 Good evening, everyone pursuing to chapter 20 of the acts of 2021. This meeting is being conducted over remote means members of the public who wish to access the meeting may do so over zoom. And then we will also post a recording of this meeting to the town's YouTube channel. No in person attendance of members of the public will be permitted. Now I need to kind of go around and just sort of get a sound check from everybody to make sure that they can hear me and be heard, hear us and be heard. So I'm just going to start with Eleanor. Hello. Yes. Leah. Hi. Rachel here. Robin. Yes. And Christie. Okay, thanks everybody so and we usually have a much more relaxed conversational style but just given the short period of time and we do have a little bit of urgency in terms of posting the guidelines for the September 1, the grant will open September 1 on the MCC website. So I'm going to go ahead and just share my screen. And open up for a little bit of discussion. I'm going to try to share my screen and open up for a little discussion about the grant guidelines. So hopefully this works allows you to share your screen system preferences. Okay, this is. I'm going to share instead. If well if you have them in front of you that'd be great. I think I do. So I will say we don't have to get the precise wording I think if we can get the general gist as as Julian looks for the document. I guess the one change that I would like to propose we make to last year's grant is we include some language around. Regional collaborations. And I don't think we necessarily need to ask them to apply to a bunch of different councils, but just just a general statement around, you know, we want to prioritize regional collaboration I think collaboration is probably a safe word to use and then, you know we can kind of treat each one individually because they're going to come in individually. Oh, wonderful. Thank you. Well, the regional collaboration is just because it would benefit a broader community right so I think just a quick related question to that so the applicants themselves don't have to be based in Amherst. Correct. As long as they're bringing benefit to the Amherst community. Correct. Okay, thank you. I thought it wasn't that we wanted to prioritize, prioritize applicants with regional events so much as that we also wanted them to secure funding. You know, if there's if it's if it's a regional regionally appealing thing that they would apply regionally not just to us. Yeah. I think that's what I did as well. In other words, you know, we encourage you to also apply to other cultural councils in state, you know, cities or towns that have people who would benefit or something like that. Sorry, can I can I jump in I'm sorry I can't put my hand up. There's another way that we could put in the language, just some suggestions of when we say regional collaboration or recent regional participation, what we're talking about, because it, like, like, and this is, this is a question. Are we. I mean we want people who are, let's say Amherst based but whose project benefits three other towns in the valley to apply to other towns in the valley. And do we also want people who are based in Amherst, but who's want to say the participants, the, the actors, I mean, other like a broad sense of the word like the people who are involved in the activity, who are also coming from other regional towns but to also apply to see what I mean I mean people can take that in different ways and and I'm wondering, what is the book we mean is it do we mean benefit, do we mean who draw upon the talents of valley. I'm just wondering whether or not we want to give a few more suggestions so that people understand what we're talking about by the word regional and participation. I drafted something here and let's let's see if this starts to move towards that Christy. Okay, for grants that have regional audiences and also benefit Amherst residents, we encourage you to apply to all LCCs with communities who will benefit from the event. That's one part, right. Right. What, what more would it need to kind of get to what you're. I guess I guess that's it. I guess that's it. I actually want to, I want to see if we can broaden it a little bit more just because what I'd like what I'd like this to be able to do is to help us to give us grounds to give additional points or money or favor to folks whose work. There's less about what they do and more about our, our priority, you know that, you know, yes, we want to, we want to benefit Amherst directly, but we would, we will reward folks whose applications, you know, have a have a regional original and in some cases that's applying to multiple councils but in other cases I think we certainly when we read a grant and the person says, I'm working with the schools all across the valley to make you know to put on this performance. We celebrate that as well so I think as long as we're close in the language, I think we're, you know, yeah. What we don't have. I'm sorry this is slightly moving on from this, but what we don't have is that right now. We have no way to evaluate the benefit of different types of events, like how many brass bands things like that. Right. So, yeah, that that that that's a big one I think that came up last year. Yep. And also, go ahead, I was going to quickly say has our stance on is our, are we keeping the same thing about having a date. As we did last year we're making a little bit more strict this year. So we actually did anyway, right. Yeah, we did say they had to have a date last year. We just, okay, I think that's a good idea. We just got some people who, okay, got it. Sorry. Yeah. So I want to, I want to follow up on what Julianne just brought up and see if folks have other thoughts about that because that is, I agree that's something we want to have in here but I'm not sure exactly how to phrase it so. I'm working on it but I'm not saying I'll get it right. Yeah, I just I warn us that you know if we are saying we want a diversity of different kinds of, you know, cultural things. And we have four brass bands, you know, and we award to one of them, but not the other three, because of this, this need to vary. It makes me a little, you know, that this is something I think we