4/14/24 Leadership Team Meeting Minutes

*Approved 05/19/24

Key action items bolded and underlined.

Meeting convened: 6: 28 pm

General: Review 3/10/24 meeting. Minutes approved.

Attendance:Attendance: Janet Mckeehan-Medina (Chair); Monte Mann (Treasurer); Millie Eidson (Secretary); Jane Nevins (Board Member); Suzanne Guess (MSR Editor-in-Chief); Fabian Aruquipa (member), Skip Keith (member)

Budget approval—Monte 

• 2023 Budget
  • Income exceeded the projected amount overall and in most categories: gross $19,043
  • Expenses were reduced compared to projection: $10,914 (some items were attributed as reductions in income for those items rather than listed in both income and expenses)
• Balance sheet (prepared by accountant)
  • $50,186 total assets; same amount for liabilities and equity
• Plan
• Current plan does not include proposed $500 monthly stipend for Executive Director (would exceed current projected income)
• Starting in third quarter, MSR is switching to quarterly, so both income and expenses will be reduced
• Recommend that when LT votes on stipend, new proposed balanced budget reflecting that amount is presented
• Monte will develop new options for LT to vote on by email before annual meeting

MSR Update—Suzanne 

• Switching to four quarterly issues per year, starting in third quarter due to exceeding Submittable restrictions on number of submissions per year in three-year contract
• Seeking a copy editor to help genre editors
  • Goal to fill by end of April but those interested want a paid position
  • Will be listing two senior editor positions (volunteers also)
  • Social media manager jointly with BWW is needed; working on job description
  • Post copy editor position to BWW membership
  • Having two co-editors (in-chief) is challenging due to decision-making; better to have two senior editors with one editor to have tie-breaker
  • Ashley retired as of March 31
  • New art editor, volunteer, with good design experience 

Executive Director Position—Janet

• Bylaws has this position to carry out strategy and operations, oversees volunteers, can preside over meetings in absence of President
• Proposal to give the position to Sam as current Managing Director: Approved

Bylaws for 2024—Sam

• Proposals are on website Works In Progress page
• Add page numbers
• One item still to discuss: “By force of numbers, non-elected Leadership Team Members may not outvote or overrule decisions of the elected Board.”
• Reworded board size to keep odd number, but would temporarily not be in place during periods where positions are staggered
• Motion: Accept the bylaws as written. Approved.

Strategic Plan and Operating Plan update—Sam

• Annual meeting, will approve strategic plan
• Operating plan will be presented but won’t be up for approval
• Motion: Accept them as written. Approved.

Annual Meeting Plan—Sam 

• Fix agenda so it pops up when clicking on Annual Meeting
• Welcome, introduce Board, LT, accomplishments
• CLA and MSR updates
• Retiring board members and nominations for new members
• Bylaws
• Strategic Plan:
  • 3-minute update from each of four committees
  • Operating plan presented
  • Approve strategic plan
• Budget discussion and approval

Manager Director Update—Sam 

• Writers Block, concerns before moving forward, may join with us
• Impact report, need Stats from MSR, to be submitted after annual meeting
• Green Mountain Book Festival, hired Executive Director
  • Want to pull in writing groups more for volunteers (funding donations welcome but not essential)
  • Ultimate goal: week-long literacy event but will make incremental progress each year
  • Considering spring for more hotel reductions, end of April
    • Shorter event this fall
    • They’d like BWW to run a free poetry workshop next spring (Jim Wyman)
    • Uncertain as to author events next time; MSR would like to be involved

Annual Meeting: April 28, 7:00 pm

Next LT meeting: May 19, 6:30 pm (changed from 2^nd Sunday—Mother’s Day) Coffee hour chat, 6:15

Adjourned: 7:30 pm