 Call to order Don public comments Any members of the public care to share any thoughts about our organization? Oh Not recently That's quiet All right, we're just checking off the list here Proval of minutes we're looking at 12 12 23 is the last time we convened and Made decisions. In fact, I think we passed the budget So if everyone could pull up those draft minutes from 12 12 23 and spend a few and Check for accuracy If you see any reason to amend just please note it and share it I'm gonna go quiet and and Let's all reminisce a bit December 12th That's right, that was that mean yeah, it's looking real clean again Chad. I don't know if anyone's found any Amendables I mean, I I I don't see any Need for amendment, I think I don't think you're jumping the gun there Pat Yeah, we have a motion on the floor Pat is moved to accept the minutes of 12 12 23 Do we have a second or amendments or discussion? Second seconded by pale and thank you All those in favor of approving the very clean 12 12 23 minutes, please they indicate by saying aye And a post Thanks yet again chat, that's really a well dialed in Nice level of detail That'll bring us to item four financial reports I think you're on yeah, I am I see you all but I don't think you can see me, but I'm here Hang up the phone Your audio is a bit better that way that's well worth switching over. Yeah, right You can't see how bad I look Well, that's the same thing it's true about your radio show, you know, we don't get to see you boy Yeah, yeah, what do they say a face for radio isn't that it's an old joke exactly? That's the benefit of radio you can look like crap and nobody knows it Gin I think you've got the the heavy lift on the financial reports. I guess just to lead do you know if CJ did because reading the minutes from 12 12 if the accounts did actually shift You know, I don't know off hand If they did I'm not quite sure what to look for on the Ed Jones Statements to see if they have shifted or not and I haven't anything from CJ about the saddest on that my my understanding was that CJ was kind of a psych to Figure out how to how to move move some money around and do a little better with our In consultation with Mark So you're saying we don't know if that's happened I Don't know. Um, I haven't I can look closer at the Ed Jones and maybe send out a report But I haven't I don't know exactly what to look for what it would yeah I would be you would be trying to read tea leaves as opposed to getting a word treasure. Yeah, I hear you Yeah, no need to do that So I if you could just do your piece of the financial report, sure So I've done there's two different Fudger reports. I've I've the first one is the 2024 year-to-date as well as the for the year so it's we started the new year. I think The one thing to note is that the government appropriations check that we've received in 2023 I had the accountant shift over because we wanted it to show up in the 2024 budget so it is there and we've received it so that would be the one piece And I think you know we've been from the year-to-date. We're doing pretty well We've been really and it's kind of covered in the co-director support as well as that We're looking because we were over on the compensation. So that would be After the 2024 budget, there is the 2023 which put like the end of the year so all And we did get the Comcast check. So all our revenues are in there and so We were low On revenues as expected for 2023 the But I think that also We were over on compensation. So that's where we decided to be a little bit To look closer per pay period to make sure that We are the budget that we've got for the camera operators are matching up and we're not going too much over although For legislative season, I think historically we always have extra hours that we do because we try to cover the state house And because the budget is pretty much the same amount every month we do expect to kind of be over on the compensation budget for the You know next three months or so, but then with legislative season being over we generally will be Unders and we'll kind of even out by the end of the year. So but we are keeping track a little bit better about how many camera operators are going out and what we can actually cover based on capacity and staffing and Trying to do that. And then I think the We were a little bit under on our capital expenses for the year. We try to do we try to spend as much as we can to like redo the we got some new cameras and So I think we were able to kind of move out some of the older equipment and not have them so Frontline, I guess would be the way to think of it. And then we are hoping to mileage At the end of the year, we always get all the mileage checks coming through and so we are over on that mileage amount and so also hopefully We have one camera operator who lives down over in that Randolph Bethel-ish area. So hopefully we'll be able to reduce some of that mileage By having him keep a kit with him So he doesn't actually have to come up here and go back down And then come back up here So he might be able to do a little bit more through his home base of home And then we've got the project which is the youth documentary lab in the green mountain film festival For this year as well as the end of the year for 2023 So there's um, I've got two docs in the folder budget versus actuals 24 projects And 23 projects Yes, so I did those are solely documentary lab and film festival Yes So we try to keep them and so the first two R's the orca media ones don't include those line items so that we could try to keep On top of whether we're doing well with our own budget And so the end the totals look a little bit closer to what we've Expect and I think with the youth documentary lab in the green mountain film festival because they have I think the green mountain film festival now you're starting to see a lot more of the expenses coming through And so we just thought it'd be cleaner to try to keep them separate Is is there a way to predict revenue from that like we're Charging how much a ticket we expect whatever average of 48 people to show up Going blind on that or how do you how do you gauge Look if you're all the past Budgets and Documents that we inherited but a lot was missing and so a lot of it's Yeah trial and error and seeing what happens this year so There's a whole bunch of uh excitement that we'll touch on in the Co-directors report. So yeah, we're hoping to we're hoping to do our do as well Yeah, just clean just cleanly on the money side looking forward to the co-director's part Um, do you know just historically is it is it generally been a break-even proposition or make a little use a little proposition or It's been all over the place. Oh, okay. Yeah, it's it's they've tried a number of things. They've been in Yeah, they've been in the black and in the red. They've uh Yeah, they've broke even a number of years We also there were several years like missing documents. I mean, there's so I I would look at look at it less based on the Historical context and just what's happening now. I think this is we're gonna learn a lot from this year Yeah, you know Yeah, so unfortunately, I don't think that Yeah, I don't think we can provide a lot of information on that on the financial side. Yeah Mm-hmm But we're we're fairly confident we didn't buy a white elephant so to speak right. Yeah I think that's yet to be determined. Yeah, but uh, no it's self-sustaining luckily and It's it's got a lot of momentum and a lot of energy. So that's good. Yay All right, um I guess questions on the on the budget pieces and then I would think um Pat's letter out would probably fall into this section We might want a spot like that as well. Oh, okay I think I