BoD Minutes – Feb 19, 2021
CTSS BOD ZOOM Meeting Minutes – 2-19-2021
Attendees: Louise (host), Phil, Norm, George, Bob, Duck & Jacqui
Call to Order: 7:32 PM
Officer Reports:
Chairman – Charlie Allen & Bill Dexter
Bob gave the Chairman’s report for Bill Dexter who could not attend tonight’s meeting: Bill received a $100.00 donation. Bob does not know the date of the donation nor the donor’s name. Will report next meeting.
Bill has finished his prototype stand for the Santa Cares banner. This one is made out of wood, but he is also working on a stand composed of both wood & PVC pipe that will be less bulky. Bill has talked to Bob Bell & reports that Bob Bell has all the Santa Cares banners.
Bill wrote a letter to Charlie on February 7th informing him about the progress of the “Santa Cares Food Drives”.
President – George McCleary
Will report under Committee reports
Vice-President – Phil DesJardins
Nothing to report
Treasurer – Bob Smith
Balance in checkbook is $7,451.29. A $225.00 check was written for the annual Chamber of Commerce membership. A $28.50 check was written for the CTSS trailer motor vehicle registration.
A $50.00 donation (dated 1-23-21) to CTSS was received from Bob Bell along with his 2021 CTSS registration. Thank you letters were received for past donations:
1-13-21 – Covenant Soup Kitchen, Willimantic, CT for our $200.00 donation.
1-26-21 – Salvation Army, Winsted, CT for our $100.00 donation.
1-29-21 – Litchfield Hills Elderly Nutrition for our $400.00 donation.
Norm also reminded us that we received recognition of our $200.00 donation to The Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness in Portland, CT dated Jan. 14, 2021 via a photo that appeared in the Rivereast News Bulletin & was emailed by Dianne Grenier to the BOD on Jan 24, 2021.
Secretary – Jacqui Kuzmik
Minutes from 1-15-21 need to be approved. Phil made the motion & Norm. All were in favor.
Committee Reports:
Events (Workshop Weekend) – George McCleary (chair) & Phil Desjardins
George has not heard back from Lake Compounce. He will report when he hears from them.
Website – Duck Unitas (chair), Norm Ward & George McCleary
Duck reported that our website is grossly underutilized through no one’s fault. We are paying for a premium website that is more than what we need; a smaller package might be better suited for our needs. He discussed four smaller webhosting platforms. Bob stated that we should start with the basics & later improve. Duck stated that it would be better to start with an email blast then if needed, a member can go to the members page to review the information because say 3 years from now, it will still be there.
Both Jane & Jacqui thinks our website should be as simple as possible. Information is open to the public, but things like member’s dues, meeting minutes, signing up for events, etc. would be on members only page where all they have to do is put in a password.
Duck said our website serve two purposes:
First purpose is for the public to be able to find out about the organization & if desired, to make donations to CTSS or to hire a Santa based on recommendations of the website. It would be visual proof through articles, posts, and/or pictures that our Santa’s are trustworthy, dependable, active & very professional.
Second purpose is the private view where we discuss the business of being Santa; meeting minutes, contact information, sharing & signing up for upcoming events, etc.
George said that his concern is that the bill for CTWebFactory is coming due in March. How would that work if we decided to go with other platforms?
Bob said that he pays for our domain registry every three (3) years so that would not be a hindrance to change hosts. If we use GoDaddy, what would be the cost? And what will happen to the old entries in CTWebFactory?
Duck will talk to Dave at CTWebFactory next week about lowering our yearly fee & tell him what we are looking for. Dave’s response will determine if we stay with CTWebFactory.
Bob stated that if Dave can lower the fee to $50.00 per year or less, then we will stay; if not, then we will go with GoDaddy and proceed with Duck’s recommendations previously made about the website in an email to BOD on Oct. 16, 2020.
Decision tabled to next meeting to keep or upgrade website.
Elections & Membership – Jane OGrady (chair) & Louise DesJardins
Jane sent out via email 102 registration letters with a short form registration. When forms were returned, she sent out the welcome letter. A second round of registration letters went out & she received registrations from people who were former members.
George noted that there was some confusion during our last Claus Chat about returning the membership form even though we were not charging membership dues this year.
Jane will send out another round of letters in the next week. She will include the need to fill out the registration form even though dues will not be collected this year & also particulars of our community service requirements since some people were not clear as to what we were looking for. Jacqui suggested that Jane include Bill Dexter’s letter & event form about food drives/community service events done in 2020, how to fill them out & where & when to return them. Both George & Norm agreed that that would be a good idea.
Picnic – Louise & Phil DesJardins & Jane OGrady
John Dzen is not averse to hosting a picnic; may be late summer or early fall. It will depend on the Covid-19 situation.
Facebook – Louise DesJardins & George McCleary
Nothing to report.
Old Business:
Discussion of bags for the Santa Cares food drive kits, Bob suggested an Army duffle bag, Louise suggested a large laundry bag, Jacqui suggested a patio umbrella or folding chair bag & Duck suggested a photography light stand bag. Duck also said we need to take into consideration the weight of the filled bag for carrying; this can’t be accomplished until we have a prototype.
In the discussion of the Santa Cares pamphlet: Suggestions included the CTSS mission statement, Louise’s email address for contact information, website/Facebook information & maybe various photos from events.
New Business:
George suggested we think about resuming our Sunday afternoon lunch meetings now that the weather is warmer & the state is relaxing requirements. Outdoors would be preferable at first. George suggests that we think about restaurants that have large patios where we can eat outside. Our last get together had 25 to 30 attendees. Ideas will be reviewed at next meeting.
Norm brought up the email he sent to BOD on Feb. 10th about “Santa Sack” toy drive. The premise is that “children pick out gently used but loved toys that they own but don’t play with anymore to give to other children as extra presents when Santa visits them, placing them is a special sack for Santa under the Christmas tree. Norm thinks this toy drive would go along with the proposed “Thank you Santa” food drive that was mentioned at the last meeting.
Bob said if it was held along with the “Thank You Santa” food drive then the toys would have to be stored for a full year.
He suggested it would be better if the event was held earlier in the year, maybe October. An organization would have to found who would take the toys. We would need to contact an organization, set a date for the event, & then set up right at the venue. The venue is responsible for the toys; we won’t need to transport anything. Duck suggested maybe hospitals & shelters would benefit the most, as would food banks. Norm suggests we all look into different suitable organizations & report next meeting.
Bob reported that the Bethlehem Fair & the Garlic Festival are a go this year, they would like us to do what we have done in the past; Santa/Mrs. hyping the Bethlehem Christmas Town festival at the Bethlehem Fair & at the Garlic Festival we would be hyping our Photos with Santa event. We will have to notify our membership of these community services events and have signup sheets available. Bob will talk to Terry about dates for Photos with Santa event & will report at next meeting.
Next Meeting: Friday, March 19, 2021
Place of Meeting: ZOOM (Louise invites)
Time of Meeting: 7:30 PM
Adjournment: 9:03 PM Norm made motion, Jane seconded & all in favor.
