May 29, 2002

May 29, 2002

Meeting was held at the Camman's house.

Board Members in Attendance: Ann Barden, Barbara Brodsky, Jane Grace Bowman, Cassie Cammann, Dottie Coyne, Jackie Deron, Aiji Pipho, Pat Shalis. Guests: Corty Cammann, Su Hansen (Office Manager), Kate Leshock, Martha Zingo signing for Barbara.

• April minutes read and approved noting that April was Cassie’s first meeting.
• Discussion of the process of our meetings: It was decided not to use Corty at tonight’s meeting. Perhaps Corty can do an in-service training in the future about how to run a meeting.
• Insurance for our employee (old action item): This is in place now at a cost of $288.

1. Financial:
1. New formatted reports replace all but the April report from last month.
2. Financial situation good despite large office set up costs. Brochure is finished. A donation from the Coynes will cover the cost.
3. Nicholas @$300 per month will end soon. Pat will review the statements at the June intensive.
4. A discussion of computer expenditures also postponed.
2. Retreat:
1. The June retreat is a wait-listed sellout: 53 total, 17 out of town, 7 scholarships, 43 for the full week. Coordination of the volunteers and the transportation discussed.
2. Discussion of the "no frills" retreats led to the decision to schedule a breathwork weekend in January (20 persons) and a no frills retreat in April. There will be a subcommittee to the retreat committee to handle these alternative weekends.
3. Office Report:
1. A credit card for Deep Spring Center was discussed and a decision postponed until Su researches it a bit more.
2. Computer work goes forward with Nicholas putting a bigger into the MAC, costing around $120 to back up Barbara’s computer. He is also buying a larger drive for himself to back up files off site.
3. Discussion of Digital Realm as a provider for the DSC computer. Nicholas will research this.
   ACTION ITEM: next meeting the board needs to discuss who Nicholas is responsible to and what his job description is.
4. An Office Manager Advisory task force is being established with Pat Shalis, Kris Kurnit and Dottie Coyne—the three who conducted the search and hired the office manager.
4. Website: The board agreed to send Alice Britt a thank you for her hard work on the web site.
5. Teachers Group: Kris Kurnit reports to the board that the teachers are currently at work on an ethics statement.
6. Volunteer Outreach: Cassie Cammann reports to the board that there was an excellent volunteer day at the Whitehall Convalescent Home---10 volunteers planting flowers.
7. Fundraising: no report.
8. Site Search: There is a consensus for a smaller rental for the present. The Board endorsed the Middle Way proposal. The site search committee will combine with the business plan task group and they will look for a smaller rental building that will be self-supporting.
   ACTION ITEM: Jane Grace will inquire on behalf of the board who exactly is on this committee. A suggestion was made for boards to be up at sangha gatherings for signing up for committees.
9. Sangha Development: Corty Cammann reported that a collection will be taken to pay the baby sitters at the sangha meetings. The board will guarantee $7 an hour.

1. Topics for discussion
1. Where do we stand as a teaching group offering Buddhist teachings?
2. The sangha will want to learn from the ethics code that the teachers are developing.
3. ACTION ITEM; Discuss at the next meeting how to thank the departing board members. Also nominations for the board at the next meeting.
4. Should we sponsor a gay/lesbian event in Ypsilanti or just notify our mailing list and let each do with it as they wish?
2. Susan Weir is willing to develop practice support groups.
   ACTION ITEM: Ann will ask Susan to prepare something for our next meeting if the Sangha Development Group is for the idea.

BOARD INTENSIVE AND MEETING **** JUNE 29th, 8:30-2:30 at Cammann’s.

1. Intensive to start, then 1 or 2 hours at the end for the meeting.
2. Possible topics for Board Intensive:
1. Selection of Officers.
2. What are the priorities of the board?
3. Our financial statements and responsibilities. (Pat-15 min.)
4. A photo of the board by Corty.
5. How are we to best structure our meetings, our officers and nominations.
6. The question of privacy in our meetings.
7. Procedures and bylaws to be reviewed by Cassie.
8. BAG—the Board Advisory Group.