would think financials I think the audit letter might be part of old business because we had the planning for audit You've already thought of it. Great So then we're really talking about budget questions for gin Or we have a very easy to please turn out tonight and could entertain in emotional itself for gin um Did have have we I'm trying to read the budget did we get money? ahead of time for the green mountain film festival I think there was 2015 thousand that started off When we first when they asked us To have them and then I think that was about it Yeah, we inherited about $15,000 with the project. So the head in the GMF of account Yep, yeah, they transferred it to us. Yeah, that was their war chest and they they passed it over to us. Yeah But how do they pay for the films themselves? uh through mostly through uh Spongerships up front. So and we'll touch on that in the code. Okay. I mean, that's that's a financial question So that's a good question. Yeah. It films are very expensive, especially in showing new films um, and so the idea is that you solicit sponsors Give money. Love. I mean, this is a pretty unique situation is that $15,000 is a great Amount of money to start with. Yeah. So that's how we were able to afford a lot of the team that we put together with And Sam the independent project directors So that helped really Get the ball rolling. Yeah and I don't see a line for advertising The plant films and the events So that's all I think Jen was saying that that's all It's all where it'll be in. Oh, it's right. Is that where you're we've separated that? Yeah, that if you want to see What was that included here? So it's in the budget that says uh, you talk mental lab and green mountain GMF on there. There is um For 2024, I think they broke it out a little bit more. So there's there was some marketing and advertising and See if it shows up it may not I may not have pulled it I know that we added some new accounts so that they started to differentiate I think when they first put in the budget, it was bigger chunks And then they started to differentiate it. And I think I just I don't make a note. Yeah, and I'll say too, but like then has been super supportive as like the bookkeeper for all of this and has like Uh, so we kind of like are using the budget that they you know using the line items that we inherited But I think Jen and Paimon have worked together to like Break it apart even more to make it a little bit more clear and transparent and going forward. I think that there's going to be Um, a lot has happened in the last couple weeks too. So even the one you see Then that's one right because this is january All right, sorry. So we won't see Well, my lot of the marketing likes the expenditures around marketing Sorry, sorry a lot of a lot of the recent like marketing advertising Money has just been spent And we paid for the marketing No, everything is coming out of the green mountain festivals Uh, okay, except our Income my own hunch is that because there was a lapse And it happened that the old fans Need to be reminded that it's going to be And and that's what it's going to be and get it on their calendars. Yeah, and I see some of the movies Yeah, that's definitely what's what we've been doing. Yeah, so we inherited a A list of 450 Emails, you know and addresses and things like that. So luckily there's Yeah, and we've been getting the word out and the banners are hung downtown. So I mean When you started promoting over a year ago, right? I think yeah, we wrote a press release over a year ago now I mean, yeah, so and remind me of the actual date march 14th to the 17th Back schedule opening night is march 14th Okay Well, it'll be st. Penny's Day festival soon Yeah, there's gonna be Does that answer your question about marketing and advertising yeah, I think you'll see more of that too on the next one More questions budgets projects or otherwise Or emotional accept financials I'll move to accept the financials And that was pat moving to Thank you Do we have a second or further questions for jinn and chris? I'll second it And I heard a second from dave. Thank you All those in favor of accepting the financial reports, please indicate by saying I Hi And opposed And it's quiet. So that's unanimous Um, we're moving on to the co-directors report. I think chris takes a lead on just one second Sorry, who had jacked the motion who made the motion to hat to dave second day Thanks. Yeah, slow us down any time. Sorry And uh chris is up on the co-directors. I don't know If everyone's got it within their agenda here and um Uh as we've been doing what we'll do is just kind of like pull out some of the Highlights the exciting highlights And zack, I mean zack, you can speak to production maybe since that's been in your wheelhouse There's been a lot of production happening under but this isn't even quite all of it You want to see what's the what's your favorite thing? What's my favorite thing? um live streaming Okay, yeah, so We've been after a close-up. We've been doing a lot of live streaming and zooming stuff um a lot of these Are special events. We've done more with schools and concerts Right, right. Um So they're asking us to do all of this stuff, um Come on to our flood recovery form Was kind of big because there's multiple breakout rooms to multiple people Yeah, I would say that that was definitely the biggest Biggest operation coming out of like how we had done the previous ones. This was uh the kind of the regrouping of the Montpelier flood uh recovery commission or the resilience commission, I think they're well then Anyway, yeah, so that was that was a big job. Uh, and they were all Taking over the high school. So yeah, that was a great production um and I can move into the uh So, yeah, you can see here a lot of this has been the work around um Under community partnerships and hours a lot of it has been the work Chris Chris before you go too deep I just I got a quick question about the VCFA Oh, yeah neighborhood meeting. Did they share any? uh Announcements or plans. I think I started to watch it and they oh, yeah They tease something that was coming up at the end, but I didn't get to it That was kind of focused on uh, it seems to be their uh tactic of Being somewhat transparent with like uh purchase agreements that are in the works. So Uh, actually our who we're working with in a number of other capacities kiana The theater director at Montpelier high school is uh has formed a new non-profit called the Montpelier performing artists hub And they're um under contract to buy the gary library. So that's what that particular meeting was about They made a few announcements in the beginning about the partnership the partnership thing because that was in the news and to clarify that They're more or less Still VCFA and they're just looking for somebody to kind of like acquire their brand Um, but they said that nothing is official and there'll be a lot more to come on that but the bulk of the meeting was about The fundraising effort to buy gary library Got you And it could that performing arts outfit potentially be a partner with a worker and some yeah, I've had several meetings already at least to agree with kiana, um talking about that and talking about the greenmont film festival stuff. Um, and She was really excited to kind of like Just let me know that uh that they were working on the performing arts hub because they do want a kind of like a computer lab and education center to kind of happen in the basement where maybe Yeah, there could be some I don't know designing of things and Computer things that are involved with performing arts. Yeah, but they're really excited She said that a lot of it's going to be focused on education youth