Burlington Writers Workshop Leadership Team Meeting, 11/21/21 (approved 12/19/21)
(Specific to-do items underlined and bolded.)
Attendance: Nancy Kilgore and Elaine Pentaleri (Board Chairs), Millie Eidson, Dick Matheson, Sam Fenner, Jon Fenner, Olga Hebert, Ashley Hajimirsadeghi, Dennis Bouldin, Nancy Volkers
Review & approve minutes: Approved as written.
MSR Review: Ashley
ï‚· Put out interviews yesterday, getting ready to put together next issue
ï‚· Expanding CNF team
ï‚· Hope to promote writers more on social media
ï‚· Closed manuscript reviews
o Only 2 this time, did more training of reviewers; 8 twice a year until a year ago
o Strategize for next time for more widespread marketing, although promoted on social media and newsletter
o FB groups more targeted to novelists for future
o Talk to Sunny about social media coordination; wrap into overall media campaign
o Discuss doing it sooner or extending the period for submissions; why not keep it open all the time? With rider about closing if reaching capacity
o Consider reducing price from $375? Was $350 for several times. For future consideration—not approved at this time.
o Raised stipend for readers so income is $25 less per manuscript
o Income necessary to keep MSR going
ï‚· Tweaking website to link author interviews back to issue they were published in
ï‚· Continuing to have team meetings
ï‚· Co-editors are ex-officio members of board and should participate in entire LT meetings
o Determine how MSR should be in bylaws
o But MSR editor work is a large commitment, is LT meeting time possible?
o Co-editors will alternate each month for LT meeting commitment
Appoint Board Members:
ï‚· Board member can have second consecutive 2-year term after first one
ï‚· Board officers: President, Secretary, Treasurer are required officer positions
o Our bylaws have a fourth officer position not filled
o Officer positions are 1-year term and get elected annually by board, not at annual meeting
ï‚· Elaine, Dennis, and Nancy K. are past first 2-year term
o When vacancy occurs between annual meetings, board may make appointment to fill out remainder of the term of person who has resigned
o If willing to continue to serve, would be interim until approval at annual meeting
o Someone can resign by giving notice in writing, so could step down at any point
o If someone intends to serve a second 2-year term, it begins at end of first 2-year term
o Nancy K. is willing to serve another 2-year term on Board but is stepping down as CoChair/CoPresident.
o Dennis will decide by the Annual Meeting whether to continue on the Board
o Elaine can continue on Board and can continue as Chair given tech support
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o Need to grow Board and pull in new talent
o Elaine nominated as President; Millie nominated as Sec., Dick nominated as Treasurer; seconded; Approved
Approve Bylaws updates
ï‚· Olga integrated the amendments from four annual meetings to bring bylaws up-to-date
o All amends are in new document
o Some proposed changes were also added to help clarify things
o Ally helped review annual meeting minutes to lift out amendments that were made
o Some formatting like numbers needed to be changed
o Sam sent some additional proposed changes
ï‚· Bylaws must be approved by LT, then put out for annual meeting
o Notification 8 weeks before annual meeting, with deadlines for amendments
o Bylaws are complicated to interpret, such as definitions of participating and contributing members; is there a difference? Some issues are left to LT to spell out.
o Should there be a mailing address requirement? Now is the time to make changes.
o Motion approved to clean up current proposal to make additions and deletions clear for member review and voting, remove confusing additional colors.
ï‚· BWW is a nonprofit legal corporation and there are legal requirements which are specified in bylaws by various statutes
o Bylaws can be modified again in future; should be vague/broad to allow flexibility
o Amendments after annual meeting would require calling another member meeting prior to the next annual meeting, if changes couldn’t wait for next annual meeting unless Board needs to make more emergency changes
Program team updates
ï‚· Master classes: All sold out or close to it; going well, good reviews.
ï‚· EventBrite: going well for master classes
o Neither EventBrite nor MeetUp can provide everything everyone wants
o Different interests and target demographics
o Workshop hosts at their meeting: some of them preferred to keep familiar system of MeetUp for existing workshops but are fine with EventBrite for Master Classes
o MeetUp is free and allows joining in spontaneous way, has been part of BWW concept
o But there can be positives to consolidating on one platform, will need training and support for hosts
o EventBrite is easier for paid workshops
o If keeping MeetUp for advertising, then why not keep both? Transitioning to directing people from there to EventBrite
o New website could integrate with either
o Communications team is leaning toward going with one system and it should be EventBrite
o Jon will create training video and send to hosts asking for volunteers to try switching to EventBrite. Could also consider survey to hosts.
o The majority of active participants are older and perhaps more tech phobic and used to MeetUp, although younger demographic uses EventBrite and could be attracted to participation.
