Meeting 11/17/16

Meeting 11/17/16 

Present Sarah, Laurel, Tara, Angie, Sharon (no quorum)

Check in 

Notes Approved 

Treasurer’s Report 
We have $5830.65 in the checking account. 
-Question about why it is less than last month. Outstanding checks have been cashed since last report but no new gigs have come up to add to the total. 
-Because of last minute cancellation on the retreat space we can either pay ½ of the rental fee now and apply it to future use or pay 25% of the fee and if we use the space in the future we can apply 15% of what we paid to the new rental fee. We chose to pay ½ now. 

Announcements
 -Retreat is cancelled for this weekend. We need to choose a new date, facilitator and allocate money for the facilitator. 
-Annual meeting is Jan. 19, Gaea’s house, 6-9, potluck

Promises/Action Items
-Business cards – Sharon will ask Soozin for the link and pay for them
-Try to have Mint installed by January meeting – Sharon -Retreat facilitator 
–Tara will send info on facilitators, compile choices, send email for payment approval 
-Retreat food – Sharon and Laurel will figure out food.
 -Retreat new date – Laurel will send email, compile results and let us know by Thanksgiving. Please reply promptly.
-Annual meeting agenda – Sharon
 -Insurance – Angie will contact Barebones, Tara will look into it also

Retreat
 Possible new dates for the retreat are Jan 21-22 or Feb. 25-26

We need to choose a facilitator
- Keegan Xavi $750 
- Shannon Forni $600-700 
-Laura Halloway $400 
- Maren Ward $250-300
People wanted to know more about the facilitators before choosing so Tara will get that information to everyone. Each Chick should send in her top 2 choices to Tara. Tara will choose using that information and send an email get approval for the payment. Please check your email and reply promptly.

Other money considerations: Space rental $180-200 (15/hr)
                                                   Food $200.

Suggestion for breaking up the time is: 
Sat. 10-1 Facilitator         1-2 Eat              2-4 Continue discussion on our own 
Sun. 10-1 Facilitator        1-2 Eat              2-4 Further discussion if needed, skill share or play 

Up for discussion:
Core Values, Organizational structure, Accountability, Creative license/intellectual property, Tweak/Revisit mission statement 

Questions we may try to address: 
-How do we move forward and be sustainable? 
-What are our values? current interests? Compare to mission statement 
-How do we function now? What is working, what do we like?
-What organizational structure will work best for us? Develop a standard operating procedure.
-Fairness in scheduling gigs and backups.
-Do we want to grow? How? 
-What resources do we have within our group? 
-Conflict resolution techniques/procedures for conflict within the group.
-Do we want to do Group projects/collaborations? realistic time and money requirements 
-Artistic development of members as a mission/goal 
-Outreach/teaching as a mission/goal 
-Intellectual property/ownership regarding costumes, choreography, scripts developed for                Chicks gigs/projects

Annual Meeting
 January 17, Gaea’s house, 6-9 Agenda-Sharon Chair-Sarah Notes-Tara 
We need to discuss:
 -Pay rate for other than regular gigs, develop fee list
 -Rate increase to $125/hr? 
-membership, do we need new members, create a list of possible new members, review policy on missing meetings, review policy on how to add new members
 -Create a list of voting members, update contact info on all members 
-establish meeting dates for the next year 
-treasurer’s report 
-distribute business cards 
-insurance 
-highlights of the year 

Meeting ended around 9:00.

September 8, 2016 - meeting notes

Chicks on Sticks meeting on 9/8/2016          

Sharon's House

Present: Soozin, Angie, Laurel, Sarah, Nicole, Sharon, Gaea(via Skype), Tara

Meeting minutes:

Sarah moved-all accepted

proposed agenda approved

Promises review:

Sarah- website- working on it-pictures added won't show up and now website is not opening

Gaea- facebook-editing photos and videos but not up on website or FB page yet.

Tara- skill share doodle poll- no response to possible skills to share via email-discuss/brainstorm at end of meeting

Soozin- business cards-all set except e-mail address(she couldn't remember the password). Sarah will email Soozin St. Paul Saints action shots

Financial Report:$6135+2 checks to put in and some to pay out

Mint: update: Gaea created an account. May have more time in Nov. to work on it.

Galaxy the Gynormous debrief:

Kids really liked it. Everyone stayed for the show.. Good attendance even at last show- rain. Contestoria, passed out stars, encouraged stars to parade and dance around. Maybe 100 people per show. Soozin felt it was hard to make things happen. 