education And then they're going to have a black box theater is the goal and a cafe Well, that's the proposal Yeah So that that sale is is is in the works or Yeah, that's I think that's a kind of a a unique one in the in the the agreement is the public A knowledge that was shared is that they have Six months to raise six hundred a thousand dollars Okay, okay, so contingent Got you. Yeah All right, did they also use that to announce a new president or something or? Yeah, they had already yeah, he had made a couple statements before but this was him like hi everyone I'm on campus for a sort of public. It's me. I got you. Yes. Sorry. He is interim. Yeah He's interim. Yeah So they're still looking They're still looking and I did meet with him prior to the start of the meeting to let him know About working media and that you know, we're still here in a matter no matter what happens to bcfa Got it. Okay. So that was a pretty busy meeting Thanks for the update there and then you can sorry I detoured you. Oh, sure. Sure. Um So, yeah, I just wanted to kind of pull out. I'm not going to read everything here But there's a lot. Uh, like I said a lot of momentum with the green mountain film festival the kind of core Organizing team has I've been meeting with them and and supporting them as much as I can and they're just doing a bang-up job Yeah, they just You can see here that sardu cheese Was announced as the presenting sponsor. So that was $20,000 that was given to the green mountain festival just recently So that um covers like almost All of the expense for films. So that's the kind of top tier sponsorship Sardu cheese was named and um as we come supportive. So that it's just great. Yeah, super great Uh, and then you can see that the partnerships that we've been kind of working on across the board With uh, the kind of around the opening night the montpillar chamber orchestra is also kind of coming back after A long hiatus with cobit. Um, so the opening night is kind of a celebration of their return to it's going to be a free um film like a live film and music event at the city hall heart center um, some other partnerships include for the first time Uh, the green mountain festival will be taking place at both the subway theater and the capital theater Um, rabble rouser is going to be like the kind of festival hub There's going to be some activities chat and and the vermont production collective are organizing a lot of free events kind of around the festival so that obviously the films will be ticketed because of the cost and um and Anyway, so what else? Oh, yeah, so my failure high school. We're going to be doing a free youth media panel with a handful of groups including Carlos and some of his students will be joining the panel um Carlos is also helping uh lead the three-day film slam kind of um, which is going to be the weekend this weekend prior to the festival Super exciting and that's a free event anybody can make a film based on a prompt Three days and then it can be screened at the green mountain festival You can see here. These are the free events happening Um, the fourth graders are coming to see a film for free, which is super cool. Um, yeah, we have uvm interns We have cbl students working with us from Montpelier high school. We have um A norwich university student doing a project. Um Yeah, and then some youth volunteers that kind of uh coming out of the Vermont youth documentary lab my my trusted Brothers uh Gardner and Campbell down the road here at the blue volunteer to do everything. They're very kind. They've been at the opening Sorry at the open houses here Anyway, so that's that's the latest any questions on that Can we uh, do we do according at the uh, Wednesday night stuff at the state house There's not gonna be yet. We haven't yet So they've asked us I think we've been having like, um, there's certain Because they're different groups like we were trying to coordinate and see if they wanted us were available But then I think so we did one event where they asked us to cover with kekla magoon when she did her talk but I think um The bread and puppets we had a community producer who was covering that for them So I'm looking at the schedule today at 11 30 tonight On 10 75 he says bread and puppets. So that's A community producer has a regular bread and puppets Okay, that's not the year wasn't happening But he did cover the farmers market or the farmers night bread and puppets. So he will as part of his Okay, so I can go home and turn on 10 75 after this meeting and see what I didn't get to with the state house So I think it's not quite on that. I think he just finished it So we just need to bring it over and put it on so it may be not this week, but the next showing So the next time you see bread and puppets on here after tonight It probably will be the farmers market one or the farmers night. Sorry the other thing I wanted to thank you for Was having a chance to see and I didn't see it yet the stories for a summer night at the old meeting house The summer night the winter night winter night. Okay. Yes. We did. Yeah. Yeah That was good for the community to have that happen. Someone's couldn't get there Yeah, thank you. Yeah, we've been doing a lot. Um And I'll also add that orca media will be live streaming a number of events and recording a few um live streaming the opening night So something to look forward to if you can't make it Yeah, that's what I was going to ask is orca going to capture like the talks and special events sounds like that's all Built in some of them Yeah, uh, the the kind of the free events. Um, I think we can capture all of them some of them have a little bit of nuance to them based on like recording q and a's and talking about films and all of the kind of like roll out with distributors and things like that is my understanding, um Like there's a little bit more sensitivity to those the ticketed events, but We can we can definitely and we're planning to support. Um in a number of ways Yeah um Anyway, so uh, so which things which things are we we will be Streaming Well as of right now, we're just planning to stream the farming while black panel and the opening night, but um, There's no reason to answer the bso and the it's not it's uh m Montpelier chamber orchestra Yeah, the mco. Um, yeah the opening night will just be um two musical performances Uh, the evan and andreus act and then Montpelier chamber orchestra and then some opening remarks. So that'd be nice. And then the farming while black panel Is a post film panel of of by pock farmers around vermont and that Worker will be there. Um, the other ones we could we could very well just come and capture like the youth media panel at Montpelier high school We could send a camera operator. We could send a camera operator to the uh vermont production collective panel And like the the talk at the library those those ones. I think could just be covered and then yeah Yeah, I think if this, you know, no copyright sensitivity they They'd become uh, you know great marketing you can you know, Yeah Next year start showing them in january and february Yeah The upcoming year, you know Go ahead. Yeah Oh, sorry I just I don't know. It's not like someone may have was talking while I was so it's just saying Go ahead and say what you were saying. Oh, I just said, yeah, we can definitely do that And we'll let you all know which ones we're covering for sure if you can't can't make it if you want to tune in Thanks Um, and then yeah, that's I was going to just mention a couple of other Exciting things where I'm working up with the main street middle school right now to develop a series of documentary videos for this big stem and robotics fair in may Um, and then the basement