Ester Village Library

April Board of Directors Meeting
2017-04-11 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Anchorage) | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725
Here is the Agenda, the Minutes and Deirdre Helfferich’s resignation letter

Finance Committee meeting
2017-04-04 18:30 - 19:30
Finance Committee minutes January 29, 2017
Finance Committee minutes February 28, 2017
Old Business — Finance

Restricted Funds accounting
Signers on accounts – Mt. McKinley done!

New Business

February and preliminary March Finance Reports
Bills, income, and reimbursements
Fuel oil payment/delivery/auto-delivery?
Accounting review, status for fiscal year to date
New QuickBooks program progress
1099 report to IRS, and extension of time for filing
Endowment fund contact questions
Pick-Click-Give filing
Alaska Library Association dues
Foraker Group dues
Fundraising plans
Need for policy updates re: finance
Preparation of report for BOD meeting

March Board of Directors Meeting
2017-03-06 06:30 - 20:30 | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725
Here is the agenda: Board Meeting Agenda
Here are the minutes: Minutes

Seedy Saturday #2
2017-03-04 13:00 - 17:00
Schedule:

11 am: setup
1 pm: doors open
3 pm: featured speaker: Dr. Carol E. Lewis, Dean & Director Emerita of the UAF School of Natural Resources & Agricultural Sciences and the Alaska Agricultural & Forestry Experiment Station, on the history of the Experiment Station
5 pm: doors close, cleanup

More information:

2nd Seedy Saturday update
Treatise by Carol E. Lewis: Alaska’s Agricultural Experiment Station (PDF, 9 pp., includes bibliography)
Seedy Saturday notes
1st Seedy Saturday a HUGE success!!
Press release on Seedy Saturdays
Community Seed Resources
Seedy Saturdays Are Coming!

Finance Committee meeting
2017-02-28 18:30 - 19:30
Finance Committee minutes January 29, 2017
Old Business — Finance

Restricted Funds accounting
Signers on accounts – Mt. McKinley

New Business

January and preliminary February Finance Reports
Bills, income, and reimbursements
Accounting review, new QuickBooks program
1099 report to IRS
Endowment fund contact questions
Fundraising plans
Preparation of report for BOD meeting

Seedy Saturday #1
2017-02-25 13:00 - 17:00 | Hartung Hall
Schedule:

11 am: setup
1 pm: doors open
3 pm: featured speaker: Christine & Brad St. Pierre of Goosefoot Farm, a diversified vegetable farm using ecological, sustainable methods
5 pm: doors close, cleanup

Links to more information about this year’s Seedy Saturdays.

Grants Committee mtg
2017-02-13 10:00 - 11:00 | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725
Items for discussion:

Pick.Click.Give. webinar, grants, and developments
CAPSIS application to legislature for Phase 2
Possibility of resolution of support/matching grant from FNSB
other grants

Garden Group
2017-02-11 17:00 - 18:00 | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725
Organizing meeting for summer gardening events and schedule, with tentative agenda:

Community Seed Resource Program Toolkit
Seedy Saturdays: February 25 & March 4 (preview & assignments)
Community garden repair & upkeep/oversight assignments
Historic & perennial bed care assignments at Clausen Cabin
Gazebo perennial bed care assignments
Flower pots & maintenance
Garden work parties

See Garden Group page for general info and last year’s plans.

February Board of Director's Meeting
2017-02-07 18:30 - 20:30 | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725

Finance committee meeting
2017-01-30 18:30 - 19:30
Minutes: JTEL Finance Committee
Agenda for January 30, 2017
Finance Committee minutes January 3, 2017
Old Business — Finance

Restricted Funds accounting
Final budget for FY 2017
Signers on accounts – Mt. McKinley
List of donors, end of year letters sent

New Business

December and preliminary January Finance Reports
Bills and reimbursements
Accounting review, new QuickBooks program
State of Alaska corporate paperwork
GVEA bills/refund of deposit
Fred Meyer Community Rewards
1099 forms
Fundraising plans
Preparation of report for BOD meeting

January Board of Director's Meeting
2017-01-10 06:30 - 20:30 | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725
Agenda: board-meeting-agenda

Grants Committee Mtg
2017-01-09 13:00 - 14:00 | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725
Meeting at 1ish at the Clausen Cabin to go over CAPSIS submission, contact form for Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, and other possible grants for Phase 2 of the Passive House. Also other grants.
Present: Deirdre Helfferich, Gary Pohl, Syriln Tong
Other grants: Sam’s Club & Lend-A-Hand fell through, still working on GoodCents.
Discussed minor edits to CAPSIS submission: Deirdre will do first re-write and send to Gary; Gary will use AKWarm program to create fuel cost vs. savings projections.
Paul G. Allen Family Foundation: may not be giving out grants, judging by recent grants lists; Deirdre will contact via e-mail to see if worthwhile to fill out contact form. Grants to libraries in several states, but not any libraries in Alaska.
The group discussed a Go-NoGo form for rating potential grants; Gary will adapt one he uses and send to the group for editing.

