Subud Greater Seattle Dewan Meeting

Minutes:  Sunday, April 6, 2014

Present:  Sherwin and Hadijah O’Bar, Marston Gregory, Paul Nelson, Elisha Gullixson, Jim O’Halloran, Hadiyah Carlyle

Last Month’s Minutes
Accepted unanimously by the committee.
 
Financial Report

SGS financial results thru the first quarter of 2014 (January thru March 2014) are overall favorable. However, the favorability is primarily driven by greater than anticipated hall and guest rental income ($5,308 thru March 2014, on a full year budget target of $20,000) which may not be sustained through the remaining months of the year (April thru December). Conversely, member donations through the first quarter are trending less than anticipated ($4,020 thru March on a full year budget target of $18,500.)

Increased member donations, as well as increased member participation in Subud Greater Seattle (SGS) activities, are key to sustaining and growing Subud’s beneficial influence through local communities and the world in general.

So please participate through SGS in any way you can.

Helper Report

Mens’ helper group is doing well. We have an applicant who has met with the Eastside helpers a few times, and will meet with Seattle helpers this Wednesday. Sunday Latihans are well-attended, as are Friday; Saturday and Thursday are sparse-Saturday more so thanThursday. The Men on the Eastside have been meeting with new candidate who is expected to be opened this month.

Women’s Report: Lucy Brown is now back to active helper status. The only day women are attending latihan in Seattle is Sunday.Wednesday nights have some attendees and Friday night also on the Eastside, though not many. How do we get better latihan attendance? The Regional Helpers have been supportive.

Spring Street Center

Paul reported that the gross income for March was over $2,300 and we’re getting a huge response from Airbnb in terms of lodgers. This is a great way to create awareness of Subud in the general community. This will also require that we act more quickly on maintenance issues, including a new toilet for the upstairs bathroom.

We’ll need volunteers for the Cascadia Poetry Festival to staff a table to give information on Subud and Spring Street Center. This is GREAT P.R. for Subud and the rental business and Oswald is coordinating volunteers. Gold Passes, good for any event during the fest (May 1-4) will be given to volunteers to attend events and they ARE transferable. The house will be full of lodgers that weekend andThursday latihan will be canceled. (Paul also suggests we cancel latihan Saturday, May 3 as well.)

Paul will enlist Hadiyah Carlyle and a friend of his who lives nearby, Rachel Hug, to handle rental business during the World Congress as he and Marston will both be in Puebla.

Repairs
 
(See above.)
 
Upcoming Events
 
Next General Meeting has been moved to May 18^th.
Next Dewan meeting is June 1.
 

A group of 11 Subud members gathered for our monthly general meeting in the comfortable anti-room of the Bellevue First Congregational United Church of Christ to enjoy hot tea, cookies, and fresh fruit salad while listening to reports from those conducting the business of our small community.

We began with a report on activities at the Seattle facilities and in particular a recent rental by the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) events held at The Center and lodging by attendees to that event who stayed at the Subud house.  One of the attendees, Amalio Madueño, President of the Taos, (New Mexico) Poetry Circus felt that Spring Street Center could rival the Hugo House as a facility for literary events in Seattle. Promotional ideas began to percolate.

The report from the Eastside Group included news of a new male candidate (learned about Subud from Garett Thomson).  The group has also moved back into the church.  Though the church has been sold, movement is not expected for a year, during which Subud will continue to use the facilities.

Sherwin O’Bar was ill, so Oswald Norton brought copies of the Treasurer’s report which Marston reviewed with members.

Upcoming events

• March – A testing session on Growth and Renewal will be conducted by helpers on a Sunday after latihan. Date to be announced.
• April 6^th – Dewan Meeting 9 am.
• Sunday April 13^th– Subud Greater Seattle at Subud house in Seattle after latihan.  Potluck lunch

–       It would be great to have a story a member was willing to share about the Subud work they’re doing, or how Subud is impacting their life’s work. Any Volunteers – talk with David.