need to kind of think through a little bit more. Well, I think it happened last year. We're not that we didn't give money to one but I think it was like with choruses. There was, we had like conversations about, like, how much, like what percentage of the total money is being given. So I think it kind of worked down to like, we just did more partial grants for all of those, which is like, I mean, it's kind of a dilemma like, do you fully fund one or partially fund a bunch or like, because like if the amount of grants is overwhelmingly like brass bands. It's hard. Right. That's that's a good point. The partial funding is a good that's a very good point. Yeah. Although you do end up watering things down. Also, I think it's a slightly different issue and we've talked about both of these. The encouraging grant, you know, applicants to also apply to other local cultural councils is because those communities are also benefiting but we're kind of paying the entire amounts of what they need. Or we have less money to give to other grantees. So to me that was sort of like, why are we paying the whole thing, you know, or why do people think that Amherst should cover the entire grant and that you know we have limited money to give and live in limited amounts we can give to each grantee. So that goes to the for grants that have regional audiences also benefit Amherst residents we encourage you to apply to all LCCs with communities who will benefit from the event. Well, they all have to benefit and residence, regardless. Also benefit Amherst residents. That's in there, and then the above says they'll be evaluated on on the benefit they bring to the Amherst community please, you know, I think here, does anyone agree that we should add something like be specific. Yeah, I want to, I'm going to pause us now in the interest of time. So I want to just have a general conversation for a minute, like there's two, there's two additions right the additions are prioritizing and encouraging regional collaborations. There's also a diversity of different kinds of cultural events. And then there are there's other wordsmithing that has to be done like the opening, there's there's a bunch of stuff that needs to be wordsmithed a little bit and we're not going to be able to do it now. But I would like us to just go ahead and take a vote on on making those two changes understanding that we're voting on just on the broad outlines of those changes. Because I think with the interest of time, we're not going to be able to meet again before September 1. So it's a little distracting. Do you mind. So I could we could we just take a vote on on those two additions to the grant guidelines and then when Rachel signs off we at least have accomplished the most important thing. Can I add specifically here, then there are. I think I agree with what is there and also I just wanted to kind of circle back a little bit to what Chris you raised earlier the question of, in addition to the people being benefited we're also talking about collaboration right which Matt mentioned. So, I think that language is not here yet. I mean it was, it was suggested earlier with the red bullet point but do you see what I mean there's like the does the benefit people benefiting benefited and there's the people who are actually being part in the project, which, and those are two different things. And they're two different. Right, and I would, and I would support that. Yeah, something like collaborative. That's because it's kind of like the people doing the project should also be collaborating with different with people from different communities in order to put on said project. So I think those those are two like, you know, for Steve just pointed out about events that bring collaborative. I'm, I'm, I'm feeling the clock ticking. Intercommunity or something you know just people basically. Yeah. That's that's just a place. I don't think we're going to receive something. We're not giving groundy points, being extra credit to projects which have regional collaboration and benefit. Correct. I think that's nice. Yeah, I like. I'm sorry. Say that again. Region regional collaborative collaborative benefit. Regional collaboration collaboration and benefit. I think you can combine those into one phrase. I think it has to be regional collaboration and benefit. Okay, I like that. They're really two different ideals. Yes. Regional collaboration and benefit will be what whatever word whatever word it is will be will be recognized or what's the word that we want will be will be are we prioritizing are encouraged encouraged. Yeah, I would, I would encourage it because it seems like we have so many priorities like diversity and I mean one more priority, and then we have no priorities because they're all priorities. And so, so we encourage regional collaboration and and then encourage events that bring like that we okay I think we I think you got it there Christie we encourage events that bring regional collaboration and benefit. Yeah, I mean, we can tweak the, you know, but that is the sentiment of it, but Matt wants to vote on here. Can I make the motion to vote on that or somebody is Rachel things have to do that. Please do. I'll make the motion. I will second. I support that sorry I'm waving from only if you can second safely from your car Chrissy you know like I'm waving in front of targets so that's fabulous. I think, again, it's like the fastest guideline update we've ever done but you know I think those were the main things that came up last year. Yeah. Oh so we need to take an official vote. Yeah we have a motion on the table. Let's stop the screen share for a moment if you don't mind and and then we'll just do a quick roll call. I'm an I, Julianne. Robin. Hi. And then Rachel move seconded. Yeah. Thank you very much I'm sorry I'm sorry I don't mean to rush things along I just wanted to honor. Rachel and Rachel Rachel for the extra time. We did have those two grantees who came in with questions. One of them. Well, I don't know, Rachel, if you have five minutes to talk about them, we can but if you if you have to hop off what we understand that too. Yeah, so I can, I'll just stay for a few minutes. I'll be late for my other. All right, and I really