Walker Fire Auxiliary Meeting Minutes

November 14, 2009    10:25 am

 

Co Chairs presiding:

Marsha Smades, Betsy Bykirk, John Horvat, Jeffery Morhous

 

Reading of the Secretary’s report delayed due to late arrival. Marsha Smades records first 20 minutes of today’s meeting. Joe Lupa arrived late.

 

New Business

 

  • Light parade – Joe Rech needs helpers to decorate fire trucks – November 27th.

Betsy can work Friday after Thanksgiving to decorate truck(s).

 

WFA  - can fund the lights – up to $500.

Donations?

Motion to buy lights made and accepted.

 

  • John Horvat talked about leadership – how Myra took over the Pancake breakfast functions. Carol Tocker assumed leadership with the neighborhood watch program

The WFA needs more leaders like this.

That said, John announced his resignation from WFA due to his health and going out of town for the winter.

Betsy asks for more to volunteer.

 

  • CJ Sumner – New Years Eve party – tabled – she is not here today.

 

  • Victoria – Oktoberfest.

Can get 33 artists from the Arts & Crafts show.

Has outlined Hassyampa as the host – wine and food available.

Victoria gave a logistics overview:

Need to get a committee formed.

Art storage

Ticket distribution

Advertising

Underwriting committee

Will send email asking for volunteers for each function.

Side note – WFA minutes will now be posted on the WFA website.

 

Old Business:

A review discussion was had regarding the previous Arts & Crafts fair.

Steve Nathenson reports that our letter stating a 20% cut was rejected.

Williamson Valley has given a lot of help to our community in the past.

The question was asked if the deal is reconcilable and the answer was – no.

Betsy says that she was not aware of the letter until after it was sent.

As a point of history – the WFA and the WFPA had a sense of urgency to get a head start on a new contract.

Greg Stava says that if the letter had an ultimatum – it should not have been sent. But at the end of the day, we felt that we didn’t have an option and ‘blasted away’. In hindsight it should have been handled differently.

We all agree that we learned a valuable lesson.

 

Peggy Zink says that Walker day used to be a 14 to 16 thousand dollar event.

Let’s try Walker day again. We’re ‘over figuring’.

 

Joe Lupa says – recall that Walker Day went away because no one volunteered to make it happen. A recent example is the Chili cook-off. There was no involvement. During the last two weeks prior – only a few people handled the event.

 

Bob Neberman says – look at the room – these are the only people who ever show up! And that’s a fact!

We need to make our plans and visions for the resources that we have.

Having said that – we have some potential to move forward.

 

New Business – re-continued:

Victoria presents something brand new. ArtOberfest.

Walker’s first Arts & Crafts show at Tim’s Toyota Center.

Jeff and Victoria met with the General Manager at Tim’s regarding the prospect for our OWN Arts & Crafts show.

Suggest Memorial Day weekend – Saturday/Sunday which is the same day as the “High end” Phippen show on the square. So people will be drawn to both shows.

Victoria has already called ‘Artists on the Square’.

We have other dates to suggest.

Tim’s is typically $5,000 per day and we could negotiate to $3,000 per day plus security, housekeeping, operations and PV Fire Department inspection. Total two days $9,000 plus $2,500 advertising.

 

We can sell booths (say a 100) at $275 or $250 each.

We have a database of 400 artists – our net profit could be around $13,000.

Breakeven is 44 booths.

Recall that last year – our cost was $6,000 including the city cost. – So, Tim’s at $7,000 is doable.

Plus we could have overflow booths outside at $200 with no limit to the booths.

Possibly we could rent a billboard.

Bud says that Mayer would be willing to put out message on their billboard

Artists said they like being outdoors mostly so people can see their tents. So, we can do like the ‘taste of Prescott’ at Frontier Village.

Maybe even use the old American Home store.

 

Betsy makes a motion that we pursue the Arts & Crafts fair in early June and ArtOberfest in the fall.

 

Greg Stava asks if there is any component that is Firefighter related that we can bring in the other fire departments – i.e. Bathtub races.

 

 

 

 

Newcomer Kits:

Betsy outlined the kit contents.

She got ‘buy-ins’ from County, Hospital, library, newspaper, etc.

We are going to have a full bag.

Need to talk to Jean Lupa to see if we can get a few restaurants’ coupons.

Peggy says she will help Betsy to put the WFA newcomer kits together.

 

Other Business:

Housekeeping for Fire Station.

Betsy has drawn up a monthly list for next year with no takers.

November and December are set but need next year’s.

Consider paying a service to do the cleaning?

Carol Guthrie says she will do it two times a month for the next year – and she’ll wash the towels.

 

Jeffery reports on the lapel pin offer from Norm Berg.

We now have a full color – scalable electronic file to use for all artwork needs that we can share with anyone.

 

Meeting adjourned 12:07