Minutes: July 22, 2007 3 PM
Grand Traverse Pie Company
 
In Attendance: Don Parrish, Mike Garrahan, Fran Wakefield, Erika Nelson,
Martha Froseth, Sally Vandeven

OLD BUSINESS
Policy issues
* Orchestra member guidelines: drafted by Erika Nelson and distributed to
  board members for perusal.
* Sheet music management: how best to get the parts back. A few Mozart
  parts are still out there.
* Discussion of music management style: Fee based, Section head based,
  deposit based, sign-out based  (there was no consensus except to say
  that a deposit on individual parts is out of the question)
* Idea - does Dexter have a copy shop that might be willing to exchange
  printing for advertising?
* Many orchestras have a sign out sheet. Would need a protected personnel
  list on line.
  - There seemed to be consensus on the above point - a protected list.
* Posting of minutes: minutes shall be submitted within a week and posted
  on the "web" within two weeks.
* Posting of agenda: the earlier the better
* Personnel: pull out all stops seeking violinists. URGENT
* Once again, the Gazebo concert was well received. Maybe there should be
  more.
 
NEW BUSINESS:
* Music availability for first concert: Mid August (Distribution on Aug. 12
  at Foggy Bottom - noon to 2PM - a potential social "lunch" event.
* A request for operating fund donations will be made at the first rehearsal
  (August 29). Suggested amount will remain the same as last year.
* Looking for someone with the skills to make booklets to put together
  the program for this years concerts. MB will write the program notes.
* The Board is seeking a grant writer to fund the May concert commission
  and more. Erika is forming a list of grant organizations.
 
Service Organizations
* Input from the Dexter Kiwanis Club: Their membership is interested in
  providing concert day ushers. They have also offered to try to raise
  money for the DCO. (This information came to us through Dick Pitcher)
* The Question was raised as to whether we should join the Chamber of
  Commerce. There is a fee of $100 per year.  It was agreed that such an
  expenditure is worth our joining as we could then attend meetings and
  be provided with a directory of businesses in the area.
* There was discussion of approaching Lions Club, Dexter Rotary (if it
  exists), Knights of Columbus; all of which might be interested in some
  level of sponsorship.
 
Treasurer's report:
* Still working on the non-profit status.
* Last season expenses and income (what is known at this point) was
  presented by Fran. An outline of this season's expenses was discussed
  and revised. Fran will make these documents known later. Roughly, our
  current bank bal. is $2088.66. Estimated costs for the coming season is
  around $6,000.
* What we may be able to count on: $2,000 from Orchestra members, $1,500
  from concert donations, $1,000 from community, $500 from program
  ads. Other details as requested.
 
Fund Raising (expenses are growing)
* Erika has made up a tiered flyer to distribute to area businesses. A
  copy of it can be made available for musicians to look at. She has
  suggested that the appropriate approach to handing these out is as
  follows:
  1. Contact business owner, manager etc. by phone to make an appointment.
  2. Have Music Director and/or Board President keep the appointment and
    follow up with further contacts as needed.
  Erika has advised against "pounding the pavement" as a technique for
  getting sponsorship.
* A suggestion was made to include an envelope in each concert program
  along with the open cello cases on the stage.
* MB again pleaded for a list of donors so that thank-you notes might be
  sent out.
* A fund raising committee has been loosely put together (Sally Vandeven,
  MB, Erika Nelson - so far)
* More contact names for funds are needed from the orchestra membership.
* There is a need for some promotional photographs - orchestra and music
  director. Looking for a good photographer.
 
Items specifically from our Music Director: Don would like to spend
time at the May concert featuring our own players as well as the Youth
Competition soloist. A composition by Erika Nelson is already lined up
which in some official way, we will make a "commission". Don also thanked
the Board for the stipend awarded to him last May.
 
Future events: Missed Dexter Daze opportunity to be visible. Try for
Apple Daze in Oct.
 
Meeting was adjourned at 5 PM.

Respectfully submitted, Marolin Bellefleur