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Cascade Zydeco Board Meeting Minutes

November 4, 2009

Present were: Patti Renfro, Janine Tebeau-Jemerson, Patty Kadel, John Klindt, Jim Lalone, Sam McEnany, Terri Jo Bonbright, and Ryan Matthews

A correction with regard to attendance was made to the October minutes and they will be posted to the Cascade Zydeco website.

BLUES FESTIVAL

The board discussed an email from Blues Festival organizers that suggested CZ may want to consider adjustments in the usage of our Blues Festival booth. Other groups and commercial entities are interested in the space currently occupied by the CZ booth. The suggestions were:

* CZ should consider occupying the booth for all days of the festival * CZ may want to consider selling items from the booth to generate income to donate to the festival

Cascade Zydeco's Blues Festival volunteer coordinator said that in 2009 she understood that CZ occupying the booth for two days only was our choice. Volunteers she had assigned for additional time were surprised when they arrived and found that the CZ booth had been assigned to another group.

Board members agreed that selling from the booth would present extremely difficult problems with regard to cash handling and security of both the cash and the inventory of sale items.

Jim Lalone will arrange a meeting with Blues Festival organizers to clarify our role.

DANCE CAMP 2010

Jamie Morgan, who is coordinating dance camp again for 2010, came to the meeting to answer questions regarding the proposed 2010 budget of $25,000, which came in at approximately $2000 less than the 2009 budget. The budget was approved by a vote of the Board.

Suggestions for better promotion of Dance Camp in the form of postcards and improvements in the flyer were made.

KEEP PORTLAND WEIRD FESTIVAL

Cascade Zydeco members are welcome to join the general public at the Multnomah County main library on November 14 for the Keep Portland Weird Festival. The Jemersons have agreed to teach a lesson and Bon Ton Roulet will play.

BOARD MEMBER GOALS

Jim Lalone had asked board members to bring up to three goals they would like CZ to accomplish in the coming year. Ideas were as follows:

* Recruit new members, establish an email sign up list at the door at every dance, create a Facebook page (this idea has already been implemented by Chere Weiss)

* Increase membership with outreach to younger people, encourage more leads to come to dances and teach follows to lead, establish email sign up sheet

* Encourage people to volunteer and be willing to give them ample opportunity to participate

* Encourage people to wear name tags, research other zydeco groups for ideas about activities and membership

* Design and send postcards to promote dance camp

* Pursue the projects underway by the Recruitment and Retention Committee

* Better communication

VOLUNTEERS

Penny Holeman has resigned as Volunteer Coordinator effective December 31.

HALLOWEEN DANCE

Board members discussed an incident at Norse Hall on Oct 31 in which a dancer became intoxicated and created a scene in the bar. There was some discussion regarding standards of behavior and the importance of protecting our venues from inappropriate behavior. Since this was an unusual and isolated incident, Jim Lalone, as Chairman, will pursue a resolution and report back to the board.

FINANCIAL REPORT

Patty Kadel reported that CZ lost $966 on the Halloween dance at Norse Hall. Costs were higher at this dance than many others since CZ was required to pay for airfare, bartenders, a high venue price, and sound costs that are sometime not required, depending on the venue and band.

Current balance in the CZ account is $17,556.09.

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