Minutes dec15 2007
MINNSTF BOARD MINUTES - December 15, 2007
- Note: the scheduled Nov 30 meeting didn’t happen, so the last meeting before this one was Oct 26.
- Location: Scott and Irene’s house
- Attending Board Members: Dean Gahlon, Sharon Kahn, Rachel Kronick, Lisa Freitag
- Also Attending: Carol Kennedy, Matt and Kelly Strait, Irene and Scott Raun
- Minutes by: Sharon Kahn
AGENDA
- Talk to Treasurer (Carol) and get status on Minnstf accounts
- Determine whether accounts from Minicon 38 and 39 were ever closed, money transferred
- Determine status of Minnstf taxes
- Pool party
- Schedule voting meetings
- Minnstf Board Wiki – continue the discussion
- What to do with unwanted stuff in Minicon Storage Locker
OLD BUSINESS
Status on Minnstf Bank Accounts: Carol Kennedy (Treasurer)
Kevin sent a letter to U.S. Bank in October requesting the resumption of paper statements. STILL no statements. Carol does have checks now. Lisa, who also banks at a USBank branch, offered to try to get the bank to send us statements when she goes to the bank tomorrow.
Minicon Money
Carol reports that Mark Richards, chair of last year’s Minicon 42, gave her a check for $3,000 at the last Minnstf meeting. Presumably this is all or part of the profit from Minicon 42, but they didn’t have time to discuss it in detail. We need to find out whether the books are now closed on Minicon 42, whether there is any money left in that account, how much money we took in and how much profit we made. We’d also like a final registration number. This discussion reminded us that we never got the above information from Greg re Minicon 41, although we did get a fat profit check from him. Irene, who was treasurer in 2002, confirms that Larry and Laura Jean did indeed turn over all the money left in their Minicon accounts at Franklin Bank to the Minnstf treasury. Furthermore, at least two of the three bank accounts at Franklin Bank were closed, and if the third one is still open it doesn’t have any money in it. There was some discussion over whether there is any need for Minicon seed money. Matt, who is currently co-chairing Minicon, said there is no need. In that case, there is no pressing reason to keep perpetual Minicon accounts. This requires changing signers every couple of years, which always confuses the bank. It was suggested that Minicon chairs should just open an account for their cons and close the account when they close the books. No decision was actually reached on this topic.
Minnstf taxes
Irene believes that the last time Minnstf filed taxes was after Minicon 39, which would have been about 2004, when Larry was both Treasurer and Minicon chair. This is much better than it sounds, however. It turns out, according to Irene and Scott, that the IRS does not require us to file taxes unless we both owe money (we never do, being a non-profit), AND have a gross income in excess of $25,000. Typically, that number would be reached for a convention of 500-600. So it is likely that we have not hit that limit in the last 5 years.
Random Financial Facts
- Current Minnstf checking account is at US Bank in St. Paul.
- Current Minicon bank accounts are at Highland bank. The only one we really need is the checking account. We also have a savings account that was only there for use with Paypal, but we now have Paypal associated with the checking account.
- We are not particularly happy with either bank.
- The Minnstf account is/was Judy Gallas.
Minnstf Wiki
No progress has been made. Rachel reminded us that Laurel and Kevin have already set up a Minnstf wiki at http://wiki.mnstf.org and are waiting for somebody to actually use it for something before they do any more with it (like setting up private areas). Rachel and Sharon got all fired up and vowed to open accounts on the Wiki immediately and try posting something. One suggestion was to start with a list of recent Minicon numbers, dates and chairs so we wouldn’t have to keep counting backwards on our fingers every time we have a Board meeting. Sharon wishes to note that she came home that very day and created herself an account on the Wiki. It’s easy, folks! Just follow the bouncing ball.
NEW BUSINESS
Schedule Nomination and Voting Meetings for Board Elections
- Jan 19: 1st nomination meeting (Marian Turner’s house)
- Feb 9: 2nd nomination meeting (location TBD)
- Feb 23: Voting meeting (tentatively at Dream Park)
- Mar 22: Minicon [provided as a reference point – Board elections must precede Minicon]
New Year’s Eve Party
Sharon and Richard will take this one, at Dream Park.
Pool Party
Traditionally this is a special Minnstf meeting held in a poolside suite at the hotel formerly known as The Radisson South (now some kind of Sheraton). Keith, as hotel liaison for Minicon 43, is pursuing this with the hotel. The new management is no longer willing to comp us the room for this extravaganza, but they admit that business is slow on winter weekends and they have offered us $100 off the usual room rate of $289. The Board confirmed that we are willing to pay for the room, but encourages Keith to try for an even better deal.
Minicon Storage Locker
Matt suggests getting rid of the following rather bulky items, none of which have been used for quite a while:
- 1 40-cup coffee maker
- 7 HEPA air-cleaners
- 1 folding wheelchair
- 3 rather large, rather old cash registers
After some discussion, it was decided to keep one cash register, the coffee maker, and however many air cleaners Lydy thinks she needs for Fourth Street Fantasy (we’re guessing 2-4). Fourth Street is not a sponsored Minnstf event, but we will lend the air cleaners to them.
Next Meeting
Next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Jan 19, 2008, 1:00pm, at the site of the Minnstf meeting (believed to be Marian Turner’s house). We have to confirm with Marian that it is okay for us to show up early.