we've invited the basement teen center who is still without a home post flood They've been coming in here Tuesdays and Thursdays and um On their rotating locations So they're at different places throughout Montpelier letting it's a drop-in teen space Kind of like unprogrammed Teen center that used to be at the city hall for a long time And they lost their space due to the flood And so we've been hosting them which has been great Yeah, so Let's see strategic plan so, uh We've made it out here that january was very busy. We had every intention to Organize with our circles and check-in, but uh with the start of the legislative session We didn't get to it. So, uh, we are reviewing the process. We've decided We're kind of kind of like re-review some of the work from Nathan and then reach back out to you guys to Talk about the next steps to kind of Work our way through the rest of the strategic plan together so And we do have it on the agenda So we'll have a maybe a little bit more robust conversation about What it is the process we were thinking of for the next For the strategic plan and the ongoing Part of that. Um, so we will touch upon it as part of the agenda Yeah Um, yes, I noticed the cvtv 92 Is still running the midnight to dawn um Articulture program that used to be on our channels. We don't do it anymore. That's just a placeholder I actually put that in there myself when I was working for tony. So, um, I think he just runs the same ad over and over again So we don't carry anymore It I mean one that's paid for by the vision that one was that one was just a generic I called it arts and culture. That's not connected to anything I've been doing this for a long time It was It was the classic arts is different. Yes, and we do show the classics classic art showcase on the education channel in the late evenings So after I think our programming theoretically ends at midnight from so midnight till I think noon is classic art showcase. So we do still play it Okay, but that's not on our 1075s 1065 or the education channel the education channel I think that's 1085. Okay. Good. I just want to know because I I we do play it. I'm an idol I just love it. Yeah You know, you can see amazing things. Yeah We've been showing them all over the world Um, so I was going to move on to the next the last couple sections here. Um, we have a new camera operator Meng Hong. It's really great She's also working at a new arts center in uh, Montpelier called the crumb factory, which is And uh, a nice new collective arts space and there was going to be a few events during the green on film festival that she's organizing independently um, so some Some overlap there. Good. That's good to hear. I think I connected her with you and yeah A while ago. Yeah, because she did the film the music for lucas's film or was maybe maybe Yeah, she reached out that she had moved here. I believe and was looking. Oh, right. Yeah. Yeah a while back Yeah, so we've been talking ever since. Yeah um No one ever remembers the one who one who does the connect. Oh Well, well take a note Um, okay, so then uh, we'll have jen again tachan Finances so I think Just besides the finance so the comcast check I kind of hit upon real quick But the comcast check came in in february and once again, it was lower So I've made um I think That in the financial reports the revenue that we're expecting It's still going to be lower than the budget because it's still the check Amount was still lower than the lowest one that we had received. So that decreases continuing I think um, if you looked at the 2023 budget, we were under budget against revenues about 18 000 And the only reason like the end of the year number looked The overall revenues is that because of the capital gains was much higher than what we budgeted But it is definitely I think um, it kind of falls into play with What's happening over with the advocacy group and trying to get more permanent funding as well as I think we do still Have um a request into the budget for this year 2025 for I think it's a million like it was last time Yes, so hopefully if that goes through which then I would imagine like another 45 000 portion should go through so I think um it is I think for a while before it was kind of stagnant, but we definitely now it keeps going down So it's definitely something and I think we started to talk about you know We were starting to talk about for higher services and what that might look like to try to look at Not only the permanent funding, but some you know, we generally have not asked for money for Productions and we've just kind of been like if they asked us to come we came But I think maybe we might this year start to push it out I think what we were trying to do was just kind of with our brand show that you know Increase our production level so that it started to like they could Know what kind of Events or coverage they could expect from us and also more of the live streaming So now hopefully we can start to say, you know, we're doing this maybe if you want to Put in some money that would be great and um, I think and maybe some of the the bigger ones I think sometimes we do work for narwhitz university and that may be that we'll start that conversation again Of you know, can you with the live streaming fees? Could you maybe put in what you can or Especially if they're outside of our service area like norwich. Yeah In the day long event, so yeah, it's like three four hours or three real So and I think um, one of the things like for this for 2023 with the budget our production revenue was down because we I think the only group that we do charge for our services is the city of Montpelier And they did remote only for a while and then even I think when we came back We didn't invoice them because they were already super low in funds and we felt that it seemed kind of Like we wanted to do our part to try to not stress out the city And it was such a small amount because there was only a few meetings that we covered after the flood but that would be the other bit of I know that the city of Montpelier has like A budget crunch and so it may be that we start to look at the other groups and see if you know, if they're a little bit more Robust that they might be willing to put in some and I think especially for those that we're doing facilitating their hybrid meetings rather than so that would be an area that we might be able to ask for since Um, and it's a little bit more complex that we're providing So Go ahead. Oh, no, that was it. I was just gonna end it Okay, so last week, um board members were called to action to check in with the sergeant at arms and Particularly asked two legislators Um, so could someone provide like the precipitating context to that like what was going on that? Uh, yeah, just how it all shook out because we just kind of got a sliver of what looked like a much larger story There were a couple of wavering legislators. So if someone could tell that story from The beginning to where we are since Um, yeah, so that's funny that you say that because uh, we had a van board meeting today and uh, All agreed that this legislative session has been incredibly confusing. Um, and even where our Community media public benefit fund Sits now is like very curious. So it's like, uh, the One of the things that is that came out of this afternoon was that We're gonna draft up like a one page What has happened so far? this session Because it has like moved around and was absorbed into a house bill That we were all that we were commenting on and then it was taken out I'm calling in on um, so that particular like call to action came from lg and uh action circles our lobbyists and Is my understanding of it was that it was like Rather last minute because they were gonna, uh, they were going to discuss the the the bill and the committee and those two folks Apparently at the last ways it means committee meeting expressed some doubts um mostly around the fact that they live in orange county and orange county is Has historically not been served by any peg tv organization Uh randolph is in orange county Say again randolph is in orange county Right, I guess. Yeah, sorry. We serve orange county work. A media serves orange county Right, and that would that would have been helpful to know what towns those two people were from because I picked one of them As a randolph and I don't know if he would have listened one of them would have listened to me more than the other But yeah context was really lacking there and um, I don't think it's just been a confusing session all around I agree. I mean that's that's definitely I I've expressed that as well You're both orange county. Are they on the connecticut riverside? Of orange county. Yeah, so I think all dem row is in that bursher So that bursher area that isn't in any cable. