Rowe Camp and ConferenceCenter - Board of Trustees Meeting
Brook House, Rowe Camp and ConferenceCenter
Saturday, November 8, 2009
Members Present:
Fred Schoeps, Sue Balduaf, Simon Delekta, Felicity Pickett, Karin Broadhurst, Bob Scheier
Prospective Members Present:
Mark Taylor, Chris Callahan, Clay Connor, Gail Epstein, Minnie Wood
Stewardship Committee Member present:
Guy Thompson
Simon Delekta called the meeting to order at 9:32am. Introductions were made.
Minutes from the September 2009 meeting will be available at the next meeting in January 2010.
Bob S. requested that minutes from past meetings be posted on Rowe CC website. Last minutes posted are from April 2008.
Directors Report – November 2009—Submitted by Felicity P.
It has felt like a really strong fall. But as I look at the statistical information, I realize that everything is relative and that though we are lower in enrollment through October than most of the last ten years, last spring was so dismal that it feels a whole lot better. All programs have run and we are doing okay.
We have been fortunate to have a full compliment of work-study interns this fall. There will be a bit of transitioning over the next couple of months and we hope to have new interns ready to fill positions as others leave.
It is quite the time for transition. Nancy Peet, our marketing person left and Isaac will be leaving. We have hired Abby Lively, Deb’s daughter to fill the Associate Chef position when Isaac leaves. Abby had worked as a contracted chef for us in the past and was also a lead cook in the summer of 2008. She comes to us with good experience. Abby will not be living with us but in lieu of housing, she will be assigned Schoenfeld Cabin. Abby is an artist as well as a good cook. She is taking art classes at GreenfieldCommunity College. Her intention is to create a studio for herself there and to provide a place to sleep if she wants to stay over on weekends when the weather is stormy.
Abby and Deb will not be the only mother/daughter team at Rowe. We have also hired Paulette Roccio, who is my daughter to fill the vacant position of Facilities Manager. This was quite unexpected. Paulette had applied for the position of Marketing Coordinator. Over work week I told someone that she was applying for a job at Rowe and he immediately thought it was the facilities job, which surprised me. But then when I told Margaret that she was applying to work at Rowe and she responded, “She’ll make a great Facilities Manager.” I was a bit speechless. When I told her she was applying for the marketing position, Margaret’s response was still enthusiastic but less so. I stopped and asked myself why I had never considered her for the facilities position.
I talked with Linda about it and while Paulette was up for her seven day interview for the marketing position, we had her spend some time with Deb. They both felt great about the possibility of working in partnership. And so she will be our new Facilities Manager. Things have fallen into place quite nicely. She sold her house in four days, will be passing papers on Nov 20th and is moving up to Rowe with Madison and Morgan next weekend. We are all quite excited.
We are currently interviewing for the marketing position and hope to have someone by the end of the month.
Work has been completed on the Rec hall roof. The project included repointing the chimney, installing all new skylights, and putting a metal roof over the rug room, the bathrooms, and the strange strip of roofing between the bathrooms and the rug room.
We have also been working on the Chapel basement to solve some of the moisture problems. Part of the floor was dug up and drainage pipes put in place. We also put in a sump pump. The part of the floor that was dug up was replaced with small stones. The basement is actually below the water level of the Brook that runs beside it and the water causes the concrete floor to buckle. We are hoping that this will help the moisture problems.
Deb and I have made two trips to the LaGrange property. The last trip we brought two work-study interns with us. We had a dumpster brought to the property and began emptying the house. Matt and Carolyn, who are here on work-study, are going down this week for what we hope is one final trip. I have had a couple people express interest in the house but we have not had any firm offers. We need to make some decisions about how long we want to hold onto the house and what the best way to go about selling it is.
Margot Locke, who has been doing the layout work for our catalogs and Center Post for the last 25 years, died in Sept, just weeks after we completed the production of the fall/winter catalog. Though Margot didn’t work here, she has given more years of dedicated service than most of our full-time employees. She was so much a part of my time here. Every piece of printed matter, from publications to fundraising materials, even our Christmas cards went across her desk. In my time working with her, I grew to love her. She was an amazing woman and will be greatly missed.
She has been very much in my heart over these last several weeks as we worked on the Center Post, knowing that she wouldn’t be there to work with. Rob Okun, who is doing our publications while Doug is on sabbatical worked with Jeff Potter, a protégé of Margot’s. They did an outstanding job. They made a few changes and the Center Post has an updated look.
