OREGON POETRY ASSOCIATION APRIL 15, 2017 MINUTES
(board members on conference phone call: Tiel, Lisa, Joy, Lynn, Shirley, Dick)
FINANCIAL STATUS: The current balance in Bank of America account of $3288.08 includes most memberships and contest fees. Funds from our recent benefactor have not yet been received. Dick says OPA risks being overdrawn by the time the bequest may be available. He is doing as much as he can to avoid that event. Verseweavers mailing costs are not yet in the expense column. (See financial reports attached to minutes) Dick reports the OPA budget is tight even with him projecting expenses. The treasurer will provide another financial report for the June retreat. The lack of funding for this year’s student contest has resulted in OPA being forced to outlay $1700 for that budget item. OPA has no alternate plan for paying our bills if we suffer a funding shortfall. The treasurer will consult an accountant about non-profit board member liability for unfunded expenses. Lynn volunteered to assist with grant writing. The board mentioned pros and cons of dependence on grant funding.
RETREAT AGENDA: A suggestion for naming an adult contest category for our recent benefactor will be added to retreat discussion. OPA will also discuss prioritizing budget items and where to make potential cuts or generate revenue. The board will discuss ways to upgrade the student contest award ceremony to possibly coordinate with Student Writing Festival or include workshops for winners by age groups. Lisa will collect and work on ideas to present to board. The official number of board positions will be part of retreat discussion. The board will also discuss ideas for growing the OPA. Joy suggested we perhaps take a photo of the board at the retreat for the website. Tiel is checking on a retreat location. Shirley and Joy offered their homes.
CONFERENCE COSTS: The Portland hotel will expect an initial payment near the conference date. Shirley requested Tiel and Dick keep her in the loop regarding conferences expenses
and contracts. In the past our revenue from conference fees has fallen short of total costs associated with the event.
ADULT CONTEST: We received less than 100 entries (some non-members) for the 2017 spring contest. OPA will discuss attempts to market the contest better. OPA currently has 210 members.
OREGON CONVERSATION PROJECT: Volunteers will be needed to put up flyers and encourage the involved libraries to utilize their own resources for advertising. OPA is compiling a list of email destinations for advertising our activities. Joy will host the Springfield speaker at her home.
ADULT CONTEST: Contest chair is receiving returns from judges to make winner notifications.
STUDENT CONTEST UPDATE: The poetry exhibit at the Capitol Building is up for display. Cascadia is ready to print. If OPA doesn’t hear from Manningham Contest in time to print for April 29 award event, we will use another route of recognition for Manningham winners. Ceremony for student contest winners is in Portland. RSVPs indicate a projected good attendance in response to invitations.
CONTINUING BUSINESS: OPA must recruit a new membership chair prior to our next membership renewal deadline. Computer skills would be a help for this position which involves labels and mailings. The OPA membership directory will come out with the next newsletter. At least three board positions will be open by fall as terms run out. OPA must share our sense of poetry as mission to attract new board members. Lynn will write a small piece on why members should consider becoming a board member to share with the board. The call will go out in mid-April for conference workshop proposals. Shirley and Tiel are working to prepare the text for a mass mailing by Kathy. Responses are set to come in from May 1 to June 1, 2017.
NEW BUSINESS: Our next meeting will be held Sunday, May 21, from 1 to 4 pm. NW Book Fair is coming up, but OPA is not in a financial position to consider participating this year. Dick pointed out there are additional costs associated with this event in addition to registration. Mailing books is expensive. There is not currently a Portland unit to spearhead participating in this event. OPA might announce the event on the OPA Facebook page, and encourage members to create a Facebook group related to participation. Tiel suggested that OPA consider what members “get out of” being a member. If we participate in the book fair we must balance the benefit to Portland members versus downstate members.
Knight Library wants to renegotiate the Memo of Understanding for the Oregon Poetry Collection. The university has hired a new Head of Collections. There will be a steering committee meeting in Eugene in early June to discuss this issue. Joy will attend as an OPA representative. Tiel expressed interest in attending.
Meeting adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Joy McDowell OPA board secretary
Appendix: Financial Report
Current Balance and Anticipated Receipts [Based on 2016]
| Bank of America Current Balance | $3288.08 |
| Anticipated Receipts (5/1 -8/31) | $950 |
| Total | $4,238.08 |
Anticipated Expenses
| Student Contest | $1,150 | Does not include summer mailing. [$500] |
| Adult Contest | $1,280 | |
| Phone and Internet | $850 | |
| Postage & Copying | $250 | |
| Verseweavers | $1,250 | One issue |
| Other | $200 | |
| Total | $4,980.00 |