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah that's where he was saying like I don't get served Although we did do when they were doing their candidate forum We did come out to bursher and covered their candidate forum and he was on it, but so um, but it was that he was speaking from like his area wasn't in a A cable area and so he wasn't covered and he probably like he wouldn't see any of those cable channels and I think Jim Maslin was In Randolph and I think cj knew him and and so and I don't know that he was so much on the fence Like dem row like if you watch the video, he definitely was like, I don't get served Or my area doesn't get served, which is true, but we do try to If they want us or need us we try to accommodate them even though they're not in a service area So probably geographically closer to jam, but um, yeah, I think they are Well, I was going to say that that we we watched back Or I don't know if we everyone watched it, but like when I watched it back, uh Jim Jim Maslin expressed support And then I wrote, you know to the the lobbyist and they were like, well, we should call him anyway So I don't know it was it was very confusing even that like 24 hour you have the call to action. So I think that they were saying Even if the folks are expressing support, they've expressed out in the past like let's just call and we rally around these people and that's what you do so Now is Is calling the sergeant of arms to leave a message for someone is that standard operating procedure on sort of a last minute? That is actually and you know funny funny enough is that I just saw a full page ad for the big like tobacco Issue with the stores flavor tobacco and they were asking to call that same number and just say that you support this issue And what town you're calling from so I guess that is standard Especially if they just put it in the right bit for the part of their job Yeah, they know I'm sorry. They have the legislative pages deliver the The little pink slip to of about your phone call to the law to the legislature So they don't get it directly Thanks pat And that's what that's what we were speculating is that this just becomes that last minute page is running a card that says someone just called from randolph someone just called from You know monthly or saying support the full attachment and that's why they said don't name a bill Just say that what you're supporting So I think that that's a good segue to the last section is that Like I said van is hopefully going to draft something up, especially for folks that are kind of on the peripheral here that want to support and want to know what we're talking about Right when we are talking about what's happening in the session that has to do with us So we're going to have a kind of like, you know, where it's going or how it started and how it's going kind of thing, you know, so Hopefully that helps. I think that would that's that would be helpful and I'll say this too is that There's even talk of like leaving the full attachment fees altogether And moving into a streaming fee and jumping on to that so it's a lot is happening and very quickly and I think It's confusing for those that even involve with the advocacy work And I don't know if that helps at all or adds more We have a sense of timeline going forward like a just crossover or where what is when will we know if we're in the in the pot or not That's a great question because I mean it sounds like As far as I've been following it. This is pretty typical is that, you know, if you If they, you know, if some if some committee decides that they're going to take your Issue or your especially it has to do with the new tax and they're going to marry it to something else You know, and then they're going to take it out again And now your freelance, you know, I think it seems like that is kind of common and you have less control of it other than You know that first Introduction of the bill right and then they advocacy that happens after that Chris, do you have a lobbyist? So following this does We're working with action circles with who? Action circles. Oh, right. Okay Because it's their job to follow that Sorry I said it's their job to follow that Yeah, yeah, I agree So we'll get we'll expect sort of a one pager. Here's what happened and here's where we're going Yes, it's kind of like a I think that's something that the the action circles is providing Um, I think I said banned but I think action circles is that's part of their service is like because we're at the midterm essentially of the session, right? Yeah, and so it's like This is your midterm report card where you're at. Well, it's important to know where this is because Cross over is a week after town meeting. We go to Scott cross and if you don't make it over there If it doesn't cross over if it's in the house and go to the senate, you're kind of screwed So the your lobbyist should tell you where it is Before the end of this week so you could we could work on it during the town meeting week Yep, that's super helpful pat crossovers generally a week after town meeting Right, and if you don't make it over there, then they do the knot with standing and it's real hard to get it Accepted over in the senate. Yep Yeah, we need you pat Yeah Yeah, okay. Well, I'll keep you posted And as soon as something like that is available, I'll share with you all, okay Appreciate it and now you could potentially just pivot to streaming like In this session, I wouldn't require some big study or something. I know main is is is choosing the streaming route I learned that at the um the November conference Yeah, I apparently so Well, I think so pat and maybe you could provide because we were getting a little confused We have a bill in the senate That I think that the senate finance was going through and that's where the streaming and from the streaming tax kind of was living and so Then our house bill was we had the community public media public fund that we I think last year we started talking about and it had a bill number And then that was the bill that got sucked up into this other bill and became like the tail end of it And that's I think where they were starting to talk about taking it out And so that's where that call of action I think I think that they wanted to keep it in with that bill But it it did get cut out and so now it's back to being just that community media fund In the house and I think that's in ways and means in going through But it was the streaming tax was presented in the senate finance when they were looking at the community media bill in that committee so my understanding and from some of the notes