• May 1-4, 2014 2^nd Cascadia Poetry Festival, at Spring Street Center & Seattle U
  • Volunteers Needed to staff a table promoting Spring Street Center
  • Opportunities for Subud

The minutes of our January 5th meeting are now available for you to read including our financial report, link to the 2014 Donation Information form for SGS so we can complete our 2014 budget and an update on Testing for March and news about our Spring Street Center’s recent rentals as a location for a national meeting offsite in February.

Enjoy them here.

The minutes of our January 5th meeting are now available for you to read including our financial report, plans for our 2014 budget and an update on our Spring Street Center.

Enjoy them here.

The minutes of our November 24th meeting are now available for you to read including our financial report, plans for our 2014 budget and an update on our Spring Street Center.

Enjoy them here.

Subud Greater Seattle Dewan Meeting
Minutes:  Sunday, October 27, 2013
Present:  Marston Gregory, Oswald Norton, Elisha Gullixson, Paul Nelson, Hadiyah Carlyle, Sherwin and Hadijah Obar.

Review of Last Months Minutes – Committee

Minutes taken by Hadiyah Carlyle were amended and accepted by the committee. This is reflected on the Subud Greater Seattle website. https://www.subudgreaterseattle.com/dewan-meeting-minutes-for-august-4-2013/

Financial Report – Sherwin O’Bar
 
Current projects are that year end 2013 member contributions will be about $4500 less than budgeted, and so we will need to use some limited reserves to cover costs.

Please email Sherwin if you’d like a copy of the financial report.

Fundraising Efforts – The Committee
Marston Gregory is putting together two fund raising appeals to the membership to attempt to replace these savings:

1. Right away we’ll be sending out an appeal to members to contribute more at year end.  We also have a goal of having members who contribute nothing contribute something, no matter how small to support our center.  You will be receiving this appeal and an envelope in the next two weeks.  Please put something in the attached envelope and send it back as soon as possible

2. We are in the middle of trying to plan our budget for next year. We want that budget to be based on what members are willing to contribute.  We will be sending out pledge forms.  It is extremely important that you fill in this form and get it back to us as soon as possible.  Without them, our budget can only be a guess.

Old Business:
 
Helper Report:  Hadijah O’bar
Currently there are only two active women helpers to cover the latihans at our facilities on the eastside and in Seattle.  In November, when the weekday latihan changes to Wednesday nights (four nights a month), Annie will rejoin as the helper for that latihan.

In Seattle, only the Sunday woman’s latihan has helper coverage.  If we are to have coverage for other women’s latihans in Seattle, we need more inactive helpers to agree to become active again. Please talk to either Hadijah O’bar, or Hadidjah Gregory if you are willing.

New Business:
 
Holiday Party Dec 22.  We will have a nice potluck party after latihan and also honor our new to Seattle members, Lorraine and Sebastian Tedrow and Ida and Halstein Stralberg.
 
Spring Street Center – Paul and Marston
Bookings:
Revenues for 2013 are catching up. We have added a psychotherapy workshop and two weddings, December 31 and Jan 1.

Paul recently started marketing our facility on Air B&B.  This resulted in two clients.  We will be pursuing this avenue for additional bookings in November.

If you know of anyone needing a space to rent, please have them speak with Paul

Advertising:
We continue to explore different avenues for marketing Spring Street Center. Some websites marketing such as MiNeeds and Eventective are not providing leads. We are exploring new options and working actively on different marketing approaches, such as Air B&B. Expect to see more in the coming months.

Marketing Budget:
We are using the same budgeted marking dollars this year that we did in last years budget. The Spring Street Center subcommittee is to manage that budget and determine the best way to use those funds.

NOTE:  We seem to be getting a lot of our business recently from word of mouth.