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o Not many other nonprofit organizations use meetup; used more for spontaneous get togethers.
 Also transitioning from Zoom to Google Meet because it’s free
o Some workshop hosts will try it out and convince others
ï‚· Support and appreciation for workshop hosts
o Meeting report: some hosts considering moving on and/or changing workshops
o Some hosts feeling ignored or taken for granted.
o A few hosts are opposed to changing to EventBrite or concerned about the implications of the change. Dennis will send list of issues to be addressed by tech team.
ï‚· Fee classes
o Previously LT, Annual Meeting, and amended Bylaws agreed that some classes could be done for a fee
o Class presenter defines class and fee, post on EventBrite or MeetUp like with master classes; attendee pay fees, monies split 50/50 between presenter and BWW
o For class refunds, cancellations must occur at least 24 hours before class begins (need to figure out Eventbrite fee consequences).
o For series of classes paid for up front: if person registering has some unforeseen change or the already attended class(es) did not live up to expectations, they can get back fee for classes not yet attended. There will be no refund for classes already attended that the participant didn’t like.
o BWW would have an interest in promoting fee classes; we offer members something valuable and earn income
o Concern if it undermines current workshop model but workshop hosts are in favor of it
o Members want something in between the workshops sharing writing and the master classes; some hosts have unique skills that they can’t do in workshop and are willing to contribute them to BWW; shooting ourselves if don’t listen to what members ask for
o What are criteria for letting host do this? People who have already hosted a workshop. Later LT can consider other criteria. Require certain number of classes for free first to show skill and build up a following.
o More like classes or very host-guided workshops that are teaching oriented.
o Alternative model: Done by host on own and pay BWW a flat fee for listing, support
o Great opportunity for BWW to bring in income and allow workshop leaders to flex and do things they can’t do in a workshop.
o Proposals are similar to town rec committees, so there are models. Could be either half to BWW, or give BWW fixed fee. Ex: $5/person/class. If host pays BWW $50 per class, he does the work, like a licensing fee; Approved initial proposal of host paying $50/class meeting to BWW for its name and association; host will do work.
o Dick and Sam will develop expanded proposal
o Programming team currently doesn’t have a leader
o Make it as easy as possible to administer, particularly in regards to finances and refunds.
ï‚· Website update: Jon
o Ashley attends Communications team meetings to represent MSR, want more integration with MSR
o Jon provided quick demo but will send out a link for review
o Will have members only section to share files for different workshops, password protected
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ï‚· Green Mountain Book festival: Elaine
o Name owned by and provided by Phoenix Books, no link to previous festival
o BWW, Burlington City Arts, Phoenix Books, and presenting sponsor TBD
o Sep. 16-18, 2022
o Venues to be determined; BCA will provide spaces at no cost; library space free, Main Street Landing will rent
o BCA can help with logo, ads, marketing after Jan. 1, and will provide 3K grant if no conflict of interest
o Phoenix will provide 10k and will have rights to all book sales
o Additional 10-15K will be raised from donors, working with influencers
o Kim MacQueen will serve on board
o Will form nonprofit 501(3)c under BWW and will convene board of directors
o Champlain College interns may be able to help create lot and assist
o Hope to create specific webpage
o Headliner events, probably 3, plus dinner and authors event
o Make it an annual sustainable festival with paid executive director after 3 years
o Financial risk to BWW? Unclear if continues under BWW or becomes separate. If independent board making decisions that have financial implications, and under BWW responsibility, and they spend more than they’ve raised, BWW shouldn’t be on the hook if there is mismanagement. Need BWW LT member on their board. Should work toward income to BWW for contributing planning, like grant management fee like for BCA grant.
o LT members invited to work on this.
o Think about how to promote own writers.
o Motion approved: BWW encourages Elaine to move forward with planning. Additional issue discussed but not currently approved yet: We agree to be a sponsoring organization in the interim until it can go out on its own. Until it can be financially independent, BWW has veto power over risky financial actions.
o Request to see written agreement showing non-profit tier by next LT.
ï‚· Cold Lake Anthology: Elaine, Nancy V.
o 5 submissions, intern coding them to read them blind
o Encourage submissions to end of Jan. through website, newsletter, and workshop hosts
Strategic Plan: Postponed until next meeting
Resource Team: Sam
ï‚· Respond to Jane Nevins email survey documenting task leaders
 Mary’s poetry path moving forward, talked to city rec center and library
ï‚· Alicia T. is working on Diversity Equality Inclusiveness (DEI) statement, developing rough draft for Nancy V. to help polish, aim to share next meeting
ï‚· Membership benefits under development
Next meeting: Dec. 19, 7 pm