that Christopher shared was that the senate finance they don't they weren't planning on moving it forward But they start it was kind of prepping them to get talking So when the bill made it over to there that they were familiar and that's I think where that streaming tax started to get discussed And that's why it seemed like it was it like the pull attachment seems to be living within the house side And then the senate side started to talk about the streaming And how those two bills interact or don't interact. I'm not quite sure Right. Yeah Well, if they if they merge it it's because the first bill the bill they're merging into they know is going to go somewhere So they're trying to put it on a bill that no people want and Maybe if it was a standalone, they're not sure If it will pass or not, but and Cummings who is Senator and Montpelier is the chair of finance. So that's a good thing Yeah, and I will say that, you know With the exception of the two folks that we Called or left the message for we've had great support, you know, so yeah, it's just I think it's just They're freaking having a hard time figuring out which is the best way to find they want to it seems like Based on what I was seeing on the committee. They want to fund Peg They just can't agree on how to come up with that funding. So whether it's the full catch it Catchment or the streaming there seems like groups that are against either one And so I think that's where it's like you get a lot of support But it's just like there's all this difference of opinion about the best way to do it So potentially A streaming tax could cross over from senate to house Yeah What and potentially the pole attachment could cross over from house to senate There a lot of times there are almost duplicate bills that they Introduced both in the house and the senate and somehow by the end of the session they've worked it out That is what happened here. We do we haven't we had a people to bill involved. Yeah, they have a companion bill They just want to make sure it gets through somehow got it So is that is that sort of part of action circle strategy to like make sure you've got all You're circling the wagons kind of or is that just oh, I don't know how the sausage is made I don't I don't know if that's actually do you know who introduced the bills chris um Who are the sponsors the key sponsors? Uh pat abram Yeah, and um He's on the house side, right? Yep. Mm-hmm. And then on the senate side Um Baruch Oh perfect Yeah, I mean and and everyone has been I mean there's 10 co-sponsors too On each one These people will not want to see peg not funded because they know how important it is For them and their votes and getting it out in the public. So I can't imagine they would let it go Yeah, and I will say this has been like Full-time lauren glendividia in berlington She's right retired as executive director of cctv and is just working on this. So I mean this is five years I heard her testifying the other day. She did a great job. Oh, yeah Yeah It'll be all right. I think that does it for our coder. I did your part Okay, um Uh further questions or areas to highlight or motion to accept A patent on the motion to accept Thank you pat. Is there a second? I heard chat on the second And all those in favor of accepting the co-directors report of This evening, please indicate by saying hi Hi and opposed Thank you unanimous um We're looking at all business planning for audit. Yep already tagged there And then just the the question of mark visiting edward jones. There's two things hanging out there um So you want me to just go through what I appreciate it. Yeah, that makes sense if you want to pick up the audit piece Okay, if if you lose I keep hearing this flashing thing going low low something low Vibes or who the hell know what but anyway, I'll talk fast. So I I had offered last meeting to send out I I really Think as an organization you should not do single source of Um, if you don't have to so we did a modified single source limited source, which is I found four cpa firms that would likely do audit I think we might have It looks like she went to mute Maybe something died on her end I'm back So, um, it's my something's wrong with my machine. Anyway, um CJ and I had trouble getting back and forth. So I bravely sent out a letter and With it with a timeline and again and jinn helped me a lot. Thank you very much um But then I didn't we haven't heard anything that I know of and I talked to a friend of mine Who knows this industry and works in it and said that because we are small chances are right now given That most big companies are dealing with the end of the year, you know, the 1231 calendar end of year plus any Problems they've had with flooding and accounting for the money and blah blah blah that we may not hear at all So I said in my letter that I would recommend that we go back to the single source because we've given it a college try And we've got the letter that I put together that we can use next time as a as a model and I don't I wasn't in on the conversation about how quickly we wanted to get this audit done Um, but if cj knows somebody or I can even call fred we could just do a one One the sole source Because we have tried and I feel comfortable about that and the person I talked to said that She was comfortable with that approach as well. So That's it We tried I don't I don't I don't think this is I mean given the Given the timeline of all this. I don't think we're in a rush Oh, okay, because I would like to do it right. Yeah. Yeah, I hear you. I think it's just bad timing because Uh, the individual said everybody is up, you know, alligators up to their knees or whatever the exception is So I don't I don't know if the auditing world has a sort of quiet season Oh, I have no idea. You just wait till may or something like that or if Well, if we can wait my will ask her What's the good time best time she recommends to send it out although cj would probably know too But then let's just do the letter and send it resend it And put a you know put a when we want a response back and And if we're in no rush, I wasn't sure I mean Is there any sense or anyone that this is pressing? So that it's quiet. Okay. So I will I will research when and then recommend to the board when we should send it out again Okay, yeah, yeah, I get I get how january february could be super busy for Well, especially because of the flood and all the money coming in some kind of amortization stuff I see it figured out how with lost property and all that. Yeah from fema and she said they probably just went Oh, no, I'm just put it aside So, um, I'll find out when might be a better time Yeah, and our budget is is is would be considered small potatoes in the auditing world even Vermont But I think we've got a few bucks in savings and I think that's what what sort of triggered my my thoughts about this It's not chump change. We have we have a few bucks And I think we should just make sure we're all in good stead, which I am very confident we are but It's good to have an official Yeah Yes, and the and the do it right as opposed to You know push it through Thank you. If whatever everybody's approval, I'll ask what what Is a good time to send it out and we'll just the letter's done. It's accurate and we'll just update it and send it out Again, and if anybody knows any other people I had four that I checked out And I know people who have used these folks Um, and I know fred personally, but I've not talked to him or anybody about it. So I'll follow up Yeah, and thanks for all that legwork Okay, no sweat fun That sounds like people people that that's it feels well talked through and our next step Is clear and everyone's comfortable with it