Monday, November 6, 2006

Minutes 11/6/2006

Minutes for COTMD, Monday, November 6, 2006, Board Meeting at Connie's house

Attendance: Fred, Lesly, Dianne, Connie

Fred read the minutes; unanimously approved.

Lesly will e-mail treasurer's report to all. Fred will post on website.

Current balance is $384; treasurer's report unanimously approved.

www.health.com contradancing search leads to broken link for our group. Link ought to be fixed.

video: Connie will get video from Kenny Greer to post on our website.

Fred will put on website a list of places to post flyers. Let's post in USC dorms. There are varying size flyers on the site.

Fred will send out e-mail reminders as needed. Hall rental, publicity.

Business cards. Connie brought up the possibility. Some discussion. Need more info and an example.

Discussed possibility of a better, moderated e-mail list manager. Current list is very large > 150 names. This makes it hard to e-mail the group using the usual tools from ISPs. Fred will make a proposal for web hosting that will allow contracola.org to be a self-named e-mail. The group will consider consider spending some amount for the hosting.

Noted: 2nd Saturday in November is a good target date to plan for a special Saturday dance or dance weekend. The State Museum has had change in management/interest and may be more willing to negotiate.

There was a suggestion to hold board meetings at a different time -- before dance, after dance, before dance during pot luck. Fred will e-mail suggestion. Maybe January for a tryout for a different board meeting.

Adjourn 8:35pm

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Minutes 8/28/2006

Meeting held at Connie's house, August 28, 2006.

Attending:
  • Fred
  • Dianne
  • Stephanie
  • Scott
  • Connie
  • Nancy
  • Johne
  • Denys
Lesly arrived after meeting was adjouned because of scheduling conflict with her classes.

Minutes from the last meeting were reviewed. There was some confusion as to when the last meeting took place which was resolved. January 17, 2006, was the last meeting before current meeting (August 28, 2006).

There was a question as to whether the treasurer's figures should be made available to the public on the website. All agreed that the figures would be made available.

Minutes from last meeting were approved.

Nancy presented the financial report. Since attendance had declined, there was an $810 loss. The kitty was empty, so Nancy suggested contributions by those on the board. Fred paid back $20 that was loaned to Karen Long. John contributed as well.

Connie stated she has bands booked through January and wondered if/when she should continue booking through 2007 in the event attendence doesn't improve.

Discussion moved on to the October dance at Mr. Trabor. Dianne inquired of Nancy how much the church allocated to pay for the band, sound, and caller. This amount was $350. It was ultimately decided that the band would charge $65 a person, with $65 going to John for sound. John will keep $25 and put the rest towards the treasury.

Continued discussion resulted in concern over financial state. Promotion and advertising were the main aspects that needed to be actively improved. It was suggested that there be a printed schedule at every dance for people to take home as a reminder of when/where the dances are scheduled. John suggested that we design different flyers for different venues. He and Connie decided to work on those together. Nancy stated that we need at least 40 people per dance to stay in the black. All members noted the need to help out in promotion and advertising.

The treasurer's report was approved.

Each board member will send a list to Fred by Friday, September 1, 2006, of places in which to advertise upcoming dances.

The board moved on to new business. A motion was made to give Jonathan's unexpired seat to John. Motion was seconded and unanimously approved.

Connie will keep working on booking for 2007 and will email Fred the information as it comes in.

Dianne made a motion to adjourn. Motion was seconded and approved unanimously.

Lesly arrived not long after adjournment, at which time Nancy handed over the treasury kit and report to her.

Discussion continued during which it was decided that Dianne will update the FAQs on the website.

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Schedule for 2006-2007

date $* location band caller
Sep 16, 2006Saturday 7:30-10:30pm $7 Arsenal Hill Park Building Dennis Spring and the Sons of the Full Moon Lesly Bowers
(Columbia)
Oct 14, 2006Saturday 7:30-10:30pm FREE! Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church**,
West Columbia
directions
Cabin Fever! Beth Molaro
(Asheville)
Nov 11, 2006Saturday 7:30-10:30pm $7 Arsenal Hill Park Building BonneTerre Lesly Bowers
(Columbia)
Dec 9, 2006Saturday 7:30-10:30pm $7 Arsenal Hill Park Building Whistlin' Rufus Doug Singleton
(Atlanta)
Jan 13, 2007Saturday 7:30-10:30pm $7 Arsenal Hill Park Building Corner House Dudley Culp
(Asheville)
Feb 10, 2007Saturday 7:30-10:30pm $7 Arsenal Hill Park Building BonneTerre Kenny Greer
(Myrtle Beach)
Mar 10, 2007Saturday 7:30-10:30pm $7 Arsenal Hill Park Building Cabin Fever! Lesly Bowers
(Columbia)
Apr 7, 2007 *** [CHANGE]Saturday 7:30-10:30pm $7 Arsenal Hill Park Building Whistlin' Rufus Doug Singleton
(Atlanta)
May 19, 2007 *** [CHANGE]Saturday 7:30-10:30pm $7 Arsenal Hill Park Building BonneTerre Adina Gordon
(Asheville)
June 9, 2007Saturday 7:30-10:30pm $7 Arsenal Hill Park Building Cabin Fever! Kenny Greer
(Myrtle Beach)
* Members get a discount on the cost of admission.
** Admission free to all; sponsored by Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church.
*** Not the "second saturday"

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Minutes 1/17/2006

Meeting held at Connie's house, January 17, 2006

In attendance:
  • Connie
  • Tim
  • Jonathan
  • Nancy
  • Fred
  • Lesly
  • Dianne
  • Denys
Nancy provided the financial report, and noted that the January dance was in the black. It was moved, seconded and unanimously approved to accept the report.

The schedule through June was presented, with callers and bands still needed for the April and June dances. Bart Saylor's band with Maggie as caller is a possibility for one of those dates.

Rachel Haynie, a reporter for the Columbia Star was at the January dance, and an article will run in the Star. Dianne provided new flyers and posters, which are available on the COTMD website. Everyone is encouraged to download flyers and posters and distribute them widely.

There was discussion of raising the admission price to the dance, but it was agreed to postpone consideration of a price increase until next year. A motion was made to provide a coupon for free admission to a dance to first time visitors to encourage them to return. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

The following motion was made regarding membership:

"Be it resolved that a COTMD voting member (for the purpose of electing officers or making other decisions requiring a vote of the membership) will be defined as: 1) all paid member; 2) all board members; and 3) anyone 18 or over present at a dance that also includes a COTMD election and who has attended at least one other dance during the current dance season."

This motion was seconded and passed unanimously. A motion was made that basic membership revert to the prior membership schedule as follows:

"A basic membership is $25.00 for one year. Becoming a member at any level entitles you to $2.00 discount on the regular admission price for each dance. Additional benefits at these membership levels:

$25.00: 1 free dance admission
$50.00: 2 free dance admissions
$100.00: 5 free dance admissions"

This motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

Tim volunteered to take over dance publicity. Dianne and Connie will provide him with information on newspapers, radio and the e-mail list. There is a new membership form on the website.

A motion was made, seconded and passed unanimously that the following procedure will be followed regarding payment of bands: Connie will e-mail the amount negotiated with the band to Nancy and to the band prior to the dance.

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned.