February 23, 2004

February 23, 2004

In Attendance: Mary Grannan, Ann Barden, David Coupland, Dottie Coyne, Cortlandt Cammann, Cassie Cammann, Martha Zingo, Sam Clark, Jackie Deron, Barbara Brodsky.

Brief sitting. Some moments of personal sharing among all present.

ACTION ITEM: Martha Zingo will finish the January minutes and get them into the email for approval with the next two weeks.

FINANCIAL:

• First month on the new chart of accounts. Expenses and income were charted against our budget proposals.
• Board approved David opening an E*TRADE account on line to receive future stock donations. This information will be made known to the sangha at the upcoming meeting.
• Deep Spring needs a line item for an advertising budget.
• Sales tax is only charged to non-profits on what they sell (not what they buy). This happens only if we sell over $5,000 worth of goods. Last year we sold $4,800 and over $6,000 the year before. If you collect sales tax, you must pay it. We always sell books for the list price. We do get a discount when we order--40% or more. Board approved selling books for the list price and underwriting the sales tax. Many books are bought with an extra payment and that can be recorded as donation so we won't pay sales tax on the donated extra.
• David reminds us that we have to pay the tax quarterly on Alice's paycheck and the sales taxes.

OMA:
No OMA meeting recently-no need. Alice is very effective and efficient. ACTION ITEM--an OMA meeting should be planned. ACTION ITEM--Data Base: changes to be made from simplicity to complexity to create a single contact list for Deep Spring. David has the time just now to work on this project--a new Master List--a custom built system--probably a private WEB site. Board approved David doing this.

EMAIL POLICY:
January Board meeting recommended that there be two lines of sangha emails--DSC business and DSC Community Announcements. The issue is maintenance of the two lists. And Alice's time is best spent updating the DSC business list. There will have to be another person to coordinate the community announcements. ACTION ITEM: At the sangha meeting we will call for a volunteer to coordinate the email Community Bulletin Board. ACTION ITEM: Cassie Cammann and Barbara will be the gatekeepers to decide which is Deep Spring information and which is community information.

The Board approves an evening of Sister Thanasanti teaching before she leaves town. We will not charge her rent but put out two dana baskets--one for her and one for Deep Spring.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE:
ACTION ITEM: Dottie will contact the teachers to enlist two teachers to the nominating process design committee which will become the Nominating Committee in service to the Board. Corty will retire from this committee when a new one is in place. It would be good to rotate three Board members at a time with some overlap to help the new members. September is mentioned in the bylaws. Barbara points out that we must educate the sangha about the Board.

ARCHIVE COMMITTEE:
There will be a March meeting. Best technology is under discussion (Aaron's tapes digital for example). Presently they are working to match tapes with transcripts. There needs to be extra hands to help sort things out. Present members: Martha, Carol Blotter, Kate, Jane Grace and Barbara.

BUILDING COMMITTEE: 
Developing a method of cleaning this building. Seva Saturdays are not working. We could do an adopt-a-week method. ACTION ITEM: Corty will price a cleaning service. ACTION ITEM: This will be on the sangha meeting agenda.

FUNDRAISING:
No report tonight

NEWSLETTER:
There is no liaison to the Board. Barbara says she will serve as liaison. Jane Grace is searching for articles just now for the next issue.

RETREAT:
There are several retreats currently. Breathwork just ended. The registration is low for Howell on March 5th. Break even at Howell is 20 and we have 8 for that weekend. Beginners (end of March) is usually a small group anyway. We offered several retreats this year to meet many needs. It's a new system. Suggestions: Check on spring retreat attendance total before planning number of spring retreats for next year. Work with Sunnyside for small groups. Don't use Break Week. Maybe just three retreats next year, January to April--Breathwork (Barbara and Julie), General and No Frills. Aaron Workshops (Barbara and Aaron)-- not to be forgotten.

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE:
Cassie needs a new chairman of this effort. 

TEACHERS GROUP: 
Written report of classes currently underway. Corty asks the teachers to teach the value of service, service for the sangha. ACTION ITEM: Dottie will bring this up next Monday evening at the teachers' class.

SANGHA MEETING:

• David--will report financial report stock gifts, budget and sales tax. 
• Ann--the state of the sangha and the building experience, future discussion items.
• Ann--will lead the Barbara's Role document discussion.
• Jackie-- will do the food (bagels, oranges and tea) and she and Ann will set up.

Meeting adjourned, 9:25 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Dorothy Ann Coyne