Tuesday January 13, 7:30pm
Mid America Freedom Band
Board Meeting Minutes
Tuesday January 13, 7:30pm
Virtual
Attendees: BOARD MEMBERS: Rameka Jennings, Christian Montes, Debbie Farrell, Nicholas McWilliams, Adrienne Hixson, Joy Hope, Shelly Alexander, Lisa Klockenga, Ashton Duplechain; Staff: Jeanine Asay, Danie Kirk, Jessie Davis, Erin Trample, Ian Brant; Members: N/A
Acting Proxy: N/A
Called to order at 7:33 pm
Committee Reports
Fundraising, Adrienne
Chipotle fundraiser March 15 4-8. Must mention fundraiser or present flyer
Tropical smoothie Cafe fundraiser Feb 12. We receive 20% of sales
Online silent auction to coincide with spring concert- I am looking for experiences, themed baskets and artwork
**Interest for a Onecase training for the board**
Marketing, Jessie
In an effort to recruit more committee members, I am going to make a standing meeting each month and see who shows interest in joining.
Membership, Nick
Option Sunday May 17th 5-7p - Hammer’s Dueling Pianos ($1000 for space includes 1hr dueling pianos)
Option No Divide studio space (Thr-Sun available $500 for space; can bring in catering/alcohol)
Performance Opportunities, Debbie
Kansas City Zoo (Amy Polzin) Followed up regarding Mighty Mo in early April
Brookside St. Pat’s (3/14 @ 2 pm; also see email forwarded by Ian)
2/10 board meeting is 3 or 5 days before deadline
Signup Deadline Midnight, Friday? s/b Sunday, February 15? Or 13, 2026 and space is limited
$50 entry fee
Theme: Leprechaun Cup: Going for Gold!; Pre-meeting: 3/9@ St. Andrew’s
**Lisa submitted application 1/13
Responses to new inquiries:
First Friday in the Crossroads; Brianna from Art Garden; contact again in April
Brookside Art Annual (May 1-3); no live music per Donna Potts
Grants, Bailee
Staff met on 1/5/26 to discuss upcoming major grant deadlines and requirements
Missouri Arts Council (MAC)
On-year application for “Music – Instrumental” grant
Draft deadline: January 26, 2026
Final deadline: February 23, 2026
The Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund (NTDF)
Deadline: Friday, January 16, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
Reports
Secretary, Ashton
Nothing to report. Looking forward to seeing everyone Thursday!!
Artistic Director, Daniel
Excited to start on 1/15. Change brings a few bumps and get-to-know-you moments, so please communicate openly and professionally, with the good of we in mind.
Huge thanks to Lisa and our librarians, Jeanine and Bea, for their organization and for helping me learn the ropes.This first concert cycle, I’m getting to know the group—section leader roles, attendance habits, flexibility and growth (which shapes repertoire), and finding a rehearsal pace that’s comfortable but gently stretching.
Planning ahead helps. If you anticipate needing extra time or a rehearsal may shift or be canceled, please let me know early. The concert cycle calendar is a flexible plan to keep rehearsals efficient and respect everyone’s time.
*Anthony Barfield - Commission buy in - Spring 2026
*Snacks for Thursday Night - Board supplying - who is buying them?!
Assistant Artistic Director, Jessie
St. Andrew’s has unfortunately scheduled a fundraiser in the Undercroft on the same night we had World Rhythms scheduled. This was in no way an error on our part, as we correctly had the church reserved and actually still show it as reserved on the public facing website calendar.
The church was very apologetic, and offered us space across the street or to pay for a second venue. After a discussion with leadership and the playing MMJO members, we have decided to cancel this show and focus in on our next concert 3/20 due to parking restraints, short timelines to find a replacement and get the word out, and the logistics of having to move our equipment out of the undercroft around their scheduled event.
I will work with the marketing and artistic team in the coming days to craft messages about the cancellation. In regards to their offer for compensation, I would suggest at least asking them to cover what our production coordinator would have made for their services that night, if not also the lost expected donation revenue from the event.
Production Coordinator, Bailee
Thank you to the board for the support with the December concert. Definitely our best check-in process yet!
Ian and I will meet before the next concert to figure out how to streamline the OneCause platform between multiple devices and users
Board Chair, Christian
No report Submitted
Vice Chair, Rameka
With the start of the new year, please start thinking about your role, if you are interested in moving positions, etc. prior to our upcoming election.
With that, please start ear-marking places that you need funding for FY26 planning.
‘26 Budget asks will be due April 1
Chairs/Committees, please let me know if I may be of assistance or a resource as you plan for the year.
Based on some feedback, we need to be more strategic in planning and project management so we can be stronger in our future planning. There are more discussions to be had surrounding tools, but put together a brain-dump of a road map for our year. There are several TBDs, etc. but please look at it from your individual perspective and start thinking how we can be more proactive regarding planning, internal communications, the wider membership….and community!