And yeah, and I just want to make sure CJ's good with it because this is her area not mine. I just butted in Yeah, well, I think you're you're just uh, we're grateful for you picking up the the piece there Okay Works for me And then the other piece on old business is also sort of CJ centric. Um this kind of Moving the account to free us up and give us more options You know, we don't want to have to do a vote on on on every move She and mark decide to make but um Just the the idea that maybe mark and she could do a little bit of an overview of like Here's where we've been, you know, like how Mike Doyle used to regularly be like, you know This whole laddered cd thing. We're doing it no longer works and here's why and here's what we're gonna do is Sort of a big picture philosophical What the shuffle's about um So I don't know jim could you potentially be the the the lead on Maybe next board meeting that happened or maybe they're not ready. I don't I don't know where it is I I can touch base or I can have it on my list to Touch base of cj and or mark to find out if they're ready to present for the next board meeting and Yeah, march april and not and not that they would have to like wait for that to make their moves but if they could just be like Okay, here's our kind of um reasoning and uh Just just be available to just kind of big picture it for us all And I think cj was in spirit all all the way behind it. I just don't I don't know what what has happened since we spoke So I appreciate it if you could pick up that piece. Okay Could I interrupt just a minute? Yeah, you got it chris. Um, it was um, Amy schoenberger the person you were working with at action circle. Yes Oh perfect. She's fabulous. Thank you. Oh, yeah, she's definitely I mean she knows what she's doing Yeah, I think oh, yeah, she does good person. She'll that's great. I know. Yeah, she She's shepherded through our previous successes. Excellent. She's awesome Um, is there, um other old business Sounds quiet. I would in terms of new business I just like to highlight chad's email and jam and it's like is there an is there an action step? We could I don't we've always talked about like, um You know, uh Visiting with the board of berries public access Um, I mean not always that was probably a 2012 2013 conversation But maybe um, I don't know if a board A field trip or board to board thing and jam would be um helpful for us to get our get wrap our heads around next steps on strategic planning since it seems like there may be Three or four steps ahead of us, but Just just feeling um, what chad was saying in that email and wondering if that Has a clear action step Thank you. Uh, that's a good question. I think that we We Maybe next month could reach out to them They they were I was talking with one or two members of their board and their executive director and everyone seemed very excited about it but if they were in the middle of doing the white river film fest so probably after they get a chance to Like recover and then we have cleared the green mountain film Yeah Once we get through the film festival season, you know, maybe we can look to do a field trip down there And uh In when it's a bit warmer, I think we mentioned earlier that would be a good idea We're not Yeah, so kind of like a spring thing. I'm hearing. Yeah Yeah, it seems like fake spring right now. So I'm afraid Let's not let's not look it for next week. They can work. We're out of the woods, right? Um, you're also reminding me. We're gonna try thinking of the spring. We're not going to try. We are going to get ourselves back on um annual meeting in may which our bylaws called for in covet Through our threw us off into the fall for a three-year run. I think but um, so just keeping an eye on may for um Our our annual meeting getting getting back aligned with the how the bylaws spell out when we when we ought to do that And then our Our 2023 numbers will be much fresher when we report them out in may as opposed to september october And the van the van annual meeting will be made to um That locations to be determined but just to Maybe we can work around that Sure Did we we hosted the last one? Uh, two years ago. We hosted that was the last awesome in it's in brahlin. So it's Which is crazy. It's but yeah, it's already been two years. I think it sounds like it's going to be in middlebury Okay um Do you expect with the green mountain film festival being in mid-march that Um, we will get an off month circles I mean knows a fine answer. I'm just realistically is that is that something board members can expect outreach or just like Hold on. We are barely keeping keeping between the legislative session in green mountain film festival. Yeah, I mean What's the pulse of the co-directors there? Yeah, the goal is to to start looking at the process again So that like I think it's literally like we just need to refresh our memories on the process and then uh well If anything in in march, we can definitely say hey like these are the next steps So like a check a check in with the circles is all we're thinking. Yeah, okay Yeah, I mean That does make me feel a little bit better to hear that it was a slow process for jam. So Yes super good reality check that you Yes, uh, I'd like to know on Van are they losing money on their Comcast check the way we did? uh, so van Other vans don't get Comcast checks. Oh other organizations that are members of that. That's what I meant. Yeah Yeah, there's a there is a spreadsheet that we can look at but they're all going down a lot of them are flat-toed Because it seems to me that you could easily put together the way that this community has rebounded from the flood And the number of things that we've been participants in community meetings and so forth And that something like Comcast cutting a check down That we need to find vocal we've released reimbursing so that we aren't losing Money to run the the media programs that we need to run to bring this community back Yeah, and I think that's what gin was saying. I think you're absolutely right. I My goal is to Like put energy into that after this legislative session because it's like we're going to find out a lot about the what happens with this new The community media public benefit fund, but it might be like a yes, and it might be like we need that To make up for that revenue loss and we need to start asking people and say hey like we have You know lakes to stand on we've done we've done all I mean there's no Everyone you talk to Recognizes the work that that we've done there are impact right now. Yeah, but I mean there there's flood relief for a lot of things Right, but there's no general sense that Media need further flood relief or else there won't be people that know that the community's still a community And where they can go to both get help but also speak their wishes for the future for sure Yeah, yeah, so it seems to me that To have media losing money during a post flood period For a FEMA Applications and individual businesses are applying for help just to come back open That it makes no sense at all for us and I hope other van members To to not realize when there's that kind of a deficit going on locally. There needs to be more money for the media Rather than less Is that the FEMA people come in and to like well PSA Right. I think that we kind of end up being this is like vessel for everybody Which is great, you know, like I mean people who use us and that's the thing. It's like just like a library You know being able to show that they have more patrons than you know ever before and like I mean I think that that's the thing it's like with all of the The programs and all the engagement and all of the production and all of everything. It's like