Gay and Lesbian Alliance of the Central Coast (GALA)
Minutes of the Board of Directors Meeting held at the Wayne McCaughan Community Center
11573 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo, CA, Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Note: Action items are recapped at the end of the document.
Present: Robert Kinports, John Strawn, Clay Marsh, Michael Beck, Erin Echols
Staff: Lorelei Monet
Absent: Ken Kunert, Daniel Pfau, Dan Frederickson
Guests: Bill Tomasini, Don Reynolds, Dante Tognazzi, John Forsman, Sherrie Collier, Don Schuette
1. Meeting Called to Order: At 7:10 PM by Vice-
Vice-
requested a discussion of online advertising. Strawn (later) mentioned Herrera grant request.
2. Issue: Minutes of April Meeting, Strawn
No discussion
Move: Marsh, Second Beck, Accept Minutes as presented, all aye, motion carried.
3. Issue: Board Membership, Kinports
Beck reported that Brad Purpura expects to request board membership at the June meeting.
Action: Beck sponsor Brad Purpura appearance at June board meeting.
4. Issue: Treasurer’s Report, Kinports
The March Treasurer’s report was reviewed by all board members present.
Move: Marsh, Second Strawn, Accept Treasurer’s Report as presented, all aye, motion carried.
5. Issue: Collaboration Update: Kinports
The board briefly discussed collaboration efforts noted in the agenda: ASN, PFLAG, PPF, and Cal Poly.
2007 GALA Calendar of Events Update and Action:
6. Issue: Musicale: Marsh
After successful 2007 effort, this issue is tabled until work begins on 2008 edition in fall 2007.
7. Issue: Legacy Gathering (May 20): Marsh and Reynolds
This important fund raising effort will be a brunch held Sunday, May 20, at the Edna Valley Winery.
All arrangements are final. Contract for catering was presented and signed. Reynolds noted that a
small issue of tableware exists with caterers which he is confident he can resolve. Speakers will be
Trina Olson of Equality California and Barry VanderKelen, Executive Director of the San Luis Obispo
County Community Foundation. Board members were urged to encourage wide community
participation in this event. Ticket sales deadline is May 17.
Action: Marsh and Reynolds host Legacy Gathering May 20.
Action: All board members sell tickets to the gathering before May 17.
8. Issue: Women’s Dance: Kinports
Tabled pending board member sponsor and selection of fall date.
Action: Kunert secure board member sponsor for this event.
9. Issue: Cinco di Mayo Party (May 5): Beck and Pfau
This event has been postponed until September 15 or 22 when it will be renamed and likely combined
with the traditional fall family picnic. No money had been spent for the May 5 date. Date will be
finalized in time for July-
Action: Beck secure date and location for Fall Party and get announcement into News and Reviews
10. Issue: Santa Maria Civic Theatre Program (May 3): Tomasini
All arrangements are complete and 60 tickets have been sold. We will need a ticket sales push. tomasini
requested board approval of a $150 refreshment budget. Total cost of event will be $550.00. $400 venue
rental has been approved and paid.
Move: Marsh, Second Strawn, Approve $150 refreshment budget, all aye, motion carried.
Action: Tomasini secure refreshments for and host Civic Theatre Program on May 3.
11. Issue: Reverse Drawing (June 9): Strawn
All arrangements are complete. Much of the effort involves last minute food purchases. Ticket sales are
the key. Board members should call Parra regularly with their ticket sales reports. If anyone knows of
a large portable oak wood grille available in the San Luis Obispo area please notify Strawn or Parra.
Action: All board members sell tickets to Reverse Drawing to be held on June 9.
Action: Strawn and Parra begin food purchase planning.
12. Issue: Pride In The Plaza (June 28 through July 7): Kinports
The next Pride Committee meeting will be Monday, May 7. An updated Pride Budget will be ready then.
All contracts are out and only two await signing with some travel arrangements pending.
Marsh noted that the movie night (Thursday, June 28) is incorrect in the last newsletter.
Monet was instructed to get that date corrected wherever possible, particularly on the web.
Teaser cards featuring all Pride events will be presented at the next board meeting.
Ticket sales for the Kathy Griffin event stand at 210. Plans are in place for last minute ads if necessary.
Marsh noted reluctance to sales of tickets to GALA events currently, particularly Griffiin and Reverse.
Discussion on ticket sales noted difficult economic conditions and competing events. Also noted was
the board’s attempt to space out fundraising events throughout the year to reduce overlap. But overall, as
Kinports noted, events like Griffin and the Reverse Drawing, though seemingly costly to some individuals,
are key to the success of Pride, and to Center operations. Pride and the Center are the core of GALA’s
effort to educate the community, and to minister to the needs of local GLBTQ people. In our sales efforts
as board members, we must emphasize these points. We should always ask of our continuing and potential new supporters: “What can we be doing that we are not doing to secure your wholehearted participation?”
Action: Kinports complete final version of Pride In The Plaza budget for 2007.
Action: Monet correct Movie Night schedule entry wherever possible.