Proposal to ensure our facilities are always ready for business:
Oswald proposed a percentage of rental income should always be kept aside for maintenance and repairs of the building.  This is a topic for our November Dewan meeting.

SICA Event Next Spring
Cascadia Poetry Festival:
As a part of our efforts to attract interest in Spring Street Center, we’ve agreed to hold open one night a month for SICA events at the Subud House.

Next year, Paul requested an expansion of the use of the Spring Street Center over an entire weekend.  Included in that use would be lodging and poetry readings the weekend of May 1-4, 2014. (No latihan times will be missed.)

In exchange for the use of the house Spring Street Center will be given a promotional table at the Cascadia Festival Small Press Fair where we can promote the Center. The committee also asked that SPLAB (the festival sponsor) pay a cleaning deposit of $250 to clean the house after the event. This was agreed.

All Subud members will be welcome to attend any of the events at the Spring Street Center

Force Field Poetry Reading – To Kick-off Festival
Paul hopes that Subud members will support the Force Field reading of 8 Canadian women poets on Thursday, May 1, 2014, the kickoff event for the festival to happen at Spring Street Center.

Announcements
Next General Meeting
Sunday Nov 24 General meeting at Subud house after latihan

Next Committee Meeting
            Sunday, Nov 24  at SGS Spring Street Center at 9A.

Menucha November 7th – 10^th
            Next week.

Holiday Party
            Sunday, Dec 22 after latihan.

Subud Greater Seattle Dewan Meeting

Minutes:  Sunday, September 29, 2013

Present: Jim O’Halloran, Marston Gregory, Oswald Norton, Elisha Gullixson, Paul Nelson, Hadiyah Carlyle, Sherwin and Hadijah Obar. The Meeting was run by Elisha Gullixson.

Review of Last Months Minutes 

Minutes taken by Hadiyah Carlyle, which were amended and accepted by the committee. This is reflected on the Subud Greater Seattle website. https://www.subudgreaterseattle.com/dewan-meeting-minutes-for-august-4-2013/

Financial Report

Sherwin projects revenues will be down $4500 by end of year.  The committee agreed to hold a fund drive to raise the necessary money through donations from membership by 12/31/13.

Please email Sherwin if you’d like a copy of the financial report.

Old Business:

Review of current latihan schedule: Is it meeting the needs of the members? What can be done if we do not have enough helpers to cover current latihan times?

Jim and Hadijah reported on current men and women helper discussions so far.  It was decided to get more input from members regarding preferred latihan schedule.  Oswald suggested we conduct a survey of membership to get up to date data.

Clarification on timing of helper latihan.  Helper latihan is held the 3^rd Sunday of the month as is published in the Lathan schedule.  This latihan occurs after the regularly scheduled group latihan. Prior to this starting, the men and women helpers will meet to share.

Spring Street Center 

Repairs:

Repairs since the last committee meeting include:

• Plaster paint touched up in the chapel and upstairs bedroom
• Leaking toilets repairs
• Bird guards put in above the bench they were soiling (although more work is necessary on that front)
• Second hand  rail on interior stairs

Future Repairs Needed:

• Front of house railing and entrance platform rotting
• Doors to the chapel, need push bars to fire code and be more secure.

Bookings:

Revenues for 2013 are catching up. We have added a psychotherapy workshop and one wedding.

We are hoping to reach 2012 levels.  If you know of anyone needing a space to rent, please have them speak with Paul.

Advertising:

Marketing websites such as MiNeeds and Eventective are proving to be insufficient for marketing our house. It was recommended that we continue with the cultural programs, such as the visit of El Habib Louai and Poems for Peace.

Budget:

The committee asked our treasurer to determine the amount of marketing in our annual budget for marketing. The Spring Street Center subcommittee is to manage that budget and determine the best way to use those funds.

