Basalt Thrift Store Board Meeting
Tuesday – August 5, 2008
6:45 p.m. Call to Order
Board Member(s) Present: Steve Jundt, Camilla Sparlin,
Marie Kelly, Deb Bamesberger
Board Member(s) Absent: Kathy Cantrup
Executive Director Present: Jullia Pratt
Topics and Decisions
The Executive Director spoke of a uniform and respectful manner in which to deny certain donor items that would not fit in the current Store’s overall environment. It was decided that Basalt Thrift would locate alternative resources that provide an outlet for donors to travel to and that the Store itself would subsequently become an information center to direct the public and the item for donation. Exec. Dir. also spoke of the last three weeks of Board Member and Volunteer participation, i.e. Thanking all members and voicing that it could not have been done without said participation. Bravo. As well, in observation, Exec. Dir. determined that each Board Member will commit to 6 days each month in the Store. Board members will work the front of the Store, selling, promoting the mission statement, organizing, cleaning, and setting out those items that the back-room personnel have deemed ready to bring forward into the showroom. These days are to be predetermined and posted so that plans can be made to work other areas of need as this coverage in the store is provided. It is agreed and understood that because of other jobs that a level of flexibility would be allowed to change a perspective agreed upon posted day and that the important factor was as much advance communication given as possible.
Donation Days – the board unanimously voted to limit the current donation days at the store to Tuesdays and Thursdays. This vote was taken after the Exec. Dir.’s dissertation on the mounting amount of donations and the store’s lack of staff members/volunteers in place to coordinate a proper flow. As well, the Starwood estate will complicate additional donation days and storage until it is complete. It was agreed that a weekend day would become necessary and would be addressed when the store was more established.
Pick-up & Delivery Days – Being that these days are labor intensive and required the Store’s expense of at least two laborers, the board agreed that Mondays and Fridays would be the days of choice.
Hours – The board determined to close the Store on Wednesday’s in order to use the time for coordination and reworking within the store itself. It was determined that Wednesday was proving to be the Store’s slowest day of the week.
Starwood, Baby Grand Piano – The discussion of how to respond to a monetary request for a donation was birthed due to the director of the Starwood estate and their attorney’s request for a sum of $5,000 to be paid in exchange for all of their donated items. The Board voted to take the position of not agreeing to pay for any item offered to the store agreeing that it was not in the best interests of our non-profit establishment or its mission statement. Our Executive Director will deliver the Board’s response to the Starwood persons and we will deal with any effect of that decision as it occurs.
Baby Clothes – Due to square footage costs vs. return the board voted unanimously to no longer accept baby clothes and items. It was agreed that we would locate and inform donors of alternative resources that would accept their donations.
Deb and Marie both agreed to procure boxes for the upcoming Starwood move. Camilla will coordinate with Marie to pick up boxes at Ace Hardware in Aspen.
Camilla agreed to contact area thrift stores and the Rag Co. to establish a fellowship that would ultimately coordinate the other organizations in a periodic removal of excess items from BTS.
Deb agreed to donate four of her real estate signs that Steve would rework for the use of the Store.
Steve agreed to begin active work on a Basalt Thrift Store website as well as to continue writing and coordinating all PSA’s and advertising subject to Exec. Dir. approval of content.
Board meeting was adjourned at 8:51 p.m.
Basalt Thrift Store, Inc.
Board of directors meeting
January 17, 2009 5:00 p.m.
Location: Basalt Thrift Store
Present: Steve Jundt, Marlene Stalker, Camilla Sparlin, Jullia Pratt
Absent: Aimee Sheeber-Knight, Marie E. Kelly
A quorum was present. Meeting was called to order at 5:25 p.m. by Board Chairman, Steve Jundt.
Steve Jundt introduced Tom Jones II and advocated to the board that Tom assume the position of Board Chairman and Steve would assume the role of Vice Chairman/Secretary as Steve’s itinerary was likely to involve future real estate projects limiting his ability as Chairman. This was voted upon with unanimous favor.
At this point the Meeting Agenda was placed in the hands of Tom Jones II by Steve Jundt.
The next topic was the removal of Marie E. Kelly as a Basalt Thrift Store board member. Marie has involved herself with other activities and has not participated with the store nor attended any informal meetings of the board for the past three months. Marie’s removal was voted upon with unanimous favor.
Following was the vote to elect Marlene Stalker as Board Treasurer. Marlene’s background in accounting and escrow plus the fact that she has worked alongside our CPA, Joe Kowar, made Marlene the best choice for the position. Marlene’s election was voted upon with unanimous favor.
Marlene then shared with the board her initial efforts in setting up the store with daily/weekly/quarterly accounting practices. Methods were established for check writing, bill paying, cash receipts, sales tax collection, and running ledger programs via excel and quick-books. Marlene also advocated the need for a copy machine to make daily copies of all checks taken on the sales level.
The prospect of raising 12k for the upcoming deadline of February 5 in regards to the store’s triple net payment due was addressed. This brought up the current necessity that any and all monetary donations need to be processed through our Fiscal Sponsor, Fat City Farms. Fat City Farms, Inc. (FCF) is our umbrella sponsor until the Basalt Thrift Store, Inc. (BTS) achieves its 501(c)3 status with the I.R.S. Executive Director, Jullia Pratt, emphasized that February 5 is a date that could have some flexibility as long as we have a realistic date secured to produce payment. Tom indicated that he has been in touch with two foundations willing to donate to our cause and that he would be orchestrating this through the FCF entity which is the only viable pathway.
