09/08/24 Leadership Team Meeting Minutes

*approved: (10/14/24)

Key action items bolded and underlined.

Time: Meeting called to order at 7:00 by Chair, Janet McKeehan-Medina 

Attendance: Samantha Fenner (Executive Director); Janet McKeehan Medina (Chair); Jane Nevins (Grants); Skip Keith (Member); Suzzane Guess (MSR); Jon Fenner (Comms.); Monte Mann (Finance). 

1. Approval of Previous Minutes

• Minutes from the last LT meeting were unanimously approved.

2. MSR Update (Suzanne)

• The MSR review is currently in its first cycle of the new quarterly schedule and is on track.
• Poetry and fiction submissions closed early due to reaching the maximum limit, but nonfiction submissions are still below expectations.
• Updates to the MSR website masthead are pending due to technical issues, with Jon and Shalom working on solutions.
• New senior editors Megan Harris (social media) and Paul Chucks (manuscript reviews and feedback requests) have joined, easing the workload on the Editor-in-Chief.
• Fabian, the new copy editor, is performing well. Suzanne thanked all volunteers for their contributions.

3. Executive Director Report (Sam)

• a) Calendar of Events:
  • The master class with Nancy Stone on emotions and art / writing was postponed due to technology issues and Nancy’s personal circumstances. It will be rescheduled for early next year.
  • A new workshop by Joni Cole on incorporating humor into writing is scheduled for next month.
  • Requests for new workshops include a poetry meet-and-greet, performance workshops, and social media promotion for authors. Sam suggested a survey to gauge member interest.
• b) Drop-Dead Lists Initiative:
  • The initiative aims to create handover lists to help members pick up ongoing tasks in case of absence or change. Sam asks that lists be sent to her to be included on the google drive.
• c) Annual Meeting:
  • The date was kept as November 3^rd. The meeting will be brief, focusing on the budget, with no elections; bylaw and strategic plan may see changes. Janet, Monte, Jane, and Fabian were previously elected, leaving only Julie up for election next cycle.

4. Communications Team Update (Jon)

• Masthead updates for the MSR site are ongoing.
• Eventbrite issues have been resolved, but alternatives for the platform are being explored due to its lack of responsiveness. Hosting the platform on our own server is a potential option, but entails heavy work.

5. Grants Update (Jane)

• Final report for the operational grant is due by September 30th, with assistance from Meredith Bell.
• Jane continues to work on grants, particularly through Grant Station, and is preparing tailored templates for future submissions.
• The NEA Grant, a government grant, is being explored, with Jane committed to keeping updated on grant processes through government platforms.

6. Finance Report (Monte Mann)

• The organization’s financial health remains stable after five months of Sam’s stipend and $3,000 in expenses. Monte noted the decision to pay Sam was sound, and obtaining grants would further improve finances.
• Future stipends for other volunteers, such as MSR team members, are being considered.

7. Acknowledgments and Closing

• Janet thanked Monte and others for their updates, and welcomed Skip as a new host.
• The next meeting is scheduled for October 13th.
• Sam will send information regarding the annual meeting for review before October.

The next meeting is scheduled for October 14th

Adjournment:
Meeting adjourned at 7:45.