Cooperstown
Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors
March 12, 2009
Present: Marc Kingsley, Becky Davidson-Nielsen, Yvette
DiMaggio, Jane Duel, Ken Meifert, Steve Elliott, Andrew Marietta, Bridgette
Priem, Margaret Savoie, Deb Taylor, and Anne Geddes-Atwell.
Staff: Susan O’Handley and Angela Chadwell
- Meeting
called to order @ 8am
- January
8, 2009 board minutes approved
- Committee
Reports and Discussion/Action Items
- Treasurer’s
Report
- Discussed
revised budget
- Question
about Otsego County Tourism match
- Clarification
about matching funds
- Question
about Map Source
- Higher
revenue in 2008 was related to printing of map
- Motion
to approve revised budget
- Anne
made motion, 2nd by Deb
- Discussed
setting up paypal account to handle mailing fees associated with Area
Guide
- Plan
to charge $3 for mailing Area Guide and move postage budget to
distribution
- Discussion
about will people pay to have Guide shipped to them
- Possibility
of Otsego County Tourism shipping out Area Guides
- Opinion
expressed that Guide being free is important
- Idea
will go to Marketing Committee
- Discussion
about opening Wilber Bank checking account and using it for special
events
- Our
accounts now with NBT Bank and KeyBank
- Each
year Chamber investigates best interest rates and accounts that offer
no fees
- Staff
will investigate issue further
- Executive
Committee
- Overview
of recent discussions: Affinity Marketing program; wedding program
promotion (committee formed); finance; board retreat; parade
- Request
for board meetings to return to monthly schedule
- Discuss
ways for board to feel more connected
- Send
out committee minutes, agenda, and board reminder out before next
board meeting
- Government
Relations Committee
- Has
been a controversial committee in past and proposing to discontinue
- New
committee proposed, Tourism
- Motion
to dissolve Government Relations and move to Executive and form Tourism
Committee
- Jane
made motion and 2nd by Deb
- Discussion:
Deb sees value, especially with co-op partners
- Need
to be very clear charge
- Amend
to dissolve Government Relations and move to Executive and from
Tourism Committee in partnership with board and Marketing Committee
- Strategic
Planning Committee
- Update
on planning process
- Handed
out committees input
- Discussed
board planning retreat
- Set
for May 2nd from 8 to 11am
- Fund
Development activities
- Proposing
recruiting and using volunteers for Pioneer Park kiosk
- Motion
to explore volunteers for the kiosk
- Andy
made motion and 2nd by Becky
- Discussion:
Need to take into account training, staff time, and creating
guidelines
- Approved
- Put
on agenda for May board meeting
- Membership
Committee
- Motion
made to approve new members (For the Health of It; Hunter Hill Horse
Farm/Riding Stable; Take Shape for Life; and Wicker Garden’s Children,
Inc.
- Motion
by Jane and 2nd by Anne
- Pumpkin
Fest update
- Planning
committee meeting held
- Membership
trade proposed by OCCA
- Discussed
proposal
- Plan
to discuss how Chamber can best serve nonprofits in future planning
- Parade
proposal and budget
- Reviewed
sponsorship letter and parade budget
- Baseball
Hall of Fame is offering incentive of breakfast meet and greet with one
Hall of Famer
- Partnership
between Hall of Fame and Chamber
- Raise
funds to cover Chamber’s hard costs of $8000 and any additional funds
would be split
- Motion
made to approve $8000 hard cost budget for Parade to be covered by
sponsorship funds and any additional funds would be split with Baseball
Hall of Fame, and funds will be tracked closely by finance to evaluate if
expenses need to be decreased
- Motion
by Andrew and 2nd by Anne
- Approved
- Townsend
Catering Trade
- Lucy
Townsend will receive membership and ad in the Area Guide in exchange
for catering services at Hall of Fame
- Motion
made by Anne to approve and 2nd by Margaret
- Approved
with Jane abstaining
- Manager’s
Report
- Website
visits down in February
- Marketing
- Area
Guide on track
- Google
ads on website generating about $5/day
- Banner
ads have most potential
- Marketing
discussing pricing
- Board
Development
- Update
on charges
- Handed
out grid to achieve board diversity
- Nominating
is asking for potential candidates
- Will
be approaching expiring term board members about interest
- Amendments
to by-laws
- Article
V. Board of Directors
- Section
7. Annual report. The Board of Directors shall present at the Annual
Meeting the most recent Bi-Annual audit prepared by a certified firm of
independent public accountants selected by the Board, showing in
appropriate detail the following:
- Article
X. Bi-Annual Audit
- The
accounts of the Chamber shall be audited bi-annually by an independent
Certified Public Accountant who is not an officer, board member or
employee of the Chamber.
- Steve
made motion to accept changes and 2nd by Jane
- Board
orientation and training
- No
budget this year, but will evaluate and make recommendations for future
- Director’s
Report
- Old
Business
- IRS
Penalty
- Still
in deliberation as of 3/6/09 and waiting for decision
- Sent
letter to accountant notifying them of penalty issue and will follow up
if there is a penalty
- New
Business
- Formal
position on collegiate team in Cooperstown
- Hearing
feedback overall seemed positive
- Issues
are noise, alcohol, crowd control, etc
- Board
considering position
- Motion
to adjourn by Marc and 2nd by Ken
- Meeting
adjourned at 10:30 am
- Next
meeting May 14th
- Submitted
by Andrew Marietta