Note: this is not an official document, we will work on how we move forward with more project-based planning and communications.
Treasurer, Lisa
Full report available upon request.
Executive Director, Ian
Not too many new things to report.
We continue to work the copyright issue with the attorneys. This should be resolved relatively soon but just requires negotiation on the settlement costs.
As we start planning the next season, we’ll need to start identifying dates and venues. For grants, those dates and venues can change and evolve as we get them identified but its helpful to start working those early to secure the dates we want.
I’m continuing to research a few options for additional management rigor in how we operate. This includes options for project and task management and contact management. To do it right, we probably need to be willing to get away from all free tools but there are options out there that provide non-profit discounts. More to follow as research continues - these wouldnt be budgeted until next season anyway and, if identified, we can use the summer months to train on how to use them as a board and staff.
Librarian, Jeanine
ASCAP report for 2025 was submitted and approved 12/31/25.
Music is ready for 1/15.
Merch/Brand Manager, Erin
Website is currently advertising the January concert the generic slogan banner.
The merch booth in December went well, but we will need to order about 10 fewer ornaments next year as we have some leftover. Leftovers will be on clearance at the next concert.
Current total income for merch this year is $1,236 - we should be able to hit my arbitrary goal of doubling our money by the end of the season ($1,500).
Next concert will be a ‘clearance’ merch focus, to get rid of the few items we have left from previous years and the ornaments.
We will most likely not do the seasonal stickers next year, they didn’t sell well enough to cover the cost of having them printed but I will wait until after pride to make that decision for sure because they are generic ‘gay’ enough that they might sell well there.
Next year I would like to do two larger items and a pin for Mighty Mo now that we have a lot of small MAFB items that we can keep in stock. I plan on announcing a merch planning meeting at the annual meeting to try to get more people excited to join the committee and help us pick next season’s merch, and hopefully get them designed and ordered in June so we have plenty of time for manufacturing.
Old Business
Marching Band Director
Search is ongoing but on pause. If anyone knows of someone who is interested in taking this position please let Jessie or Christian know. The color guard is still rehearsing on Thursdays this fall/winter to practice. A job description is available upon request.
Daniel has been offered first refusal, will get back to us after looking at details
Election Committee
So far, Ashton & Jeanine joined the committee.
Instrument fund
Lets shoot for setting up an instrument fund so people can donate directly to it.
(IMB) This is a super easy thing to do in One Cause - we just need to determine goals, giving levels (if any) and what the content is that we want on the fundraising page.
Copyright filing
Lets set a goal for next meeting to see what the steps are in securing a copyright for Pride in Every Note
(IMB) We should continue to table this until the current copyright issue is resolved. Once thats completed, we can engage counsel to determine the next steps for securing copyright on logos, etc.
Annual Meeting
Looking at a February annual meeting with a couple options:
Postpone February board meeting and do it on the 17th Open to hear more options but want to give election committee as long as possible if we can. Then have our board meeting the 23rd for officer elections and a quick touch base before the board meeting on the 13th if we still are doing Tuesdays.
Looking into hosting virtually to save a rehearsal
** Thursday 2/12
Librarian
It’s time to start putting some feelers out for a new assistant Librarian. Jeanine has done such a wonderful job for us and we need to start looking.
Program Content
Should we split up the program content gathering more so it’s not all on one person to get it together?Erin would also like to request that the deadline for content be moved up to two Mondays before the concert (i.e. concert is on the 13th, program content is due on the 1st) so we have more time to do edits and can maybe get it to the printer the friday before the concert so the printer has more time.
Possibly having a running google doc with a running roster, it would be sent out in the weekly emails leading up to the concert
Puts responsibility on the players to make sure they are listed and spelling is accurate
New Business
Raffle Donation
Chris Eckert requested the following: The KC Pioneers and The Kansas City House of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are putting on a Gala on January 24th, and I was thinking the band could donate a basket to their silent auction? I talked to Christian, and we thought of putting in tickets to a concert and some merch swag into the basket?
***2 Season tickets with fanny packs & assorted merch
Pride Bands Conference
May 21-25, Philadelphia, PA
Is anyone thinking about going?
Lee is conducting!
Since the conference no longer requires delegates for voting, we will look into reallocating delegate funds for scholarship to support attendance. We need to outline requirements/expectations to qualify.
Commission For Spring 2026
*Anthony Barfield - Commission buy in - Spring 2026
Lisa motioned, and was seconded. Motion passed
** working on getting invoice for repaying Joey for their commissioned piece - $200
Daniel will be out 3/19, a sub will be in to rehearse the band.
Sub fee ~ $200 to be ran against Ops discretionary line
Guest artist for the April concert ($250)
Where will this fee come from? (looking to approve use of concert band funds at the Feb. meeting)
Meeting adjourned movement/time. 8:52pm
