9/23/2023 - EVFAC-Annual Live and Zoom-All Members Board Meeting Minutes

EVFAC-Annual Live and Zoom-All Members Board Meeting Minutes 9/23/2023

12pm potluck lunch followed by 1pm meeting-21 live participants.

Meeting started at 1pm or a few minutes after. No zoom participants.

-Live Participants: Winky Cherry, Nadina Barnes, Trish Spillman, Suzie Fowler Tutt, Theresa Norman, Jan

Heffner, Gloria Padilla, Nikoletta Kanakis, Glenna Dean, and Nancy Woodworth, Mary Grow

and Lyndsay Remerowski (membership volunteer).

-Board Members: Dain Daller, Maria Jonsson (Secretary), Leigh Alexander (Treasurer), Carol Nieukirk

(President), Mark Bond (Vice President), and Roy Kady.

-EVFAC staff: Debbie Harris (Retail Manager), Amanda Speer (Educational Coordinator), Kim Zitzow

(Director of Operations), and Leticia Gonzales (clerk , 1 day a week)

Agenda:

-Introduction of board members and EVFAC staff, Carol Nieukirk facilitating meeting.

-What Has the Board Been up To this Past Year? Maria Jonsson, hand out to members.

-Leigh Alexander, Financial Report.

-Kim Zitzow, Directors Report.

-Debbie Harris, Retail Report.

-Amanda Speer, EVFAC classes

-Lyndsay Remerowski, EVFAC Membership Report

-Dain Daller, Fall Fiber Fiesta 2023

-Vote for relelection of board members (Leigh, Dain, and Mark)

-Call for Volunteers and New Board Members

-Maintenance Day at EVFAC, Santa Fe Wool Fest Oct 6-8, NNMCC Event Oct 28.

What has the EVFAC board been up to for the past year?: Maria handout to meeting participants

A one year summary of our accomplishments from August 2022-September 2023. Stressed the

importance of posting the board meeting minutes for all of our membership to see on our website. Also

discussion of coming up with some kind of newsletter for our membership. Kim and Maria will work

together on this in the future to email out to our membership.

Financial Report: Leigh Alexander financial statements handed out to meeting participants

As far as financials, EVFAC is in good shape. The center changed over to a new book-keeping system to

streamline Quickbooks, Shopify, and other systems. There were some expenses to pay for this process

in 2023. The book keeping system is more in line with our retail sales system. EVFAC has a new book

keeper, Melissa Barton. 48% of our income is coming from our classes. The rest of the income is retail

sales. We need to send out more emails for monetary donations. As far as consignment items in the

shop, supplies and yarn are selling better than ready made goods. Employees are the biggest cost.

Directors Report: Kim Zitzow

Kim started working for EVFAC in March part time. We are hoping to increase her to 25 hours a week in

the future. There is a numeric code lock on the side door for members for people who want to come in

and use equipment when the center is not open (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday). The code is

changed every month. Please check in with Kim and/or Debbie on this process. EVFAC staff is working

on finalizing the costs for rentals of equipment. Will the rental costs increase or will they be the same as

in the past? The center is a runner up for the Santa Fe Community Foundation grant of either $10,000

or $15,000. There is another grant in the works from the McCune Foundation which would provide

money for youth programs. Leticia Gonzales may be working with some of the kids. Discussion about

the idea of a dye garden out in the parking lot, talked about the plume in the ground, we don’t own the

parking lot, but owners are willing to work with us on this. Could have a raised bed with brought in soil,

maybe on wheels so it could be moved around. Dye plants could be used in our dye classes.

Retail Sales Report: Debbie Harris

Economy was down a bit in early 2023 affecting retail sales. An overall trend in the US economy. On

line sales were up (about 18% of total retail sales). Books are the biggest seller on line. Summer retail

sales were good. Classes at EVFAC have increased and the center is getting most of its money now from

classes. EVFAC is the only Kromski dealer in New Mexico, they make spinning wheels and accessories.

We are getting some sales from this. Debbie is working on a new blending board product for EVFAC for

blending roving. A local person is making them and we will have some classes on using it to market

them to sell at the center. A lot of new customers came into the center this past year. There is a visible

uptick in sales now in September 2023. Debbie is working on a new Instagram account for the center,

the old one was hacked. Debbie was out for a while this summer for health reasons. Volunteer Karen

Rose helped out with retail sales in her absence. Debbie is still catching up as far as ordering inventory,

shipments have been slow. We were happy to have Debbie back and glad that she is feeling better. Fall

inventory will increase now for the fall and holiday season. Sidewalk Sale event on September 30,

donated items will be 25% off and looms will be 40% off. We have a new clerk, Letitia Gonzales who will

work 1 day a week at the center to help out, we also have some new volunteers.

