Minutes – January 7, 2013

1:30–3:30pm • Halfway Library

Present: Ruai Gregory, Bill Schuhle, Mark Christianson, Steve White, Bill Shields, Celinda Miller, Bruce Honeyman, Mary Jo St. Clair, Mimi Kauffman, Eric Kauffman.

Absent: Liz McLellan, Larry Miller, Denise Christianson

1. Minutes: approved as amended
2. Treasurer’s Report: see attached
3. Ford Family Foundation Leadership training proposal: Ruai announced that 20-25 participants will be needed for Ford to proceed with the proposed leadership training next fall. She will meet with them here on Jan. 22, and the decision will be made Jan. 31.  She encouraged all to sign up to take the fall training, which will take place over 4 weekends.
4. Project Updates:

Music Festival/Bandstand: Eric, Bruce, Mary Jo and Mimi spoke, representing the Cornucopia Arts Council. They are planning a Sept. 7 Music Festival at the Fairgrounds (the Sat. after the fair) and  3 dates during the summer at the Main St. bandstand, one on July 19 in the evening — Article 15 (Army Reserve Band).  They are applying for an Oregon Arts Commission grant, due Jan. 31, and are talking with Tim Bishop re using Baker County transient room tax funds.   They estimate total cost for all four events to be $9,000 which will include either renting or purchasing sound equipment and the development of a web page.

Discussion clarified the following topics:

•  Admission fees for festival: planned for $10, to include 4 performances

•  Mark suggested booking another group at the downtown bandstand (at Pat’s Park) for Sept. 6, thereby making it effectively a 2 day festival.  This will satisfy the transient room tax usage.

•  The festival will hopefully use multiple stages.  They will pursue the use of the Lion’s Club’s portable stage, located in the Pavilion.

•  Bill Shields informed us of a large mixing board (for sound system) which is located in and owned by the Pine Baptist Church.  The Arts Council will discuss its potential use with Shawn Thatcher.

•  Celinda asked about the timeline for the festival to become self-sustaining.  The answer was 4-5 years.

•  Eric clarified that it would be best for the Arts Council to own the sound equipment, for keeping inventory and storing properly between events.

•  It was agreed that a full, detailed budget is needed, and that the entire “summer of music and arts” should be included in the grants, applied for by the Arts Council, showing full community collaboration between UCP, Hells Canyon Chamber of Commerce, and the Cornucopia Arts Council.

•  Bill Shields proposed that any leftover funds from the Bandstand building could be applied to costs for booking acts that perform there.

•  The Arts Council will discuss further, then get back with us prior to the next UCP meeting.

1. New Year’s Officer Elections: to be done at the next regular meeting, Feb. 4.  Ruai will locate a full list of members and send out an announcement to them.
2. Special meeting scheduled: (to go over bylaws and history of UCP), 1:30-3, Jan. 21
3. Next regular meeting: Feb. 4, 2013