Sarah: Good to get confirmation from Chicks before applying so you know how many will be available and will help

Soozin:$1200 contract: 300 per performer, 120 to kity, 60 to Sharon, $120 for organizer-minimal budget for project.Lots of hours.

Tara: We should clarify policy on projects for Chicks, if you want to do a project- check in with group required before applying for project

Soozin: Will not apply for another project like that again

Gaea: ownership of a project- we need to define that

(issues around creating a project as a group and rights to that project independently)

Tara: Should there be a record of who creates stories(chicks open list)

Laurel: Can Chicks pay for ownership of projects/stories created by one person? 

Angie: I performed for well under Chicks pay to save Chicks face and because it was a Chicks gig. 

Sarah: Move to have a deeper discussion of this at the retreat. Intellectual property- what is our policy on this? Write it in by-laws. 

How generally do we want this to take form? Is it too fraught with difficulties to attempt more projects like this?

Sharon : agrees with Sarah(not sure what part). Laurel's idea- paying people for the rights to the show...and it's a bigger discussion

Tara: we can't always predict different circumstances. Good to look at the process and learn from the things that happened-mistakes and successes 

Soozin: I agree- budget was created based on using a show(Long-legged Lily by Amy Ballestad) which already existed and was performed by Chicks in the past.Thinking just needed a tune-up. 

Issues with who owns the story

Soozin and Angie:separate desires-Chicks grant application vs. remounting the show...? clarification

Break!!

Fall retreat: 

Nov. 19-20- all yes but Anne

or Dec.10-11-all yes but Tara

vote for Nov.19-20

Last retreat happened due to an Organizational 

/development grant applied for by Gaea-paid for renting space at Amy Bloominshine's plus professional facilitator

Nicole and Angie can't do an out of town 2 day retreat

Sharon- we need a planning committee

Tara- do we have funds allocated for the retreat? our next meet is a few days before

Soozin-could we vote to allocate up to $500 for space rental, food, maybe facilitator?

Sarah- agree with Soozin-$500 for space/food/etc.I want a sub-committee. Need to plan it now. Ask that a sub-committee is formed of people who are motivated and have time for such...if small group finds a facilitator-get rate and bring info to whole group for approval.

Tara: seconded

all approve

Subcommittee: Tara, Soozin, Sarah(supporting), Laurel(supporting)

find a location

if we want a facilitator: rates and who?

Sharon: no-last time facilitator way off base and costly

Angie: yes-facilitator 

Sarah: can we hire a facilitator for only a portion of the retreat? Does it need to be a woman?

group prefers a woman

Angie: Do any past chicks or voting members have this skill?

Gaea: Maybe past Chicks well and truly beyond- Kat perhaps?

Soozin: Maren Ward?

Gaea: Lots of stuff has come up in last few meetings- see notes

Sarah: Deb would love to see values and organizational structure on the agenda for the retreat. Allocation of funds-intellectual property-chores-costuming-developing routines-?set pieces-insurance-new recruits(discuss in Jan)-do we have a criteria list for this?

Soozin: Is there a percentage of Chicks participating in a project that makes it more of a Chicks thing?

Sarah: value discussion should include philanthropy and instructing(? teaching stilting)

Gig Cancellation criteria for clients:

Deb: 2 hrs notice not 24 hrs notice for 50% reimbursement of fee

Soozin: 24hr notice for client or pay 50% if we show up and they cancel.

If we cancel for safety, do we require they pay?We require 50% for bad weather-drunk conduct- client can opt to?....

Stilt gig Back-up discussion

Deb stopped reserving back-up because people reserved weren't available when needed. Maybe subs should be paid to reserve time? Good retreat question

Should we have a revised active sub list? In what circumstances do we call a sub?

Press packets: nothing yet..(who has taken this on?)

Northern Spark 2017

Tara and Angie went to meeting

Angie: could apply but not for CEZ...too far away. Idea about"how's the weather up there?"- concept has to relate to global warming

Skill share:

Sarah: there are basic standard skills I don't know. Learn how to kick-deal with cat calls-good ways to pose for pics

Gaea:more sewing and costume design skills-ways to interact with people on a parade route

Sarah:would like to have a simple choreographed movement we all know ( ex: parade in," kick, spin, bow")-dance routines-stilted yoga poles

Sarah would like a portion of the retreat to be playtime with poles

other suggestions-make-up tips-fake eyelashes

the end

note: did not decide on location, facilitator, note taker, agenda organizer at meeting

Next meeting Thursday, November 17

Decided via email later:

Location - Gaea's
Chair - Tara?
Notetaker - Laurel
Agenda - Tara?

