March 27 Board Meeting Minutes

The club's board met via Zoom on Friday March 27 to discuss club operations and activities during the COVID-19 emergency.  Click Read more to review the agreements and next steps. 
Rotary Club of Winnetka Northfield
Board Meeting
March 27, 2020
Minutes prepared by Rich Lalley
Attendees: President Marie Kuipers, President Elect Chuck Norton, Secretary/Treasurer Rich Lalley, Brooke Peppy, John Thomas, Rik Boerjesson, Barb Tubekis, David Grant, Bill Leske, Laura Cunningham, Peter Skalski
  1. Motion was approved by voice vote with no objections to permit “virtual” board meetings via Zoom.
  2. Motion was approved by voice vote with no objections to issue quarterly dues bills for the April – June time period at previous levels (Dues @ $125 and prepaid meals @$150), with notation that funds collected for meals will be utilized for the club’s COVID-19 Community Response programs focused on alleviating food insecurity, and notation that payment of the meals portion is optional.  Members who pay for meals as they go will be given the opportunity to help fund this program with donations of funds they would be using for Rotary meals and dig n grin. Also, proceeds from the “Marie’s Eggs” fundraiser discussed in the March 26 club meeting will also support the COVID-19 Community Response programs
  3. Motion was approved to continue to pay the Community House for our room rental during the shutdown.
  4. After discussion of need to provide compensation to our food servers, and with the understanding that they will qualify for unemployment compensation equal to their lost wages, it was decided to not provide compensation to them at this time. Donna Goodman has indicated she is not suffering due to the loss of our lunch business, but the club will explore ways to hire her to provide meals as part of our COVID-19 Community Response programs.
  5. It was greed that the club will develop COVID-19 Community Response programs.
    1. As approved in the March 26 club meeting, a $2,000 donation will be made to the New Trier Township food pantry, utilizing a $1,000 grant from Rotary District 6440 and The Rotary Foundation.
    2. The club would like to find beneficiaries who need and can utilize food prepared by our caterer Donna Goodman and/or local restaurants that are currently operating for take-out. Brooke Peppey will check with local hospitals and Barb Tubekis will check with local nonprofits that provide meals to in-need persons (e.g. Good News Partners).
    3. Rich Lalley will develop a proposed budget for such a program.
    4. The board will reconvene after this information has been gathered to decide on a plan of action.
  6. Contingency plans for a postponement or cancellation of our May 15 foundation benefit have not yet been made. Chuck Norton will work with the fundraiser committee over the next three to four weeks to develop plans if needed.
  7. John Thomas agreed to coordinate with Barb Tubekis on arranging for a program by a representative of New Trier Township at next week’s club meeting and to check with our booked speakers to see which are able to make presentations via Zoom. 
  8. The 2020-21 District Grant application is due June 15. Most likely, we will not be able to partner with Kids Against Hunger in spring 2021. Members of the board will work to identify potential replacement projects, looking for projects that will maintain the large community gathering for service that is provided by our Kids Against Hunger program. Rich Lalley will prepare a review of alternate food packing partners and others will come forward with new ideas. A final decision will be reached by June 1.
  9. Rich Lalley reminded the board that our club members have provided little support this year to The Rotary Foundation, an activity that usually occurs in our club in the May – June time frame.