Citizens for Fairfax Community Feb Meeting Minutes

Citizens for Fairfax Community (CFC) Minutes: 6:30-8:35 PM, 2/16/09

In attendance: Trevor Russell*, Mary Taylor*, Peggy Bushey*, Elizabeth Griffin*, Katrina Antonovich, Barb Duval*, Mike Cady, and Mark Hunziker* (* indicates Board-members.)

Peggy has decided that acting as President is not the best role for her. Susie Jones has said that she is willing to switch offices with Peggy.
Action: Susie was elected to replace Peggy as President. (Moved by Mary, seconded by Liz)
Action: Peggy was elected to replace Susie as Vice President. (Moved by Mary, seconded by Liz)

Several members reported on last Monday’s “get acquainted” presentation to the Selectboard. It was brief; but everyone felt that it was quite well received. They particularly liked out reassurances that we had no intention of asking for funding from the Town. The Selectboard would like to be kept more in the loop from here on, and is open to exploring the practical aspects of setting up a community center entity that is under the umbrella of the Town government.

Homework: Mark will work with Susie and at least one Selectboard member to clarify and get moving on the sequence of steps needed to explore establishing ourselves as both a not-for-profit legal entity and a “commission” under the umbrella of the Town.

Trevor reported that he posted a letter about CFC, based on David Lounsbury’s draft on Henry Raymond’s web site. A hundred and sixty-eight people have viewed it, but there have been no responses to date.

Homework: Trevor and his crew will create a bullet-point “brochure” version of the letter which the Selectboard has given us permission to disseminate at Town Meeting (Feb 28 —next Saturday). This will include questions designed to solicit more information on how individuals and organizations would use a community center. (See attachment for brainstorm list of questions.) Ann, Barb, Liz, Katrina, and Mary have volunteered to help pass it out before, during, and after Town Meeting (outside the meeting hall). Barb will provide a receptacle for completed surveys.

Most of the meeting was spent discussing how to best go about creating a “business plan” proposal –something that is as specific as possible at this point, to take to the Selectboard, possible funding sources, and other interested parties. Part of this process will involve a more focused effort to enlist support from individuals and organizations. Trevor’s intro letter/survey will be very helpful in this effort.

Homework: In order to expand our list of people and organizations who might use the space and therefore possibly be willing to sign on as “member organizations,” Peggy will collect names and contact info. from the local public bulletin boards. Peggy and Katrina will make inquiries with the various people who schedule activities using BFA’s facilities, and Katrina will pick through her list of people who have contacted the Rec. Dept. looking for venues. Once we have created these lists, we’ll be asking you-all to step up and help by making a few phone calls to collect information. Pastor Liz will connect with the groups that use space at the church; and we’ll approach the School Board, after they’re done with the budget, regarding the possibility of them needing “overflow space” for BFA activities in the future.

Homework: Mike will put together a brief guide to help us create the business plan. It will help identify the pieces we can and still need to gather and, where possible, point us in the right directions on sources of that information.

Since it will be the basis of all the specifics of a business plan, from the building itself to how it will need to be run, we went through our list of proposed uses one more time to make a final judgment on what is "must have" and what is "hopefully someday." That revised list is attached.

Mark articulated a sense of urgency for taking the final steps to be in a position to start making our vision into something concrete (I.e. finishing all the tasks mentioned above asap). There seems to be a significant increase in grant monies beginning to flow, and we need to be able to take advantage of this. We decided that adding an extra meeting this month would not be practical; but we can get a lot done if we don’t wait ‘til three weeks from now to get busy, and we keep active lines of communication open –so others can build between meetings on what we’ve done.

Next Meeting: March 16, 6:30-8:30 at the Hunzikers’ home. (Third Mondays of the month will be the norm.)

Tentative Agenda:
▪   “Brochure/survey” feedback report
▪   Moving toward a firm legal status –501(c)3 –Town umbrella (Mark)
▪   Business plan to-dos (Mike?)

Respectfully submitted,
Mark Hunziker

Here is one of the "attachments" referenced in the minutes:
Activities which the Fairfax Community Center Facility should be designed to accommodate from the outset: (Asterisk * indicates items which we would expect to provide income for the Center.)
   Teen Center
□   Middle school ages
□   High school ages
   Fitness, health and wellness activities
□   Health and wellness-related clinics and not-for-profit classes (E.g. flu clinics, exercise classes)
□   Private, for-profit wellness classes (E.g. yoga, dance, Wt-Watchers) *
   Senior citizen events and activities
   Cultural activities and/or events *(?)
□   Arts and crafts classes
□   Performance venue (with stage) #
   Music
   Theater
   Art Gallery
   Misc. other public-service activities & events which fit our theme of “providing a venue for services, activities and events that support community residents of all ages.” *
□   Success by Six
□   Food Shelf distribution center
□   Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts
   Town events (Town meetings, public forums, etc.) #
   BFA “extra space” (E.g. Arts & theater activities) (We will check with the school to confirm whether they envision such a need.)
   Private functions (Rent-out to individuals & organizations for ongoing, regularly-scheduled and/or one-time events) *
□   Wedding receptions, meetings, etc. * #
□   Fund-raising events for local groups (E.g. bingo, hunters’ breakfasts, etc.) * #
□   Venue for “shows” (E.g. craft shows, art shows) * #
□   For-profit classes *
   Space and amenities for per-use rental to local businesses (conference room, fax machine, wireless broad-band internet, etc.) * (also for use of Center staff)

Activities which might be added to the Fairfax Community Center facility at some point in the future:
▪   Arts and crafts studio space
▪   Fitness center
▪   Day Care Center
▪   Coffee shop (retail operation)
▪   Restaurant (retail operation)
▪   Pub (a European-style, family-friendly retail operation)
▪   Business incubator space