March 12, 2023 ZA Board Meeting Minutes

Members in Attendance: Mandy Walker-LaFollette, Alex Weeks, Janis Weeks, Tendai Muparutsa, Heather Steele, Maria Minnaar Bailey, Jacqueline Fallon
Members Absent: Chris Halaska, Cloud Petayi, Daniel Lockley
Non-voting Members in Attendance: Claire Jones, Trent Fallon-Muparutsa, Jared Fallon-Muparutsa

Review Agenda (All)

February Minutes/Synopsis (All)

Approved via email.

Confirmed that minutes and synopsis can be approved by a majority (6 currently); Secretary will track approvals until 6 have been received, then give a couple days for additional responses before sending synopsis to Larry.

Bookkeeping Transfer to Gary Spalter (Alex, Cloud, Claire)

The 2022 financial report needs to be corrected before the 4/15 WA State report can be done. Gary will fix it.

Gary will create new QuickBooks files, covering from January 1st of this year on.

Nora has trained Gary on getting financial reports out of RegFox. He now has what he needs to complete his work.

Upcoming Finance Tasks (All)

Claire has purchased Cognito forms credits through January 2024. Once chosen, the new Treasurer will take on this task.

To be filed by 4/15:

• WA excise tax: Claire will do this year’s with Gary and then turn it over to him.
• IRS form 990: can be completed for free on website: form990.org

Zimfest Association Tech Committee Update (Janis)

Committee is evaluating the usefulness of Google Analytics. Larry Israel has used it in the past, but we might not need it.

We’ve received a report that Malwarebytes may be preventing its users from accessing the Zimfest website. It’s unclear whether our site is creating the problem or if it is emanating from another user of our shared web server/IP address. The Committee is investigating.

Identifying New Treasurer (and possibly other board members too) (All)

Cloud will be withdrawing as Treasurer, but the bylaws require that we have a Treasurer on the Board. This could be an existing or newly recruited board member. Alex is willing to send out a recruitment call.

Gary is taking on responsibilities previously assigned to the Treasurer, so this job will be far easier. Heather is potentially interested and will meet with Alex to talk about details of the job. Mandy is willing to become Secretary if Heather becomes Treasurer.

General agreement that the position should include management of our relationship with fundraising organizations such as iGive and Goodshop.

2023 Zimfest Update (Claire)

Applications closed Feb 28 w/ a flood of teacher apps the final week (34 total) and moderate # performer apps (32) – equivalent to 2019. Organizing Committee now working on sorting them out, getting references, meeting to select teachers, workshops, etc.

Bad news from OSU and Corvallis:

• Agreement with UHDS is delayed, under contract review. We don’t know all housing details and dates yet.
• Events Coordinator produced a Memorandum of Agreement (required for visa invitation letters), but there are concerns about approval delays. Claire is working to streamline the process, possibly finding a new sponsor in African Studies.
• No camping on campus due to the high cost of requesting permission and discouragement from the Office of Risk Management.
• Chris Halaska has been working on procuring outdoor stage, canopies and lighting; no luck yet.
• For the outside area, we will have to rent tables, chairs and dollies/hand carts. However, we can get some tables and chairs for the registration area from Housing.
• Benton County Fair takes place in Corvallis the same weekend as Zimfest. Means fairgrounds won’t be available for campers and equipment rentals may be scarce.

Good news from Corvallis and surrounds:

• Jaiaen Beck and Ancient Ways people are doing a great job of publicity – distributing cards and posters, performing at farmer’s market gigs; we have Gretel Baumgartner in Corvallis for publicity and local arrangements.
• We will be renting two classrooms at a church next to campus. Paperwork is underway.
• Possibility of a promotional gig before the festival at Old World Center in Corvallis. We are working on booking a Zimbabwean group there on Wed Aug 2, and a local (Eugene) group at another venue a week or two before.
  • Janis will help set up these events.
• Chris is working on sound quotes from Thaddeus/Sprout City Studios and backline quotes from a Eugene source.
• Chris and Claire met with university personnel and decided to locate the stage in the SE corner of McNary Field next to Jefferson Way. There is a parking lot for loading/unloading and porta potties. (No alcohol allowed at outdoor concerts)
• Getting a bid for overnight security guard @$45/hr.

Open questions, ideas welcome:

• Chris is considering fencing around one of the 10x canopies to lock up the sound system system overnight. There will be locked storage rooms in McNary Hall for vendors.
• Should marketplace vendors be allowed to continue selling during evening concerts? (How to handle lighting?) Vendors would need late night help to move wares into storage location.
  • Consensus: night market sounds good; vendors have the option to stay open and can figure out their own lighting with provided power. However, we can only guarantee volunteers to help move wares to storage at 5 pm (not at night). No noise making at booths during the concert.
• RV parking is approved. We may need security, porta potties.
• A local motel can offer block rates for 10 rooms per block. We would need to pay for any not taken (over $200/night). Should we pursue this?
  • No. Board agrees, too much financial risk and effort to be worth it.

Anyone want any Save the Date cards? Please contact or download from the overview page on web.

Next Meeting

Sunday, April 9th, 2023, at 6:30pm Pacific Time on Zoom.