Finance Committee meeting
2017-01-03 18:30 - 20:00 | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725
Finance Committee minutes December 6, 2016
Old Business — Finance

Quick Books progress/Restricted Funds accounting
Budget for FY 2017

New Business

November and preliminary December Finance Reports
Signers on accounts – Mt. McKinley
SOA final grant reimbursement
Accounting review progress
List of donors, end of year letters needed
1099 forms needed
Fundraising updates/reports
Lessons from Giving Tuesday re: Pick-Click-Give
Pie Throw-Down cookbook “final” numbers
Preparation of report for BOD meeting

December Board Meeting
2016-12-12 18:30 - 20:30 | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725
December’s board meeting will be held December 12, 2016 at 6:30 at the Clausen Cabin. Here is the board-meeting-agenda, Minutes and Letter of Support

Finance Committee Meeting
2016-12-06 18:30 - 20:30 | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725
Finance Committee meeting will be December 6, 2016 at 6:30
Agenda:
Finance Committee minutes October 5, 2016
Old Business — Finance

Quick Books progress/Restricted Funds accounting
Budget for FY 2017

New Business

October and preliminary November Finance Reports
Signers on accounts/P.O. Box
SOA final grant reimbursement
CRS 2017 money
SBS refund
Accounting review
Bear Electric payment
List of donors, end of year letters needed
Fundraising updates/reports on improvements needed
Library consortium book sale
Giving Tuesday
Pie Throw-Down cookbook
Preparation of report for BOD meeting

#GivingTuesday
2016-11-29
The JTEL is participating in #GivingTuesday this year! Posts relating to #GivingTuesday are:

Please Give and Do Good
Check Out A Book
Historical Gardens
Library Programs
Community Events
The People We Love
Bookshelf Dedications
One Week to Go!
Rewards Programs
Our Capital Campaign
Ruth Jasper Children’s Fund
Be Happy
In-Kind Donations
Membership
Time
Our Endowment

Did you know:

People who give money to charity are 43 percent more likely than non-givers to say they are “very happy” about their lives. Volunteers are 42 percent more likely to be very happy than non-volunteers. (Source: Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey)
The happiness difference between givers and non-givers is not due to differences in personal characteristics, income or religion. Imagine two people identical in terms of income, faith, age, education, politics, gender and family circumstances, but one is a donor and volunteers and the other doesn’t. The giver will be, on average, 11 percentage points more likely to bevery happy than the non-giver. (Source: University of Michigan Panel Study of Income Dynamics)

Libraries are the ultimate in sharing. Donate to the JTEL, join our library, or volunteer with us. Be Happy!

Library Consortium Booksale
2016-11-26 10:00 - 15:00 | Noel Wein Library, 1215 Cowles Street, Fairbanks, AK, 99701, United States

November Board Meeting
2016-11-14 16:55 - 17:15
Meeting called to order 4:55 pm
Those present were: OFFICERS Syrilyn Tong, 2015-2017 (president) Monique Musick, 2015-2017 (vice president) Mindy Gallagher, (2015-2017) (treasurer) Amanda Bent, 2015-2017 (secretary) Carrie Correia, 2016-2018 Marina Day, 2016-2018 Gary Pohl, 2015-2017 (Grants & Facilities Chair) Eli Sonafrank, 2016-2018
Mindy and ST had previsously talked to Carla Helferirch about the Friends Organization. The Friends will help out as needed, at the request of the board. Carla agreed to write up a re-definition of the Friends Organization, found here. The Friends have agreed to raise money for a financial review, and tax prep during 2017.
Endowment: Agent of record is currently Dierdre Heffelrich. Mindy moved, and ST seconded, that Monique Musick will be agent of record with the State of Alaska, and for the endowment with the Alaska Community Foundation.
Safe deposit box. ST moved, and Carrie seconded that all officers will be signers on the safety deposit box.
Bank account at Denali Federal Credit Union. Eli moved, Carrie seconded, for the four officers to be added to the account and everyone else removed. Denali account numbers- xxxx07, xxxx41
Next board meeting, Monday, December 12th
Meeting adjourned at 5:16pm

