Category: Board Meeting Minutes

In Attendance   Keegan O’Connor Anne Nolan Su Harambe

Alan Ross Dorothy Driver Brett Boynton

Gerd Prewett Joan Krueger

Agenda Topics

• Assessment of online membership meeting on Dec. 9 and presentation by Youth Care
  • helpful to know shelter is moving into neighborhood
  • interesting and informative
  • helpful to know of other opportunities to donate in our community

• Feedback on Arts and Craft Fair that ended 12/20 (Dorothy)
  • Make F2F event more that 4 hours (maybe 10 am to 3 pm)
  • Dorothy asked for feedback for online sales
  • The event was a huge success and we’re hopeful to be in the clubhouse next year
  • Some artists feel that they have created a network with one another and this will help build a strong artists community
  • thank you to Alan and Tom for the technical support
  • thank you to Dorothy and Joyce

• Future speakers for February and beyond
  • Liz Covey (February) mental health specialist (Su will follow up)
  • Kathie Weibel had several suggestions. She will be on the new board and we can follow up with her 
  • Ryan Calkins is a commissioner at the Port of Seattle. In addition he is a coach and consultant at Ventures, a charitable organization that supports low-income entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses in the Puget Sound area.(Dorothy)

• Agenda items for January member meeting besides election on 2021 Board
  • Election 
  • FAST (fathers and sons together) received donations and stored items at VFW.  They organized give aways for holiday.  It was a hugely successful event.
  • Keegan uploaded videos to youtube.  Alan added a link to posts on website.  Links to minutes are now available on the website
  • February social event for Valentines Day 2/13/2021
    • show and tell valentines
    • include fun categories
    • Alan will contact Danielle

Future Guest Speakers:

1. January – Jamie Ptacek, Lead Organizer for Futurewise’s Washington Can’t Wait Campaign. With a background in climate science and community organizing, Jamie has been working to build a base of support among individual constituents and partner organizations across the state to update Washington’s Growth Management Act (GMA) during this legislative session. The updates that the Washington Can’t Wait Campaign has brought forward with our organizational partners seek to incorporate policy in the GMA that would address climate change, housing affordability, and environmental justice. Jamie will be discussing the Washington Can’t Wait Campaign, the policy changes being advocated for, and offer opportunities for folks to get involved in this work.

Board Members in Attendance:

Keegan O’Connor Alan Ross Danielle McClure

Su Harambe Anne Nolan Brett Boyton Dorothy Driver           Joan Krueger

Assessment of 11/11/2020 meeting and speakers  Olivia Reed and Gloria Hatcher-Mays 

• meeting was very interesting and informative 
• learned a great deal about the Rainier Valley Food Bank 
• the meeting was not recorded 

 Promotion of Harvest Festival Social Plans

• Saturday 11/28 via zoom
• Anne will send out follow up email
• RBCC facebook events page

Update Arts and Crafts Market:

• Alan is working on website 
• Map will be on website
• Joyce Greenberg and Dorothy Driver are organizing event
• $750 donated to RBCC from fees (minus $18 PayPal fee)

Nominating Committee

• No updates (Alan)
• Anne will send slate in email
• Finalize slate at December meeting

Future Speakers

• Liz Covey confirmed for February 10 meeting (Su)
• Randi Esletine director of Community Engagement @ Youth Care as possible guest speaker (Alan)

Agenda items for  12/9/2020 meeting:

• committee reports
• introduction of guests or new members
• approve minutes
• corresponding secretary report
• Standing committee reports
• Old Business
  • feed back on last months speaker
  • feed back on harvest social
  • Arts and Crafts Market on line through 12/20
• New Business
  • introduction of slate of candidates
  • member vote 1/13/202
• guest speaker

Guest Speaker:

Randi Eseltine, Director of Community Engagement with YouthCare will present information about the organization and upcoming shelter relocation.  YouthCare works to end youth homelessness and to ensure that young people are valued for who they are and empowered to achieve their potential. And now, to accommodate the Seattle-King County Public Health Department’s COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, YouthCare’s South Seattle Shelter will be relocating to the Rainier Beach area in January 2021. 