EVFAC Classes Report: Amanda Speer

Most of the classes at the center are filling up. We are paying our instructors a minimum of $25 an

hour, but instructors can be paid more at their request. The class prices are reasonable. Even the more

expensive classes are filling up. A lot of new and interesting classes and new instructors are attracting

our membership. Gasali Adeyamo is teaching again. Emily Trujillo has donated a lot of her time to

EVFAC. Stressed the need for more weaving instructors, we have Emily and Dain currently. Amanda

works 16 hours a month as educational coordinator.

Annual Membership Report: Lyndsay Remerowski (volunteer)

EVFAC membership is slowly picking up. We had 325 members before the pandemic. We currently

have 190 members. We are getting new first time members, with some of the other long term

members lapsing. Currently there are 6 new members a month on average. Discussion about sending

out a personal email to remind members when membership is lapsing. This may help to retain

members. Renewal online.

Fall Fiber Fiesta 2023: Dain Daller

FFF will be the same as last year with artists taking care of their own sales, and first come first served.

The application fee will be $225 per person, and $275 for two people sharing a space. Plans this year is

to have some food and drinks (no alcohol). EVFAC got a grant from New Mexico Arts for $4724, which

will help pay for the rental of the Scottish Rite Temple. The rental of the space costs $5000 for 3 days

(we get a free day for paying for 2 days). 30 people are signed up so far, 40 is just about our limit for the

space. FFF is Friday, Satuday, and Sunday, November 17, 18 and 19. Same hours as last year. Friday is

set up day and evening reception with a small fee to enter for first look. There was discussion about

trying to set up more lighting in the room but it is laborious to do this as we still rely on volunteers to

help with this event for our membership. The FFF is an event for our membership and not a fund raising

event for EVFAC.

Voting took place for 3 of our board members whose term was up on the EVFAC board (Leigh, Dain,

and Mark). Maria will remain Secretary.

Upcoming Events and Call Out to Volunteers: Leigh

-There is a Community Foundation event coming up on the 12 th of October which may provide more

funds for EVFAC. We need to have a clean up day at the center before the 12 th so that the center is

organized and cleaned up.

The Santa Fe Wool Festival (MAVWA) is October 6, 7, and 8 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). Need some

volunteers to help set up our booth and take down at Rodeo grounds in Santa Fe.

On Saturday, October 28 the City of Espanola is having an Enchanted Festival/Day of the Dead event

from 12-8pm. EVFAC is doing some demos at Northern New Mexico Community College for 4 hours that

day and we need some volunteers.

Is EVFAC having a Christmas get together (potluck), date not decided yet. Will it correspond to the

electric light parade in Espanola?

Meeting ended about 2pm or a few minutes after.

August 3rd, 2023 - EVFAC Board meeting minutes

EVFAC Board meeting minutes August 3rd, 2023

Attendees:  Kim Zitzow, Leigh A., Mark B., Carol N., Maria J., Debbie H., Roy K.

Board meeting started at 5pm

Approval of last meeting minutes, Maria approved, Leigh seconded.

Agenda Items:

1) Financial Report:  Kim and Leigh

-2023 books are almost complete up till November, book keeper up to date.  $32,000 in the bank account at present, financials are ok.

2) New Locks EVFAC:  

-new locks for the front door.  Combo numerical lock for the side door, numerical, yarn is numerical code.  Discussion on the Spanish doors connecting the front room with the middle room, working on maybe making them more secure, a locking system?  Not resolved yet.

3) Grants:  

-grants coming up to apply for, McCune grant, Santa Fe, Maria will work with Kim when her time allows to learn a bit about grant writing to try to get another grant for EVFAC.  NRGNHA grant is due 15 September, a tough one to get, needs twice the match, 10,000 (20,000) with a budget of $30,000.  Maria has been working with Pueblo youth at Bandelier this summer, input from folks from San Ildefonso about the need for Pueblo textiles for dancers.  Idea about getting a grant for a Pueblo textile program at EVFAC in the future.  Leigh mentioned Tewa Women.  Santa Fe  Foundation grants etc.

4) Windows have been replaced at EVFAC, and we only lost 1 trash can so far at the center.

5) We are losing power in our electrical outlets, may be a mouse problem.  We need to hire an electrician to fix this problem.  It has been hot at the center, the swamp cooler is struggling.

6) New employee:  Leticia Gonzales, she works one day a week on Fridays.

7) All Members meeting:  scheduled for Saturday August 26 at center starting with a potluck at 12:30, meeting starts at 1:30.  (Subsequently it is now scheduled for the 23rd of September instead).  Debbie will send out an eblast.  

