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Aug 4, 2024 | Board Meeting Notes

Guiding Teacher Report

  • Sesshin the last Sunday at LS Zendo
  • Hogetsu has been working with Tova Green to find a site to host the 2025 Branching Streams international meeting. A site in Woodstock, IL that belongs to Loyola University is being assessed.
  • Hogetsu continues to talk with and reach out to many people. Along with Dylan, she is establishing a donor base in Salesforce.
  • Hogetsu has been connecting with people in the Sangha who have not attended or participated recently.
  • Everyone in the Sangha has been working very hard, and Hogetsu wishes to share her appreciation for these efforts in our practice.
  • She had a conversation with Rick Stravers for advice on fundraising and organizational leadership.
  • She continues to host sewing classes and preparing Sangha members for Jukai. • Hogetsu continues to support leaders within the Sangha (Tantos, Ino, etc.). • Next week, Hogetsu has a meeting with Brain Sauder and the Faith In Place (FIP) staff.
  • Hogetsu would like to plan to find one night per week, a Monday or Wednesday, where two periods of zazen will be offered with service. This may not be hybrid. • Hogetsu has opened the LS Zendo more publicly on Thursday mornings and more people had been showing up.
  • Hogetsu continues to meet regularly with Temple administrators, including Dylan and Mike Evans.
  • She has been planning for the trip to Green Gulch Farm in August with participating Sangha members, 11 people from ADZG are attending. She will be offering teachings to those able to attend at GGF.
  • The new donor campaign has been going well.
  • Board members voice their appreciation for Hogetsu’s efforts and her support of the Sangha.

Treasurer’s Report 

  • Byline Bank checking account balance as of 08/03/2024: $95,713.46 (up $1,911.43 from $93,802.03 on 6/23/2024
  • Ongoing monthly expenses (approx. $6,027/mo)
  • BUILDING FUND Byline Bank Money Market balance as of 08/03/2024: $223,178.32 (up $1,455.04 [two months of interest] from 6/23/2024 balance of $221,723.28)
  • MONTHLY SUPPORTERS We had 63 active supporters representing $3,367 in July 2024.
  • Working on moving Building Fund to a higher interest-bearing account • Dylan & Hogetsu thank David for all his work as Treasurer and supporting ADZG.

Director Fundraising and Projects Update

  • Important advancements in ADZG infrastructure, in collaboration with Hogetsu, Kevin, and David Wray.
  • Salesforce account is up and running, data is being entered, including contributions and managing contact information. Attendance is being tracked. June and July data is entered, and the next step will be to enter the remaining  data for 2024.
  • Salesforce will organize information and allow for integration of information for the YEL.
  • Dylan thanks David Wray and Kevin for assisting in setting up the ADZG Salesforce account. Mike Evans was also helpful in connecting it to the website. • Donations for June were $2378, which increased to $3330 in July. Three new monthly pledges from members were added in July. The membership pledge  drive will continue to be promoted during the announcements on Sunday and  Monday.
  • The eventual goal is for the monthly income to cover the monthly expenses. • Dylan has been working with Hogetsu and David Wray to move the Building Fund to a 1-year 5% CD at Live Oak Bank.
  • Moving ADZG account from Byline to Citibank, which will allow access to Zelle, as well as a credit/debit card.
  • Monthly notification for donations has been activated, an email will be sent automatically to donors.

YEL Fundraising

  • Beau raised a plan to begin the YEL earlier this year and to ask who might lead the efforts.
  • Hogetsu shared that Dylan will be lead and will assemble a strategy team from the board and ADZD Sangha members to assist him in the YEL.
  • Hogetsu recently met with Taigen, who shared the information and details on the major donors. She is going to reach out to these six potential donors, send out a card and a letter of introduction. And Taigen will be contacting them by phone.  She will then follow up with a phone call as well.
  • Dylan plans on a follow-up letter to the initial card sent out for the YEL. He and Mark will be working together to remind people of the goal, how much has been raised, what it goes towards, etc. Then a direct email or phone call to encourage  donations.

Honorariums

  • Beau suggests that anyone leading a sesshin or teaching a workshop should be exempt from paying the participation fee.
  • Hogetsu added that the Tantos, who are leading many activities, could be given a “Thank you” with an honorarium, in addition to being exempt from the fee. And to make it explicit to those leading they are exempt.
  • After discussion among board members, the recommendations are: $50 for guest Dharma speakers; and, $108 for sesshin and workshop leaders (whether all or half-day events). They will be exempt from the participation fee. The honorarium amount is not to be differentiated by seniority or ordination status.
  • No vote was required because the amount is < $250.

Webmaster / Mailchimp search (Beau)

  • Mike Evans will be stepping down as the ADZG Webmaster soon. • Hogetsu has been entering some of the data herself now, but someone is needed for the rest of the website management. She estimates 2-4 hours per  week would be required. Primarily, this would be content management.  • Hogetsu asked Kevin if he would assist in finding a replacement, someone who  is familiar with WordPress. He and Hogetsu will be in contact with Mike. • Time frame of 3–6-month window to find a new webmaster.

Fall Sangha meeting

  • A Fall Sangha meeting was set for November 17, 2024
  • Hogetsu would like ADZG Sangha to stay in touch with each other and have community experiences, which a biannual Sangh meeting and shared meal would foster.
  • Dylan suggested a Fall and a Summertime Sangha meeting, biannual meeting to check in on how people are feeling about the direction of the Sangha and sharing a meal together.

Coming Board Elections

  • Beau is determining when board members terms expire.
  • Hogetsu and Beau will review the bylaws and see if the Director, Treasure, Board President, as well as Guiding Teacher, are Ex Officio and do not have term limits. • Beau is wanting to get an idea of whose terms are expiring and begin to solicit  ADZG members who would be interested in running for the Board.

Ethics and Reconciliation Committee update

  • Beau raised that the EAR does not seem particularly active, at least at this time. • Beau would like to reactivate the committee given its importance to the Sangha. • Hogetsu reviewed that someone can request a meeting with EAR committee.

Douglas is working on this issue as well, and it would be worthwhile inviting him  to a board meeting to discuss this further. He has written a policy for the ADZG  Sangha that is posted in the kitchen at the LS temple.

  • Beau shared that it would be good to remind Sangha members of the procedures for raising a concern to the EAR. This information is also available on the website.
  • Hogetsu suggested the listed members of the EAR committee be contacted to assess their interest in continuing to serve on it.
  • Beau will follow up with Douglas and EAR committee members.

Technology Report (Kevin)

  • Kevin shared data from Google analytics as noted above.
  • He is working on better visibility of how the storage is used.

Promotions Committee

  • Mark shared that numbers were a little lower across the board on FB activity. • Mark again asked for help with pictures that are personal and will be more effective for promotions. People in the Sangha, flowers on the altar, etc. • Hogetsu shared that Simone is planning on producing videos that will be helpful for promotions.

Hospitality and Sangha Care Committee

  • Over the past six months, with Hogetsu’s assistance, SCC has shared support, as well as well wishes, with a few Sangha members (deaths, births, wedding, recovery).
  • Moving forward, with Hogetsu’s guidance, Sangha members who would strengthen the broader role hospitality can be encouraged to serve on the evolving committee.