Dewan Meeting Minutes August 9th, 2015

Dewan Meeting Minutes, August 9, 2015

Attending: Ramon, Chair, Sherwin O’Bar, Treasurer, Hadidjah Gregory, At Large rep, Marston Gregory, Operations Manager, Paul Nelson, Rental Agent.

July 12 meeting minutes approved.

Financial report $1,279 balance. We should end the year with about $2,400 “to the good.” Member donations through July $8,700. We are on target to be about $4,000 down from our projections. Hadidjah suggests we should inform membership on the benefits on donating funds to SGS (good karma.) Hadidjah suggested members do personal testing on how it would be for them to donate to SGS. She says it is a Helper-Committee topic before we start asking for donations. Marston suggests we start working now to plan a year-end campaign with a special letter, with signs and updates designed to encourage member donations. A Kejiwaan day to test this question and others was recommended.

Marston discussed how Daniel Stralberg, Subud USA Chair, asked him why SGS is not honoring its commitment to pay its outstanding loan back at $500 a month. A discussion ensued about raising our monthly payback commitment (now $100 a month.) Ramon wants to increase our monthly payments, but wants a quorum to make that decision. He also said he wants to make a larger payment at year’s end to pay down the loan.

In the Spring Street Center report, Paul said that the August revenues will be at least $7,918. He has two potential large clients. He said that the way Marston is helping guide the rental business is an example of the latihan at work, rather than depending on bureaucracy. Paul wanted to cite this review:

The Spring Street Center is a wonderful place to stay. It was very easy and quick to arrange everything with Paul. The house is beautifully cared for and the rooms are simple but perfect for a small retreat. Though all four rooms were full over the course of my stay, it was never a problem or a wait to share the bathrooms — there are several — and the house promotes a feeling of respect and peace among the guests. The neighborhood was really nice to walk around, and convenient to many excellent eating places.

In his Operations Report, Marston reported that we have $2,000 in the budget under “repairs” and recommends we fix the Chapel Doors before year end (the crash bars) and suggests a storm door for the upstairs deck as well. He also suggests we have a volunteer day to install pavers in front of the house in the parking strip. He also says he’ll contact an electrician to fix the light on the porch due to safety reasons. That will be less than $200. It was the consensus that we also replace the carpet on the stairs leading up to the 2nd floor. Bellevue Community Church has offered to donate wooden stacking chairs and if approved, that will happen in February. It was decided that the garage sale will not happen due to lack of interest, but that we’ll have an “internal garage sale” to get rid of furniture in the garage. Sherwin will be the “official haggler” to handle sales. Ramon created a new gate for the handicap ramp. Marston replaced the bench which was stolen with a heavy cement bench which Marston secured to the ground with a locking mechanism.