Cascadia Poetry Festival:

Paul requested use of Spring Street Center for lodging and poetry events the weekend of May 1-4, 2014, for the Cascadia Poetry Festival. (No latihan times will be missed.) In exchange for the use of the house Spring Street Center will be given a promotional table at the Small Press Fair to promote the Center.

As the committee had already agreed to host one free cultural event per month.  This event would qualify as one of these events. However, as there would be 6 events during the festival, the committee asked that SPLAB pay a cleaning deposit of $250 to clean the house after the event. This was agreed. All Subud members will be welcome to attend any of the literary events at the Spring Street Center

Force Field Poetry Reading – To Kick-off Festival

Paul hopes that Subud members will support the Force Field reading of 8 Canadian women poets on Thursday, May 1, 2014, the kickoff event for the festival to happen at Spring Street Center. There will likely be a workshop as well and Subud members will be given early notice.

Announcements

Next General Meeting

Friday, October 25 on East Side after latihan.

Next Committee Meeting

Sunday, Oct 27 at SGS Spring Street Center at 9A.

Menucha November 7th – 10th

Subud Greater Seattle Dewan Meeting
Minutes: Sunday June 30, 2013
Present: David Lynch, Sherwin O’Bar, Jim O’Halloran, Marston Gregory, Oswald Norton, Hadijah O’Bar, Hadidjah Gregory, Maryka Lynch, Elisha Gullixson, Hadiyah Carlyle

Review of Last Months Minutes
Minutes taken by Oswald and Hadidjah were amended and accepted by the committee.

Financial Report
Sherwin provided financial reports for all meeting members. These figures are current as of 6/30:
o Please email the committee for copies of this report.
Overall summary of income vs. expenses:
– Donations, from Q1 to Q2, have declined 13%. Without additional donations, we will have to use savings to cover expenses this Quarter. We need members to donate.
– Rental Income, from Q1 to Q2, have declined 13%. We have received one additional booking since funding of additional advertising.

Discussion:
Utility usage of center versus enterprise:
We reviewed the financial report to try and determine how to best reflect the actual expenses of Spring Street Center versus the expenses it takes to maintain a facility as a center of worship. We decided to try and sort out the impact of the enterprise on the cost of utilities by getting data that reflects months where there is no rental income and comparing it to months where there are rentals. Right now it’s all in one bucket.

To obtain the data, Elisha will get ten-year data from PSE and Seattle Public Utilities which covers electric, gas, garbage and water usage. He will be assisted by Sherwin and Jim in getting the data into a spreadsheet where we can figure out the details.

Archiving and records storage:
We talked about how to store financial and meeting minute records and the need to sort through and shred documents that are no longer needed in the office.

Sherwin volunteered to be our archivist.
We will also have a day to clean out files etc. for which David and Hadijah also volunteered

Call to action for members to support our center financially and physically
Oswald brought up that it is important to promote members contributing and rentals shouldn’t make up for income from members. We need people’s involvement.

Approval of Financial Report:
The committee approved the financial statement with changes that Sherwin will refine in the itemized financial report.

Spring Street Center
Handicap Access:
Marston gave report for options for handicap accessible such as lifts vs. ramp. He has met with Olympic Elevator Company at the center to review our physical layout and our needs.
Needs:
a. Access to the main hall (women’s latihan hall)
b. Access to the living room area

Olympic has provided 4 preliminary options which Marston wrote up in a document which was reviewed by the committee. They will be providing him with a formal quote soon.

Handicap Access – Next Steps:
a. Determine Seattle building ADA requirements for our building and what the permitting process would be. David and Elisha will work on this.
b. Work on funding sources to fund the work, once we have the vendor and amount
– Grants. Marston has done some work and would like assistance
– MSF and PNW Housing Fund: prepare and present a proposal
– SGS members: Put together a campaign that will engage members and determine the amount of local funding available
It’s The Right Thing To Do:
Making our building handicap accessible is the “right” thing to do, not only for the enterprise, but also for ourselves. We are an aging population. If we want facilities we can use we will need these capabilities.