In Attendance:  Keegan O’Connor Anne Nolan Su Harambe

Alan Ross Dorothy Driver Brett Boynton

Gerd Prewett Joan Krueger Danielle McClure

1. Assessment of online membership meeting on October 14, update on Kubota Gardens

• program was very informative
• important to have overview of wonderful neighborhood resource

2. Assessment of Wine Fest on Saturday Oct. 17.

• event was a big success
• conversation flowed well
• lots of new neighbors participated
• Next event 
  • Harvest Festival 
  • 11/28/202 
  • 7:00-8:00 pm 
  • Keegan will announce at next meeting
  • Danielle will post invitation on facebook
  • Alan will create zoom link

3. Updates on Arts and Craft events  Alan/Dorothy

• Thanks to Alan, Tom and Gerd for all their help
• 22 vendors are participating 
• Su will collect “A” boards
• map of event should be downloadable as PDF for phone use

4.  Insurance update/follow-up  Gerd 

• Premiums that we’re paying are very good according to David Merrill (especially D&O). 
•  Gerd will talk to him again next August/Sept to review the coverage. 
• Our annual renewal premium for liability and property coverage with Farmer’s is $761 and our annual premium for D&O coverage is $531. 
• Same premiums as last year.

5. Nominees for 2021 RBCC Board:

1. Pres – Keegan O’Connor
2. VP – Alan Ross
3. Treasurer – Gerd Prewett
4. Corresponding Secretary – Anne Nolan
5. Recording Secretary – Joan Krueger
6. Trustee – Brett Boynton (new 2 yr term)
7. Trustee – Danielle McClure (new 2 yr term)
8. Trustee – Kathie Weibel (serving 2nd year for Su)
9. Trustee – Dorothy Driver (doesn’t need a vote)

*Keegan will set up surgery monkey for voting as this is the best method for meeting bi-law requirements

*JoAnn will have access to survey monkey results

6. Suggestion for Future speakers after November

• Liz Covey Mental Health provider. (Su)
• Community Passageway (Danielle and Dorothy)
• The Intentionalist Highlights local businesses
• SE Seattle Creative District

7. Agenda items for November member meeting 

• 11/28 Zoom Harvest Social
• 2021 elections for board at January meeting
  • who is on committee
  • list positions
• Arts and Crafts Market

8.  November Guest Speaker:

November 11, 2020 – Olivia Reed, Youth & Community Organizer, Rainier Valley Food Bank to discuss recent programs and volunteer oppotunities. The RVFB opened  in 1991 as a volunteer-led neighborhood pantry serving 50 families a week. Founded as Northwest Community Services, the organization experienced a rapid rise in demand as the nation’s economy began to decline in 2008. In response to this huge increase in the number of families in need of food in our neighborhood, the board changed the organization’s name to Rainier Valley Food Bank, and hired its first professional executive director in 2009.

Attendance:  Keegan O’Connor Alan Ross Danielle McClure

Su Harambe Anne Nolan Brett Boyton Dorothy Driver Joan Krueger Gerd Prewett

Assessment of online membership meeting on Sept. 9 and Omari Salisbury presentation.

• new people attended.
• people stayed
• excellent speaker, extremely inspiring
• thank you to Danielle

Planning for Wine Fest on Saturday Oct. 17 (Danielle)

• Alan will post link to invitation with meeting email
• Danielle will write blurb
• Anne is creating adjective list 

Updates on Arts and Craft events (Alan/Dorothy)

• 5-6 artists have responded
• new vendor applied
• adding musicians via separate invitation
• Alan can we extend deadline? He will send time line to Dorothy and Joyce
• Anne  will resend email via RBCC

Updates on Love Your Lands (Keegan)

• no update

Should we update the website to indicate we are not accepting rentals right now, until we are able to do so (Gerd)

• want to show we’re still renting but can’t now (Alan)

Recording of future guest speakers (Keegan)

• As long as we are hosting meetings via Zoom, should we ask each new speaker if we can record their presentation, and then make them easily available on our website, rather than just having a link in the meeting minutes?

Update on insurance (Gerd)

• Gerd contacted agent
• renewal due mid- October
• raising deductible to reduce cost may not be worthwhile
• insurance is currently our largest expense. 
• Gerd suggested we maintain current policy
• Gerd received $40 check 
• Gerd has contacted Dave Merrill to see what he can offer.

