Tuesday February 2, 2021, 7:00pm
Attendees: Christian Montes, Nathan Brown, Rameka Jennings, Grace Diebolt, Ruth Robarge, Alex Welch, Austin Rexroad Staff: Jessie Riggins, Ian Bradt, Lee Hartman, Jeanine Asay
Called to order at 7:00 pm. No corrections are approved. Will be uploaded to the website.
Officer Elections
Current officers are Christian Montes, Chair, Austin Rexroad, Vice Chair, Nathan Brown, Treasurer, and Erin Trampel, Secretary.
We will not be voting on a vice chair at this time. Austin is going to step down and take a break for the time being. This office will remain vacant until further notice.
Rameka Jennings was nominated for Secretary. Rameka is elected as the Secretary by acclamation.
Nathan Brown was nominated as Treasurer. Nathan Brown is elected as Treasurer by acclamation.
Christian Montes nominated as Chair. Christian Montes is elected as Chair by acclamation.
Reports
Artistic Director, Lee
Completed the Women Band Director International grant for the Mighty Mo commission (max award $500). MAC grant due late March so I’ll get started on that. Rehearsals are going well but folks are burning out; I can feel it. Participating in ArtsKC lobbying meeting on Wednesday at 10 am. Christian, Rameka, and I will be speaking with ClassicalKC about MAFB on Friday. Show will air February 20 and 21 at 8 pm. Collaboration with No Divide KC approaching solidified. Potential date is Sept 10 (COVID permitting). Won’t need the whole group, will be similar to Electronic Music Midwest. Piece would be by Patricia Martinez and would be a collaboration with KC VITAS. Would like to launch the next call for proposals and think we should do a WWI piece again based on this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z09EIos5lnE Premiere in 2022 or 2023. Stephen Ryan Jackson’s asphyxiating sky was named a semi-finalist in the American Prize. He used our premiere recording of the work! YAY!
MAFB was asked by Women Band Director’s International to participate in their diversity efforts with a grant. Waiting on more info.. Jessie Riggins recently joined the organization.
Following up on the call for proposals for a piece regarding a melody on a British Soldier’s tombstone. Do not want to lose out on this opportunity.
Assistant Artistic Director, Jessie
Looking at Tuesday Feb 16 for our next trivia night. Thanks to Lee for filling out the WBDI grant for Mighty Mo!
Thank you to Lee for filling out the Women’s Band Director grant. Moving forward with John Sims proposal for equipment, to hopefully replace timpani (if awarded).
LGBA update: Delegate meeting last Saturday. Name change passed with 94% approval. Thank you to MAFB members who participated and worked to participate. New name: Pride Bands Alliance. Additional note, Houston is rescheduling the conference from July to November.
Ian will review MAFB bylaws to update with the new LGBA name.
Board Chair, Christian
The tax exemption app has been finished and I will send out on Friday at the latest. I’ve been reaching out to Suzanne from the LGBT Chamber of Commerce to help me out and will have her do one last check before I send them this week. (I just gotta get to the post office in time).
Contracts for Jessie and Lee are finished and will be sent out to them this week. (IMB - Contracts sent 02 FEB 2021 - 1905 CST)
I would like all officers to sit down and draft a list of responsibilities and expectations. I would like to get the board handbook done before the end of the fiscal year.
I would like the Board Covenant Committee to meet again and get the covenant done by the end of the fiscal year as well.
Christian will set up the transfer of the MAFB Secretary email to Rameka. As well, we need to transfer signing privileges over to Rameka as well. All signing parties need to be physically present to complete this.
Vice Chair, Austin
As much as it pains me, I need to step back and take a break for a short time. I feel this is in the best interest of the organization as I have not had the time to devote to the band that I should. I’m not stepping down, and will still be serving on the board and attending all meetings and functions, but I need to get my schedule back in check. When I come back to it, I will have some fresh ideas to bring and help move this organization forward. I apologize for not being at my best and letting things slip.
Nothing further to report.
Treasurer, Nathan
Financial documentation available upon request.
Tax Donation letters have been sent
1099 has been filed
Nonprofit Connect payment has been made
Nothing further to report. Going forward Nathan will add the linked Statement of Activity to minutes.
Secretary, Rameka
January 2021 and Annual Meeting 2021 minutes stand approved as distributed.
Business Operations, Ian
NSTR
Will build the Flipcause campaign for the March concert. Do we have art for that concert?
There are no references to LGBA in the bylaws.
The artwork from the song “In C” will be used as the March concert artwork.
Jeanine, Librarian
Nothing to report.
Nothing further to report.
Webmaster, Erin
The Saxie Valentines headline will be removed after the 14th, and I need to update the minutes (sorry, it’s been a hectic weekend considering I haven’t left my house).
Let Erin know if we ever want anything added to the website header as a feature. Christian would like to add a header with a call to action to visit our Twitch page to see previous concerts.
Committee Reports
Fundraising, Rameka
Working on Saxy Grams with Lee and Grace. Grace will report updates regarding Saxy Gram Fundraiser.
Marketing, Grace
Support Saxy Grams. Posting on Instagram and Facebook. Please support by sharing and consider purchasing. We have a short performance at the KC Port Authority tomorrow, Feb. 3 as a promotion for Saxy Grams. Rameka will be performing. Grace and Lee will be there as support and shooting for social media.
FYI - if you see a MAFB post is “sponsored” please do not interact (ie: like/love), as we pay per click.
Membership, Alex
Membership spotlight video is done for Christian. Questions are going out for the next round of people. Alex needs a list of new members so we have equal representation with old vs. new members. The rest of the season is outlined. Alex would like to continue doing the spotlight features in the summer to keep people engaged. We have more people than available performance weeks, summer spotlights will help with coverage.
Spotlights will be featured on social media as well as emailed. First video turned out great!
Another Among Us night is in the works, considering Feb. 23rd (week after Jessie’s trivia night). Alex will keep a list of interested members that don’t want to participate virtually, to follow up with in the future when we are playing live again.
Old Business
OKR Update
Alex completed his goals and outline approach for the new Band Ambassador Program. He will begin reaching out on social media to solicit potential ambassadors.
Jessie completed her baseline/reporting structure for social media engagement. Next steps are to establish goals and outline our approach for outreach interest. Additionally, identify an approach to recognize active members/community with said data in mind.
Lee completed his goal of starting collaboration with No DivideKC & KC Vitas for an upcoming concert. Next steps are to continue to reach out and engage.
New Business
Nothing new to report.
Meeting adjourned at 7:59pm.