Renters Point Out Repairs Needed:
A potential client, while reviewing the building to rent it said that repairs would have to be made before considering renting. As a committee, we agreed that these repairs were necessary.

The cost of these repairs has been estimated to be $3000. These include repairs to railings and other areas that are issues of safety both for renters and our members.

A motion to spend $1500 on immediate repairs, to be done by David Lynch was passed. Oswald will post a request to membership on our website for the complete $3000 in funds. These repairs are needed not only for renters, but also for us to have a facility that is worthy of the latihan.

Communications
To communicate center activities we use the MailChimp application to send out emails updates from our website. Not everyone from the old YahooGroup has been imported into the list on MailChimp. For example Jim O’Halloran does not receive these emails. There may be others.
Action: Hadidjah and Jim will send the most recent census data to Oswald. Oswald will work with Paul to compare the data and update the list as appropriate.

Announcements
Next General Meeting
July 19 at the SGS rented facilities at the Bradford Center of UCC Bellevue, on the corner of NE 8th and 108th NE. This meeting will occur after latihan.

Next Committee Meeting
July 28 in Seattle

Family Camp 2013
August 30 – September 1

PNW Regional Meeting in Seattle
September 21st
Volunteers to assist with logistics are needed and welcomed

Subud Greater Seattle Unofficial Minutes (prepared by Oswald Norton)
Meeting Date: 4/28/13
Attending: Oswald, David, Paul, Hadiyah, Marston, Elisha (Please add your names if I missed you. Sorry!)

Agenda:

• Financial Report
• Sprint Street Center
• Communications
  • Website
  • Yahoo
  • Eastside Group
• Social Events
• Committee

Financial Report

• Better donations to center this quarter vs this quarter last year
• Desire to have Sprint Street separate accounting from center to show where income and donations separately
• A way needed to communicate to members the need.
  • Agreed: That Sherwin should have access to the website and do a monthly report on income.

Spring Street Center

• Ramp Discussion
  • Marston will help with finance research
  • Marston and Paul will analyze the impact of ramp rental on income
  • David will do a quote for himself and ask Marston’s company to bid as well
• Upcoming and current rentals
  • April good
  • May not much income
  • June looks OK
  • Need steady ads and steady marketing to promote center
• Spring Street Marketing
  • How to get more traffic?
  • Marston suggested “The Knot” as an option
  • Create a Marketing Plan?
  • Paul pulls stats on site visits to our Spring Street center website as an indicator of who’s looking at the site. He correlates that to the bookings received.
  • Agreed that Marston and Paul would come up with a proposal for our meeting in May this would be discussed and voted on.
• Sprint St. Renovation
  • List of items needing repair has been created
    • Safety items needed will cost around $500
      • Bannister for going to the upstairs – almost came off during an event.
      • Lights to illuminate the front of the house – renters are unable to see their way to the street after events.
        • Action: We agreed to go with a more professional look than the solar lights and would put in a permanent poll light
    • Other items
      • Flyer box outside the house with Spring Street rental info

Communications

• How are we communicating to the members
  • We need some education of committee members on how Yahoo Groups communicates out to the committee
• We are using Mail Chimp as our communications out to the members through our center Word Press
  • Action: We need to come up with an editorial schedule of contributors to the site with a monthly rhythm.
• Julia Hurd will do a story on the Seattle Group website.  Paul is going to work with her on this.

SICA

• Events: Jun1 and August there are events planned
• May 19^th there is a general meeting and brunch

Agenda for 5/26 meeting

• Main Topic: Communications
  • Rhythm of input for each committee member
  • SICA events in June and member participation
  • SICA event in August – Moroccan poet here. Later travels to California

Regular items to be covered as well:

• Financial Report
• Sprint Street Center
• Communications
  • Website
  • Yahoo
  • Eastside Group
• Social Events

• Committee