Attendance
In attendance: Hanan Bell, Joan Fairbanks, Charlotte Hotchkiss, Jackie Kirn, Teresa Metzger-Howe, Koko Morgan, Doug Potter, Bruce Sherman, Anne Warner, and Gennie Winkler
Approval of Minutes
The June 14, 2023 Board Minutes were approved.
Potluck at Magnusson on Sunday, August 27
The Symphony members are to bring one of the following: a main dish, salad or dessert. Gennie will pick-up plates, silverware, cups and water.
Covid Policy
The Covid policy will be dropped. Masks will be optional. The windows will be open with the fans going during the rehearsals.
Membership procedures and preparing for September 6th
Membership inquiries will now go to Anne. The website will be changed so Anne will be notified. She will recommend some changes to the wording on the website.
Music
The bowing has not been completed. The coaches are waiting for the upper string bowings to be completed, so they can coordinated the bowings. The music rental will be about $1000 for the year, which is more than usual. There will be an additional cost for the ASCAP fee. Hanan will give the estimated figures to Bruce so he can modify the budget for next year.
Sectionals Report
The sectionals have been rearranged so both the violin sections can meet on Wednesdays. The amount paid to the sectional coaches was increased to $200 per sectional.
Grant Issues
A payment request need to be submitted for the 4Culture grant. This is required in order to receive the money.
Finance Discussion
Budget for fiscal year of 2024 will have some additions which include Teresa's raise, an increase in the compensation to the soloists and coaches, and some other rental music costs. Below is Bruce's summary of the updated treasurer's report.
Bruce's Treasurer’s Report June 14, 2023
To be finalized after June 30. I’ve included known June expenses such as Teresa’s salary and bonus in these figures.
This is a summary of last year's Net worth, Expenses and Income.
Net Worth 7/1/2021 --- $31,007.63
Expenses FY 2022 --- $(21,622.16)
Income FY 2022 --- $23,923.51
Net Worth 6/30/2022 --- $33,308.98
We started the year with $33,308.98, which included a grant from 4Culture, which we still have not received.
This fiscal year summary is as follows:
Net Worth 7/1/2022 --- $33,308.98
Expenses FY 2023 --- ($20,309.62)
Income FY 2023 --- $16,551.54
Net Worth 6/30/2023 --- $29,550.90
Unlike the previous year, you can see that our income was well below our expenses and that both expenses and income were less than the previous year.
The income was more in 2022 due to grants primarily.
This is the 2nd year of only donations and no dues. I’ll let Anne let us know overall how many gave and what their average was.
Our budget for next year will be similar to this years, with an increase to Teresa. I think we are on good financial footing, but we will need to get some grants to stay in the positive range financially. We have plenty of money going forward but will need to enhance our income.
I will commit to having better electronic means for concert donations such as a QR Code that can be scanned by phone. Now that I think of it, having one of those at rehearsals might not be a bad idea either.
Concerts
All the concerts will be at the St. Andrews Episcopal Church. The Fall concert will be a benefit concert for the United Churches Emergency Fund.
Diversity
To support and encourage diversity, we want to attract diverse people to play with us and to encourage them to come to our concerts. Some possible ways to make this happen are to ask diverse people in the Symphony to reach out to others in their community, play music to attract people from the diverse communities, and to have Teresa do an interview with KING FM that focuses on her adding diverse music to our concerts. Two other possibilities are to reach out to diverse organizations and to have a group from the Symphony play at a food bank.
Publicity
Charlotte needs a mailing list to publicize the concerts. A QR code will be made available to tell more about the concerts.
Music Director
The order of the music for the Fall concert will be changed to make the intermission timing better. The attendance policy will be sent out with the picnic information. Teresa will go over it with the Symphony members. She will take attendance at the rehearsals.
Concert Recordings
Bruce will look at the music copyrights and how recording the concerts might be effected by them. The rehearsals will be streamed live over the Zoom link. They will also be recorded.
Agreement with MCNW
The new rental agreement with the Music Center of the Northwest has some concerns about the use of Rain City Symphony's tympani. Doug will speak with the director of the Music Center to figure out something.
Door Monitors
The various sections of the Symphony will monitor the Center's door beginning at 7:00 pm.
Succession of the Board for Next Year
Five members were nominated to the Board of Directors each agreed to continue serving. The following is a list of who they are and the position they hold:
Gennie Winkler - Vice President
Bruce Sherman - Treasurer
Hanan Bell - Librarian
Charlotte Hotchkiss - Publicity Coordinator
Jackie Kirn - Development Director
Review of Last Year's Plan
a. Revise bylaws to have anti-racism purpose
b. Administer questionnaires at concerts and to orchestra
c. Consistent Web presence. For concerts store posters, programs, concert video/audio.
d. Find stage, house managers; find cash box watchers
e. Consistently solicit help from the orchestra
f. Record concerts and link to them from the website
Five year plan
a. Increase concert attendance
b. Strengthen online presence
c. Widen orchestra presence in orchestra operations
d. Increase funding network
e. Increase diversity
2024 Action Plan
a. Contact retirement homes to see if they can and want to stream our concerts
b. Make posters and other promotion materials available on the website
c. Form a group of three people to develop a diversity plan
d. Add testimonials on the website
Next Board Meeting
The next Board Meeting is on Wednesday, October 4th at the MCNW at 6:30 p.m.