apologize for that I mean it just. So, so I sent out the two as well as all is a pretty straightforward just a request for a time extension. If you want to move to approve that and I'll make a movement to approve that. Okay, I'll second that. Just do a quick roll call Christie. Rachel. Hi. And Robin. Yes. Thank you. And Leah, do you support. I'm sorry, I didn't ask if you supported the guidelines earlier. Do you support the guidelines. Oh yeah, I also have with the regional grantees. I have a question for everyone but also for Robin because I know she does treasury stuff. When we're looking at the. When we're looking at like the budget breakdown. And. Yeah, are we going to be for a second. Can we. Can we punt on that question until after our quorum breaks up just so we can have Rachel. Oh, oh wait, sorry. Yeah, we can, you know, we can have an informal stuff. I don't mean to, I'm sorry to cut you off. So we're going to go ahead and move to approve as well as request for an extension. So I'm going to come to this a little bit more nuanced, but I really, I want to be able to get her an answer because it's been a, it's been a long journey for these folks. And is is Pam Tillis and essentially, what happened with Pam Tillis is that she and her co applicant worked tirelessly to put together a really impressive, I mean I watched a lot of the stuff they put out there. And it was a celebration of her father who passed away. And as she was finalizing the project, her co applicant also died suddenly of fast moving. It was a really tragic event and so Pam really persevered and, you know, not only finished this thing in the honor of her father but also in honor of her co applicant. And so she had, she had a professional editor so most of her funds went to the professional editor which we approved back in the fall. The professional editor did not take up all of the funds that were approved. And so, you know, Pam has really taken on all of this work onto herself. And so her amendment request is actually to pay herself, pay herself and also to pay her co grantee which she would then contribute that money to, I believe as a charity of her choice. So it's a very, you know, it's a very moving story and a very powerful kind of moment and she has been really wonderful and communicating and moving this forward and so I think Julianne would agree. We want, we'd like to get her an answer, you know, if we can this week just because it's, it's a pretty compelling case and I sent you some of the emails that she had sent us but I don't know. It's an amazing piece of work as far as the quality of work and yeah, it's, yeah, it's beautiful YouTube is up. The recording is up on our Facebook page and elsewhere and it really is a beautiful performance. I'm not even sure she needed to ask us because she could have just paid them and then donated it but regardless she's been very meticulous and reporting everything and I certainly fine. I think it's great. Is that you're motioning. That's my. I agree with it I'm not quite sure where we are voting for this so, but I don't know if we made the proposal or not. Yeah, she made a she made a proposal to pay herself and her co applicant 500 each of the remaining funds. You know what she does with those monies in terms of donating them that's up to her but I think, I think there is a substantive change from paying the editor for professional service. You know what I mean so that's, that's why I think we wanted to vote. Okay. So, Christie, what are you going to say Christie. So, sorry, I feel like I'm going to say the thing that is not the thing to say, but I will say it. I, it seems the project is wonderful. The product is wonderful. I really worry about this is a precedent. Oh you froze up right. Yeah. My concern. So, you're freezing. They're not a concern. I don't have worries. Oh, sorry, can you, I know. I can't hear you at all. Okay. That's better. Okay, I'm actually, can you hear me now. Perfectly. Okay, so I'm going to pull into Wildwood Cemetery so I can talk. I was almost home. I was almost made it. Sorry. Okay, here's, sorry, tell me. I'm going to cry out if you can't hear me. So I'm, I'm worried about the precedent. Not, not this individual case, but that's not what we're doing is judging. I mean, we have to worry about setting precedents for future projects and future decisions. I worry less about giving the money. Sorry, I just forgot her first name. Okay. Okay. Okay. Pam, Pam tell us. I, I do not like the idea of giving money or funds to someone who is deceased with the idea that those funds be given to a charity. That really now we've lost control of where that money is going to. What I would propose is we give, you know, the money that we give the $1,000. To Pam. And she can then do with it what she likes, but I don't, it makes me a little nervous that we're now basically donating to, and she's being very upfront about it. We're donating to a charity. Like what is that charity? And is that really the remit of our committee. I just think to keep it cleaner. Say. Here's $1,000. Thank you for the work. We're terribly sorry about your co-applicant. Do with the money. You know, this is your stipend or. Etc. But I, I just think we should not get into donating. Like, what are we donating to? Yeah. And that makes me a little nervous. I don't know. I could motion specifically to say. To do what, what Christie just said. Can I make that motion? $1,000 to Pam. And then she can donate to charity as she sees fit. As she sees fit, but then we're out of it. Like we're not. We're not getting into that. Who's that? Rachel. Thank you, Rachel. Let's do it. Thank you, Christy. Thank you. Leah, do you support? I support. Okay. Christie, do you support? Yes. Sorry. Robin. Yes. And, and Eleanor, I should be asking you frankly, if you support, just for the sake of. Okay, great. We had, we had a number of non-voting student members. And that's kind of how we made sure their voices were heard. So, okay. So it's, it's you and I, and I, I'm a yes as well. Yeah. Thank you everyone. I'm going to run. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. See you next time. Okay. So having, having lost our form, I think we're going to adjourn the public. I will stop recording. Yep.