Things are going smoothly in Doug’s absence. I had put off taking a vacation, not knowing how things would go. We have a great staff and a great group of interns and I feel quite comfortable leaving, knowing that everything will be taken care of. I am heading off for two weeks in CA to visit friends, including Margaret Woodside. I am grateful to all the staff. I feel every confidence about taking some time away, knowing that Rowe is in good hands.
Question
Margot Locke passed away in September 2009. Simon asked if Rowe has done any donation/remembrance offerings related to Margot’s passing away. Felicity replied that Rowe will do something in consultation with Margot’s son.
Fred S. stated we should revisit as a board a memorial wall for people like Margot who served Rowe in unique and important ways.
Felicity will be on vacation for next three weeks ending in late November.
Simon stated that in reference to the La Grange and Leominster properties, the board should look at the best way to manage the properties. Simon would like Fred S. and Bob S. to develop recommendations on disposal of properties by January 31st board meeting. This would be an advisory ad hoc committee for the Board President (Cathy P.).
Treasurer’s Report --Fred Schoeps
[Insert Fred’s Doc}
Questions:
Bob S. asked about the liabilities
Simon asked about the capital fund
Minnie W. asked about the Farmhouse Dining Room Floor Loans.
Fred discussed the page in report with conference registration numbers. Felicity agreed that accurate registration numbers needed to assist in budget development Bob. S. asked about how conference programming is developed. This led to discussion on Executive Director’s succession plans.
Simon called a Break from 11:15am to 11:25am.
Stewardship Committee Report—Guy Thompson
The committee met in September 2009. Committee had recommendations for the upcoming year:
Remove problem trees
Rec Hall deck
Roof at Orchard Guest House (OGH)
Footings at OGH
Drainage/repair to road to Rec Hall
Drainage around Bath House
Floor joists in barn
Questions:
Bob S. asked about OGH projects
Fred asked about OGH roof
Karin asked if anything can be done at some facilities about mold and mildew issues.
Fred also asked about the Rec Hall road, where does Town of Rowe responsibility end. Brief discussion of easement PelhamPark trailhead access.
Vice President’s Report/Nominations Simon D.
Simon D. explained procedures for vacancies in board membership. These nominations are for the remainder of the current term of according to Board by-laws. Nominating the following people for Board of Trustees Membership:
Mark Taylor, Member at Large
Clay Connor, Clerk of the Board of Trustees.
Both memberships passed unanimously.
Development Committee Report – Bob Scheier
Update on Woodside Campaign. Although the Board did not reach its 60K goal for the Woodside Program, we raise approx. 20K, Felicity and the Rowe staff were able to raise the remaining monies to get us to goal in September.
The Committee reviewed and revised the Individual Development Plan Form, which was discussed at the March Board meeting. What we hope to do today is pass it out for the Board to review and approve. Then we can all take these forms home to fill out and return to Felicity no later then November 15th.
The Committee has established a Fundraising plan for the year. We will have two major campaigns, a Capital campaign and a Woodside Campaign. In addition there will be a membership drive.
The Board has committed to raise 50K for the FY09/10, which was established when we passed the budget at the September Board Meeting. To meet this goal, 35K will be raised from the Woodside Campaign, 10K from the Capital Campaign, and 5K from the membership drive.
The focus of the Capital Campaign will on the replacement of the rec hall porch, which has become hazardous, and other safety issues raised by the Stewardship Committee, e.g., hazardous tree limps near campus buildings, etc.
The schedule (approx. 8 week each) for these campaigns will be:
Rec Hall Porch Capital Campaign – November 29th – January 31st.
Woodside Campaign – April 4th – May 22nd.
Membership Drive – TBA
We will be following the same format as last year. Each Board member will get a list of prospects to call along with donation history, and a model letter to use as the initial contact. Letters will be followed up by a personal phone call. Felicity will provide talking points for each campaign.
To help keep the campaigns on track, each of us will be paired with another board member. Each week the pair will contact each other to checkin and then forward to me a report. I will report total progress on the blog every two weeks. The hope is that the Individual Development Plan and check-ins will keep us all moving along and make for successful fundraising year.
Bob was thanked for his work on development committee.
Simon then reported on long range planning. We are ready to begin five year planning process. Simon then stated that a list of strategies/goals for this year will be distributed within next few months. Next meeting of full Board of Trustees will be Jan 31st 2010. Weekend retreat for Board of Trustees date will be set at January meeting. Karin asked about a survey of board members as part of the process.
Meeting was adjourned.
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