FY 2017 Board Retreat
2016-11-13 13:00 - 16:50
The annual board retreat was held Sunday November 13, 2016 at ST’s house. Members present: Syrilyn Tong (ST), Mo Musick, Amanda Bent, Mindy Gallagher, Gary Pohl, Carrie Correia, Marina Day and Eli Sonafrank.
After preliminary coffee and mingling, we all sat down for introductions and a team-building exercise, then it was down to business.
History and overview of the library: Geared towards the 3 newcomers, a short presentation on JTEL, to include very informative histories on John Trigg, the Clausens’ cabin and Passive House was given by Mo and ST.
Committees, and specifically who wanted to do what, were then discussed, with the following division of responsibilities: ST: Finance and policy re-write. Mo: Finance and business plan re-write. Amanda: volunteers and memberships. Mindy: Finance and finance portion of policy re-write. Gary: Facilities and grants. Carrie: garden part of Facilities and policy re-write. Marina: policy re-write. Eli: Facilities.
Marina stated that she knew of a fundraising workshop, but couldn’t remember the details. She later advised that it was the Gail Perry workshop sponsored by United Way of the Tanana Valley, which was held Wed. November 16, 2016. She attended and the board later voted to pay for her registration fee of $50.
Annual goals: The overriding goal was to get the Clausen Cabin up and running. Remaining work was to finish sheetrocking, taping, painting, install the subfloor, flooring, building the handicapped ramp, and fixing the roof (small leaks around the openings). At some point, the water system will also need to be looked at, but not required for a functioning building and was tabled for now.
Grants/fundraising: Since the priority was Clausen, the majority of the grant-seeking was geared towards that end. These were the grants discussed and the projects the proposals would be written for: GVEA’s GoodCents – Clausen roof project. Sam’s Club – new laptop for finances. Co-op Lend-a-hand – programs. Deirdre was to continue looking at the Paul Allen Foundation for major funding for the Passive House Phase II. Grant donors would be recognized by publicity, and depending upon amount, a plaque on the walls of the library. Giving Tuesday, a national event to encourage generosity, was given the go-ahead for Deirdre to write up donation requests to fund JTEL, since there was so little time to actually do anything for the event (Nov 29).
Annual budget: The majority of the budget went towards mandatory functions (utilities, insurance, rent, etc), with discretionary funding for Clausen projects.
At the conclusion of the retreat, we moved into a short meeting.

Grants Committee meeting 11-9-2016
2016-11-09 18:30 - 19:30 | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725
Agenda
New members/roll call
Grant management: current grants status (ST)
Grant writing and crowdsourcing:

BP application
First National Bank of Alaska
GoFundMe drive?
GVEA Good¢ents grant
IndieGoGo drive?
Kresge Foundation
Legislative CAPSIS application
Lend-A-Hand application
Murdock application
Paul G. Allen Family Foundation contact form
Pick.Click.Give.
Rasmuson Tier 2 application
Tips for crowdsourcing
USDA Rural Energy for America Program: Community Facilities Direct Loans & Grants
Usibelli Foundation

Election Day November 2016
2016-11-08 07:00 - 20:00 | Ester Volunteer Fire Department, 3570 Old Nenana Hwy, Ester, AK, United States
Voting for the Ester Precinct will be at the Ester Volunteer Fire Department from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Take a look through the Region III Official Election Pamphlet—there is loads of information you can review. There are national, state, and local elections as well as ballot measures. Bring ID (it need not be photo ID) to the polls such as:

voter ID card
driver’s license or state ID card
passport
military ID card
birth certificate
hunting or fishing license
current and valid photo ID card

or an original copy of a document with your name and current address such as:

current utility bill
government check
bank statement
paycheck
or other government document