A further discussion of Fat City Farms was brought to the table as all board members were informed of Fat City Farms Board of Directors inviting BTS Board members to their pot luck board meeting on Wednesday, January 21 at FCF Board Chairman, Michael Thompson’s, residence in Basalt. The purpose of this meeting is to potentially elect four of BTS board members to join the FCF board of directors. This opportunity arose recently over lunch with Michael Thompson and David Bedford where the potential for BTS to utilize FCF as a primary vehicle for distribution was discussed. This unification would subsequently actualize both boards’ mission statements allowing BTS and FCF to become more productive towards their mutual goals by functioning as a team as opposed to remaining autonomous. The proposal to meet with the FCF Board was voted upon with unanimous favor.
Marlene interjected the BTS Board move cautiously and apply methods of due diligence and economic discovery before formally amalgamating with FCF. The BTS board concurred and Tom shared that he would hopefully be talking to Michael Thompson Saturday, January 17, with efforts to obtain FCF’s Business Plan and any financials that he could procure.
The meeting closed with Board Member Camilla Sparlin interjecting her valued opinion that BTS should attain a financial reserve of at least $25,000.00 before contributing anything more out to the community. Camilla also asked that at the time donations from BTS do begin that the board consider her efforts towards dog rescue in Puerto Rico as a donation candidate. That self governing territory of the United States finds man’s best friend bedraggled and the entire island rife with canine abuse. The entire Board acquiesced and indeed heralded Ms. Sparlin’s concern.
Tom Jones II officially adjourned the meeting at 6:43.
Minutes submitted by Steve Jundt, Vice Chairman/Secretary
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Basalt Thrift Store, Inc.
Board of directors meeting
March 5, 2009 6:00 p.m.
Location: Basalt Thrift Store
Present: Steve Jundt, Marlene Stalker, Camilla Sparlin, Aimee Sheeber, Jullia Pratt, and Don Stalker (in the capacity as Observer).
Absent: Tom Jones II
A quorum was present. Meeting was called to order at 6:02 p.m. by Board Vice Chairman/Secretary, Steve Jundt.
Steve began the meeting with an update of BTS 501(c)3 status: “I spoke with our assigned agent from the I.R.S., Paula Malone, yesterday (Wed. Mar. 4). Paula stated that she had received our pkg sent last week with the articles of amendment and would be reviewing our application in its entirety by Monday, March 9. She left her direct phone number for my follow up next week.”
The next topic was the formation of committees. Steve turned the floor over to Jullia Pratt, Executive Director, who proceeded to outline four areas of need in regards to committee interests. They were as follows and to be individually chaired by the name(s) shown:
Marketing, Advertizing, PSA’s, (weekend/announcements). To be shared between Marlene Stalker and Steve Jundt.
Fundraising (foundations, local philanthropists, local businesses).To be headed up by Steve Jundt.
Volunteer Coordination, Training. To be headed up by Marlene Stalker.
Estate Sale, Consignment Shop marketing, Local Home Sales. To be headed up by Jullia Pratt with participation from Camilla Sparlin.
Each committee will work with autonomy and be responsible to provide updates and current progress in each subsequent board meeting.
Jullia Pratt, Executive Director, next shared our current position in regards to landlord, rent, triple-net, additional storage (unit #3) and the repayment of BTS original silent lender. Jullia has been able to provide her professional consultation from her architectural background in order to satisfy any and all outstanding monies owed in these two categories. This means that BTS is now free and clear of all debts other than those which remain reoccurring on either a monthly or quarterly basis.
The next topic for discussion was that of Board Member Tom Jones II joining the Fat City Farms Board of Directors. Although it was unanimously felt that Tom can and should be free to join multiple Boards, and that Fat City Farms is a friend and collaborator to the BTS Mission, there was also a sense of dismay over the fact that Tom did not discuss his joining Fat City’s Board without prior discussion first with the BTS Board. Also discussed were Tom’s initial commitments to the Board in regards to grant writing and procuring a donation which were both to be his initial efforts supporting BTS. Ultimately, the BTS Board is deemed and needs to be a “Working Board”. It was determined to allow Tom to demonstrate where he will best fit for the BTS cause and mission. However, the BTS Board voted to alleviate Tom from his position as BTS Board Chairman to Active Board Member and voted to have Steve Jundt reassume his role as Active Board Chairman for BTS interests.
Line item #4 for the evening was a discussion of the proposed Food Co-0p. Initial information was provided by Jullia who also asked that because we are still researching the legalities involved, the public’s interest, and rounding up suppliers that we save this topic for the following Board Meeting. All favored.
Line Item #5 was the topic of Board Member Hours for Store Coverage. It was decided that Steve would cover the floor on Saturdays and Mondays. Aimee would cover on Wednesdays from noon till closing. Marlene would cover on Thursdays from noon till closing. All other exposure would be covered by Jullia and the various members of her volunteer staff.
A brief Q&A brought Board Treasurer, Marlene Stalker, into discussion in regards to BTS’s proposed accounting practices. Marlene is setting up financial records and will be taking over the accounts payables. Marlene will add herself as a signer on the BTS Alpine Bank account and access all monthly statements. Our Accounting System will be applied to Quick Books which will work in conjunction with our Atty/CPA, Joseph Kowar and his preferred methods of accountability
With no other business to attend to Steve Jundt adjouned the meeting at 7:58 p.m.
