DSC Board Minutes - October 22, 2007

Attendees: Delyth Balmer, Curt Fish, Simon Ha, Susan Klimist, Linda Longo, Peg Tappe, Barbara Brodsky, Rori Stienstra.

Brief sitting.
Sharing of personal matters.

Agenda

1. Sangha commentary-None present
   The board approved sending email announcement of Susan Klimist’s Rainbow Dharma (LGBT Dharma Group) to DSC mailing list. Susan to provide email to Alice.
    
2. Review Agenda/minutes process (Curt)
   1. All agreed that the email process used last month worked well.
   2. Delyth agreed that minutes taken directly into agenda doc is working well.
   3. Use “flip chart” for longer discussions as needed, large paper pad/markers are available at DSC.
       
3. Fundraiser status
   1. Hugh Danville will be coordinator again this year. Many thanks.
   2. Artwork status (Peg) Dianne Austin has given Alice 5 ink drawings. Alice will select one and make up the bookmarks.
   3. Review fundraising letter from the board (Curt) Edits were made by the group and final wording was agreed upon. Curt will make changes and give to Alice to copy by October 26th.
       
4. Aaron Archives
   1. Suitable software report– Simon stated he is addressing only a small part of the Archive Committee Proposal and acknowledges all the work that Carol and Martha have done for this project. He has researched potential software (free-open source) that could be used by the “Web Programmer/Designer” in the Aaron Archive Committee Proposal. Recommends “Mambo” (see Software Supplementary Report for details). Mambo has existing search capabilities. For more customized searches, some add-ons can either be found on-line or custom written by a programmer. Aaron Archive project would need a separate web hosting site, but linked from DSC’s website. Hosting service of web site and domain name are estimated to cost approximately $100.00 per year. Need a coordinator for the project; a programmer to get the web site off the ground and volunteers to do the indexing on transcripts.
   2. Discussion of alternatives for moving forward: Find volunteers.
      1. Simon and Curt to write an ad for the next DSC newsletter requesting volunteers to work on this project.
      2. Barbara will contact Ian as a possible resource and write an email and ask Alice to send it out to Aarons transcript list regarding help with indexing.
   3. Board accepted the “Aaron Archives Committee Proposal” as presented and offers much gratitude to Carol and Martha for their work.
       
5. What is a Deep Spring Event? – Deferred until next board meeting.
    
6. Purchase of laptop for the treasurer (Linda)
   Review the estimate of costs The proposal has been sent to the Tech committee. Linda will present it to the board once approved by the Tech committee.
    
7. Office manager link status (Curt)
   1. Curt will serve as primary OM link. Curt has met with Alice twice and will continue to organize and coordinate with her.
   2. Linda will continue to be the contact for financial matters.
       
8. Newsletter status (Delyth/Rori)
   1. Printing of newsletter: Nicholas wants to make sure it is worth his while to do this. Wants Rori to get quotes on printing, and will submit a proposal himself. Rori will send all quotes to the board and check with Alice on amounts paid to Nicholas for printing the newsletter during the past two cycles.
   2. Right livelihood ads: Rori noted there are no written guidelines for acceptance of ads for the Newsletter. Barbara stated ads have been accepted if they are consistent with the values of DSC. The board agreed to keep this as the guideline. Rori will write up the policy and email it to the board for final approval.
       
9. Who Does What brochure (Linda)
   1. Alice has published the new “Who Does What” to the web
   2. Changes needed:
      1. Add Nominating Committee: Sandy Weiner, Ann Barden
      2. With gratitude for their past service the board accepted resignations of Lisa Zucker from the Retreat Committee, and David Copeland from the Information Technology Committee. Remove their names from the document.
      3. Add New members to the Newsletter Committee: Rori Stienstra-Content Manager, Maria Edelen (in RI)-layout, Kathleen Sheridan-production.
          
10. Treasurer’s report (Linda)
    1. Linda summarized the monthly budget which reflects stable performance in August, budget is basically on target. Linda will email final copy of budget to board members and make copies for the office Board Book.
    2. Linda is having the CDs rollover at 4 months rather than 12 months as it yields a higher interest rate. Corporate resolution forms for Bank of Ann Arbor was signed by appropriate parties. Linda will have the Corporate resolution form for Chase Bank signed by appropriate parties at the next board meeting.
        
11. Retreat committee report (Peg)
    1. The October Howell retreat is full.
    2. The November retreat at Sunnyside is filling quickly.
        
12. Social committee report (Linda)
    1. Linda and Bilha would both like to be off the social committee. Linda to confirm this with Bilha and both to move forward on plans for recruiting new volunteers. (approach particular people or post an ad in the newsletter)
    2. Social activities are in the works: a movie night on November 9th or 10th. A Christmas party on December 8th or 15th. The board approved inviting the Interfaith Center to the party.
        
13. Next board meeting (Curt) Curt is not available on Nov. 26th, the Board agreed to change the next board meeting to Nov. 19th.
     
14. Day of the Dead - Early morning sittings on November 1st and 2nd are now on the calendar.
     
15. Board pictures have been provided to the OM (and are posted on the bulletin board).
     
16. Bookstore Committee:
    1. Pat and Susan decided not to make a large order for the bookstore this year. The bookstore is not needed as much as in the past, many of the book distributors used in the past are no longer in business. We are now using Amazon so profit margin is disappearing. Would like to maintain the DSC published items for the bookstore, still order large quantities for a class or if something is desired to have available in quantity. Will have a zafu and zabuton available to sell at retreats but not stock as in the past.
    2. Barbara will bring crystals from Brazil, as has been requested by several people, and make them available to the Bookstore at her cost for DSC to sell.

Meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.
Next board meeting: November 19, 2007 at 6:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Delyth Balmer