July 21, 2016 - meeting notes

Chicks on Sticks July 21, 2016

Notes: Laurel

Present: Gaea, Sharon, Soozin, Angie, Sarah, Laurel, Nicole 

May meeting notes approved.

Proposed agenda approved.

Action items:

- Business cards - Soozin, in process (need credit card number). - Website & google drive photos - Sarah, in process
- FB page (remove all non chicks photos) - Gaea, in process
- Edit Convention center video - Gaea, in process

- Doodle poll for skill share - Tara, in process


Chicks email:

            -  chicks on sticks website has a “contact us” link. Emails are forwarded from the 
website to Deb, Soozin, Anne, and chicks account (no one seems to know what this 
email address actually is).

            -  Instagram name/account - Sarah 


Financial report:


- $6,000 in the account right now.

- We need to find insurance. 


***LET SHARON KNOW IF YOU LEAVE A CHECK ON THE PORCH!!!*** 


Should we move Financial info to MINT or some other system?

- Gaea proposed:
- Sarah moves, all approve. 


--- 10 min break ---


Retreat:


Sharon - at the farm?
After Barebones, before Thanksgiving. 
Close, easy to get to, not at any one chick’s house, 
Doodle poll - Sharon offered. 
- whole weekend, one day,
- date possibilities (Nov. 18-20 post Barebones, pre thanksgiving or Dec. 1-3) - dogs welcome
- how far from twin cities will people be willing to travel
- Turn annual meeting into a retreat?


- Retreat committee? - Soozin, Sharon, Sarah, Laurel, Gaea.

Aviary Arts gig:

“The gig involved choreography, in the end one of the three chicks backed out, we brought in an alternate who is not a chick, the gig did not go as planned, the client asked for a refund.” - from agenda

-  Soozin didn’t get the gig, booked something else, and was not able to sub for Anne. 
Amy Taylor was asked to sub because no chicks could.

-  Choreography is a specialized skill set and finding an appropriate 10 minute song takes time. If we are asked for this in the future, we need to be paid more adequately for our time. 1 hour of pay per 1 minute of choreo.

-  Chicks (including sub) arrived 10 minutes early to meet with coordinator. The coordinator was 15 minutes later than the prearranged time (we waited 25 minutes for her). Given 10 minutes to stilt up, she hoped we could get up early and mingle.

   -  Amy Taylor had stilt pant length issues which she had advance (1 day) knowledge of. Hand hemming them after we got there and meet with the event coordinator prevented her from stilting up on time. There were also alternate stilt pants which ended up not needing alterations but weren’t tried until a phone call about an hour into the gig and after she decided not to do the gig because the other ones weren’t working.

   -  Angie and laurel lead people to the art installation and performed choreographed piece without Amy once and then again (though 2 performances wasn’t in the contract) with Amy. It was much later and a lot of the small crowd had already dispersed.

   -  Attendance was not large to begin with (maybe 30 people). The event was not well publicized. Production underwhelming.

   -  We were given the check and then asked for a refund via email. After agreeing to give a partial refund, they said they couldn’t accept it, were happy with our performance, and would hire us again. 


Outcome: 


- Look into our booking policy: why people get passed over for gigs.

- We need a sub list. - maybe submit names in via email. 


choreo: 
- what is appropriate pay and how long will it take.


- or create canned choreo (a 10 min. thing we could all learn for and keep - Get paid 1 hour for every 1 minute of choreo 
Refunds:

- if client wants one because chicks screwed up - and we think they have a reasonable claim

            -  we can’t offer credits because we don’t have the infrastructure for it. 
Repercussions: 
- Amy Taylor has proven herself to be unreliable so will be at the bottom of the sub list. 
sub list: 
- prioritize
- stilt height
- attitude
- over 18
- willing to wear costumes & ham it up 


Retreat: 
- How do we book gigs
- Creating set pieces/costumes/choreo paid for by the gig. 


Northside Flow:
July 30, 2pm - pro bono 
Nicole asked for volunteers & phoenix costumes


Long Legged Lily:
Soozin
- They would like us to be in a new thing: Taste of Minnesota 
Opening Gala ball
Aug. 18 4:45 - 6, 4 stilt walkers -
Performers: Gaea, Sharon, Laurel, Sarah (Angie backup) - stilted food on sticks or be fancy. 
Long Legged Lily: Labor day weekend $1200 - 3 days, 4 performances per day
- everyone can learn it and do different days - 3 people do all performances 
interested: Laurel, Nicole, Tara, Sharon production: Sharon, Gaea, Soozin 
Soozin - checking 
- $10 food vouchers 


Cancelation policies:


- Edina art fair gig canceled on chicks due to rain: usual is pay half for showing up.

