January Agenda

  01/14/2024 Proposed January Meeting Agenda
 
OPENING/FLAG SALUTE
ROLL CALL
MINUTES
DRAPING OF THE CHARTER
PROPOSALS FOR MEMBERSHIP
WELCOME CEREMONY
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
 
Hall Report –
 
Hall Projects (in priority order):
Repair electrical service wires -Done!
Northeast side roof needs additional screws
Kitchen counters need refinished
Kitchen needs exhaust hood and fan
Repainting under eves of hall
Kitchen and dining hall floors need refinished
 
5 party rentals scheduled. Chaps, Gamers and Zumba still have long term contracts.  Recent rentals have gone fairly well except for a few cleanup issues.  One bigger issue is the insurance we require.  Costs have gone up dramatically, often $200 now if renter does not have homeowners insurance.  Should we investigate feasibility of waiving the insurance in favor of our own policy?
 
Whiskey Hill Electrical completed our electrical repair without incident at the price they quoted.  Small meter base still needs to be removed from the wall.  Rear faucet has been turned off for winter.
 
AGRICULTURE –  EPA has decided to settle a lawsuit brought by several environmental organizations.  They agreed to start developing replacement power options and studying how to replace transportation and irrigation benefits from the lower snake river dams.  The intention is clearly to remove the dams but it appears that the Biden administration has managed to delay any action for at least 10 years and critically, has agreed the Congress will have final say. 
On the plus side:  EPA has reversed course on their proposed new pesticide rules.  Farmer, agency and legislator complaints were evidently heard.  More proposals will undoubtedly be coming but we will take this as a win.
One the negative side:  The blight resistance bred into our newish hazelnut varieties has broken down.  Why not yet clear but trees are dying again.  May be a new variety of blight imported from the east coast accidentally or may just be good old mother nature reminding us who is really in charge.
EDUCATION  -  Story from the Oregonian education newsletter by Terah Bennett:
 
Gov. Tina Kotek promised last week to develop action plans and/or launch task forces to improve school funding and budget transparency in the wake of the Portland teacher strike. Changes could include a rewrite of the state’s 25-year-old school funding formula, a statewide salary scale for teachers and allowing school districts to keep more of the funding raised by local operating levies. 
Most decisions around changing Oregon’s education funding or spending would ultimately be up to the Legislature. 
 
LEGISLATIVE –  Short session will be Feb 5 to March 10.  Oregon legislators have been burrowing into newsy topics like housing, road tolling, crime, Measure 110 and PAC-12 changes, but that’s not all. 
Legislative days in Salem last week, when lawmakers spent much of their time at informational meetings, laid the groundwork for hot topics likely to return in upcoming regular sessions.  Some examples:  Internet Security, Involuntary mental commitment, Professional employer organizations and electric vehicle taxes
SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE - JoAnn
COMMUNITY SERVICE – JoAnn
 
COMMUNICATIONS –  Betty
 
TREASURERS REPORT  -
 
Bills –              Dan
11/28/23         Entrance signs                         100.00
12/05/23         Whiskey Hill Electric              2583.00
12/09/23         Canby Ace hardware                   6.00
12/10/23         Safeway                                      13.98
12/18/23         Weebly                                       67.90
12/19/23         Canby Ace Hardware                 11.99
12/19/23         Fred Meyer (Christmas lights    24.98
12/27/23         Newberg Ace Hardware            19.99
                                                                        2827.84
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: 
Possible Maplewood Website update to Word Press on free national grange server– Only 25 MB of storage available, not practical but may be a useful bridge to another vendor.  Question becomes, are we willing to continue to pay for our website ($211 per year)
 
NEW BUSINESS:          Elections of officers
Mission Statement per Ed Luttrel’s newsletter?
                                   
MEMBERS SICK OR IN DISTRESS: 
 
GOOD OF THE ORDER:    I’m not interested in what any prophet said.  I’m interested in what you, as a follower of that prophet actually do.  James McBride, American Novelist
 
Please review again – I’d like to have a short discussion about what Maplewood’s mission is
When you are representing your organization to others, it is important to remember what it is all about. You are not looking for a new secretary or other officer for your group. You aren’t look for fresh healthy hands and backs to aid you in your fundraising efforts. And most definitely, you are not looking for an increase in the number of members. Instead of these things, you are looking for potential members who share a desire to be part of your organization’s mission.
It doesn’t matter if your group’s mission is educational, service, advocacy or creating social connections. If you recruit members on the basis of that mission, then all the other things you might want are possible. When members are passionate about an organization, they are more willing to step up to leadership, give of their time, skills, and treasure, and to share the opportunities of membership to their friends and family.
It is too easy to forget the mission of the organization when you need new leadership or are faced with financial challenges. I’ve seen it over and over, where the local group becomes focused on their perceived immediate needs and don’t understand why they are having difficulties in recruiting.
It is critical that you and your fellow members understand that when you recruit using the mission of your group as the core of your efforts, the rest will fall into place. Remember what your organization is all about.
 
HEIRLOOM PROGRAM: 
 
NEXT MEETING
 
CLOSING
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