadership and Volunteer Resources – Sam: Identify all roles with time-sensitive elements in partnership: ongoing; Secure new volunteers: ongoing, teaching and training them; Build roles’ documentation: to be completed by September; Build the 2024 plan to actively solicit volunteers: we are getting places replaced inside the community; Communications to put up calls for volunteers; this can be pushed with social media manager; communicate status of action group activities: done quarterly; partner with communications: ongoing. 
   2. Action Group – Finance and Funding – Monte / Finance: Tax submission was completed on time (April 15^th, 2024); the 2024 annual budget has been presented on time (April 14^th, 2024); Expand and improve modes of donation: ongoing; this area belongs to funding also; payments to be managed: ongoing; there are 8 to 10 fixed payments over the year; hence it is better not to list all of those in the operating plan; partner with leadership and volunteer coordinator: this activity is recurrent and completed as needed.

Jane / Funding: Prepare draft of 2024 funding plan: depended upon BWW vision; meeting needed to discuss calendar with potential grant submission and reports; partner with communication action groups: this takes place as needed; report funding results: completed as per calendar (4/1, 8/1, 12/1); identify grants for submissions: ongoing, final report due 9/1; looking at grant station for opportunities; identify fundraising opportunities: ongoing activity.  

3. Action Group – Communication – Jon: support workshop scheduling: ongoing activity; Review 2023 analytics: to be completed until 09.30.24; integrate MSR and BWW analytics: to be completed until 09.30.24; develop 2024 digital communications plan: to be completed until 09.30.24; Streamline visual branding: deadline by 12.31.24; provide updates on the website: ongoing task; assess replacement for Eventbrite: to be completed by 09.30.24; a new social media manager has been recruited, Katie; she is interested and will be doing this for MSR also; partner with leadership and volunteer resourcing group: to be completed by 09.30.24. 

4. Action Group – Programs – Sam: Schedule workshop host: to be completed by September possibly; Evaluate the creation of online forum: dependent on what comes out of Host meeting; Keep LT appraised of new events: this is an ongoing activity; Evaluate proposals and ideas: this is an ongoing activity; Bilingual trial workshop: completed in April, good results; bilingual workshop Robert Frost in Autum; it would advisable to hold the beginning, intermediate and advanced poetry workshops simultaneously; rewilding workshop by Cristine in Spring / Autum; member author publishing series: under review; CLA launch: July not June; creative writing general workshop under construction; partner with the volunteer coordinator: this is an ongoing activity; there may be a need new host for poetry workshops; partner with comms action group: ongoing and underway; develop and host programs for writers: ongoing; 

Date for next LT meeting: September 8^th – 19:00 with coffee break at 18:45 

Meeting adjourned at 19:52