2016 Annual Membership Meeting
2016-10-16 16:00 - 17:00 | Hartung Hall
Call to order: 4:10

Amanda and Mo began with the 2016-annual-report
Mike Musick made a comment about partnering with the Fire Dept. to use the new water storage tank as a fire hydrant.
Carla Helfferich made a comment about waiting until after the Clausen Cabin is finished for the survey
D.Eagan made 2 comments: one asking whether there will be couches in the finished Clausen Cabin (Mo answered that we didn’t have the room) and the other about using intenet/wi-fi now (the Clausen Cabin isn’t open yet, but someone stated that the Golden Eagle now was wi-fi)
Someone motioned that all current board members be re-nominated for current positions, but since no one’s term was due to expire, this was a moot point
Carrie Correia, Marina Day and Eli Sonafrank nominated and seconded for the 3 open board positions

Meeting adjourned at 5:15

Board members met shortly thereafter to hold elections for officers and to set a date for the board retreat (November 13). New officers:
President: Syrilyn Tong
Vice-President: Monique Musick
Secretary: Amanda Bent
Treasurer: Melinda Gallagher
Other board members: James Rogan, Gary Pohl, Carrie Correia, Marina Day and Eli Sonafrank

October board meeting
2016-10-12 18:30 - 20:00
Agenda for October 12, 2016 BOD Meeting
Clausen Cabin
6:30 PM
Call to Order
Approval of Minutes
Approval of Agenda
Finance Committee Report
· CRS 2017 proposed numbers
· Insurance concerns re: tiny house on PH property
· Payment of Stantec bill
Grants Committee Report
· PH Phase 1 Construction report
· Hydro seeding contract
· Current grant writing status
Facilities Committee Report
· Clausen Cabin status report
Collections Report
New Business:
· Preparation of annual report to the membership
· 2017 budget draft, using numbers from annual report
· Allocation of income expected this fall:
1. Pick-Click-Give
2. Memberships
3. Misc. Donations
4. Fred Meyers/Amazon Smile
· Compilation of records in central location – google docs
· Business plan:
1. Cabin
2. Passive Haus
3. Endowment
· Proposed Executive Session – communication and organization

Finance Meeting
2016-10-05 18:30 - 19:30 | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725
Finance Committee minutes July 27, 2016
Finance Committee minutes August 31, 2016
Old Business — Finance

Quick Books progress/Restricted Funds
Budget outline for fundraisers

New Business

August and September Finance Reports
Preparation of annual financial report:
Income/outgo chart
Asset summary chart
Narrative
Membership list updates
Latest Stantec bill and SOA reimbursement account
CRS 2017 money
Insurance concerns
Financial procedures: checks/balances
Survey: whatever
Operating funds vs. capital campaign funds on website
Preparation of report for BOD meeting
Preparation of report for annual membership meeting

Minutes of meeting, October 5, 2016
Members present: ST, Mindy Gallagher, Monique Musick, Deirdre Helferrich
Meeting convened 6:35 pm.
Finance committee minutes from July and August accepted
Old Business

Quickbooks progress – August and September records passed on to Monique to complete entries and financials for annual report.
Budget outline for fundraisers has been drafted

New business
August and September monthly finance statements were presented and reviewed.
Preparation of annual financial report:

Narrative completed and submitted by Mindy
Income/Expense reports – Monique will complete using QuickBooks records
Asset summary chart – Mindy will complete
New book donation estimations: Four Winds, Merritt Helfferich, Chris Guinn, Alaskana. Total of approximately $15,000
Send submissions to Amanda Bent, Monique is too busy.

Grant balances:

The State Grant will be closed out this month
At fiscal year end we had $16,731.31 remaining in State grant – it will be closed out with the second bill from Trost for PH work ($42,190)
Balance from the borough grant is $26,206.25 not counting the final $3,500. This balance will pay the remaining Trost bill, plus hydro-seeding cost of approximately $3900.

SOA reimbursement account is still going to be sent to regular JTEL account – Mindy will have to transfer funds
Membership list updates:

Tape and Tarp and LiBerry membership sign-ups, annual meeting etc.
Create a Google doc with current members – Deirdre
Appoint membership management and updating to the secretary

Latest Stantec bill given to Deirdre for payment and reimbursement – Mindy will transfer funds when received.
CRS 2017 – $4,300 this year – propose to BOD allocation as follows:

Fuel – $1,000
Electricity – $600
Insurance – $1,000
Facilities – $1,700 (insulating under cabin floor, begin building wall mounted bookshelves.

Insurance concerns – Deirdre had proposed allowing an individual to park their tiny house on PH property. ST checked with Hale and Assoc. on insurance. They will not insure for residential use. Would need to seek insurance elsewhere. Estimated residential insurance would be additional $400 – $500 minimum. Monique expressed concerns about putting in copper wiring in an unprotected area. Committee recommends not allowing this use of property.
Financial procedures going into new fiscal year.

