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.
