04/28/18 5pm, Old Smyrna Firehouse
In attendance - Mary, Aly, Ryan, Chad, Draven, Stabler
President’s Unusually Long Statement
We saw an unprecedented effort by this entire organization to save Euphoria 2018. Ultimately, we were unsuccessful in having the event, but the concerted effort by this dedicated group of all volunteers must not go unrecorded. On March 23, 2018, we received word that on March 21, Chattooga County Sole Commissioner Jason Winters signed a new permitting ordinance pertaining to land in Chattooga County outside of separate city limits. This ordinance was targeted at our organization, and was passed at such a time as to make our compliance with the deadlines imposed impossible. Nevertheless, on March 26th, we developed a solid action plan, delegating assembly of all required documentation to those organization members having the most ready access to each specific item. The response was amazing to witness. Each requested document was provided quickly and completely, with no infighting or other drama. The permit application was assembled in record time, and all 94 pages were submitted, in person, by me, on April 6, 2018, at 1:20pm. Despite the absolute thoroughness of the permit application, which addressed each and every item listed in the ordinance, the permit was summarily denied the following week. During that time, former Board member, Anna Stroup, forwarded to us an email detailing a 2016 site visit to a property in Chattahoochee Hills, Bouckaert Farms. In 2016, the property was deemed more than adequate for our needs, and complete contact details for every aspect of the permitting process were included in the email. However, at that time, the property was, for several reasons, cost prohibitive, and the then-sitting Board had to decline. Acting on the information in the email, we initiated contact with Chattahoochee Hills and Bouckaert Farms, in a last-ditch, Hail Mary effort to save the event. The effort was beyond heroic, and I could not be more proud to be part of this organization. Land arrangements were made, and a permit application put together in a few days, a team dispatched to Summerville, loaded our inventory into trucks and brought it to Chattahoochee Hills, to be ready in the event we managed a miracle. This was an incredibly exciting adventure, one that many of us later remarked was completely worthwhile, regardless of the final outcome. Had we had just a few more days, Chattahoochee Hills would have worked with us to get the permit approved, but given the very short window we all had to work with, all safety concerns could not be adequately addressed, and we were unable to get the permit in place. However, we were able to move our storage containers to Bouckaert Farms, as we have been welcomed by both the property owners, managers, and the city authorities for our future events. Chattahoochee Hills has provided everything we need to submit a successful permit application, and the intention is to begin working on that immediately. We wish to have a permit in hand at the time we announce ticket sales, and it looks like that is a feasible goal. We learned quite a bit trying to work with Chattooga County, and henceforth will not be considering property in sole commissioner counties, or counties with no solid permitting ordinance already in place and functional. As I have already said, although we did not get to hold Euphoria 2018, the immense disappointment and feelings of loss were tempered by witnessing and being a part of the amazing collective effort of our community to save the event. I am humbled and grateful to be a part of this organization.
2018 April Board Meeting
Called to Order 5:10pm
Due to the hasty nature of this BoD meeting, the minutes will not follow our standard format.
In light of cancelling Euphoria:
Refunds - recommended policy -
Refunds issued by a date certain only if the request form is filled out, and the full refund option chosen. It was ultimately decided that ticketholders would also have the option to donate their ticket cost, or retain their Eu18 tickets, and exchange them for full value with an additional discount of half the price difference, against a guaranteed ticket to Alchemy 2018. It was also proposed that no discount be offered, just the guaranteed ticket, and credit for the purchase price. This option was rejected as being insufficient incentive to forgo an immediate refund.
Amendment - the following Monday, April _, 2018. The issue of whether to offer any discount along with price credit for Alchemy ticket switches was reopened. After many hours’ debate, it was decided that how to handle the refunds is actually an EC decision, and it is their call.
The question of whether to honor Eu18 Scholarship and Artist tix at Alchemy 2018 was discussed, and the Board approves, but this is ultimately an EC decision. A18 EC ultimately opted to carryover all scholarship and artist tix upon request of the ticketholder.
Chattahoochee Hills - A18 Permit Application, needs to begin immediately. We must have a permit in hand prior to announcing ticket sales and location.
The main person we need to interface with on the permit app is the fire chief, as his were the major concerns.
The next City Council meeting in CH is May 1, and Chad and Ryan will attend to get a feel for the dynamics.
We have cleared the original A18 date, Oct. 4-7, with the landowner/manager.
We also received a very nice email from the mayor, thanking us for our professionalism and stating they are looking forward to working with us! Very different from Chattooga.
If PWC needs access to the containers on the property, Jeff should call Hugh at the number on the Bouckaert Farms webpage.
Regarding Summerville -
We are all sad about the way things went with the government there, because the actual citizens were so friendly and helpful, and the economy could really use the boost.
Someone voiced a desire to meet with the mayor of Summerville and get their take on the situation.
Draven proposes we still have a booth at the Chattooga County Ag Fair, so people get some idea who we really are. I agree with this idea.
It was also pointed out that CH needs resources as well, and if they welcome us, we should really allocate the majority of our community relations resources in that direction.
There is still $10K outstanding, that was given to Dalon as deposit on the property. The plan was the entire K was cancelled if we did not get the permit. We need to contact Dalon about this.
Home Committee -
Needs to be fully mobilized, and also warned against making statements as representatives of the org, as they are not authorized to bind the org, and we do not want to risk confusion in that area.
EU18 Post Mortem and Plus/Delta -
This meeting will be arranged, and attended by EC, PWC and Board Liaisions.
Also, we still need a post burn from A17, ask Jules if she can do this, as right now all we have are photos of the plus/delta white boards.
Org Debit Cards -
Per Draven, Staff can hold their cards, and Draven will deactivate, as the same people will likely cycle into A18 Leadership, and need the cards anyway.
I returned all the “spare” debit cards to Draven for safekeeping.
New Board Secretary -
Bubbles has resigned, so we need one.Perhaps start with the applicant names from Draven’s Asst Treasurer search
We need someone who can create “living documents” for us, like Leadership interest forms, so we have a ready source of that information as soon as we need it.
The secretary should also be able to manage the Google Drives and create an orderly and properly accessible file and nomenclature system.
Bylaws -
We still need to review and announce and change the “shall” to “may.”
Assistant Treasurer -
We still need one. Draven’s first pick backed out.
BMO -
We are working on re-establishing affiliation/ sanctioning, and need to set up a meeting with Jim, and the other RC. Amsterdam has resigned.
501(c)(3) -
We need to move forward with this immediately. I will take point, as I have the most knowledge, and free time. Need to get in contact with our CPA to see if he can handle 501c3 accounting and assist with setup.
Attendance -
We are required to vote on whether to retain Chad on the Board, as he has missed quite a few meetings due to work commitments, of which we were all previously aware, so the vote is a formality. Vote to retain Chad is unanimous.
Meeting adjourned at 6:13
- Old Business
- New Business
- Sanctioning
- Attendance
- CI Grants
- Greeters Monkey Huts - separate fund-raising
- Hoodies - org purchases all
- Time Capsule
- Sanctioning
- Committee updates
- Home Committee (Draven & Mary)
- Status of school donations (standing by, being handed off)
- Conduct Committee (Draven or Chad)
- Tech-Ops (Need to get them going)
- PWC (Mary)
- “EC” (Mary & ?) Status of callouts for Euphoria EL?
- Figure out com for Aly and Ryan
- Board Retreat
- Reschedule or not YES!!
- Invite Jacob
- 501c3 - Table for Retreat
- Update and how to move forward
- Any other points from Members
- What we need to be working on
- What we can do to improve
- Closing