Checks and balances are good
Treasurer creates finance statements and handles transactions, banking needs
Finance member, currently Monique, will enter Quickbooks and reconcile

Friends of the Library discussion:

Deirdre has proposed breaking the Friends of the Ester Library off into a new corporate entity, taking with them fundraising, publicity, and work at cabin. This would leave board with PH Capital Campaign and fiduciary duties. The idea is to take pressure off the board for fundraising etc.
Response: The board members enjoy that part of their service – wouldn’t want to be left with only business matters, board participation would suffer or interested board members would be double-tasked instead of relieved, would become harder to recruit and retain board members, many would leave.
Counter-proposal: volunteer coordinator is greatly needed. Board needs less of a transfer of duties and more of a cadre of support to work with the board.

Operating funds vs. capital campaign funds on website

Revise statement on Fundraising page so it doesn’t look like all income goes to capital campaign. Deirdre will do this.

Preparation of report for BOD – Mindy will prepare, based on minutes
Meeting Adjourned: 8:00 p.m.

Grants meeting
2016-10-04 17:30 - 18:30 | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725
Agenda

Preparation for Annual Meeting
Status of Passive House Grants
Status of Clausen Cabin Grants (Community Revenue Sharing)
Proposal to Membership for Phase 2

September 2016 board meeting
2016-09-07 18:30 - 20:00
Agenda
Roll Call & August Minutes
Old Business
Finance Report
LiBerry Wrap-up
Collections & Inventory Report
Facilities Report
New Business
Grant Signatory Authority (State Form)
Agent of Record
Charitable Organization Registration (permits fundraising)
Readers on the Run / Alaska Book Week update
Annual Meeting

Finance Committee meeting
2016-08-31 18:30 - 19:30
Finance Committee minutes July 27, 2016
Old Business — Finance

Quick Books progress/Restricted Funds
Budget outline for fundraiser

New Business

July Finance Report
August bills/income summary to date
Receipts for LiBerry Pie Throwdown and Music Festival fundraiser
FY 2015 internal audit numbers for Charitable Organization Registration
Groundwork for formal audit of FY 2016
Discussion of finance plan to add to business plan
Preparation of report for BOD meeting

LiBerry Music Festival
2016-08-27
Kiwi Lime Pi, photo by Laura Burns.
The LiBerry Music Festival and Berry Pie Throwdown is right around the corner! We are looking for event volunteers, pie contest entrants, and prize donors! And, of course, YOU! Please come to the library’s musical extravaganza of the year! Saturday August 27, 2016, from 2PM to midnight at the Golden Eagle Saloon, 3630 Main Street, Ester. If you are interested, please e-mail info@esterlibrary.org or call 374-8080. Or, you can contact us via our Facebook group. Here’s the schedule of bands:
1:45pm – 2:15pm Cold Dead Hands; Soundcheck
2:15pm – 3pm Mason Little
3pm – 4pm Almost a Minion
4pm – 5pm Kentucky Tundra
5pm – 5:15pm Pie Award & Auction
Eating PIE!!
5:15pm – 6pm Nikki Hunter
6pm – 6:45pm Laila O’Sullivan
6:45pm – 7:30pm Sister Crispin
7:30pm – 8:30pm Purple Blues Band
8:30pm – 9:15pm Dead Calm
9:15pm – 10:15pm Tara and her Handsome Gents
10:15pm – 11pm Alan Bent Band
11pm – 12am Unsupervised

LiBerry planning meeting
2016-08-17 18:30 - 19:30 | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725
The berries are coming in thick and fast: raspberries, currants, blueberries, squash…it’s that time of year again. If you would like to help out at the fantabulous LiBerry Music Festival & Berry Pie Throwdown, COME TO THIS MEETING! We need a lot of volunteers for our biggest fundraiser of the year, and we hope to throw the best one ever this year.
We’ll need help with publicity, people to take shifts at the door, judges, an auctioneer, musicians, Throwdown assistants, and more! For pie makers, here’s the contest rules and a list of berries to get you thinking.
See also our Facebook LiBerry group for more info and fellow volunteers.

August board meeting
2016-08-03 18:30 - 20:00 | Clausen Cabin, 3629 Main Street, Ester, 99725
Collections and inventory report
Tape and Tarp History and 2016 Overview (PDF)
