Clinton AIC Board business meeting 24-Aug-2015

• Austin passed out copies of bank statements for the current period, there was about $1240 prior to the transition to formal CAIC tax ID account and after aug/sep rent and utilities about $860 remains

• Past practice has been to try to maintain a 2 month reserve as buffer or approximately $700

• Austins practice is to make a deposit when about $100 in petty cash accumulates

• Austin has been exploring 501(C3) status. The forms and process seems daunting. In addition he is exploring incorporating CAIC as a charitable organization. The purpose is to get CAIC on a stable financial footing with growth potential and with a good $$ buffer for winters and dry income periods ( a self-sustaining vehicle for recovery efforts , in Austin's words)

  • (aside) The most common type of tax-exempt nonprofit organization falls under category 501(c)(3), whereby a nonprofit organization is exempt from federal income tax if its activities have the following purposes: charitable, religious, educational, scientific, literary, public safety etc.

  • For these purposes the AA traditions such as anonymity do not apply since CAIC is not AA but a separate supporting entity. Therefore Austin is requesting board members supply full names and contact info (Board currently 5 Austin, Scott, Rocky, Tom H. , Big Al)

  • Austin mentioned that there is a lot of grant money available but the processes are tedious and complex. Perhaps the first grant obtained could be used to hire a professional grant writer to pursue subsequent grants. Perhaps there is one in local AA?

• In the short term, there is general agreement on board and attendees that more information about how other similar centers operate , would be helpful. Austin and Shawn are going to question Marlboro ARC leaders. Ausin is going to investigate affiliation with other local charitable organizations such as WHEAT. It was brought up that CAIC formerly had a United Way affiliation as did Leominster MAC center. United used to pay Smokey to run the center. (also Rocky mentioned last meeting that Greenfield Grapevine employ 2 part time center managers)

• Alternate siting for CAIC: There was some discussion about alternate sites, perhaps real estate owned by town that they might donate or share use. Shawn made a good point that maintaining independence (with a commercial rather than town site, as is the current situation) gives total freedom on meeting scheduling, such as for new meetings whereas a shared town site (particular a shared use, the new senior center was mentioned) might present limitations. Austin favors keeping town dependency minimal, they already help significantly with finances (~450/month this budget period).

• In the meantime, what can be done to move operations closer to a break-even status?

  • Teague mentioned improvements that could be made to reduce costs in particular replacing the six lighting fixtures with LED equivalents which is something he would volunteer to do.

  • Rocky volunteered to tweek meeting opening script to perhaps correct the impression held by some that donations were gravy and that the town was fully supporting the center. This revision can be reviewed or word-smithed at next meeting Sep 21.

  • Rocky suggested that each meeting which uses CAIC ought to be self-supporting and that a consistent method of rent allocation be devised (some algorithm based on hours of use for example). Austin commented that there is only 2 meetings and that the nooner is the primary income.

Next Meeting Aug 24

Aug 17th meeting postponed to Aug 24 1p.m. at the center.

Kickoff Meeting Notes July 20 2015

Notes from kickoff meeting:

• Austin read some guidelines from AA literature
• The impetus for establishing a Board of Directors came from winter bills bringing finances below a prudent reserve and some question whether operations could continue on that basis
• Sue had been acting as treasurer and had been told by previous treasurer that a 3 month reserve what in the past typical. Rent is $650, town subsidizes $400 and income from the various groups that meet at CAIC varies widely, and the various groups have varying standards about who buys what. Prime income staple is the nooner where Al has been acting as sole proprieter, passing along income after expenses, though some of these expenses also support other groups that meet. Not clear whether there is a standard way of calculating what each groups contribution ought to be. Utilities are hard to budget due to heat in winter months. Utility for gas and electric is National Grid. (perhaps the utility could provide a calculated fixed payment plan that could be budgeted like some oil companies do?)
• Landlord has said we should pay for a new boiler (people thought this ludicrous as it is part of the physical plant we are renting)
• Sue estimates that average monthly expenses beyond town subsidy are about $300, but perhaps this would change if a different operational model were adopted that had the treasurer paying all expenses, and group reps presenting bills. Al is obtaining most food stuffs for free from WHEAT and some paper goods, coins and food are donated so there are really not a lot of expenses.
• Some feeling that servants should not be paid, however many “clubhouse” models across the country do employ 1 or 2 individuals to be the daily operational watchdogs of the premises (example Grapevine club in Greenfield, also partially subsidized by town, who are in fact providing the space for recovery activities).
• A bank account needs to be established for use by treasurer with tax id number that is independent of any particular individual.
• Board size initially set at 5. Volunteers for initial board include
• Austin P. - Treasurer
• Nancy R. Secretary (subsequent to the meeting, this was handed off to Rocky due to outside time and personal reasons)
• Tom H.
• Scott
• Big Al
• Rocky will establish website for presiding CAIC board secretary to post meeting minutes, agendas, notifications and other materials for all the various groups that share the CAIC center for recovery activities. (aside: this has been done, you are there now 8^) http://clintonaic.blogspot.com/ )
• Board Meetings will occur the third Monday to allow time for billing due dates on the 1^st. Rocky will establish a meeting calendar on the website that can be subscribed to
  
  
  

One Day

This site has been established for the presiding CAIC board secretary to post meeting minutes, agendas, notifications and other materials for all the various groups that share the CAIC center for recovery activities.