Action: All board members attend all succeeding Pride Committee meetings and help wherever necessary.
Action: All board members talk up the Griffin performance and sell tickets to the Reverse Drawing.
13. Issue: Youth Conference (May 19): Echols, Mendoza
All arrangements are complete and extensive information has gone out to all educators in the area.
Board member Daniel Pfau is a key person in this event.
14. Issue: Waiters Dinner (October): Kunert
No discussion.
15. Issue: Halloween Dance (October 26): Kinports
No discussion.
16. Issue: Town Hall Meeting (November 15): Beck
Beck is working with the city to secure the usual library meeting room venue for this event.
17. Issue: Holiday Party (December 14): Kinports
Kinports is working with the staff at Embassy Suites Hotel to secure the usual venue for this event.
Old Business:
18. Issue: Grants: Marsh, Monet, Kinports
No action necessary on any of these grants or grant possibilities at this time.
19. Issue: News and Reviews: Kinports
All board members are very favorably impressed with the current issue and with the procedures involved.
Kinports noted that the date for the July-
Action: All board members get copy for July-
20. Issue: Farmers Market Outreach and Education, Kinports, Strawn, Wyndsong
Wyndsong will be leaving the area at the end of June. She is working with two potential replacements, and
Strawn is a third (definite) replacement.
Action: All board members continue search for replacement Farmers Market Table hosts.
21. Issue: Collaboration Vacancies: Kinports
Vacancies exist in GALA representation at the Chamber of Commerce Diversity Committee meeting at
Noon on the first Thursday, and on the Community Foundation Growing Together Advisory Committee
meeting at 5:30 PM on the third Monday. Michael Beck is considering the Chamber position and President
Kunert is working on filling the Growing Together position.
Action: Kunert finalize GALA representation on these two community committees.
New Business:
22. Issue: Online Advertising Revenue: Monet
Office Manager Lorelei Monet has been working on an idea that originated with Shannon Wyndsong to
gather income from advertising associated with our website. There are two types of programs to be
considered. First, a number of local stores have programs where donations are made to charitable groups
whenever their point of sale card is used for a purchase. The names of these firms can be placed on the
GALA website to alert members to their participation. The second type of program involves third party
programs where access to the participating business is made through the internet. Board discussion
centered around quick approval of the clearly defined local stores program, but members want to see
written information from several sources before moving on the second type of website advertising.
Move: Beck, Second Strawn, Monet activate the local store program immediately, conduct continued
research on the third party idea, all aye, motion carried
Action: Monet activate local store website program, continue research on alternative programs.
23. Issue: Grant Request by Adrian Herrera, Strawn
Adrian Herrera has requested a grant from GALA of $100 to help defray costs of $400 for his attendance
as a Col Poly gay representative at an Inter-
approval but a detailed in person presentation would have been helpful.
Move: Beck, Second Strawn, Grant the $100 with the requirement that Herrera report to the board on the
results of the conference and with the recommendation that future such requests be presented in person
and with details, all aye, motion carried.
24. Issue: Around the Table, Around the Room:
Marsh: In line with the discussion of advertising associated with the GALA website, perhaps the board
should investigate hosting free web addresses for members. Monet believes this would require costly
additional software, but she will investigate the possibilities.
Action: Monet investigate software for free web addresses.
Beck: Not much has occurred regarding a downtown gay night project. Novo continues to be the most
likely venue. Kinports reiterated that Robin, owner of Novo, must know that such a night will be
strongly supported by the gay community. It was suggested that every time GALA members visit the
restaurant, they speak with management on duty and let them know how important this idea is to them.
Action: All board members patronize Novo and speak with Robin and his staff.
25. Issue: Adjournment: Kinports
Meeting adjourned at 8:25 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
<s>
John T. Strawn, Secretary
BOARD ACTION ITEMS TO BE READY FOR JUNE 5 MEETING:
Beck: Sponsor Brad Purpura appearance at June board meeting.
Secure date and location for Fall Party and get announcement into News and Reviews.
Marsh: Host Legacy Gathering May 20.
Reynolds: Host Legacy Gathering May 20.
Kunert: Secure board member sponsor for Women’s Dance.
Finalize GALA representation on the Chamber and Community Foundation Committees.
All board members: Sell tickets to Legacy Gathering before May 17.
Sell tickets to Reverse Drawing to be held June 9.
Attend all succeeding Pride Committee meetings and help wherever necessary.
Talk up the Griffin Pride performance and sell tickets to same.
Get News and Reviews copy for July-
Continue search for replacement Farmers Market Table hosts.
Patronize Novo and speak with Robin and the staff about a potential gay night.
Tomasini: Secure refreshments for and host Civic Theatre Program on May 3.
Strawn: Begin Reverse Drawing food purchase plans.
Parra: Begin Reverse Drawing food purchase plans.
Kinports: Complete final version of Pride In The Plaza budget for 2007.
Monet: Correct Pride Movie Night schedule entry wherever possible.
Activate local store website program and continue research on alternative third party programs.
Investigate software for free web addresses.