- Should update contracts due to client cancellations.

-  If Client cancels more than 24 hours ahead, we can renegotiate for a different date at 
full rate or just cancel.

-  If client cancels the day of, they pay 50%. If they want a different day, they pay the 
%50 for us showing up and they negotiate 


- what is policy for paying performers if clients cancel
 what is our internal policy if stilters cancel with short notice.


***Separate brand shiny new thread for all new gigs.*** 


Next meeting: September 8. 7-9pm


Location – Sharon 3332 16 th Ave. S.

Agenda - Sarah


Notes - Laurel


Chair - Nicole 


Next agenda: 
- 3rd piece of cancelation policy - Press Packets*
- New recruits*

May 19, 2016 - meeting notes

Chicks on Sticks Meeting 5/19/16

Present: Gaea, Angie, Tara, Sharon, Laurel and Sarah by phone. Missing Nicole, Soozin

Action items

-Work on Website and Google Drive – Sarah

-Work on Facebook- Gaea

-Edit Convention Center Video- Gaea

-Skill-share doodle poll – Tara

-Contact Soozin re: business cards – Sharon

-Ordway email – Anne

-Greenway Glow email – Angie

-Pride parade email - Tara

Present: Gaea, Angie, Tara, Sharon, Laurel and Sarah by phone. Missing Nicole, Soozin

Minutes from March approved.

Add Greenway Glow and Pride parade to agenda

Financial Report: Balance in checking is $3,813.27

Proposal: Completed agenda will be sent out 1 week ahead of meeting date by the agenda maker assigned at  the previous meeting.  The notes will be posted on the blog and emailed out within 1 week after the meeting. (Oops.) Action points will be listed at the top of the notes.  PASSED.

Look at Website:

Actions to be taken by Sarah:

-Put up current photos

-Put convention center photos ahead of past photos

-Archive photos from long ago

-Take out Barebones photos

-Take out Mayday 2008 Soozin’s

-take out Mayday 2009 jellyfish

-take out State Fair

-take out family photo

-take out Soozin’s copper/silver costume Mayday 2008

-take out Soap Factory yelp event

-Ask Nicole about Mayday red costume

-Ask Anne about the Winter backpack puppet photo

Look at Website

Sarah will update with suggestions below:

-Take Kat, Martha, Gabrielle and Becca out of active and put into Alumni

-HOME should include a slide show of 6-8 “Best of” photos , statement of what we do, get in touch with email and facebook listings

-Eliminate get involved section

-Keep stilt making but link to Gaea’s site

-Keep stilting section

-Keep making costumes section

-Contact should include email and facebook –Who checks the email? What is the address?

-Booking should include email and facebook

Gaea will update video from Convention Center and take photos from Facebook

Look at Google drive

Sarah will take actions

-take out values, meeting and kids photos

There was a suggestion to make several pairs of solid red and solid black pants to have on hand.

Facebook

Gaea will change photos

Updates

3^rd Thursday social is not good for most people.  Impromptu stilting fun is preferred.

Tara will send out a doodle for skill share times.

Business Cards

Soozin reports they are ready to go, just need credit card number to order.

Sharon will contact Soozin with number.

Costume Making Income

Proposal: 5% of income from making costumes will be paid into the kitty is the person making the costumes is not also stilting the gig. PASSED

Insurance

No information

Ordway

Anne put out call on email.

Greenway Glow

Chicks will be paid $300 for 2 hours.  Angie waived the coordinator’s fee.  Sat. June 18.  Angie will email Chicks about Greenway Glow participation and check into getting a receipt.

Which led to a discussion on:

Charity Gigs

How many charity gigs should be do per year?  Suggestion to put it into stilt hours and do approx.. 16 hours.

Check into possibility of tax deductions for charitable contributions

Possible charity gig is Open Streets.

Pride Parade

In collaboration with Mary Jo and Outfront MN, Chicks are invited to participate in David Bowie or Prince inspired costumes.  June 26.

Tara will send out email re: interest and costumes

Next Meeting  - July 21, 7:00 PM

Agenda- Sarah

Notes – Laurel

Location – Sharon 3332 16^th Ave. S.

Chair - Gaea

Future thoughts:

Make press packets

New recruits? Need for more voting members vs. filling gigs

Possible recruits: Robyn Char, Alana, Gustavo’s friend who stilted in May Day.