Minutes: March 4, 2013

United Community Partners
Meeting of March 4, 2013
Pine Valley Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 1:40-3:10pm

Present: Bill Schuhle, Bill Shields, Mark Christianson, Celinda Miller, Denise Christianson, Liz McLellan

In the absence of President/Secretary Ruai Gregory, it was decided that Treasurer Bill Schuhle would conduct the meeting. Liz McLellan provided an agenda via email prior to the meeting and this was followed. Reading/approval of the previous meeting’s minutes was overlooked/omitted at this meeting.

1.    Financial Report. The finance report showed a net increase in the Checking balance of $226.32 and an increase of $32.47 in the Brokerage account since the last reported balance of 12/31/12. To review the Financials please contact Bill Schuhle, UCP Treasurer.

2.    Selection of Officers. Though a quorum of Board Members was present, it was decided that, due to Steve White’s absence (he was out of town), selection of officers would be postponed until next month’s meeting. It was determined that the minutes of our last meeting, which was our official Annual Meeting and included selection of Board Members, need to be kept on file in case at some point the need arose to provide proof to the State of Oregon that we did in fact have our Annual Meeting as required by our Articles of Incorporation.

3.    Bandstand Project Update. Bill Shields indicated that the project is at the point of entering the permitting process with the County. George Guarino’s CAD drawings of the building plans were passed around to much approval. Plans for drawing power (30 amp circuit) from Dale Denson’s Three Color Building were discussed. Denise urged a written agreement with Dale should we end up using power from his building. Power from the Sowers’ “rock bottom” apartment building would be an option of last resort. There was some discussion of whether sound levels from the bandstand could be considered a nuisance by some and therefore a problem. It was pointed out that since the performances will be conducted in compliance with City ordinances, this shouldn’t be an issue and could be considered “part of living in a small town” as are the sounds broadcast from the rodeo grounds, the high school football field, etc

4.    PEEF Grant Request. Bill Schuhle summarized a request from Vicki Johnson on behalf of the Pine Eagle Education Foundation for $700 to purchase sturdy shelving to store donated art supplies at the elementary school to be used in a new art teaching program being instituted in collaboration with the Carnegie Crossroads Art Center in Baker. After considerable discussion, it was decided that, recent disbursements notwithstanding, our purpose as UCP is to help build community capacity through assisting with grant-writing, etc., rather than through outright grants and that we do not wish to encourage the perception that we are a source of the latter. With this in mind, the decision was made to offer PEEF an interest-free loan of $700 to help them through this immediate need and to be re-paid within 60 days when they have obtained funds from other sources. Bill Shields informed us that Jacob’s Dream will soon be acting as an agency for small grants to different community projects as a way of disbursing its profits now that the summer youth job program is no longer and said that this is likely the very kind of request they will be considering.

5.    Rodale Institute Community Regeneration Update. Celinda indicated she had recently received extensive information in the form of PDF files which she and Bill Schuhle will go through and try to distill into a presentation to be made at either our April or May meeting.

6.    Expression of gratitude to Ruai for her five years of service as UCP President. Liz will compose a letter of appreciation and circulate it for the approval of all.

7.    Seed Sharing Station. Liz indicated that the seed sharing station will be once again set up at Jacob’s Dream and asked that we get the word out about its availability.

8.    Miscellaneous. Bill Shields recommended keeping minutes to basically a record of decisions made. He also urged the establishment of a mechanism for making it clear that a decision had been made. There was discussion of possibly holding UCP meetings at City Hall and also getting a City employee to become part of UCP.

9.    Our next meeting will be April 1, 2013, and will be held at the Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall at 1:30pm.
Respectfully submitted,

Bill Schuhle, acting Secretary