Future speakers after October

• Kathie Weibel suggested a Board Member from Harborview  re: bond on ballot and Harborview history
  • Keegan will talk to Kathie to confirm that speaker must be nonpartisan
  • Anne can follow up with Kathie
• Rainier Valley Food Bank (Danielle)
  • local food bank, what can we do, how can we help 
  • Brett will follow up
• Community Passageways (Danielle)
  • youth on path
  • people post prison
• Mental Health Specialist (Su)
  • Liz Covey hopefully to speak before holiday 
• Marcus Green oat Emerald (Su)

Agenda items for October member meeting 

• harvest social
• wine event
• arts and crafts reminder and update
• nomination of board members

Future Guest Speakers:

October 14 – Kubota Garden Master Plan Update – In 2019, the Kubota Garden Foundation funded the Kubota Garden Master Plan Update, hiring consultants to lead a broad community and City outreach process to help assess the current garden and provide guidance for its future design and development. KGF Board President Joy Okazaki and the consultant team will join us to present their findings and highlight some of the recommendations to guide improvements to the garden for the next 20-30 years.

Attendance: 

Keegan O’Connor Alan Ross Danielle McClure,

Su Harambe Anne Nolan Brett Boyton

Dorothy Driver Joan Krueger Gerd Prewett

Assessment of 8/12 meeting and speaker Omar Akkari presentation on SSE

• One participant seemed to have control of meeting.  In the future members will be muted until meeting begins
• Norfolk seems like a desirable community project to reclaim water access
• Su wrote to Omar to ask how we get permission to begin to create public access.  There was no response.  She will follow up

Assessment of online Ice Cream Social and ideas for future social events

• event was successful, 1 hour was a good amount of time, 1 new participant
• Next event “winetober” 10/17 Anne will provide a list of adjectives to help people describe their wine

Different publicity needed for September speaker? (Alan)

• board members will reach out to friends
• link will be set up on RBCC facebook page
• FB event page
• Tom will reach out on instagram
• separate email to announce speaker
• Danielle will follow up and confirm speaker 

Update on tech needs for Arts and Crafts 

• Tom and Alan will set up spiffy for event, need to clarify who is responsible for making sure buyer receives items
• page on RBCC website with all info for vendors and products
• youth participation encouraged
• event will be held 12/5

Kubota Garden book received (Alan)

• book is available for board members to share
• will be available to everyone when in person meetings resume

Worst case scenario from a financial perspective

• Worst case assumes we cannot have any activities (therefore no income) until our lease expires 7/31/2022.  IF we have no income and our current monthly and annual expenses (and no surprises) our balance will be $26,133 when our lease expires.  This is a few hundred dollars less than we inherited from the Women’s Club when the club was revived.
• We’ve had no income since March.  Our expenses are rent, 50% of wifi, monthly zoom meeting fee, insurance, form 990 preparation for IRS, annual fees to the City of Seattle, State of Washington, and domain registration for website. Current insurance total cost per year is $1175. 
• We discussed ideas for generating income

Future Speakers after October?

• Keegan will reach out to Kathie.
• Voter outreaches actions we can do in our neighborhood (must be non political)

Agenda items for September meeting

• Arts and Crafts Event
• Wintober  10/17
• Deadline to register to vote

Future Guest Speakers

• September 9- Omar Salisbury is an independent journalist and media professional with Seattle-based Coverage Media, a leading producer of culturally relevant content in the Pacific Northwest.  Salisbury will be sharing his experience and perspective as a journalist in the mask of the Seattle BLM movement, downtown protests, and the rise and fall of the CHOP, as he continues to report daily on the quickly shifting event in the city
• October9- Kubota Garden Master Plan Update- In 2019, the Kubota Garden Foundation funded the Kubota Garden Master Plan Update, hiring consultants to lead a broad community and city outreach process to help assess the current garden and provide guidance tor its future design and development.  KGF Board President Joy Okazaki and the consultant team will join us to present their finding and highlight some of the recommendations to guide improvements to the garden for the next 20-30 years.

Attendance:  Keegan O’Connor Alan Ross Danielle McClure

Su Harambe Anne Nolan Brett Boyton Dorothy Driver Joan Krueger

Assessment of 7/8 meeting and speaker John Stafford presentation

• meeting was a success, new neighbors participated
• John Stafford was an interesting speaker and non remained non-partisan
• Will consider limiting speaking time of community members

Assessment of on line 7/11 Balderdash event and ideas for future events:

• not well attended
• Continuity of community events is important even if not well attended.
• More widely advertise through social media
• Zoom ice cream social August 22 7:00-8:00
• Future trivia games will be scheduled

Replacement of generator (Gerd):

• SU will go to building to confirm building is completely cleaned for new generator and shred old papers
• Su will reach out to Ron Angeles and they will order new generator
• She will inform Keegan and Gerd when order is placed
• Concerns for access during an earthquake were discussed. Once installed n basement  we will look for alternate location

