Alliance for Sustainability

Board of Directors Minutes
Alliance For Sustainability
December 6, 2007
Washburn Library, Washburn WI 5:00 CST

Board Members:
Present: Steve Sandstrom (Chair), John Teeter (Vice-Chair), David Eades (Secretary), Jack Beagan (Treasurer), Matt Hudson, Mary Rehwald, Irene Blakely, Bob Krumenaker, Jon Ewalt, Matt Quast, Mike Fiorio, Brea Lemke, Larry MacDonald, Kelsey Brasseur, David Thomas, Spring Rosales and Tim Kane.
Absent: Absent: Bill Damberg, Jim Steffenson, Xander Waters, Sue Masterson, Bruce Moore and Melonee Montano.
Quorum present? Yes
Others Present: Alliance for Sustainability Coordinator: Brandon Boys, Steve Hoekstra and Tom Wojciechowski.

Proceedings:
Meeting called to order at 5:00 p.m. by Sandstrom

Welcome
Spring Rosales the new Washburn District Ranger is introduced and welcomed by the group.

Announcements
Tim Kane would like a list of Board members and contact information.

Consent Agenda – approval of both at once
Approval of Agenda Approval of minutes from 11/01/07
Motion by Matt Hudson, 2^nd by Dave Thomas – approved

Chair Report
Steve Sandstrom said they held a planning session for the Sustainable Business Conference and the Ashland Business Alliance was there and on board. They were happy to be involved. They want Steve to talk to them in February.

Committee Reports

Program Committee - None

Treasurer Report – None due to reports below

Communications Committee
David Eades and Jon Ewalt met and discussed direction to go. David Eades also spoke with couple in area again about doing some programming for free.

Strategic Plan Committee
Matt Hudson said they have met and reviewed last years accomplishments and have agreed to meet every 2^nd Wednesday of the month at 7:30 am at North Coast Coffee in Washburn.

Fundraising Committee – Mike Fiorio
Mary Rice has given the Alliance for Sustainability another $25,000 matching grant. The city of Ashland has renewed the donation of the office space with a 30 day opt out clause for both sides. Fundraising will meet the first Monday of every month at 5:30 at the Fiorio Brothers office in Ashland. Goals for the year include: $15,000 fall phonathon, $10,000 spring phonathon, a poetry reading by Ros Nelson, encourage all members of the board to contribute (Mary Rehwald has pledged a $1,000 matching grant and urges others to do so), and sell compost bins to the bay area.
Jack Beagan met with Mary Rice and said that she was an easy sell because she loves the Alliance for Sustainability and Mary Rehwald.
Matt Hudson asked about issues of a non-profit selling the compost bins for profit and Brandon Boys said the there is no issue as long as we do not make more that $25,000 in a year and have a WI sellers permit. AFS agreed we should get one. Boys also said need to get recognized as a charitable organization with the WI Department of Regulation and Licensing.

Membership Committee – Mary Rehwald
Discussed what it means to be a member of the Alliance. Rehwald said anyone who subscribes to the Newsletter or is interested in the Alliance is a member. Need to have an option for donors of the Alliance to be able to donate anonymously and to be able to donate in the name of another person.
There is no real membership committee and it should be removed from the list and a study circle committee added.
Should add to next agenda for new business a discussion of how to recruit members and board development.

Study Circle Committee
Chaired by Jo Bailey who was not present. Boys said they are planning a January 16^th celebration at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center. Would like to have this as a yearly event that highlights the annual progress of the Alliance, the Study Circles and more. The committee is meeting on December 10^th at Burt and Francies in Bayfield at 10am. Need volunteers to help set up the celebration.

Coordinator Report – Brandon Boys
Boys said that the Alliance has received the remainder of the Mary Rice grant for 2007. Boys will be attended a conference in New Jersey on sustainability, a Feingold representative has met with Boys about the Alliance, people are walking in with checks to the office without being solicited and the UWSP wants the Alliance to help them organize a Door to Door campaign similar to ours. Boys says that the Alliance is getting noticed and it is nice.

Green Team Network – Mary Rehwald
Rehwald said that there are 17 GreenTeam members and growing. Rehwald and Tom Wojciechowski are doing site visits. We should highlight the Green Teams at Sustainability Conference to other areas. Use this as a means to attract business to the area. Rehwald explained that the ABCD method of the Natural Step is not linear all parts are equal should be considered every time you assess what you are doing. Wojciechowski said that a practical energy course is being offered again and that the Green Teams are energizing and wants to get all the teams together again for a one day talk and sharing session.
Need to plan on how to add more Green Teams. The original grant is for 7-12 and we currently have 17 and more want to join.
Some of the Green Teams are now working on their Sustainability plans. Bob Krumenaker has met with the WI DNR to help them model a plan after the National Lakeshore.
Spring Rosales would like to see a Green Team blog.
Jon Ewalt suggest that we record the meetings for pod casting.

Old Business
Pie and Politics should be added as it’s own committee. Irene Blakely and Mary Rehwald would co-chair(ammended per 01/03/08 meeting that Rewald and Damberg are co-chairs) and they are leaning towards Richard Hindberg (Peak Oil) for this years speaker.

New Business

2008 Budget

Operation Budget - Brandon Boys
Download Budget. The bold numbers are expense increases.
Irene Blakely motion to approve, Rehwald 2^nd. Brea Lemke asks to amend the budget to increase the Individual Contributions by $1,000 to offset the negative balance. We should not go into the year agreeing to lose money. Amendment made and Net Total for 2008 is now $158 in the black. Budget approved as amended.

Campaign Sustain – Brandon Boys
Download Budget. Boys wants WEEB and CBAC grants totaling $10,000 to go towards a public art project using the bulbs collected from the 2007 Campaign Sustain to show how much energy was saved in the Bay area.
Teeter expressed concern over what the art would be and if it would express the goals and needs of the Alliance. Blakely also has concerns over choosing just one artist to represent our needs. Rehwald suggests that we let CBAC choose the artist. Beagan suggests that it be removed from the budget and have it as a separate budget item. Larry McDonald says leave the budget be and that it is a tentative budget and we should worry about the details when it is an issue. McDonald motions to pass, Blakely 2^nd.
Bob Krumenaker suggests that the Alliance form an ad hoc committee to advise Boys on the issue. Dave Thomas is against this and no committee is formed.
Budget is passed as is with Mary Rehwlald voting against.

Green Team – Mary Rehwald
Download Budget. Brea Lemke motions to approve, Irene Blakely 2^nd. Eades express concern over having a board member being paid as a coordinator. Krumaker agrees that the Alliance needs a policy on this. Blakely says the discussion should not happen here but in a future meeting as new business. Budget is approved.

2008 Business Conference – Steve Sandstrom
Download Budget. Rehwald expresses concern that the speaker fees are too low. Dave Thomas motions to pass budget, Blakely 2^nd and Rehwald asks for more variability and scalability. Agreed that Budget is tentative and will be a living document and this is a framework. Budget passes.

Center Coordinator Evaluation - moved to next meeting

Holiday Phonathon - moved to next meeting

Programming Theme for 2008 - moved to next meeting

Meeting adjourned at 7:30pm under much confusion. Most people already leaving before meeting is even adjourned.