Agenda as follows:

-Report from Dain Daller about Fall Fiber Fiesta

-Financial report to members

-Kim will have a Directors report

-Summary of the past year 2022-2023-Mia will type this out to give to members.

-Introduction of board and staff of EVFAC

-re-election of some of board members:  Leigh, Mark, and Dain are up for re-election, Carol is leaving the board as president.  Solicit for new board members.

-Debbie Harris will give a retail report for past year.

-Lyndsay will have a membership report.

8) We need a maintenance day at EVFAC, will mention at all members meeting and solicit for volunteers, will be a pizza party, food provided by EVFAC.  We haven’t set a date for the clean-up day yet.

9) Report from Debbie:  her health has improved greatly.  Debbie has had volunteers as young as 14 years old, and has had an 88 year old man doing community service hours at the center.  Plans for a custom blending board for wool roving is in the works.  

10)  Scheduling next board meeting, tentatively on September 28th at 5pm.  Who will send out zoom meeting since Carol Newkirk is resigning? 

Mia moved to end the meeting, Mark seconded.  Meeting ended at 6:15pm 

April 30, 2023 All members meeting: EVFAC Board meeting minutes

EVFAC Board meeting minutes April 30, 2023  All members meeting

Meeting started at 4pm.

Board members:  Maria (Secretary), Leigh (Treasurer), Carol (President), Roy, Dain, and Mark

EVFAC members:  Nadina Barnes, Lianne Brown, Kathy Konecki, Zandra Hall, Shari Hirst,

Debbie Harris-Retail Manager, Kim Zitzow-Operations Manager

Introductions:  Board members, employees, and members.

Agenda items were approved in advance of all member meeting by board members.

1st Agenda Item:  Front window repair.  Debbie has estimate from Burt at R & E Glass.  Window will get repaired as soon as possible.

2nd Agenda Item:  Security-doors left open, key inventory and process for issuing; security cameras proposal from Debbie.  Trash can problem.  

Talk about a alarm that will go off if back door is not closed.  Planning on getting a keyless lock for the side door (numerical?).   Debbie mentioned that Vanessas classes need to use front door for handicapped access.  Talk about getting a new lock for the front door, start over with assigned keys.  Security camera discussion, some cameras inside by front door with a sign, and some outside at strategic points with a sign, maybe also in back by the storage unit.  Got an email proposal from Debbie with different prices.  May look into some other companies.  NEST is a company.  Talk about fencing outside.  Kim and Debbie will finalize security camera proposal.

Key inventory of who has keys currently.  Will get a new lock for front door and start over with issuing keys.  Key pad numeric lock for side door.  Will maybe change the code on side door once a week?  On the 12th of May a new key pad will be installed with a code on the side door.  Leigh will get a new cylinder for the front door sometime in May 2023.

3rd Agenda item:  EVFAC website updates-post board meeting minutes and notes for our membership.

Amanda Speer will be responsible for updating website.  Maria will get with Amanda about getting a newsletter on our website or emailing out to our membership.  Maria will email out a donations guidelines to Dain to tweek the donations info on the EVFAC website.  Maria will email board meeting minutes to Amanda to post on the website.  

4th Agenda item:  Trash cans were getting stolen.  Kim/Debbie We have a brown trash can now and a different trash pick up service, the city of Espanola picking up trash.

5th Agenda item:  Finances/Annual Members Meeting-Leigh

Quickbooks will be connected with Shopify and the other systems, but process not completed yet.  Then it will be easier to get a financial report for sales and $ at EVFAC.  Kim is helping Leigh with this.  Getting a new CPA this year.  $40,000 in the bank at present.  Grant from ARP to pay Amanda’s work and Vanessa’s classes.

Annual EVFAC members meeting will be on August 26th 12-1pm potluck and meeting from 1-3pm.  All were in favor.

6th Agenda item:  Metal sign hanging out in front outside.  Dain/Carol/Kim

Maybe we should just take down the metal sign, it is hanging very precariously and is a big safety concern.  Will remove it completely, not really that noticeable anyway.  It appears to not be functioning.

7th Agenda item:  Sheep is Life Invitation from Roy Kady

EVFAC is invited to set up a space, may sell goods etc.  Any interest?  Carol, Kim maybe Maria.  Emily Trujillo may be present at this event with a small table loom.  Should we do it at least one day?  Dain and Amanda will send out an email to EVFAC members.  

8th Agenda item:  Ariat Chimayo Weaving Project Donation Category-Leigh 

Wanted Ariat to do a call out for donations for EVFAC, since we were provided the space for the weavers and the internship.  

9th Agenda item:  Beverly Post resume, she has worked for a nonprofit in Espanola and very experienced in events to raise money.  Something to think about for the future for EVFAC.

The all member meeting portion of the board meeting ended 5:24pm