we've only We only have done more and more coming out of covid. Yeah But you know, you are the directors and the staff That needs the help we and the board are ones that can piss and moan about let's have more resources for you So that you are trying to cover massive amounts of things that need to be done and we think and beliefs should be done With it with diminished monies. Well, we might need your help if we have a I'll be glad to say I'm raising an effort, you know, that might be a pillar post state house or Well, Chris, do you anticipate a need for testimony upcoming um In advocacy of bag or are we beyond that point or would it come up in after crossover or what? Yeah, I think when it would come up when there was something in a committee to testify on but the this Specific testimony that just happened was around the Appropriations in the The budget so that was we have plenty of folks on there. But yeah, I mean that's I would say always be prepared To at least, you know, have a two-minute speech in your pocket, right? Oh, yeah, you can only do it. Yeah, you get two minutes on the clock. Yeah um, and then the other pieces Is If there's a dedicated tax to a tax dedicated to peg Once that's passed, we don't have to keep going every year and saying Oh legislature, please Yes, that's because previously we've been asking directly for funds from them and it's been a specific ask each time But once a tax is dedicated to peg It's not an ask again, right? It's just an ongoing fee Yeah, there's no sunset Okay, right a sunset could be written into it. Yeah Yeah, and I think I imagine Amy keeps an eye on, huh? Yeah, I think that that's the the the thing about it is like there's so much That's gone into this already. It would it seems challenging to pivot towards streaming Um, oh, we'll keep you posted. Yeah All right, good luck Um, wait, I guess that's sure. It's always new business. Um, how are we doing with any other new business? Oh, I have one quick new business e-type um That cj recommended that I put it in front of impara board I had a personal gift card for amazon that I applied to the orca amazon account And I wasn't able to get amazon to correct it so I was hoping to get orca to Buy me the equivalent amount in an amazon gift card so that I could get my personal gift card back But because it would show that orca is Buying me a gift card It would look odd and it's for an amount of 300 dollars So I just wanted to run it past the board to see if that would be okay and that would be something that um Would show up in the books Maybe not in the financial because it's a summary, but that it happened and if that would be okay to do And that's a have to be a payback, huh? Yeah, but it looked kind of it would look a little bit odd on the book So we just I wanted to be transparent and let everyone know that this had happened This is what we would like to do to fix it and if that's okay What is the the reason for buying a gift card to pay back? Why why can't it just be Like paid as an as an expense of A reimbursement of a personal expense. Well, because I felt like the gift card money wasn't I mean we you will use it for The purchase of equipment and stuff, but it's not like cash So I felt like if you just bought or if I bought a gift card for amazon It would be in the same type of money so that it wasn't like I was trying to somehow cash out something So that's why I figured if or if it just by me a gift card in that same amount Then that would resolve it Or you you concerned it might look like you were laundering gift cards through work It turned into cash on the other end. Yes I Don't know. I don't I don't know if any board members have that concern If it's easier just to reimburse you with cash, I think I think with the gist of the gist of uh chat's question Gift card you've already thought it through gift card to gift card makes sense. Yeah, I feel like it's nice and clean Clever then I'm hearing no objections to that. I know I think it's easy to explain if it's if it's question More so than giving her cash. I think gift card to gift card is a better idea. Okay, great All right, that sounds by acclimation Um works for me we've got a Fourth tuesday in april Just looking at the next proper board meeting is the 23rd That is a um school break and I'm pretty sure I'll be out of town Would people be okay with the 16th the third tuesday? Play with me Thank you There's also the this five thursdays in april. We could also do the 30th But I just thought start with the 16th Palin's got a thumbs up. I heard yay from pat I'll stick up jesus What was that the 16th of april april the third instead of fourth tuesday Okay, 6 30 on the 16th Yeah, if people could Yeah, okay, it seems good. All right. That's across the board. So that's at least a quorum and hopefully we'll see more folks, um That might be our last item of business choosing the next meeting I have just one last question. You got it. Dave the floor is yours. The um What when Goddard goes online What happens to the media at goddard In other words, I'm worried about media I've heard that you should be physical different colleagues going on at the in in uh, water buried I'm just worried about the way that we get news out on other media That that there's differences and changes that are going on And so I can't I don't understand. Do we have a media in uh in and it got her Or is it going to be gone once they go online because they don't have people there? like faculty so they well god The radio station separated from goddard. No, I understood that but it just seemed like So there's still there's still uh, okay power radio. Yeah, I just actually met with lu recently So, yeah, they don't know if they whatever happens to goddard colleges is separate. No, I understand It's just that some of us listen, right? They're gonna remain on the radio. Yeah, I know lu it. I know lu has um Um sort of Game planned out and and their their mind a little bit. Um If if the the physical studio space of goddard Um, we're no longer available. I think the transmitters are locked in they own them But um, yeah Um, they've okay, they've thought they've thought about that and I don't think it's a dire They got to figure something out tomorrow, but Okay, I do know they have um You know, it's it's not to compare. Well, sure compare a little to us in vcfa. We're not Making a plan to move but we are aware that there's Movement afoot with our landlord and we're just we keep an eye on I think that's a fair parallel actually okay So you've you've heard goddard college is going all online I'm sorry That's what's happening. Oh, yeah, I didn't know. Yeah, I'm just curious. Yeah Yeah, for the time I have to cut out you guys. I'm very sorry. Yeah, I mean we're we're I think Dave they've got the last word Okay, because I have to go give my dog her her insulin and give her a dog Yeah, I think I think you might just miss miss the the moment of adjournment if you gotta cut go ahead Goodbye guys. Bye. Thank you. Thanks for all your help Um Dave you Dave you feel good about that conversation was complete. That was fine I just wanted to raise an issue that I think is relevant to the overall communications in our area Yeah, good note to end on actually um, and I've just Adjourned at 805. We're good We have to move Do we have to move to adjourn? I mean I in We could it's pro forma if you want to Chad meet you want to make a motion? I'll make a motion to adjourn Great, and uh, Dave seconded Calling the question all those in favor of adjourning at 80. Is it still five? Yep. It's still 805 Please indicate by saying hi All right, uh, thank you folks. That was productive and efficient always appreciated and uh, have a fabulous, uh Mid to late winter