(Old Lyle Elementary School Supporters)
Facilitator: Vern Harpole Note taker: Marcia Buser
Attendees: See list at end of minutes
Mission: Working together to preserve and maintain the Old Lyle Elementary School building and park as an activity center and green space to improve the quality of life for the Lyle community.
Minutes
Agenda item:
Review minutes August 3 meeting.
Discussion:
Minutes approved with correction to Roger Hull’s name.
Finance update: Down to about $43. Don’t have to pay water bill for now – Community Council will pay the water bill and write official letter to PUD that. Museum will pay electric bill next month, about $90. See agenda item below for donation information.
Agenda item:
Gazebo update
Discussion:
Barb has requested to EDA board that we delay the gazebo construction until next year. EDA board responded that they cannot guarantee money will be there. So have $8000 that need to spend before end of December.
Discussion on where it should go – at 4 corners of field plus a portable stage options – options 1-5 below. Evaluated pros and cons of various locations and define what it will be used for: picnic area, stage use. Determine if we need power and water.
Conclusions:
§ Agreed just need electricity, not water.
§ Determine that for now, we will just go for picnic area, delay having a stage to go in position 3. Possible moveable structure, not pour a slab. Do “pole building” style with possible concrete slab added at a later date.
§ Get a couple bids
Action items:
§ Royce and Oren will work with Barbara to come up with a design.
§ Harry and Vern will check on whether a permit is needed
Agenda item: How decisions in this group are made
Discussion: This is a community project, and majority rule voting by those attending meetings will decide issues.
Agenda item: Defining purpose of OLESS. Mission statement and by-laws briefing by the non profit to help guide us towards our mission statement
Discussion: For the moment is managed under tax exempt status. Mission statement has to be guided by our financial institution. Lorie presented Community Enrichment for Klickitat County (CEKC) mission statement. Proposed that we adopt the CEKC mission statement with the modification of putting Lyle in the statement. Other option statements considered:
1. To preserve and maintain the Old Lyle Elementary School Building and Park for the access and benefit of the Lyle community.
2. Community members working together to create and activity center and green space to improve quality of life for Lyle community.
3. Working together to preserve and maintain the Old Lyle Elementary School building and park as an activity center and green space to improve the quality of life for the Lyle community.
Conclusions:
Selected number 3 as OLESS mission statement.
Working together to preserve and maintain the Old Lyle Elementary School building and park as an activity center and green space to improve the quality of life for the Lyle community.
Agenda item: Report from By-law committee
Discussion: Barbara, Lorie and Glenda met to draft by-laws. Since OLESS group is already working – would help to define leadership structure. Propose officers for group:
§ Two co-chairs - Roger and Vern
§ Secretary - Marcia
§ Treasurer (must also be a member of CEKC board) - Barbara
§ Finance committee chair - Bob
§ Rehabilitation committee chair - Oren
§ Museum member – Terry
§ Members at large – to be determined
Discussion on what is a member – just coming to meetings qualifies. Donors are another category.
Conclusions:
Agreed on proposed slate. Term limits not yet defined. Tabled to by-laws committees. Don will join the by-laws committee.
Agenda item: Committee Reports
Finance Committee:
§ Lisa is leading a fundraising committee meeting on Sept 29th. Based on ideas generated, will develop a calendar for fundraising events.
§ Bob reported that the committee is looking at a mix of revenue sources that includes fundraisers, grants, donations, fees and endowments. Original proposal based on a model of user fees did not support our mission, but can supplement. Will go for EDA grants. Grant group: Lorie, Julie Larson, Gretchen Randolph. Two primary grants identified: Horizons and EDA through the council. EDA grant draft is due to council end of Oct.
§ Joy is chairing fees group. Looking at renting small rooms, but cannot proceed until we have a formal lease agreement. No decisions have been made.
§ Endowment model – pays for costs during lean times, between grants.
§ Short term needs – need to rely on donations. Only sure short term source. Have a bank account now, tax exempt status not in place until beginning. Need about $1000 until the end of the year. School may be able to accept the money for us in tax exempt status. Museum will pay next month’s utility bill. For now, can take donations but may not be tax deductible for this year.
§ Donations can be accepted now. Checks to be made out to Community Enrichment for Klickitat County Lyle and mailed to PO Box 952, Lyle 98635
Rehabilitation Committee:
§ Oren has had roof patch estimate. Estimated at $6 to 8K, getting “stop gap” estimate. Roof is single greatest problem.
§ Windows – Oren reported about there are 135 windows total of various sizes and styles. At cost, can thermal insulated panels that are 8 times more efficient than current windows for $20 per pane. We would have to install and glaze ourselves. PUD and BPA are going to do an energy audit this week. Oren had a heating expert come in and gave us suggestions for heating.
§ Suggested curtained materials to put on classroom windows to help with additional insulation. The existing power system was built for Dalles dam and is in remarkably good condition. Plumbing condition is now fixed.
§ Roof is the biggest issue. Need to put weather stripping on doors. Could save about 15% in energy costs with just slight modifications.
§ Problem in that school still owns the building – need to come up with short term things.
Conclusions:
§ Request EDA grant for windows and roof – could replace all windows for $5000 if we did the work. Submit to community council by their next meeting. Bob and finance committee will complete.
§ Short term roof issues: Oren to get quotes on stop gap measures.
Agenda item:
Report of progress on lease agreement
Discussion:
Bob, Sherri, Vern have been working on draft lease agreement. We get building for 99 years for $1 and we can use as we wish. We must maintain renters insurance.
Vern will present to school board member Tom Jellens. Once he reviews, Vern and Roger will go to Vancouver to talk to ESD. CECK group needs to be involved in lease since they will be lease holders. However there is no risk to CEKC if OLESS dissolves in the future. In draft agreement, we have authority to transfer lease agreement to another nonprofit.
Agenda item: Need another work party to clean building.
Action item: Vern will come up with a date and send out announcement.
Agenda item: Chairs
Discussion: Barbara reported that she found 30 used 30 for $3 each. Harry volunteered to buy them J Thank you Harry!!!
Next Meeting Scheduled:
October 5 at 7:00 PM at Old Lyle Elementary School
Attendees
§ Laurece Bonham
§ Jack Bryan
§ Marcia Buser
§ Joy Collins
§ Lisa Conway
§ Bob Hansen
§ Vern Harpole
§ Collean Hatfield
§ Rosemary Hop
§ Lorie Hull
§ Roger Hull
§ Oren Johnson
§ Glenda Lovejoy
§ Mildred Lykens
§ Terry Mills
§ Harry Moss
§ Sharon Moss
§ Royce Osburn
§ Barbara Sexton
§ Karen Stafford
§ Don Starkin
§ Sherri Starkin
