January 10, 2016 ZA Board Meeting Minutes

January 10, 2016 Zimfest Association Board Meeting Synopsis

Members in Attendance: David Simon, Jacqueline Fallon, Dana Moffett, Chris Halaska, Rujeko Dumbutshena, Daniel Lockley, Paul Mataruse
Members Absent: Alex Weeks, Janis Weeks
Non-voting member in Attendance: Claire Jones

Approval of December 13th Minutes/Synopsis

Approval

Review/Modify Agenda

No changes

Organizing Committee 2016 Update (Claire)

Had one meeting, short on organizing committee member. Look at sustainability for staffing the festival as well as financial. Not trying to do anything new to add more work for a small group. Just a few changes to the application for this year. Send out a plea from the board and not just Claire. Other possible ideas. Maybe apply for VISTA AmeriCorps volunteer. Work study, we would have to be associated with a college. Volunteers or committee members compensated for their work with festival discounts. Are we a small festival where everyone is expected to volunteer or a larger more professional festival with paid or compensated staff? Musekiwa will be brought by Kutsinhira. Inquiries from Napoleon Jambwa (former Mhembero dancer now in SA); Jimu Makurumbandi; Tucson Afropop group led by guitarist Mike Olson and dancer Praise Zenenga (see https://www.reverbnation.com/mikedoctwangolson/album/54732-crossing-borders-breaking-boundaries). We need a theme for the festival.

Slide Scale of Payments to Workshop Teachers (Claire)

Recommendation for 20 or more students $70/hour. The larger classes tend to be the money maker for the festival. It could help be an incentive for teacher. The motion is to change the teacher contract and add 20 or more students $70/hour. All in favor.

Responses of Double Room Renters (Claire)

A letter was sent to the people who paid ZF the rate for a single room, but WOU issued them two keys and charged us for two people. She wrote to 9 people and heard back from 4. One of them said that they were in a private room and no one stayed with them. Claire knows that was true. The others said the WOU asked if they wanted to check out an extra key but charged us for it but didn’t tell us. One of them was all by themselves and they said sometimes one doesn’t work and they had an extra just in case. Another one did offer the space to someone who didn’t have a place to stay but didn’t know they were going to get charged for the extra key. Our festival is more complicated than other festivals, where everyone arrives on the same day and leaves on the same day. WOU should not offer an extra key. Everyone will have linens to make things less complicated. Charge by the room and not by the participant. The coding for our website will have to be changed for rooms.

Fundraising Committee Report (Rujeko)

Need an email to set up a Cafepress shop. We will be meeting to work on the April fundraising push.

Strategic Gathering Discussion (David)

We can start making plans for February 20 & 21st on Whidbey Island. Most everyone will be able to make it. Last retreat’s focus was who we are as an organization, mission, where we are spending our energy. We can review our focus and mission. The theme of retreat needs to be sustainability, growth, more efficient ways of putting on the festival.

Update Chase to Credit Union Transition (Chris)

Nothing to report yet.

Discuss Langley as Potential Location in 2017 (Dana)

If we are having a hard time getting a committee together to organize, it might be hard to organize something new and different. It also might be easier to swing an organizing committee with Whidbey and Seattle folks. Western Washington in Bellingham and Fort Worden can be other ideas. This discussion can be added to the retreat discussion. There is a grant that needs to be applied for more than a year in advance and we need to know the location for the grant. Trying to look for a space in WA as a second home for Zimfest. WWU – gym is available, the concert hall is not available because of their concert series, the performance space in the Student Union building but it is next to a residential area so the curfew is 10pm. They take over registration for groups. If we are not able to staff a committee then we should consider taking a year off from Zimfest.

Next Meeting

February 20th & 21st – Strategic Retreat and board meeting