SBMT Board Meeting Minutes for March 13, 2024

Present: Braden Taylor, Dan Singletary, Michael Hirsch, Barbara Heninger, Ann Lucena, Tipu Purkayastha

Ex Officio: Walter Mayes, Doug Hughes

Not Present: Soni Kapoor, Nicole Tung

Meeting called to order at 8:15.

Action Items (Summarized)

  • ACTION: Barbara to order food from Dish n Dash for party for Jay Steele.
  • ACTION: Attend event at Barbara’s home, Saturday, March 16, 5 to 9pm.
  • ACTION: Braden is following up with the City on Live Scan and liability insurance requirements
  • ACTION: Doug to follow up on creating newsletter introductions to Diane, Kama, Karyn, Richard, and himself.
  • ACTION: Michael will discuss fundraising job details with Kama, Diane, and Kathy Switky.
  • ACTION: Ann and Tipu will assist in fundraising job description; goal to post description by April 13
  • ACTION: Barbara to come up with date for informational meeting for membership with Board members by March 18.
  • ACTION: Barbara to send the by-laws election email and ElectionBuddy election by March 22.
  • ACTION: Once by-laws election has begun, Walter (with Barbara’s assistance) to provide paper ballot to Mary Poppins cast and staff and hold their vote in person.

Board Chair Report and Discussion

Please refer to the March Board slide deck for details. Not all items in slides are noted below.

  • Discussed use of understudies and feedback from A Little Night Music regarding understudies. For now, understudy policy remains the same (no guaranteed ‘understudy performance’).
  • Temporary tarp installed on the dressing room trailer leak. Getting quotes to repair it. Plan to repair only the leak (not a completely new roof).
  • Looking to arrange for ASL for Titanic concerts, if it can be donated.
  • Party to thank Jay Steele for his years of service before he moves out of CA will take place March 16. Using beverages from SBMT stock – Barbara picked them up at the meeting.
    ACTION: Barbara to order food from Dish n Dash.
    ACTION: Attend event at Barbara’s home, Saturday, March 16, 5 to 9pm.
  • City of Saratoga approached us regarding “Live Scan” (California Department of Social Services Title 22 and California Public Resources Code 5163). It does not appear that it applies to us. City is also requesting liability insurance.
    ACTION: Braden is following up with the City on Live Scan and liability insurance requirements.
  • Want to publish articles on all the SBMT Staff members. Two done (Walter and Lori).
    ACTION: Doug to follow up on creating newsletter introductions to Diane, Kama, Karyn, Richard, and himself.
  • Hiring discussion: Suggest that we focus on looking for a part-time (to start) Fundraising Director. Goal to hire by June, 2024.
    ACTION: Michael will discuss fundraising job details with Kama, Diane, and Kathy Switky.
    ACTION: Ann and Tipu will assist in job description; goal to post description by April 13.
  • Board by-laws change: Board approved draft change. Will send out to membership for vote within the next week. Vote must be open for at least 45 days.
    ACTION: Barbara to come up with date for informational meeting for membership with Board members by March 18.
    ACTION: Barbara to send the by-laws election email and ElectionBuddy election by March 22.
    ACTION: Once election has begun, Walter (with Barbara’s assistance) to provide paper ballot to Mary Poppins cast and staff and hold their vote in person.
  • Received grant from Saratoga Rotary to underwrite personal sound monitoring stations for orchestra members to ‘mix’ their own audio.
    ACTION: Barbara to send grant wording describing the equipment and wording from Saratoga Rotary on how they should be cited to Doug.

CTO Report

See slides.

  • Setting up box office for next season with Kama
  • Prepping subscriber database and renewal form
  • Envelope-stuffing date TBD

CFO Report

See slides.

  • Investments doing well.
  • Tax forms for 2024 filed.
  • Budget reviewed with Board.
    • Add to future contracts wording to limit reimbursable budget overages by designers to no more than 10% of their budget.

Marketing Report

See slides.

  • Both Doug and Diane will be less available during No, No, Nanette, and possibly during other future shows. Will need to backfill their positions for any tasks they carry out.

Development Report

See slides.

  • Grants continue to overperform – received two more! Valley Foundation and Saratoga Rotary.
  • May not make our current goal for Individual Donations or Monthly Donors by fiscal year-end.

Organizational Development

See slides.

  • Further discussion of A Little Night Music survey feedback. Overall positive.
    • May need to improve communication if anyone in a production contracts COVID.
    • May need to clarify understudy policies.
  • Clarify policy on who receives survey feedback. Board agreed: All Board members and the Artistic Director, Marketing Director, and Patron Development Director should receive all feedback for review.

Artistic Director Report

  • Mary Poppins rehearsals begun
  • Working on staffing for next season
  • Karyn continues to move into her position as production manager, and to define her role and tasks
  • Suggest that we update contracts to discuss how to avoid going over budget
  • Will work with CFO on 2025-26 budget in October, so that we can plan what shows we can afford to do

Board went into Executive Session at 9:15.