Calendar update  (Gerd)

• Calendar still lists membership and girl scout meetings at club.  Membership meetings will be changed to reflect zoom status.  Girl scout meetings were removed from calendar.  
• Alan will reach out to Richard so he can update VFW use of building on calendar

Old Bank Statements: (Gerd)

• Su found old bank statements in the storage area.  We only need to save 7 years.  Older ones can be discardedGerd will contact Richard to identify a safe location for storage. She will coordinate with Donovan and Ron

Future Speakers:

Omari Sailsbury,

• Danielle reached out to Omari Sailsbury, a journalist fro Converge Media, who extensively covered the BLM movement and protests in May-June. He is interested  in possibly speaking at an RBCC meeting.  His perspective on what’s been happening in Seattle and Cap Hill has been thought provoking.  He would likely  draw a larger and perhaps more diverse crowd of our neighbors to meeting.  Danielle will contact him and ask if he would be willing to speak at our September meeting.

Ellen/Kubota Gardens: (Alan)

• Jackie O’Ryan was the liaison between Kubota gardens and RBCC. She received a letter with the long term plan for the garden. Alan will reach out to Jackie.  We would like to have a guest speaker from Kubota to share the long term plan.
• Kubota will donate book once we can meet again in person

Speaker to discuss city plans for sewer, water, and electric upgrades

• idea defeated

Marcus Green

• Danielle will reach out and ask if he is interested i speaking or ask for suggestions for additional speakers.

Other items:

• Su found old meeting minutes.  We will try to preserve them and create archive on website

Agenda items for 7/8 meeting:

• Upcoming social event 8/22
• Generator fund > update on fund raiser $200/$500 raised through donations 
• Reschedule of harvest social
• Arts and Crafts show  (Dorothy) > call for artists, zoom event for artists to discuss plans, will be modified and held on line this year. 

Guest Speaker August meeting:

Omar Akkari is the Shoreline Street Ends (SSE) Program Coordinator for the City of Seattle Department of Transportation. The SSE Program improves public access, protects unique views, enhances habitat, supports maritime industry and fosters stewardship to create long-lasting assets.  Omar will introduce the SSE program and proposed ordinance. 

Attendance:  Keegan O’Connor Alan Ross Anne Nolan

Su Harambe Gerd Prewett Danielle McClure

Brett Boyton Dorothy Driver Joan Krueger

Assessment of  6/10 meeting:

• meeting was a success, new neighbors participated
• Mark Solomon was an interesting speaker 

Assessment of on line trivia 6/20 event and ideas for future events:

• small group attended but it was an enjoyable event
• can future event include working in teams in break out rooms
• More widely advertise through social media
• Danielle volunteered to spear head next event 7/11 7:30-9:00

New website status:

• Potential launch 7/1
• all minutes are current
• Tim sent photos, Alan created back up

Seahawk Tickets:  (Gerd)

• Rodney GIvens was approached about donating Seahawk tickets as raffle for Harvest Social 
• Due to corona virus concerns Harvest Social and Football are questionable
• Decided to pass on tickets

Generator: (Gerd)

• The generator is an essential factor in community safety in the event of an emergency
• Insurance money for replacement received
• $166 in donations toward $500 deductible
• Will mention at general meeting and ask for donations
• Gerd will contact Richard to identify a safe location for storage. She will coordinate with Donovan and Ron

Annual report: (Gerd)

• Gerd filed annual report with State of Washington

July Speaker: (Keegan)

• John Stafford will present information about 37th District Democrats
• He is currently running for office to represent that district
• As a non-partisan organization we need to clarify that his prevention will be non-partisan
• The language of our next meeting will reflect that he is going to present a non-partisan overview of the legislation session
• Keegan will email Kathy to confirm that this is clear

Future Speakers:

• Omar from shoreline street to present update on culvert replacement
• Does Kathy have other speakers lined up? 

Ellen/Kubota Gardens: (Alan)

• Kubota gardens would like to donate Kubota Garden book to RBCC
• we will make it available to borrow when in person meetings resume

Agenda items for 7/8 meeting:

• Rainier Beach Economic Round Table > Natalya is no longer able to attend meetings, is someone available to attend?
• Upcoming social event 7/11
• Generator fund > Gerd will ask Ron to present a 5 minute call to action to explain need for generator
• Website launch via screen share
• Ask for guest speaker suggestions
• Ask for ideas for social events